Thankful Thursday: Getting My Butt Kicked
So, this week, I started back in on yoga. Let me tell you a few things about me and yoga:
- I have never been able to touch my toes. Knees? Okay, yes. Barely.
- I am not good at the slow, in and out, breathing thing. Especially, and this is important, during yoga.
- I’m not fond of being told what to do. Like, you know, to touch my toes.
But…in the past year or so, I’ve been getting some of those little aches and pains that I thought weren’t supposed to show up for another decade or three. Sore back. Tight neck. Possible arthritis in, of all places, my left middle finger. (Best explanation I’ve come up with for that one: that’s the finger that has typed oh-so-many Es on various keyboards over the years.)
So, when I saw that a local yoga center was offering GENTLE yoga three mornings a week, at a time of day that I’m basically just puttering, I decided it was time to try again. I’ve gone twice so far: Day 1: not so great, but I gritted my teeth and got through it. Day 2: AWESOME. Probably, yes, because I concentrated on (see above) breathing, more than anything else. I think I remembered to do it about 90% of the time.
As opposed to about 10%, which is my usual.
Result of both Day 1 and Day 2?
Yes, it’s a GENTLE class. Yes, I see the irony. But this goes back to my baby steps vision of life, and I am willing to give up a few hours of brain productivity, now, for more strength and (in my dreams!) the possibility of touching my toes in the future. And, I’m sure, the increased clear-headedness all that breathing will bring me.
So, today, I’m thankful for the OWS! I was uttering all day Monday and Tuesday. I’m thankful for the lessening ows that came on Wednesday. I’m thankful for the incredible sleepiness that has hit me three days in a row, at about 7:30 p.m. and the awesome nights of sleep that have gone along with it. I’m thankful for the need to sit out side in the sun and imbibe a bit of caffeine before getting started in the mornings.
And I’m VERY thankful for my wonderful husband who has happily taken on driving our son to his job at camp, so I can go and (try to) bend into positions I’m still not sure are meant for humans to achieve.
What have you taken on lately that you’re doing for the long-term benefits, rather than the immediate positives? And how’s that going for you?!
beckylevine.com 
8 Comments
Mazel tov! I’m a yoga evangelist, although I still only do the beginner/intermediate poses. A few years ago I broke my baby toe and tried yoga as a way to keep some exercise going until I could go back to karate. When my bone finally healed, I discovered I had not lost any strength or stamina, and was much more flexible. Now I add a few stretches to every class I teach, from karate to quilting.
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Good for you. I can tell, from how tired I am, that I have to be adding strength as well as flexibility. It’s just not showing up yet. Right? Right? 🙂
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Hi, Becky.
I, too, have arthritis in my left middle finger.
Could this be karma? 🙂
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I hope not!
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I agree. I think karma probably manifests itself in ways other than sore knuckles!
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I tried yoga but couldn’t get into holding uncomfortable positions for a little too long. And I gave it a good try – 6 weeks. I run and bike and that’s enough for me I guess.
I’ve taken on drawing and painting for the long term benefits. As with writing, it takes patience, hard work and perseverance to improve but it’s so worth it when a painting or drawing begins to sing. My instructor is always encouraging us to bring out the poetry. There’s a lot of beauty in ordinary things.
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Stella, I think the running & biking is probably MORE than enough. Good for you! And with the painting, too. 🙂
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[…] without success (being defined as enjoying it and wanting to go back). But I recently made another attempt to take yoga classes, and this time it seems to have clicked. I went back because, lately, […]
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