I thought I was practicing Yoga back in 2016, when I first started trying it out. Now, I wouldn’t consider what I did back then a real practice. HIIT workouts, cross-training, and CrossFit were my workouts of choice that I would do in 2016, 3-4 days a week. Yoga was something I took a class in once a week, and I sometimes would go months without practicing at all. Looking back, I thought that Yoga was going to be a relaxed exercise day for me to stretch and take it easy. Truthfully, it never was that.
My first Yoga class was not just any old Yoga class, it was a Hot Yoga class, and it was 1.5 hours. My body was used to working out for that long doing circuit training, so I never thought anything of it. I figured this Yoga class would be a breeze. Man was I wrong. Exposure to 105+ degree heat was not something I understood until I submerged myself into this class. I just signed up and imagined I could do it. This was and still is how I face challenges in my life. Not to say I wasn’t nervous or a little scared, but I was determined to do this Hot Yoga no matter what.
The experience that I had at this Hot Yoga class is one I will never forget. 😅 I looked at the teacher and people beside me because I didn’t know a thing about Yoga. At the time, Asanas and poses were completely unfamiliar to me. Not only did I not know what I was doing, but I wore the wrong top, which kept sliding down and covering my face in Down Dogs. 😅😅 Still, I persisted.
I managed to follow along although I was confused about breathing. The teacher cued inhale and exhale as we moved, but because I am naturally “backwards” and a lefty in my way of thinking, I would often mess up. There were so many instructions happening for the class that I was lost. I was trying to figure out where to put my hands and feet, when to tighten my abdomen and constrict my throat to breathe slower, and more. Standing there doing the poses, I remember holding my breath because I didn’t know when to inhale or exhale or I found it difficult to get air into my lungs while twisted like a pretzel! 😳😅
With 15 minutes left of my class, I thought I would faint. It was hot and the air was thick while I was completely drenched with sweat and could hardly breathe! I was practicing towards the back of the room, and if it wasn’t for someone letting some cold air into the room, I may have gone down! 🙈
The thought of me actually getting out of the room, or stopping and resting in Child’s pose never crossed my mind. In my mind, I was going to finish the class no matter what!! I was not going to let anyone in class see that I couldn’t do it! Even if it meant me dropping to the floor. My ego took over. It wasn’t until about August of 2019 that I started to practice Hot Yoga regularly, practicing 4-5 days a week, but that’s another story for another time.
We all have to start somewhere, and learning to connect my breath with Asanas is the first time I really started to connect with my Yoga practice. When I didn’t know how to do this, it had a direct correlation to my life and how I was living: constantly on the go with not a second to slow down and “take a breath,” bringing life into my body. Connecting Asanas with breath took time to practice and get the hang of, but I could say the same thing about my life. It took time for me to realize that I needed to take time to breathe and take care of myself.
Fortunately for me, cancer was a wake up call. I didn’t want to live my life without a second to myself anymore. Through my recovery, I connected to Yoga because it not only taught me to slow down, but it taught me to connect my breath to my life. Because of Yoga, I live a calmer and more balanced life, and I am grateful that I found Yoga.
You may have your reasons to not be interested in Yoga right now. Maybe you think it’s too easy or too hard, or you think you’re not flexible enough, or too old. Whatever your reason may be, I’m here to tell you that Yoga is for everyone. You can practice a little or practice a lot. Regardless of how far you want to go with it, Yoga will always welcome you, embrace you, and guide you towards a deeper reflection of yourself, bringing calmness into your life. It all starts with your practice on the mat and then off the mat. The more you practice, the more you’ll understand that Yoga and life are connected.
If you haven’t tried Yoga yet, I hope one day do. If your experience isn’t great like mine was, don’t give up. The beauty about the practice is that every day it’s different. Some days it will be great and some days you will fall. It’s just like in our lives, every day you get another chance to start again. Namaste. 😊🙏🏽❤️
Karla Perez
Wholistic Resilience Expert
