Micah Craypo
Instructor: Williams
Yoga 1057
8 December, 2011
Lifelong Wellness
Taking care of your body is a lifelong journey, not just reaching some physical goals. Ever since I can remember I've been really hard on pushing myself through the pain, always striving to endure more strain on myself. When I started yoga this was no different, every class I pushed my flexibility and abilities to get into positions too far. Finally our instructors repeated advice to "listen to our bodies" hit me hard; although I really wanted the pain because it was my physical norm, I resisted the urge and it allowed me better feel what my actual bodily needs were instead of what my mind thought it needed.
"Stop and smell the roses." Funny sounding advice and yet simple and powerful enough to actually help me apply this change. I need to slow myself down; being in a yoga class where you are instructed to do so makes you realize how obnoxiously fast you were moving before you came to class. I woke up one morning and was 28 yrs. old, these years have already gone by so fast for me and yet, I still haven't found time to start "smelling" all the beautiful "roses" in my life. In fact I practiced this exercise in the locker room after one of the yoga classes. My usual routine is to shower within 2 minutes, dress myself in 2 minutes and be out the door. Instead I slowed everything down and continually thought to myself "what bad things will actually happen if I don't hurry?" Nothing bad happened and I couldn't even remember why I started getting ready so fast in the first place.
I need to set up a daily routine of stretching my limbs, yoga positions and meditative breathing. Obviously these will not all be done every day but if I can commit to at least doing one of these even if for 30 seconds it will grow into a habitual behavior. Why not make this change? It's a simple, easy and new way for me to become in-tuned with my health. I've always known that my body had needs to be met for my overall health, but the simple breathing exercises and listening to my different chakras really showed me an entirely new perspective I had never paid attention to before
Honestly, I think this was a well-organized course, full of new positions every time we came to class so as not, to get bored and become complacent. Although I have no other yoga experience to go off, the meditation at the end of class after exerting ourselves was perfect for me. To meditate and know that I'm going to exert myself afterwards, seems to bum me out and I begin getting tired before the meditation is over. The tardy and cell phone rule was a good idea and these both helped to keep a respectful student environment for one another. Good class, thank you for your time and thank you for respecting mine by always being prepared and, on-time to your classes. This can be a surprisingly rare trait among faculty sometimes, so thank you.
Instructor: Williams
Yoga 1057
8 December, 2011
Lifelong Wellness
Taking care of your body is a lifelong journey, not just reaching some physical goals. Ever since I can remember I've been really hard on pushing myself through the pain, always striving to endure more strain on myself. When I started yoga this was no different, every class I pushed my flexibility and abilities to get into positions too far. Finally our instructors repeated advice to "listen to our bodies" hit me hard; although I really wanted the pain because it was my physical norm, I resisted the urge and it allowed me better feel what my actual bodily needs were instead of what my mind thought it needed.
"Stop and smell the roses." Funny sounding advice and yet simple and powerful enough to actually help me apply this change. I need to slow myself down; being in a yoga class where you are instructed to do so makes you realize how obnoxiously fast you were moving before you came to class. I woke up one morning and was 28 yrs. old, these years have already gone by so fast for me and yet, I still haven't found time to start "smelling" all the beautiful "roses" in my life. In fact I practiced this exercise in the locker room after one of the yoga classes. My usual routine is to shower within 2 minutes, dress myself in 2 minutes and be out the door. Instead I slowed everything down and continually thought to myself "what bad things will actually happen if I don't hurry?" Nothing bad happened and I couldn't even remember why I started getting ready so fast in the first place.
I need to set up a daily routine of stretching my limbs, yoga positions and meditative breathing. Obviously these will not all be done every day but if I can commit to at least doing one of these even if for 30 seconds it will grow into a habitual behavior. Why not make this change? It's a simple, easy and new way for me to become in-tuned with my health. I've always known that my body had needs to be met for my overall health, but the simple breathing exercises and listening to my different chakras really showed me an entirely new perspective I had never paid attention to before
Honestly, I think this was a well-organized course, full of new positions every time we came to class so as not, to get bored and become complacent. Although I have no other yoga experience to go off, the meditation at the end of class after exerting ourselves was perfect for me. To meditate and know that I'm going to exert myself afterwards, seems to bum me out and I begin getting tired before the meditation is over. The tardy and cell phone rule was a good idea and these both helped to keep a respectful student environment for one another. Good class, thank you for your time and thank you for respecting mine by always being prepared and, on-time to your classes. This can be a surprisingly rare trait among faculty sometimes, so thank you.