My history with yoga.

So I kind of came out of nowhere with this blog. I was attempting a lifestyle blog when I realized a major lack of focus made everything a mess! But here I am now. I've kept those other posts on their relevant blogs for nostalgia, and possibly digital hoarding. But, like I said, here I am now...

I wish they taught yoga in high school P.E. class. I don't know if high school me would love it as much as I do now, but I think I would. I do remember my first yoga class ever: I went to the free classes they taugh at Mizzou's Rec Center in 2006. My best friend, Tammy dragged me to it. Actually, it was more like, "ok." It might've been Iyengar yoga -all I know is that it definitely wasn't Vinyasa. I loved those. They were calming and Yin, although not restorative. Those classes were linked with the Mental Health Center; a psychologist, Terry Wilson (yes, I totally looked it up!) taught them. I guess they offer more classes now, which I think is phenomenal. "Integrative Yoga Therapy" sounds really interesting in general.

Fast forward. Radio silence on the yoga front. I attempted to do yoga at X-Sport in 2010, but found the classes too repetitive and only somewhat challenging. I wanted more variety and more yin than yang like the first classes I went to at school. That ended in a couple months.

On the on and off I would practice at home on my own. Mostly just holding stretches, not really any flows. My experience at X-Sport didn't lend itself to cultivating a practice at home.

Fast forward some more to the end of January, 2012. I heard about Community Classes at Core Power Yoga. Still repetitive, but challenging at least. Found a Groupon for a free month for $39 there. Score! February was the best month of 2012 because of that. I found myself practicing more intensely. I learned a couple flows. I would practice on my own when I wasn't attending the Community Classes after that.

Summer of 2013 found me deep in a dark depression. I'm not sure if the breakup of a relationship triggered it, among other things, or if I tend to get SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) in the summer. (All I can say, is that I think this summer will be different. :-) ) But come August of that summer, I was out! I started getting out of bed early. I would practice yoga. Yoga was a wonderful, low-cost (well, FREE!) thing to do that would make me feel great!

Perhaps, that upswing was a mania (just like Ian on HBO's Shameless). I was hospitalized twice. I lost my job. Yoga would've keep me saner if they offered it in the hospital I was in. I did what I could on a folded up blanket, but I truly think classes would've been immensely beneficial (and not just beneficial for me). I am, however, inspired to bring yoga to facilities such as the one I was in, and maybe even P.E. classes. I want yoga to be my life(!), and I want to bring the joy of yoga to as many people as I can.

Since then, I've been practicing: at home, Community Classes, and regular CPY classes since I am a part of a great program: Yoga for Trade.

Right now, maybe it's just this very moment, but I feel as if I am in a muddle. Trying to (still) pick up the pieces of last summer. (Still) job hunting. (Always) wanting to make yoga my life. My ego wants me to get arm balances and inversions before I even TRY to become an instructor. I need funds to become trained. It's really just trying to put the pieces back together in a way that makes sense and is hopefully fulfilling. And I've got a lot of ideas in my head. My intent is good, but perhaps my practice should be better. -Is that just my ego? All I know is that yoga is a part of my life that is here to stay, and I want to make it an even bigger part of my life. I'm looking forward to growing my practice as I grow myself.

Namaste.