Great yoga workshop today

Kismet offered a free workshop today with Joe, who trained under Baron Baptiste (and looks strangely like Javier Bardem). I’ve never been to one of Joe’s classes – he teaches mornings during the week.

I also haven’t been to a yoga class in ages. Between the accupuncture and the 5-K training – it sort of fell off my schedule.

I know that I feel better about life when I do yoga regularly. I tend to live in a state of tension and stress, and yoga releases it both physically and mentally.

At the beginning of class, Joe was talking about how we’re all built perfectly and that yoga just allows us to re-align ourselves.

Well, it actually made me tear up a little bit –  it was just really nice to hear that I don’t have to work so freaking hard at trying to improve myself. Sometimes I just need to relax.

He was a really great teacher, broke down a lot of moves into easy to understand  explanations – and even got us all up against the wall to do handstands. My very 1st yoga handstand – it was quite exciting – God bless Joe – thankfully he’s sturdily built and was able to get me up into the air.

And then to round out my lovely relaxing day – my favorite girl & I went to use my Groupon at Prana. It was really yummy! We had raw sushi (made with coconut – not rice, a Naan pizza, a strawberry smoothie, fabulous kale chips, and a chocolate sundae – all vegan)

Are Yoga Peace and my children incompatible?

I brought my kids to the Yoga for Peace event on Saturday.

The event seemed awesome – from what I was able to  see as I chased my 3 and 6 year-olds from room to room.

There was a lovely group in one room playing music  while about 50 people sat on yoga mats swaying to the music and looking serene. My daughter said “Boring!” and we moved on.

Next we checked out the booths – all sorts of interesting things from jewelry to crystals, yoga mats, health foods, and psychics – my kids were quite fond of the lady giving out samples of Lara bars and dried fruit, her smile a little smaller on their 3rd and 4th visit to her.

Whole Foods provided an impressive lunch buffet – tons, and tons of fresh veggies, grains & salads – my kids were considerably more enthusiastic about loading up their plates, than they actually were about eating.

Then there were several classrooms that had different kinds of yoga being taught throughout the day. We went to the childrens yoga class – I thought my kids would have fun – they love to do the kids yoga we watch “on demand” from Comcast. But they refused to participate, and asked to go home.

So that was it – as we walked out – pass the rooms of people doing yoga – I tried not to resent my kids’ presence, because in all honesty,  yoga is often my escape from my children, and the stresses of raising toddlers. Maybe someday, we can do yoga together – but for next year, I’ll plan on coming by myself.

In the car on the way home from Nashua – both kids were out cold, and I smiled to myself listening to them snoring, and I make a silent promise to find some other ways that we can all feel peaceful together.

Lots of yoga this weekend – and feeling good!

Definitely needed some yoga the day my wallet was stolen.

I went to Prana in Winchester – they had a Groupon last month – and I’d heard of them before – but it’s sort of a big drive from my house – but worth it – a really great yoga studio.

It really was just what I needed after a long wacky day – Prana heats the studio to 95 degrees – so it was toasty – got a lot of sweat & toxins out.  They are located next to Whole foods – so I also got to get my healthy wholesome foods on this trip.

Then Saturday, my local (and long-time favorite) yoga studio – Self-awakening was holding a fundraiser for “YogaCaps“.  It was really great of Barbara the owner to do this – you could just drop in to the class for whatever donation you felt comfortable giving. I love my yoga, but I’m also on a tight budget.

The class on Saturday was “Yin Yoga and meditation” – I normally would not have picked this style – the image in my head is that it’s too slow, boring & not-challenging enough – however Bill the instructor made a good point – that it’s about balance – so the slowness of the Yin was a good counter to the Power yoga from Thursday.

Turns out I actually really enjoyed the class and the two hours flew by! It is challenging in its own way, as some of the poses are held for a full 5 minutes!

Then Sunday, back to Vinyasa yoga and another donation – and it felt really good.

The more yoga I do, the better I feel!

Next week – I want to take the kids to the NH Yoga for Peace event. I hope they’ll find it fun.