I could hear the inhales and exhales around me of the uji breath. It struck me as harmonious: like the waves of the ocean. It was oddly comforting and allowed me to melt back into the flow of my sweaty vinyasa. I was in a small room with lovely wooden floors and the sun streaming in. It was a lovely crisp morning and the room was quite cozy and filled with people who were excited to be there. Their energies shown around me. I could feel the santosha, or contentment, swell up around me. I was sweaty with exhausted arms of jelly, but content. I felt like I belonged. I love this feeling in yoga, when I feel exhausted and sweaty, but also peaceful and that somehow this is one of those wonderful moments to savor in life.
I was in the middle of an Ashtanga yoga class. I had been invited by a teacher of mine, Rossana Lo. It was a lovely class. I had only done Ashtanga yoga once before in a mysore setting and hadn’t had a good experience. I was overwhelmed by not knowing the series and intimidated by all the yoginis around me doing many contorted things with their bodies that I could not fathom ever doing. This was different. The people were more accepting. Most of them were still doing very contorted things that maybe someday I might or might not ever do, but this time it was ok. I remember that yoga is about the journey and the destination is irrelevant because even if I were to get to the crazy pose point, there will always be something more. So I sweat and take chaturanga on my knees and remember to do the uji breath and it is good.
