The Promise of Yoga

Written August 16, 2012 by Sienna Smith

My first yoga class was in  1994 at the neighborhood YMCA, and the Iyengar teacher was calling out poses in Sanskrit.  I had no idea what he was talking about, so I looked over at the girl next to me and just followed her. While holding poses he chanted phrases from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, in Sanskrit and then in English. At least I understood some of what he was saying now. When we rested in child’s pose he would tell crazy stories of being in India with Mr. Iyengar. Speaking Sanskrit, Yoga Sutras, and go to India– It was all greek to me!  Honestly, I thought this guy was a bit coo-coo. Still,  I found myself returning to his class again and again.  The yoga hook was sinking in, and I was beginning to understand the strange sparkle in the eyes of these mat-carrying strangers as they faithfully poured into class each week.

After a few months of yoga, I felt something waking up in me that had been fast asleep and snoring loudly. Like a hibernating bear coming out of her winter cave, I was hungry!  I had a strong urge to nourish myself with the offerings of yoga.   Even though I was fit and religiously   attended step aerobic classes that played thumping 1990’s music, I found yoga was more rich and satisfying than anything else I had tried.

Seeing me now, you might  guess that my early days of yoga were smooth and easy,  but they  weren’t.  My triangle pose felt more like a trapezoid, I lost my balance in tree pose (especially during finals week), and pulled my hamstrings because I was tying to be like the gumby girl next to me.  One time at the end of class the teacher lead us through a quiet breathing practice, and the room was so still you could feel the breeze of a fly buzz by.  I started to feel anxious and thought my heart was going to pop out of my chest.  I took a deep breath in and then gasped loudly. Twenty pairs of eyes popped open and shot straight at me in surprise. I was embarrassed, yet I returned to class the next week for more.

The following year I  started and stopped doing yoga many times. It was a rough start.  However, I noticed that when I did yoga I felt more grounded and connected to myself, stronger in my body, and steadier in my mind.   Simple poses such as downward dog began to feel like home.  As soon as I hopped on my mat I could feel my body release and my bones settle towards the earth. My breath softened and flowed with little effort.  My mind slowed and I felt at ease.   Nothing else in my life that had the same effect on me.

Occasionally in college I drank beer to help me feel relaxed. Unfortunately,  it also  made me feel disconnected from my body and a bit  numb and spaced out. Yoga allowed me to access a state of relaxation and alertness.  Through the practice of yoga I learned how to deepen my focus and awareness while holding postures in class.  I glimpsed a true and natural state of being that felt complete and sublime.

The journey that began eighteen years ago continues to deepen and feed me in innumerable ways, so if you are beginning or returning to yoga, I applaud you!  I clearly remember how daunting it is to begin or to return to a practice that seems foreign, out of your league, or just for skinny women in their 30’s. The path of yoga  curves and spirals– It is not a straight line.  A times you  might feel awkward, and  your mind or muscles will not do what you ask.  I encourage you to stay with it! Yoga  can move us in a direction that feels like home. It teaches us to be at home in our bodies, and in the present moment through our breath.    There is a good reason yoga has been practiced for thousands of years and by millions of people.  Most of us are yearning for happiness, a fulfilling life, and a connection to something greater than themselves. Yoga offers that.  But unlike instant tea, it takes time to steep.  After years of practice, I am amazed at how the fruit of yoga continues to ripen and get more sweet by the day.

Love and infinite gratitude to spirit and all of my teachers.

By, Sienna Smith RYT

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