In my practice space, yoga is very much used as a form of meditation, if meditation is defined as a mental state of clarity and focus. One obvious way that meditation is practiced is through the breathing techniques that the teacher encourages us to use, ujjayi breathing. Because ujjayi breathing involves tightening the back of the throat, it requires extreme focus. This breathing technique, because it requires so much focus, encourages meditation. The teacher also explains meditation by telling the class to not let their minds wander, to be attentive to their breathing, and to clear their minds of any thoughts or worries. Another way that meditation is practiced is through closing the eyes, which the teacher is always reminding us to do. Although she does not actually say "meditation", meditation is definitely encouraged through her suggestions.
If I had to sum up our in-class Ashtanga practice in one word, I would say challenging. The fact that it was challenging made it an enjoyable class, because I like exercise that challenges me and forces me to work hard. The most difficult aspect of the class was getting into some of the poses because they required so much flexibility, and I am only moderately flexible. The class stretched my entire body, especially my legs, which made me feel good afterwards. One aspect of the class that made a community atmosphere was how the entire class was arranged in a circle, with all of us facing towards each other. This brought a sense of togetherness to the class because everyone was facing each other instead of being in rows towards the front of the room. Another aspect of the class that made it feel like a community was how the class would look at each other for help for some of the moves. Because of this, we weren't doing yoga individually, but rather looking to our neighbors to see how
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