This Tuesday I attended the same yoga class I have for the past two weeks. This week, class was more focused on breathing than holding postures. Unlike previous classes where the emphasis was on ujjayi breathing, this class was focused on alternate nostril breathing. This was something I had never done before, and it seemed very odd to me. I was unsure of why we were practicing it. Does it have benefits? Is it better than regular breathing? These are questions that ran through my mind while at class. While doing this practice, Stevie mentioned that alternate nostril breathing can be very effective for a stuffy nose and for calming anxiety, making it a useful tool to use in those situations, not just when doing yoga. In addition to alternate nostril breathing, we also learned the Tibetan five rights, a sequence of five moves, each done a certain number of times. Stevie told the class that this sequence moves every joint in your body, and that even though it wasn't too strenuous, we would feel it the next day. Throughout class, Stevie talked about how we can use these breathing exercises and sequences of postures every day to calm ourselves or clear our minds. This is one way that yoga is framed as more than just exercise. In fact, Stevie mentioned nothing regarding physical fitness or even flexibility, but rather focused on how yoga can be an effective psychological tool. The idea of yoga practices enhancing areas of life not having to do with physical fitness is a common theme of the classes I have attended thus far. As far as yoga for empowerment, I personally have not felt empowered while practicing yoga. I run for a hobby, and have found that very empowering and almost addictive. I have not felt this way towards yoga, at least not yet. As with any form of exercise, I do believe that yoga has the ability to be empowering for some people.
My first yoga experience was a free yoga class offered by Stockton at the lodge on Tuesday, January 23rd. Having attended this yoga class a few times before, I knew what to expect when I attended. The instructor of the class was the same women who I had taken classes with before, Stevie. Upon walking into the lodge, I was not surprised that most of the people there were female, with a few males scattered among them. Most people were dressed in athletic clothing and had their hair pulled up away from their faces. Most people had their own yoga mats, but had to borrow yoga blocks from Stevie. People set up their mats in rows and left a foot or two of space between one another. I notived that the atmosphere didn't seem very suitable for a yoga class due to the distracting noises coming from the kitchen in the lodge. While waiting for the class to begin, most people were sitting cross legged on their mats facing Stevie. Because it was the first class offered at Stockton t...
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