Yoga (I Watched Him Stretch) – Rondine and Shadorma – October 26, 2014

Strecccchhhhhhhhh! And Photo Credits.

I watched him stretch his graceful limb
Beautiful – t’was the sight to see
I looked at him then down at me
Knowing I’m just not made like him …

Concentrating and feeling grim
(Thinking it better that I flee …)
I watched him stretch

I went to his course on a whim
A morning workshop which was free
(My shoulders ache, so does my knee …
His yoga took me to the rim)
I watched him stretch

ah yoga
memory of youth
relaxing
refreshing
but there’s yoga and yoga
limping, I reflected.

(c) G.s.k. ’14

 

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I went to a yoga workshop yesterday morning and to say the least it was an experience.  I’ve practiced yoga in the past and since the first course I took back in 1976, I’ve practiced it with other yoga masters and have also done Pilates, stretching, tai chi, and Aikido.  I’m a licensed Shatsu therapist, now retired because of arthritis in the knees and I admit, I’m out of shape.

I was expecting a normal yoga course with a little tai chi added (as he said) but what I found was a gauntlet, something that might be called “cross-over yoga”.  Most of the postures were on hands and knees with a lot of shoulder work.  We were 5 women .. average age 55 .. except for a lovely young thing of around 20 who had no problems at all. (Oh I’d told him of my physical problems btw.)The rest of us were stumbling and sweating like fountains, one lady felt nauseated from the efforts.

At the end of the meet, he asked us what we thought.  As usual the Italians (especially Trentini) are very courteous … one lady, a regular (who had had even more problems than I) said that it was easier than usual (I though: OMG!) … the other lady complained of her lack of co-ordination and said she probably shouldn’t have eaten breakfast before coming to the workshop … the third that she’d never practiced yoga in that way and found it delightfully challenging (!) … the young thing talked about her needing to improve her posture.

I, being an American and besides at nearly 63, let’s say a little outspoken, said that I found it far too advanced for me and if it was so easy for the first lady, I shuddered to think what difficult would be. At which point the campaign to convince me that it was a matter of working into the exercises to obtain the benefits of his version of yoga began (I said that if I survived, it would probably be very beneficial).

Afterwards out of earshot, two of the ladies agreed with me (cowards).  Ah to be young again ….

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The first poem  is a rondine …  was introduced by Jen on this week’s BJ’s Shadorma and Beyond for Mindlovesmisery’s Menagerie.