Downward Dog Tired

This afternoon was my third foray into the world of yoga. My mat is not nearly as noxious today as it has been airing out. My toenails are painted purple in hopes of giving me something more aesthetically pleasing to reach for whilst attempting the ''forward full'' yoga stretch. I am noticing small improvements in my poses. Nothing to shout about mind you but I do have a sense of being a bit more flexible. I still can't place both hands on the mat while standing unless you count after class when I have picked up my mat and am rolling it up.

This third session had pretty much the same cast as characters as the first session: the ultra limber instructor, stretchy double jointed participants on trendy mats, my sidekick neighbor friend and myself. I did notice a new gal who was right there with me in the chunky department. Cool, I thought as I spied her in the mirrored wall. Having someone else in class who is not a Barbie prototype was refreshing. As class began I would spot her in the mirror occasionally. She might have been new to that class but obviously was not new to yoga. This gave me a good shot in the arm of some she-can-do-it-you-can-too medicine which I needed.

We gently went through the poses that I was now at least a little familiar with such as downward dog, sunflower, chair, child, and upward dog. I was feeling the flow. I stretched, taking deep breaths, envisioning myself as a yogette or whatever yoga folks are called. I supposed it is obvious that I am not one since I don't even know what they are called but for today I will use yogette. Then we were instructed to firmly plant one foot and flow into the tree pose. We were to stand on one foot and place the other foot against our calf (or thigh if you were really yogariffic). I planted my foot and place my other foot on my calf, looked in the mirror and lost it. Where is my meditative groove? My Zen had zoomed and I was trying to hold it together but my chunky self staring back at me in the mirror was humming ''I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok". Deep breath. Tree pose. No good. I am not even a huge Monty Python fan so I don't know where that came from but it kept popping back into my mind. I lost my balance and try as I might I couldn't get it back to hold the tree pose for longer than five seconds. Every time I wobbled or saw my friend wobble I wanted to yell ''timber"! I may be new but I am observant enough to know that type of behavior would be frowned upon in yoga class. Hmmm...perhaps I didn't air my mat out enough after all. I think I will blame it on the plastic fumes.

Yoga is hard work. I leave the classes tired but refreshed. I think I will go to class number four later this week. I will keep you posted.