This week I decided that I would go to different yoga class than the one I have been going to. I called a local yoga studio to see what classes were being held Thursday night. I found out there was yang/yin yoga class being taught at 7. I asked how the class would be for someone who hasn't been practicing for too long after a long hiatus. The person on the phone told that I should do fairly well and that the class will be a combination of a flow class, as well as some holding poses. I have taken flow classes plenty of times, and I did like the holding of the poses from ashtanga, and bikram so I thought this would be a great class. The name yang/yin comes from the first portion being dynamic, and fast paced, while the second half (yin) is more relaxed and we hold a pose for awhile for the most intense stretch possible. The class was taught by a younger woman named Bethany, she may have been the youngest instructor I have gone to so far.
The poses were mostly surya namaskar A & B, and standing sequence poses from the Ashtanga practice. There were poses added in the sun salutation sequences that I have not done before. For example after our high plank, we would draw the knee into chest and hold for a few breaths before planting the foot to go into warrior. While in warrior we would go to cactus pose (exhale), and then with the inhale deepen the stretch of the leading foot lean with heart forward and scoop our arms down before raising. This definitely made a difference in keeping balance and maintaining my breathing. After 20 minutes of this dynamic flow I had to slow down, and go at my own pace. It was impossible for me to maintain my breathing which cause my whole flow to be off, and I could feel the misalignment of my body when doing the poses. During the yang session the room is heated to an obviously warm temperature. During the yin half we did some forward floor stretches and held them for a long time, and then held pigeon pose for a really long time.
Atmosphere:
Ambient, atmospheric music played the entire time, during the yang flow the music had a faster tempo. There were giant heads of the Buddha on the various walls, there were mandalas painted and repeated on the walls of the practice space. The room was dark, except a string of low watt warm lights. The waiting room, and yogashala both had aromatic diffusers so the entire place smelled like lavender or something like that. The instructor only did a few of the poses, and mostly walked around and adjusted students.
Bethany incorporated a lot of new age philosophy in her yoga talk. She mentioned concepts of letting go of stress, accepting yourself, coping with failure, and perseverance. I have not had that aspect in many of the classes I have taken lately. It was nice to hear those things because I am overly critical of myself and I was getting frustrated with how I started to struggle with the flow. I felt defeated for a brief moment after having to change my flow. After class Bethany talked to me and asked how I was and what I thought of her class and I literally told her she's a mad woman and that the class was the hardest yoga class I've ever been in. The yoga studio has a bunch of different yoga classes and I have a free class credited to me so I am torn between going back to Bethany, or trying something new.
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