New People, New Experiences

"Yoga is about compassion and generosity towards others. It means being mindful of the world around us." 

-Christy Turlington

After many months of sitting in the couch and walking my dog, I have at last brought yoga back into my life. I can already feel my muscle memory working and restoring my flexibility with each practice. The biggest shift of this new yoga experience is the people; I am not at a yoga studio, but in a classroom on my school campus. It is open to all students, but not so surprisingly, mostly girls signed up. Having only practiced in the past with men and women in their 40's to 60's, now being surrounded by teenagers my own age has created a completely different atmosphere during practice.

Instead of coming into a quiet, calm room with people stretching and waiting for practice to start like I am used to, I walk in at 8 a.m. to be welcomed by 30 mats and talkative, laughing girls. Most of the class are beginners, so everyone learns as we build off each move. Compared to the judgmental and harsh social world of high school, the atmosphere during practice is light-hearted and fun. Hearing laughter from my classmates as they fall out of moves is much different to the sometimes serious and intense classes I have taken. Practicing with other teenagers makes me feel much more comfortable as well, which shows how much the people add to your practice. I look forward to the positive environment and people I can relate to when I come to yoga.

Being opposed to new things can limit your experiences, which in turn rob people of great opportunities. Having different perspectives on a topic can really give someone the full view of what it all means. Yoga allows us to empathize and work with our bodies and minds, but that doesn't mean ourselves alone. There is always the chance to help others grow as well. Through yoga, I hope to create a bond with my classmates that I was too scared to try before.  

Citations

Turlington, Christy. “Yoga.” Picture Quotes, Picture Quotes.

Val. “Preteen Yoga With YogiVal®.” YogiVal, www.yogival.com/preteen-yoga/.