(awesome photo by Jessica Jenkins)
Last night I went to yoga at my gym. In an attempt to save some money I have decided I am going to take advantage of the yoga classes that they offer at Equinox since I am already paying a fee to be a member there. My normal “go to” classes at Equinox are generally the cardio and spin classes, and I tend to overlook the yoga classes they offer. There is something about gym yoga verses studio yoga that causes me to disregard it. I just like the atmosphere of a studio better, and for me a yoga class is about the entire experience. If something is off, the energy, the people, the noise, I get annoyed and frustrated (I know this is something I need to work on). Last night was different though. I have been DYING to get to one of Sarah Sturge’s classes. She teaches at Back Bay Yoga frequently, but unfortunately because of my work schedule these classes never fit in with my schedule. Last night I decided to opt out of my normal Equinox Monday night class, “whipped”, and attend Sarah’s class. My decision was further influenced by the fact that my roommate Teresa, who never comes to yoga with me, was going to attend this class as well. Yoga with friends is always fun. When we arrived to class I was pleasantly surprised by the calmness of the studio. Yes, there were definitely a few more distractions that normal; I could hear the treadmills running and weights dropping, but this just allowed me to focus more on my breathing. When I think about it now, these distractions are not much different than the fire trucks sounding or car’s beeping that I hear when I am at at any other studio.
Sarah’s class was invigorating yet calm, and the flow was familiar yet unique. During the “12 Days of Yoga” posts I talked a few times about awesome teachers, and how, for me, my opinion of a class is influenced largely by this factor. Sarah is a great teacher. She is one of those people that you feel like you know even if you have never met her. Her energy was genuine and her spirit was uplifting for everyone. I think if we had just sat cross legged on our mat for the entire class I still would have walked out and been like “wow, what an awesome class.”
-A
Funny side note: I texted Jen after class to tell her I went. She goes to Sarah all the time and loves her. Obviously I told her how much I loved her now as well, but she didn’t get the text right away and frantically called me because she was panicked that I hated the class (I didn’t).
Sarah is hosting an amazing yoga retreat in Vermont in a few weekends and there are few more spots available. If you like yoga, food, and snow I would recommend checking it out!
http://www.sarahsturgesyoga.com/sarahsturgesyoga.com/retreats.html
Moral of today’s class: Sometimes you need to change up your routine
“The less routine the more life”
-Amos Bronson Alcott
what yoga gave to me... 