Yoga Lessons Revisited: She Like To Move It, Move It

/ Ally Bean

I’ve stretched my body more lately.  To make my joints more flexible, my alignment more comfortable, my muscles more toned.  Doing yoga asanas, that is.  Or my middle-aged out-of-shape reinterpretation of them.

It’s been a little over 10 years since I stopped going to yoga classes on a regular basis.

• • •

LESSON #1

“Keep on meeting the edge.”

~ said Kathy, who moved away from the city to live on an organic farm

• • •

I had always enjoyed taking yoga classes, but my favorite instructors, who each had her own way of explaining life on and off the mat, stopped teaching.

The only woman I could find who did not do hot yoga, which I think is nuts, was more about selling her book and CDs than teaching yoga.  She was quite the personality kid, which annoyed me.

So I stopped attending her classes, thinking I’d continue my practice on my own.

• • •

LESSON #2

“When in doubt, don’t.”

~ said Donna, who got a newspaper byline and is living her dream of being a writer

• • •

But you know how things like that go.  Procrastination + laziness took over– and eventually the idea of daily yoga practice floated out of my monkey mind.

However, this fall I acknowledged that I’m getting older and that I’m beginning to walk more THUNK * THUNK * THUNK than flow * flow * flow.  Which is to say my daily walks are morphing into daily moseys because I’m going slower and slower.

Re-enter daily yoga practice.

• • •

LESSON #3

“Well isn’t that interesting?”

~ said Cathy, who had a hip replacement then decided to retire with her husband to somewhere warm

• • •

I’ve yet to commit to a specific time and place for my stretching, but if memory serves, back years ago when I was really into yoga, I used the late afternoon as my practice time… which I suppose I could do again.

And that, my gentle readers, is what’s up with me today in my quest to age gracefully + not keel over by the side of the road.

Ever onward, I say.  Each of us moving forward in our own way.

• • •

“Fizz-a-cally-fit, Fizz-a-cally-fit…”

• • •

59 thoughts on “Yoga Lessons Revisited: She Like To Move It, Move It”

  2. I remember you always being so flexible! It’s a good idea to start up again. Your muscles will eventually remember what they are supposed to do…….just “move it, move it”!

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    • Beth, once upon a time I was very flexible. Now, not so much. Hope you’re right about my muscles remembering, they’re not the most enthusiastic muscles on earth. More interested in lounging than moving. 😉

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  3. I’ve been thinking about trying yoga….for 4 years now. I was going to do it after I retired (4 years ago). Then last summer there was a special package (wrong time). Then my friend found a “lunchtime” session. She went once (I had an appointment). She never went again. I go to the gym 5 days a week but I’d really like to try yoga. Of course….maybe it’s all in my head (where a lot of things remain these days). Good luck to you.

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    • Kate, I used to lurve my yoga classes, but once hot yoga and yoga pants came into fashion, the simple + smart yoga classes disappeared around here. Some teachers are so good and healing, while other ones are out to make a buck off a trend. If you can find one of the more mellow teachers, I bet that you’d adore yoga. It’s centering and restorative when done right. What’s not to love?

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      • The one my friend went to was a corrupted form that involved hanging upside down and such. Not for a 60 something woman. That’s why she never went again. Locally they seem to try to top each other by adding the outlandish!

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        • kate, I think that you’re right. My introduction to yoga was in the 80s and it was hatha yoga, which is gentle and life-affirming… not scary and upside down! What a whacked way to teach yoga. No wonder she didn’t go back. 😦

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  4. Lovely yoga can be found at YogaTX, 20 minute sessions so you don’t get outfaced by it. I did a 15 minute one for shoulder and neck pain recently (wasn’t in pain as such, just stiff and tense) and it worked a treat. Lovely instructors. I take a virtual class when I can, with the intention of ramping it up when the bug has rebitten me. If it’s not for you, hope you find something you love. Polly

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    • Polly, I really did love yoga, the moves, the meaning, the healthfulness of it. But I got out of the habit, I guess. Good idea to look for an online class which can help me get back to it. Smart thinking.

      [Also, good to hear from you. What’s up with you?]

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      • Ali, sorry I’m so late to reply – just catching up! We’re all good here, my birthday, young boy’s birthday, then the build up to Christmas. I was offered 10 piano lessons half price so I’m on lesson 7 now, really enjoying it, but it’s very new to me. Young boy has started the clarinet, I remember you said once you used to play. Just got a new car because my gearbox broke on the old one. I must roll the yoga mat out again soon, thanks for making me think of it again. Best wishes.

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        • Polly, it sounds like you’ve been busy. Bummer about the car, but they only last so long.

          Love the idea of taking piano lessons, but doubt that my fingers would cooperate. Yes, I played the clarinet. It was a fun instrument– and packed up so neat & tidy into its case… which is probably not a concern for your boy!

          If you start back into blogging, please let me know. Always enjoyed what you had to say. Miss you.

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  5. Good for you! I always have good intentions of exercising at home but I let so many other things get in the way. Have you checked out local yoga classes lately? Either way, I think it’s great you’re going to work on your gumbyness again.

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    • Zazzy, you’re right. I need to check to see if there are any classes available now. Once upon a time we had a yoga school around here, but it went out of business about the time hot yoga came into vogue. Then all my independent teachers packed it up, but maybe now there’s someone teaching good old hatha yoga again. Good idea.

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  6. Glad to hear you’re getting back to it. I don’t particularly enjoy doing yoga, but I make myself do it at least once a week for the benefits. I much prefer my cardio- and weight-charged workouts. But we all can use improved flexibility, so every Monday morning I roll out my mat and get to it. Oftentimes I’ll do another twenty minutes during the week when I can fit it in.

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  7. Semper Gumby! HA! That should be on a shirt, you know, except for the copyright infringement. 🙂

    I tried yoga. I love being flexible. I like meditating. I hate having to be anywhere at a specific time, so that made class, um, not work for me. Weirdo.

    Namaste.

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    • Daisy Smiley Face, I know what you mean about getting to classes on time. Stressful. So it seems like my plan to do yoga at home, whenever, should be working for me… but LAZY! Oh well.

      Namaste.

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  9. Hot yoga, no way! Even regular yoga was tough for me; I felt stiff and awkward, although doing it by myself would probably have been better than in the class. Something about it made me very self-conscious

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    • Margaret, in some classes I felt self-conscious about myself, but in other ones I felt good about what I was doing. That had to do with the teacher’s personality and the light level in the room. But I get what you’re saying, it can be weird and off-putting. However, at home without any mirrors around, I am the epitome of flexibility and grace! 😉

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  12. Semper Gumby: “Semper Gumby is an unofficial motto for the United States Marine Corps, Navy fast attack submariners, Navy Seabees, USCG personnel, Army Unit Supply Specialists, and the Civil Air Patrol. It is a play on the official motto Semper Fidelis, usually abbreviated Semper Fi, which means “Always Faithful”, and that of the US Coast Guard, Semper Paratus, meaning “Always Ready.”

    Semper Gumby – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    There is also all kinds of “SG” stuff available on Amazon.

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  13. As a fellow Yogi (and former Yoga teacher) I fully encourage you on your journey back to Yoga. Personally, I have been using YogaGlo for the past few years as I am such a picky student when it comes to finding the right teacher at a studio, and I have a super busy schedule. There are some celebrity teachers on YogaGlo, but some that are really phenomenal who I love practicing with from home.

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  14. I love how you incorporated all those quotes into your journey. It’s hard to get back in the swing of things. I’ve been sick for a month and haven’t worked out at all. I miss it. I miss that hour of feeling myself getting stronger and releasing stress. Hoping to get back to it in December. 🙂

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    • Kourtney, whenever I think about yoga those quotes come to mind. I miss how good I felt when I was practicing daily, so I’m trying to get back into it again. Hope you feel better soon & can get back to your routine. Sending healing thoughts your way.

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  15. The search for a good yoga class that is at your level and at a good time with a teacher you like is very difficult. My MIL actually teaches and is very good at it, but it’s right in the midst of my work day, so I can’t go. I’ve found a couple of videos that are helpful.

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    • J, I haven’t poked around to see who’s teaching yoga now. I just gave up on it. But it could be that now there are some hatha-style teachers out there again. A project for the new year!

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  17. Falling into a routine is a good thing. Discovering a new routine is a good thing. Being flexible to adapt to those changes is awesome. Don’t stress about finding THE time. Time will find you when you choose to make time. All my best on your journey.

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  18. I’ve got to figure out a way to do yoga despite my very large chest. Even in a sports bra, some poses are difficult because things just…Get in the way. lol Thanks for writing something fun and thought-provoking.

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  19. I’m there too- feeling not so nimble at 58 as once was, have returned to yoga practice. When I do it I think this feels so good ,why haven’t I kept it up- to the next morning thinking I want to sleep in, have a late breakfast and make a bunch of excuses why I don’t have time to practice. (spoiler, I have TONS of time to practice)
    Cheers!

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