When I took my first yoga class, I was unimpressed. I don't remember where I took the class. I don't remember what kind it was. Which probably speaks to how unimpressive it was. But as a certified cardio addict.... I was SO not into it. A year or so ago, I bought a Groupon for a yoga studio down the street from my apartment. I originally bought the deal with some of my girl friends. I had visions of relaxing yoga classes on Saturday mornings followed by leisurely coffee dates. This wasn't far from the truth. But it certainly didn't end up being the whole truth.
From the minute I started practicing with Julie, the owner of the studio, I was hooked. There was something more to it than anywhere else I'd been. It had a depth to it I had been completely missing. Now I've gone from a non-believer (Shuuuunnnn the non-believer) to a regular.
The other day, I was visiting with Mister (w)Right's mother. She's getting ready to fly out to Denver to complete her yoga teacher certification. I'm jealous. Majorly jealous. We got to talking about the books she was reading for the class and she mentioned one that spoke to the spiritual aspect of yoga; yoga as a lifestyle more than an exercise. She explained how discovering the spiritual aspect of yoga was giving a depth to her practice she had been missing.
Which brings me to Tuesday night. I dropped in on my first Naam yoga class. When I walked in, I was a little uncertain. To be honest, I had no idea what Naam was. I figured it was another version of Hatha. But Anna, the instructor, struck me from the very first as beautiful. And not just in appearance. Her voice was beautiful. Her demeanor was beautiful. She radiated beauty. And when Julie herself came in and put her mat down -- on the student side of the class -- I knew it was going to be a good class.
Wikipedia describes Naam Yoga as "a spiritual science and art that merges Eastern Yogic practices with the practical esoteric teachings of Universal Kabbalah. The philosophy within Naam Yoga is aimed at revealing the hidden truths of various spiritual traditions and mystery systems so that humankind may draw from both Eastern and Western practices to ultimately conceive the true nature of the Divine." Beth gave us all "cheat sheets" at the beginning with a list of different chants and matras. The whole class was set to a soundtrack of chanting and singing. If you've ever participated in a class-wide "Om", imagine that on a whole new level. Every posture had a purpose. Every word we said was calculated. We did Dead Bug pose for 3 minutes.
If that doesn't make you happy, you need to get that checked out. At the end, I felt incredible. Energized, relaxed, and connected. To the divine, to my class mates, and to the universe. If you've never done Naam, I highly recommend it. And if you've had your doubts about spiritual yoga or the yogic lifestyle... well, life starts now.
p.s. Looking for a good studio? River's Edge Yoga on Bardstown Rd. You won't regret it.
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