Sunday, August 2, 2009

Yoga, interrupted

I went to yoga yesterday, for the first time in a long time. I took my step-daughter with me and we had a blast. I'm not as limber as I used to be, and certainly not as centred. I felt off-balance, physically and emotionally.

Not helping my sense of balance and compassion was the woman who came in fifteen minutes late, her thongs clap-slapping the floor and her children giggling and whispering. She took her time setting up, instructing her girls where to put their mats. They unrolled said mats, and not quietly. As each of the three mats slapped down on the floor all at once, I had to fight not to scream. They settled, eventually, and just as I started getting back to my zen-place the mother began whispering instructions at one of the girls.

This is such a difficult situation for me. I want to be all happy and peaceful and understanding about how I have to share the world with others. I want to stay grounded in my bubble, not letting others intrude on my space. I really, really want to disassociate from reacting based on my environment. I try to have compassion and understanding; I try to let my heart fill up with good-will towards others; but really, I just wanted to yell at them until they cried and fled the studio.

Clearly, I have a long way to go.

Please, please, if you are going to bring your kids to yoga at least be on-time and considerate of others.

Also, don't wear shorts that gape at the leg if you aren't washed and shaved.

4 comments:

Mary (MPJ) said...

We must never take yoga together! ;)

MargauxMeade said...

I have problems with this type of stuff, too. The other night, some guy started talking during savasana. Usually, I don't mind if someone does a little bit of talking once we're in the flow, but during savasana?! Come on. That's beyond rude.

Jade said...

Seriously... our class has some interaction during class. Our instructor is outgoing and friendly and will sometimes say something during class that gets a giggle or something from someone, but never during savasana. That *is* beyond rude.

MargauxMeade said...

Jade, I totally forgot to mention this last night, but I remembered it this morning. If you go on YogaJournal.com, they have this hilarious Web show called "Ogden the Inappropriate Yoga Guy" based on a fictious guy they hire to work at the magazine. There's five or six episodes, but it's totally worth watching.

http://www.yogajournal.com/ogden/