One of my teammates is a yoga instructor. She leads a class on Wednesday mornings in the KSC every week. As a runner (and multi-sport athlete in high school) I never understood the practice of yoga. I didn’t want to be inside on a mat breathing deeply. I wanted to be running around in the action! Toss me a soccer ball or throw a few hurdles in there!
So it was with some reluctance that I attended my first Wellesley yoga session during wintersession this past January. After one hour of practice, I found such a deep calm–an elusive beast that is always evading me these days–that I had to try it again.
What began as a little dip of my toes in this practice has developed into a real appreciation and love of yoga and how it makes me feel, both mentally and physically. I’m really grateful to my teammate, Portia, who has opened my senses to a new form of wellness. She has encouraged myself and other team members to join her at a two hour yoga practice this coming weekend, which I’m so psyched about! Straight yoga for two hours should be a fun challenge.
In my short time practicing, I have learned that yoga is the challenge that you need it to be. It is both flexible and fun, as well as physically demanding. Plus runners hips get so tight and yoga stretching is a wonderful way to promote healing and recovery.
One of my favorite yoga lessons was one in which I learned that humans breath predominantly out of one nostril at a time. In some meditation sessions, we cover one nostril and breath, then covered the other nostril and breathed. This helps our breathing become more balanced and is great way to start the day.
Wellesley offers two free yoga classes every week in the KSC for students. Students and prospective students should come join!