Finally, yoga!
On Friday, Feb. 9, I attended a new class at Samadhi Center for Yoga that I learned about via their e-newsletter. In Fall 2005 I was much more diligent about trying to establish a yoga practice and was sampling some different studios around Denver, mainly taking advantage of the new student discounts that most studios offer. Samadhi offers an unlimited one-week pass for $20 (if I recall correctly) for new students, a great value even if you only attend two classes in that week.
But, as we all know, I am not in the market to pay for yoga classes these days as much as I'd like to, and I don't think I practiced at all in 2006 (The Year of the House). Even though I'm woefully out of shape, I made a special effort to attend this free introductory class at 7:15 on Friday -- yes, I am physically and mentally weak, but one thing I've always liked about Samadhi is the openness and support of the teachers and students. Samadhi may attract a largely young and attractive crowd, but I've seen people of all shapes, ages, and flexibilities there, not to mention more men and yogis of color than found at some other studios.
The new class is Shakti yoga taught by Lara Catone, and is being billed as a blending of vinyasa yoga and exploratory dance. (I couldn't find anything about it on the website, and I've deleted the e-newsletter already, so I hope I'm getting this right.) While the description of the dance component did make me think of "free form jazz exploration" for just a second, I also know that you only get out of exploration what you put into it. And God knows, we grown-ups only get so many opportunities a week to let our freak flags fly, so you need to take every chance you get.
The larger studio at Samadhi was packed by the time class started -- at least 35 people, maybe more. Lara led us through 90+ minutes of traditional asanas and sequences interspersed with guided explorations of the space around us, all set to a great mix of music. In all seriousness, it's a crime that most of us only use our bodies to sit, lie down, or walk, considering the range of motion available to the vast majority of us. Whereas on most Friday nights I just veg out in front of the TV, this was a fun way to get some exercise and do a bit of meditation but still feel like the weekend had arrived.
Om shanti shanti shantihi, indeed.
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