End of Semester Conclusion

         Over the past few months, I have participated in many different styles of yoga in several different settings via virtual classes. I have learned a lot more than I expected and my skills have progressed significantly from where I was in September. I never knew how many different aspects played a role in the yoga community and practice as a whole. The instructor, the setting of the studio, clearing for sacred space, mind/body spiritual concentration versus exercise concentration are all elements that could drastically change the atmosphere surrounding a yoga experience; and that is just to name a few. I practiced basic flexibility classes and classes focused on gaining physical strength.  I also took classes that followed a specific yoga philosophy such as Iyengar, Vipassana, Ashtanga, Meditation, and many more. It seemed to me that every new class I took had a slightly different focus and taught me something new that I previously was unaware of. Whether that be a new outlook on a topic, new poses or even something as subtle as the energy in which the class was taught played a major role in my understand and the experience I had.

Some things have become very clear to me over that past several months and I would like to share my thoughts. To begin, I have noticed that the energy in the instructor’s tone of voice played a major role on how I perceived the practice. If the instructor had a calm and relaxed tone of voice that flowed throughout the class, I found myself very engaged and seemed to benefit a lot more than if an instructor had high energy and moved at a fast pace through the poses and stretches. This might not be a preference for everyone, but was definitely my personal preference and something that I have found to be a make or break in regard to whether or not I enjoyed the practice or not. Another aspect I found to be vital in how I felt about a class was the structure of how the practice was laid out. I noticed when classes started with a 10 – 15 minute stretch and eased into the poses while also explaining the reasoning for why we were doing each step, I was more engaged and was able to follow a lot better. When classes rushed into poses and not much explanation was given as to the reasoning behind each pose, I found myself losing interest in the class and definitely did not get as much out of it as I would have liked.

When it comes to meditation, I quickly learned that I was looking at the purpose all wrong. I know I am not alone when I say my previous interpretation of the practice was that it was meant to totally clear your mind and relax while trying to focus on nothing. I now know that meditation is quite the opposite.  I now believe meditation is about being present in the moment.  It is not about clearing your mind and struggling to not have a thought, but to be aware of my thoughts and not be attached to them.  To have a thought and let it go.  There are many different types of meditation such as focusing on a word, a mantra, guided meditation, breathwork, walking meditation just to name a few.  Different types of meditation work for different people at different times.  It’s about finding what works best for you.  Meditation can be a short and simple as being present while brushing my teeth.  The practice is not only about what happens necessarily when I’m meditating, but how I learn to respond to stressful situations during my day.

This, in my opinion, is an extremely useful tool to have and I feel everyone could benefit from. Meditation does take practice and commitment but it is a very useful and beneficial tool to have in life.   Dedication is key and only those who are truly committed will experience the benefits that meditation has to offer. I feel that yoga is indeed a form of meditation. Yoga assists people in connecting their mind, body and spirit. It helps people to be in tune with all aspects within themselves and this is a crucial part in mastering meditation. I feel that yoga complements a meditation practice and yoga can be a meditation.  I believe it is about being present and in the moment.  When it comes to spirituality in yoga, I feel this is highly dependent on the instructor of the practice and the location in which the practice is taught. Yoga in the East places a larger emphasis on spirituality and religion than in the West. From what I have gathered on my own and throughout our semester, practitioners and instructors of the West tend to have other factors influencing their classes. Some of these influences include money and how to keep people coming back for more classes, which usually entails more of a physical gain than that of a spiritual one. This is not to say that spirituality in yoga doesn't exist in the West, it is just not as common and can be watered down in comparison to that of the East.

To conclude, my experiences this semester in practicing yoga for the first time consistently in my life, I feel that I have gained a lot of knowledge on the practice. I feel that I have learned a lot more through my experiences than what I initially expected to. I also encountered a much larger variety of benefits than I knew were possible. I have learned a lot about myself and how to communicate with my body. I have learned to relax and breathe when things get stressful and I feel this is one of the major benefits of my experiences thus far. I am very happy with the practices I have participated in and thoroughly enjoyed this semester and what it has taught me about myself. I am looking forward to continuing my exploration of yoga and to a deeper yoga practice and I am grateful for this experience.