When do you walk out?

  My mind was so stretched. No lolling hills, swimming in the sea or my fav walking-through-clouds-up-in-the-himalayas memory this morn. This picture was taken in Munnar, India. I usually think about enjoyable memories my mind took a picture of while going through difficult yoga sequences.

One word. TOUGH. It was a really tough yoga session this morn. 2 hours worth of inward battle with my mind. 1 hour into the session, the question popped in my mind, "Should I walk out?"

Not one who walks out of a class, I checked the time and discovered to my horror that only one hour has since passed and I was already mentally and physically spent. So much for wanting to make my money's worth to attend Sunday's 2-hrs Purna Yoga class as I was away for hols last week. I soldiered on and cheated in a lot of the sequences. Cursory stretches...hehe but Saumik noticed, came over, and pushed me into deeper stretches. Ouch.

It was not a cardio workout but my muscles and joints were screaming in pain (not in the life threatening way) but they were so agonisingly stretched that my mind and body were numb. The body opening stretches were very intense. Intense is a kind word, not forgetting the choice swear words I was mumbling under my breath while going through the sequence. It started with, 'Oh God' when Saumik readjusted my split. then it slowly became, "#!?#@" as the 2 hours slowly crawled by. Normally, I will just swear in my mind during challenging sequences but the pain was almost akin to twisting and stretching my limbs out from my joints. A good lesson in pain endurance and proper alignment. No worries, my mutterings were very softly uttered, no angry vibes were given out. The gentleman next to me couldn't possibly hear me. He was also fighting his inner battles.



Now, now, who says yoga is an easy practice only for ladies. It takes a certain amount of strength, flexibility and muscle endurance. Good training ground for mental toughness and learning about yourself. Om.

So, the most important question? When do you walk out? How much is too much pain that your body cannot endure? Mmmm, I always practise within my limits. Take a resting pose and ha ha, gaze at my fellow students' pain and grimaces and continue thereafter. What is most difficult in Yoga? The breath and overcoming the mind. Yup, it's always my mind that tells me I can't endure the pain but after every class, I discovered I have improved a tiny weeny bit. One day I will be able to do the vertical split like Jet Lee did in his maiden Shaolin movie which I saw when I was an impressionable child. My secret wish for years.

One of the first movies I watched. Someday, I can do the
vertical split like Jet Lee did. No Jackie Chan for me,
Jet Li is the man. I really do like gongfu.

Best part of the class. Kapalabhati breathing. I was so relieved. Relieved! Will be back for more mental torture next Sunday. Looking forward to Topsy-Turvy tomorrow. Oh ya, as described by a friend, no darth vaders in class today.

Class: 2 hrs Purna Yoga
Teacher: Master Saumik, Real yoga