Warning!
This is a book for the open-minded only!
If you feel that you already know all about the mysteries of our existence, your view of life is set and you would like to keep it this way, then this book is not meant for you. Don't bother reading...
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Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.
- Lao Tzu
On Monday afternoon - yes, the whole class had returned safe and sound from the 'Biology Weekend' - I discovered to my great distress that I had run out of books to read. In a desperate attempt to remedy the situation, I searched through my parents' collection, hoping that one title or another would arouse my interest.
I had just discarded a few travellers' guides, when I took hold of a small book with a yellow and black cover. The picture on the front showed a very slim, white clad woman, who was in a standing position, bending backwards towards her outstretched and intertwined hands.
The title in bold, red letters read only one word: 'YOGA'.
Which immediately triggered a memory of our camping holidays in Croatia at the Mediterranean Sea the previous summer:
Our tent had been pitched next to that of a Swiss couple. They were young and rather friendly people, if a little unusual. The woman would always get up extra early to do some kind of exercises half-hidden behind their tent. As the days went by, Mum got more and more curious about it, until she finally gathered all her courage and asked the lady about her secret activities. Apparently, what she did was called 'Yoga'.
This lady had been very good-looking: tall, slim and curvy at the same time. She had credited her perfect figure and fitness to the exercises, which must have inspired Mum to buy the yoga book!
Intrigued, I grabbed the small volume and started reading right away, not even bothering to sit down and get comfortable.
According to the author, yoga strengthens the body, stabilises the emotions and widens the psychic horizon. It also keeps you healthy and enhances your beauty... It helps with controlling your weight and releases all kinds of tensions. To achieve these wondrous results, all you have to do is practise the illustrated exercises every day for about 30 min.
Holding the opened book in my hands I sat down on our couch, wondering.
This definitely sounded too good to be true.
On the other hand, I would never know if the claims were justified, unless I tried it for myself... After all, if what he wrote was true and I never got to experience all the positive effects, simply because I never tried... well, that would be rather stupid on my part now, wouldn't it?
Besides, if it didn't work, I could stop practising any time. But if it did, I would gain so much!
Pulling my legs under my body, I made myself more comfortable.
As my mind was made up to start practicing, I hurriedly read through the introduction, grateful when I finally reached the chapter containing the first set of exercises.
I curiously studied the requirements for practising: a flat surface, spacious enough to be able to stretch the body in every direction.
Well, our living room was certainly big enough and I could always move the couches a bit.
The room should be well ventilated and quiet.I looked around and nodded to myself in approval. It definitely was. Well, until my family comes home and Mum turns on the radio, that is...
Furthermore, I would need a blanket and loose-fitting clothes. I dashed down the stairs into my room, changed into sweatpants and a t-shirt, grabbed a blanket and sprinted back up the stairs.
I was ready to embark on my Yoga adventure!
The book offered a whole program: 31 sets of exercises, which you had to practise daily in order to gradually develop your muscles and the ability to stretch.
The last 3 sets of exercises were meant to be repeated continuously and alternately, after the end of the initial 28 days.
So far, so good.
The first chapter was fairly easy.
I had to bend forwards and backwards in a standing, sitting and lying position. Sounds simple enough, but I was struggling with reading the instructions in the book, looking at the illustrations, remembering everything I was supposed to be doing and concentrating on, while bending my body at the same time...
The author stressed the importance of doing the movements correctly. In order to comply, I sometimes had to stop the exercise and check again, to make sure I was doing it the right way. It took me some time to get the hang of things, which only added to the fascination this new endeavour held for me!
What really inspired me, however, was the way each movement was described in detail, encouraging me to concentrate intently on how each single muscle felt and reacted (some of which I had not even known existed), as I was using it. My whole focus shifted from the outside world to the happenings inside of me, making me more aware of myself and somehow giving me the sensation of slowing down.
It felt like diving into a world full of secrets, promises, joy, contentment and peace. Like I had been under pressure from all sides without noticing it until now and all of a sudden, I was learning to take myself away from it. The more I slowed down, the freer I seemed to become.
This was especially true for the time when I was relaxing, spread out on the floor with my eyes closed, at the end of my yoga session. (This posture is called Savasana, its literal translation being corpse posture. It seemed to me that the old Yogis had some kind of black humor...)
I was reveling in the experience and would have liked to continue immediately with the next set of exercises, but - alas - I had to allow my body some time to assimilate the movements, which I had just practised. It appeared that the muscles needed rest, to be able to grow and become flexible.
I sighed contentedly, but a bit impatiently at the same time. Tomorrow was still so far away and I just could not wait...
As I opened my eyes and proceeded to remove the blanket from the floor, I slowly became aware of my surroundings again. I shook my head in silent wonder.
I felt... different.
Relaxed and happy.
But this kind of happiness was unusual, because it seemed to include my whole body. Every cell seemed to have been nurtured by the exercises.
Wow.
And, I realized, pleased: during the whole program, I had not sneezed even once!
Yoga was definitely something I wanted to explore in depth!
I dedicate this chapter to 1Landdeslaechelns, for her concern and support! If you speak German, you might also check out the unusual poem she has posted on Wattpad. But - beware - it might bring out some tears...
For everybody else: thank you for voting and commenting! It really is encouraging!
