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It was a wonderful Birthday surprise when one of my favourite London studios sent me a free class pass for my Birthday.  I’d neglected their classes lately not really having had much time (or maybe ‘thinking’ I did not have enough time!  And so on a wet and windy Sunday morning a week later when I finally had a free day, I decided for a change to try a different class rather than the ones I had attended in the past, as on this particular day my favourite teacher was not teaching.    When skimming their timetable the class named ‘Space and Flow’ caught my attention.  I read a brief write up on the class and it seemed to have very much a dance influence as well as martial arts, not that I’ve practiced much in the way of martial arts or even dance in a very long time, it appealed as  well as sounding fun and so I thought ‘Why not?’

For some reason I thought maybe it would be quite easy,  usually opting for the more experienced classes on the timetable always wanting to deepen my practice.   However I was excited at trying out something new, being someone who loves most styles of yoga and having tried most styles over the years I do love change and not sticking to the same practice day in day out, my weekly practice usually consists of kundalini, vinyasa flow & hot yoga.  Having given up my office job two years ago to make more time for yoga in my life and somehow on that journey also becoming a teacher, I think a part of me was worried I had no more time to take up any more styles / branches of yoga – I already loved far too much!  Often being aware that I don’t want to become one of those yogi’s who teaches so many classes there is no time for my own practice, remembering the reason I left my job in the first instance and so wanting to maintain a healthy balance.

So I find myself relaxing on my mat at beginning of class and the teacher kindly comes up and asks if I have any injuries and about my practice, the class was fairly busy and so I was touched he made the effort to ask people individually.  I explained I was fine and already had knowledge of yoga being a teacher.

We started with some ‘warm ups’ very different to what I have done before, definitely not the standard sun salutations and I smiled to myself when after 20 or so minutes he announced ‘That’s the warm up over’, it had been quite intense and in some classes I’ve been to that warm up would have been the peak of the practice!  Already sweat was dripping from my forehead!  It was a lovely safe warm up and I had thoroughly enjoyed it, unlike some classes where I just can’t wait to get on to the main event! I admit ever since my teacher training in India where we were rigidly put through Mysore every morning, sun salutations have never been my favourite part of yoga, on returning to the UK I signed up for bikram, in an attempt to regain my love for yoga (something I had unfortunately lost on my training) I can honestly say I hated the famous up dog, down dog so much, although slowly I have grown to like ‘the dog’ again, sun salutations are not my personal favourite practice, so it was nice to have another strong practice where they were not included.  I am not saying they are not needed, just for my personal journey I am quite happy with an alternative practice from time to time.

Everything was done super slowly however suddenly we were in moves I had not heard of before, poses being done with bent legs, rather than straight (I had to let go of bikram here big time!!) a bent leg in tree, with Charlie Chaplin feet was quite possibly one of the toughest yoga poses I had encountered in quite a while, as well as unique variations in half moon and crow.   All of them I struggled with.  I was becoming a little embarrassed I had admitted I taught yoga, I felt like the new student  in class, all over the place, over balancing, not even remembering to breathe!  The breath, something I am so pedantic on with my own students, and here I was suddenly placing myself in their shoes when they first come to class, not really having any clue what’s coming next, let alone remembering the famous ujjaye (although I forever remind them!) So here I am mentally scolding myself for forgetting to breathe and at same time trying to obtain positions that are definitely not the easiest.  The teacher came over to on several occasions, correcting my alignment, explaining how to improve, as well as having us all watch him (whilst taking much needed breaks!) before each new sequence , rather than just using dialogue expecting us to get on with it. He explained the reasoning behind each posture, for example for using bent standing leg rather than straight as taught in most styles as well as what each sequence was doing to our body.

The 90 minute class flew by, as does anything when you have fun. All of it totally different to any yoga I had done before, and yes, as I had read it most definitely had a dance / martial arts concept to it.  I had really enjoyed having done something completely different to my usual practice.  Both mentally and physically I had been challenged, physically by the ‘workout’ itself, mentally by not becoming ‘stuck’ in other schools of teaching that one way is better than the other, helping to continually opening up my mind on these theories, as well as the focus to hold all those balances!   I had also been reminded as a teacher as to what it’s like when a new student first comes to class not too sure what to do, as to their feelings during class.

I now have another style of yoga to add to my to do list, hmm, the clever studio’s plan when they sent me that Birthday class pass has worked and I now plan to sign back up for their classes for this one amongst others.  Whatever their plan I would like to say being a yogi it was one of my favourite birthday presents, discovering yet more yoga and being reminded of the other classes at the studio I had neglected lately, also being reminded I left my office job to practice yoga, and will always find time for a new class! As well as being a reminder to never get ‘stuck’ in just one form of yoga but to remain open to change.  And when I see a new class I’ve not heard of before on the timetable to give it a go, rather than just the usual favourites.  I may also treat my own students to a Charlie Chaplin bent legged tree one day.

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