How it all began, by Jaime Miller

The first yoga class I ever attended was a large workshop, with a well-known international teacher (Beryl Bender Birch), and dozens of very flexible, experienced practitioners.  Beryl started the weekend by asking if this was anyone’s first yoga class.  As my lone hand raised and many started laughing (not at me, but with me…I think) I realized that not only was the question intended to be a joke, but that I was in for it.  Beryl and Kathy McNames, owner of Yoga Vermont, wasted no time leading the group of advanced practitioners through the Primary Series.  They were moving on, with or without me.

That first 90 minute practice, I spent as much time looking around the room for guidance as I did trying desperately to have my pose somewhat incorporate the actual alignment.  Although the postures were extraordinary, most impressive was how focused, calm, and steady those around me looked.  The room was alive, full of energy and regulated by the constant ebb and flow of the breath.  It sounded like the ocean and I felt like a tiny dingy being tossed in the waves. 

            On Day 2 of the conference I was sore, but excited.  The focus of the weekend was the Primary Series of Ashtanga Yoga.  An ancient set sequence of postures, designed to cleanse the body from the inside out, increase strength and flexibility, and calm the mind.  Since I knew what to expect (from the previous day’s adventure) I was able to relax more.  I listened to the cues of the instructor who was constantly reminding us to “follow our breath”.  I still felt like I was flailing around compared to the strong, conscious movements of those around me, but something inside me knew that, with dedication and practice, I too could be more focused and calm…and maybe even be able to do a split one day.  I was hooked. 

After my crash course introduction to yoga, I found a studio in my community and began taking weekly classes (this was before the glorious creation of Living Yoga).  I also began reading books and talking to practitioners to try to gain a more holistic understanding of this ancient practice that had recently experienced somewhat of a pop-culture revival.  Sri Pattabi Jois, father of Ashtanga yoga says, “Practice and all is coming”.  I began to learn how true this is.  In yoga, you are your best and most insightful teacher.  When I wanted to know something: how my breath would take me deeper into postures, where my arm should be in Triangle, or how to remain calm in a challenging arm balance, I found the answer within.  Also, the answer came in its own time, and only when I was ready to integrate the new knowledge into my repertoire.  All my exciting progressions in my physical postures occurred when I was able to steady my mind and breathe. 

            Getting down to basics, yoga asks it’s students to be present.  Even if touching your toes seems like an outlandish concept, most of the greatest benefits of yoga are accessible to all people no matter your age, body type, or flexibility.  At the beginning of a class a lot of teachers will offer you the chance to set an intention for your time on the mat.  This could be to cultivate calming energy, to have your knee feel a little bit better, or to relax.  My teacher always asks that we bring our attention to the room and to the present moment, forgetting about what happened earlier in the day or what we are doing after class.  All these cues and mental exercises are encouraging the student to be present, to take some time out of their busy day to just focus on their yoga practice and themselves.  I find when I am able to do this I, without even trying, am able to relax and focus.

            As I continue along my journey as a student of yoga, I often recall my first experience: the exhilaration, wonder, confusion, and innate knowing that this practice could provide me with much, much more than a stronger, more flexible body.  That it could provide me with many ways to consciously and calmly approach my life on and off the mat.

Namaste,

Jaime 

 

The beauty is that people often come here for the stretch, and leave with a lot more.  ~Liza Ciano, co-owner & co-director of Yoga Vermont