Got Class?
There’s a saying that the hardest thing about a yoga class is getting there. I find this particularly true in December and January. Life is busy, the weather is cold and taking care of ourselves tends to take a back seat. While there are a lot of great reasons to attend yoga classes, there is one, which while true all year, rings particularly well in the dark winter months. We need community.
*Not the type of community I mean, but they also survive winter better together.
December is a dark month literally, the days are short, and the lack of sunshine takes its toll on our physical and mental health. January is a dark month figuratively, it’s cold, it’s long and the post-holiday blues tend to run rampant for many of us. Human beings are social beings; we were built that way to survive, however, it’s tempting in our busy lives to want to curl up at home and wait this winter thing out.
*call me when it’s Spring.
However, a Yale Medical Group determined social interaction increases both your mental and physical health. Being part of a community bolsters your immune system, lowers your blood pressure and cholesterol, decreases your risk for depression, and quite possibly decreases your risk for Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease and rheumatoid arthritis. It may even help you live longer.
*Those Ivy Leaguers know what they are talking about.
Now for the best part, to be part of the yoga community you just need to show up to yoga class. You can choose how much or how little you want to socialize, because the awesome thing is you get the benefits either way. Fancy coming early for a cup of tea and a chat?…a comfy chair is waiting for you. Are looking for a moment to yourself?…just unroll your mat and get comfortable. Maybe you will feel like that cup of tea after, maybe you won’t, either is completely acceptable, you are still part of the community. Honestly, even without talking, something happens when we practice yoga collectively, a sort of “we are all in this together” vibe, that can follow you throughout your day, throughout your week. Combine that feeling with all of the other smashing perks of yoga and we can rock this winter, together.
*Just from the car through this parking lot it will be worth it, I heard they may even have chocolate!
Posted by: Cara-Lynne Auld
6 Responses to “Got Class?”
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I always look forward to my yoga classes, feel SO much better during and after. I’m only doing gentle yoga, but my studio offers several classes during the week.
See you on the mat.
Namaste
Great for you Adrianne! Going to a yoga class even once a week is amazing for your body as well as your mind. Interestingly I hear that comment a lot “I’m only doing gentle”, gentle yoga, one of my favourites to teach and to do, is awesome and equal in benefits to all other forms of yoga. Honestly, whatever class works for you is the best yoga class, so keep rocking it.
Thank you for the great comment.
Namaste,
Cara-Lynne
Community use to be a way of life.grandparents,aunts and cousins quite often lived in the same place.they took care of each other.we need more of that sense.merry Christmas.
True, Brenda. People used to have an automatic community, but as our world has grown sometimes it’s become necessary because of work, education etc. to build our own community. It’s honestly one of the reasons I love working for Beyond, one of the main goals of the studio, in addition to providing great yoga, in all senses of the word, is building a community. Something, like you said, we could all use a little bit more of.
Thank you, as always, for your great comment.
Merry Christmas.
Namaste,
Cara-Lynne
Well said, as always Cara-Lynne! I so look forward to your blog. Community is so important and so is doing something for yourself. There’s no better feeling that being completely absorbed in a great yoga class and then spending sometime chatting after class with yoga friends you’ve made at the studio. Ahhhhh! Merry Christmas to you and your family and thanks again for your writing!
Oh, Diane, thank you so much. How does your warmth radiate even through your comments? A feeling I love is when my class finishes after yours and I open the doors and hear the laughter ringing out from you and your students still drinking tea and being merry long after your class has finished. Merry Christmas to you and yours Diane.
Namaste,
Cara-Lynne