Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Hot Yoga!

I had a unique opportunity last Friday night to jump into a hot yoga class, so I jumped in. My buddy Keith was able to join me too so that was fun. He doesn't normally practice yoga, but really hung in there.  Friday night we had tickets to a holiday thing, but Kelley's mom is staying with us for a few day while the kids wrapped up school for the year, so I gave up my ticket to the holiday thing for her to go. She had a wonderful time, and I really loved the hot yoga class!

We got into the 6:45 pm class at Indigo Hot Yoga in Raleigh. I think Jen was the instructor, the room was heated to 105* and the class was supposed to be an intense 60 minutes. I had no idea what we were getting ourselves into.

This chick was intense! sadistic, almost evil, and amazingly strong and flexible. Once my body heated up with the room temp, everything got loose and I was able to flex into binds and positions that I can't usually get into. it was so rad. I actually these poses like they look in these totally stolen from google image pics:




and I've never been able to hit those in a colder room. By the time the hour was up we were in savasanah, and I had been pushed way outside of my comfort zone. I was totally drenched in sweat, and my emotions were totally on my sleeve. Finally laying there on the mat I had been pushed so hard in such an unusual way, I gave it all up and got the most amazing release. it was exactly 2 weeks since Gene had passed away (2 fridays ago at 7:30 pm) and I just felt everything process then. I felt like an idiot crying with a lavender soaked washcloth over my eyes in a hot yoga room, but I did it. Every emotion I've been trying to deal with suddenly processed and released.

It was an amazing workout, and the mental clarity I gained is immeasurable. Now all I need is a yogitoes towel and a 10 class pass. It's totally understandable how people get hooked on the heat, I may be one of them now.

3 comments:

Amber said...

I LOVE hot yoga. There is just something about letting it all out through sweat. I pay my ridiculously high unlimited membership price every month mostly because of the mental benefits yoga has for me. The physical benefits are just a nice perk. Glad you enjoyed it so much!

Abby said...

I tried hot yoga, I really did, I just can't be still and calm enough for yoga.

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

Well hey, if there is a place where it's OK to cry in public, it's in a yoga room. I love practicing yoga in a heated room, it just totally elevates the experience. It's hella hard but afterwards I feel so cleansed and relaxed.