yoga ladies

I just re-upped for another 8 classes of yoga at the San Leandro Senior Community Center. In the beginning, it was hard to reconcile myself to the fact that I was old enough to be able to register for this class - you have to be 50 to be allowed in the club! Now that I'm less than a month away from my 51st birthday, I just find it humbling to be in class with these older ladies who are obviously yoga veterans.

Except for the instructor who is 49 years old, I am the youngest person in my class by at least 15 years. Every Tuesday and Thursday when I go to class, most of the ladies are already there stretching and warming up. They are quite serious about exercising and often put me to shame. I am always amazed by how well they are able to hold some of the balance poses. I wobble and fall over while trying to do the Warrior 1 pose and my older classmates are just doing it. It was really embarrassing the time we were asked to do a shoulder stand and I was the only one who couldn't. I'm getting stronger and am able to do more all the time, so I definitely see myself being able to do the boat pose one day without rocking backwards.

I borrowed this photo from the internet so this is not actually one of my classmates.

The yoga ladies are a fun bunch and sometimes get a little chatty in class, but I guess they've earned the right. They are stylish, too. They all have very nice yoga mats and come to class dressed in color coordinated outfits...yes, their outfits often match their yoga mats! My favorite is the 70ish Irish lady that comes to class wearing dangling earrings and her pearls - seriously! She is also the about the best in class and we are often told to watch how "Ida" is doing it since her form is so good. I will keep practicing so that maybe someday I will be accomplished enough to wear my good jewelry to class!

So what do these ladies have that I don't besides the color coordinated outfits, fancy mats and expensive jewelry? Years of practice and experience. I'll get there. I'm so determined that I'm doing yoga on my own at home on a hand-me-down mat from Mandi. I just need time.

Namaste.

This will be me one day!