How Jill Got Her Vinyasa Back

The biggest gift that has come out of my cancer journey is my yoga practice. One on one instruction from Cathy and Jean has improved it immensely. Both of them have commented in the past week about my poses and my alignment and how much better they are. Up until this week, I had to go to my knees to do a vinyasa. I would do a mini push up to strengthen my arms so that I could one day do it correctly again. Jean had me do one and told me he'd spot me. He really just put his fingertips on my hips and guided me, and I realized that it was not my weakened muscles keeping me from lowering down from plank pose, it was my fear. My stomach and pelvic muscles were sore for so long, and I couldn't sit up without doing it from my side. It hurt to sneeze, cough and even laugh. Once Jean helped me twice I was able to do my vinyasa myself. He commented that it is actually better now than it was before! Cathy clapped and did a happy dance when I showed her! She says she is loving watching my practice grow and that my body has changed since she first met me in 2007. The power of yoga!!

In the beginning of my practice in 2007, there were poses that were uncomfortable, where I would long for Cathy to say to come out of it. It's an amazing feeling when you do a pose that used to feel awful and realize it has begun to feel good. The poses I once dreaded become favorites. I'm to the point now where I can not practice for a week and it still feels good and my hands will easily reach the floor. Pretty much every pose feels "yummy" as Cathy would say. As I'm practicing and thinking about how very good it feels, I think that if everyone knew how wonderful it feels and how much good it does your body and spirit, everyone in the world would practice, every day. When I think of yoga, I feel my heart expand with love. I look forward to one day doing teacher training and becoming a yoga teacher myself. The universe not only sent me two yoga teachers when I needed them, it sent me the best. I have so much love and gratitude in my heart for Cathy and Jean.

I am going to Jean's 9:00 class at Yoga in the Vines Saturday morning, if anyone would like to join me. I guarantee it will be epic!

This is me, at Cathy's studio in 2008:

Namaste,
Jill