Mono Monday: New Year's Resolution

I don’t think I have made a resolution in years, but this year is different.  Henceforth, I have resolved to attend two yoga classes per week. 

I have always hated formal exercise, but finally embraced it as a necessary evil while in my 40’s when I joined a group that did early morning “military basic training” type exercise 5 days a week.  I soon was able to run 10k’s and was quite fit.  The running eventually took a toll on my knees, resulting in torn cartilage and arthroscopic surgery for both.  

I had a friend who swore by yoga, but I resisted her suggestion that I try it because I was intimidated and way down deep, I still hated exercise.  But when a local studio offered an 8-week beginner’s course, I signed up.  After the first class, I experienced something that I had never experienced before, an intense euphoria; what I imagine taking drugs must feel like.  I couldn’t wait to go back for more. Ultimately I took the course a second time for a total of 16 weeks, after which I knew I could go into any yoga class and hold my own.  

I have since done yoga for many years, only once a week, but the benefits have been significant in terms of flexibility, strength, balance and a general feeling of well-being. I always knew twice a week would be that much better, but when I retired two and 1/2  years ago, I tossed aside any effort to be scheduled and have devoted most of my time to that which gives me the greatest pleasure, my photography.  I have continued to exercise, but only when the spirit moves me or I feel guilty, and somehow yoga had been left by the wayside.  This year, when summer moved into fall and I chalked up another birthday,  I started to feel more aches and pains than usual and less flexibility.  My little mishap on the waterfalls during the landscape photography workshop in October probably didn’t help, so I began attending a yoga class once a week and immediately I have felt the benefit.  Today I picked up my second class and I feel all the better for it.  

These two bronze figurines were gifts from my husband years ago, and will now continue to remind me two is better than one. I want to be able to continue to trek all over the state, through woodlands and meadows with my camera and lenses for many years to come.