A Tale of Two Yogas

Isn't it funny how you can do the same thing and it can turn out so completely different?  Take my yoga class on Saturday.  I woke up bright and early, before my alarm even!  What, before my alarm?  I could have slept in longer.  But yes, woke up before my alarm, got up, got dressed, had some water and was off to yoga.  I was not able to get my most favorite spot in the world, but I was able to get a spot in the general vicinity.  I'm going in to class thinking this should be good.  And then class starts and I realize with the first posture that this is not going to be the class I wanted.  My shoulders are on fire.  The humidity is ridiculous (or at least I think so).  My back feels all tense.  I try to shake it off and loosen up but I just barely make it through the posture.  The rest of class is a struggle.  Me vs my mat, or really me vs myself.  I stick with it and gut it out until the end.  As soon as class ends, I am up and outside gulping fresh, cool air.  Not my best class by a long shot.  I'm reminded by what my sister (a yoga teacher) says - they call it yoga practice, not yoga perfect.  Because I was as far from perfect as you can get.

And then you take last night.  I was coming off a day at work where I was literally going from meeting to meeting most of the day.  I didn't drink nearly enough water (for me).  I left work, making it to class right before it started.  I didn't get my favorite spot this time either, but it was still in the area.  The teacher is one of my favorites though.  We go through the first posture and I realize this is going to be a completely different class.  I feel much more loose and ready to go.  Sure enough, I rock this class.  I don't do all the postures, but the only postures I skip out on are those that I still can't do with my knee.  The room is much less humid.  And at the end of class, I lay on the floor "soaking in the benefits" as the instructors will say, before leaving the class.

Two classes, two very different experiences.  Was the good and bad definition of class all in my head?  A lot of it definitely.  Although I am putting some of the blame on the humidity!

Sort of a random change of subject, but sort of not, we (as in me and my physical therapist) have decided it is time for me to get an MRI to see what's really going on with my knee.  While I have definitely been improving (I can even do little squats now!), I am by no means back to normal.  And the pain seems to be residing around the joint line, which indicates a meniscus tear.  The MRI should hopefully show what is wrong with my knee and then we can figure out what we need to do to get me back to normal.  I am much more at peace with the prospect of surgery.  Although I would be kidding if I said I wasn't scared.  So a non-update type of update.  No news really except stay tuned...