Bālāsana (also known as child’s pose). This is where we meet on our mats at the beginning of yoga practice. During this time, we let go of our wandering thoughts and draw inward to promote reflection and self-acceptance. The body and mind become still, accept the present moment, and this prepares both for the practice ahead. For one hour its our time; we are Yogis.
It wasn’t until the end of August that we fell in love with yoga. A new studio was opening in our Laurel Highlands mountains, close to where we live, and our best friend Lisa invited us to go. Located in Chalk Hill, PA, Mountain Yoga Shala is where you will find us on Tuesdays and Thursdays (and other days, too, when we have time). At first, we were a little naive when it came to yoga, believing that it was all just stretching and relaxing. As we look back on our first day of practice, we cant help but laugh because every single class we get an intense workout. We have a new respect for those who have been practicing yoga for years; weekly, we are reminded of how weak we really are, but how strong we are becoming. Our favorite classes are the Ashtanga Fusion classes with Mandy and Core Balance with Jenny. Erin also attends the Warm Gentle Flow class with Mandy on most Tuesday mornings. We make it a priority to go to at least 2 classes a week.
During the 60 minutes of each class, we sweat, we feel the burn, we breathe, and we build. We have already noticed a difference in our bodies, but even better, other people are noticing too! In one yoga class, even if it is core focused, you work every muscle in your body. Though we aren’t using weights and dead lifting, we will eventually be strong enough to hold our entire body weight, our cores will be strong enough to help us perfectly balance, and we will be able to twist in ways that seem impossible. The best part about yoga is that everyone is different and its a judgment free zone, including not judging yourself. If you can’t hold a pose, no worries– just practice. The teachers adjust the difficulty level of the poses to their students by showing multiple modifications.This helps those practicing to really learn the poses and keep the Ujjayi breath by not over exerting the body. Essential oils are also used in most classes and are a wonderful addition to the relaxation and digestion portion of the practice.
Mountain Yoga Shala uses the MindBody App to make it easy to book classes and see the weekly schedule right on your phone. We usually pick our classes on Sunday that we are able to attend; this keeps us accountable for the week. You simply have to make time for yourself to exercise and that is exactly what we do. You can sign up for the classes via the app anytime though– even the day of!
Since becoming yogis (yoga lovers), we’ve also discovered Lululemon. Say what you will, but it’s worth every penny! We actually discovered Lulu through our original less than satisfactory yoga mats. PSA: Yoga mats from Five & Below aren’t going to work for those seriously committed to the practice of yoga. For most yoga classes, the heat is turned up…way up. And even for the classes the heat isn’t turned on for, Breath of Fire and Ujjayi breath create a rise in your body temperature. No matter where your heat is coming from, in yoga class, you sweat. That’s when we realized how slippery and potentially unsafe our discounted yoga mats were. Being unable to hold Warrior 2 and Downward Facing Dog due to slippage just makes for an ineffective yoga practice. We did some research on the best yoga mats for hot yoga and slippery hands/feet. Lululemon ranked among the best, along with Manduka and Jade. Ultimately, after doing our research, we decided on the Lulu 5mm Reversible Mat (the best in reviews for not sliding and also provides cushion that helps with wrist discomfort). Then, we discovered their yoga pants. They are nothing short of phenomenal. There are different styles for different body types and so far, we love the Align II (naked) yoga pants and the Wunder Under yoga pants. Erin bought a pair of Flo leggings that she likes, but decided they don’t come close to the feel of the Lulus. We also both really like the Zella high-waisted leggings from Nordstrom (see bottom of post for our favs), very similar to the Wunder Under Lulus and a little less expensive. At this point, we haven’t found anything comparable to the Align II pant.
We also have had some questions about a conflict between our Christian faith and the practice of yoga. When we practice yoga and we are on our right side (the side of gratitude), we thank God for his blessings. When we are in savasana, we pray. Yoga doesn’t encourage you to practice any one religion, but it gives you the opportunity and the solidarity to practice whatever it is you believe. If you’ve never done yoga and you’re looking for a way to enhance your overall wellness, you should give it a try. If you’re like us, you will be astonished at, not only the workout you get, but the amazing things your body is capable of. We both have memberships at Mountain Yoga Shala and feel lucky to have found our yoga home!
Savasana. That is where we meet on our mats at the end of each practice. It’s also known as corpse pose, as we lay completely still, letting go of our Ujjayi breath and clearing our minds. This pose is a pose of complete relaxation in a conscious state. Savasana allows you to fully benefit from the yoga practice, relieving stress, fatigue, insomnia, headaches, and high blood pressure. At this point, if you set an intention for your yoga practice, you can bring your mind back to that intention. At the end of Savasana, we focus our attention back to the mat, bringing awareness back to the body. That feeling at the end of a yoga practice is unexplainable. This is where most people get the idea that yoga is simply relaxation. It’s part of it; And it comes from that feeling at the end of accomplishing your goals for the practice.
Namaste,
Erin & Ashley
SHOP THE POST
Leave a Reply