This week, I am sharing Ruby's Yoga story. I have loved watching her grow stronger, shine brighter, and evolve in her deeper understanding of the mind-body connection through Yoga!!
Ruby - "My yoga journey started a long time ago when I was growing up in India in the 70s.
Please do not think I am a hardcore yoga person, as I was not practicing it, but used to wait for the yoga program to be over so I can enjoy watching Chitrahar (Bollywood song show), which used to follow yoga broadcast. As life continued I joined and quit the gym several times, but finally, after my children went to their college, I started taking my exercise seriously. I can say I was an active individual, going to the gym 5-6 times a week, and sweated myself by doing 100 jumping jacks or doing farmer's walk with a heavy kettlebell in my hands.
In my gym, I tried yoga but I did not enjoy it, as there were always a students few in classes who can do perfect poses while I struggle to manage my downward dog. I have to admit my mind & body were telling me something, which I kept ignoring. Then in Jan-2020, my right knee started hurting, and around the same time, while attending a pooja, I realized I could not sit on the floor for more than 5 seconds, and sitting in Vajrasana was impossible. I knew something was not right (later I realized it was a tight ACL). My doctor advised me to rest and take medication to relieve the pain.
In Mar-2020, the Covid pandemic started and it gave my body a well-deserved break and time to heal. I started focusing more inwards and started listening to my body. Then, one of my friends forwarded me two yoga youtube videos and my self-practice started. Pretty soon I outgrew them and started looking for a real yoga class. I was sure I was looking for a Zoom class, and an instructor who is not teaching just yoga but who believes in it too. I wanted an instructor who is not pushing me but rather letting me evolve at my own pace. I am done competing with others but ready to compete with myself in a much healthier way. And at that time I found Asha’s Zoom yoga class! Once I joined her Zoom class, I quickly realized what I was missing. I started feeling my yoga more and more. My flexibility increased and my pain decreased. Golden nuggets she used to tell us during the class I started internalizing it. I started respecting my body.
I realized I do not need to push myself but I need to listen to myself.
I became kinder to myself, and interestingly my body responded in a positive way too. If one day I cannot do an asana perfectly, it’s ok, because the next day I know I will do better. Instead of seeing what others can do, I started feeling the difference between my last time Vs this time.
I learned each asana is multi-functional and they are good for multiple things. My mind and body started tuning with one another.
Though my journey continues, I can happily say I can sit on the floor for a longer time and I have learned how to deal with my knee pain (just do triangle pose, even on hikes to relieve the tightness of the muscle). I am working on my vajrasana. I am more confident on my hikes.
Yoga is healing me physically as well as mentally. It is a journey one day at a time.
Thanks."