Hu Chu (breathe out)

I've started taking Yoga classes.


In Chinese.

Let me tell you. Its hard. Not because I don't speak the language. Its hard because I can't do the poses! Now if you read my facebook I once made an analogy that me and Chinese yoga is like comparing football players to cheerleaders. And seriously it is. These Chinese women are completely flexible in ways that I could not even imagine. Also there is the body 'type' to consider. You are probably familiar with 'Asian' body types. Slim through out; narrow waisted; very little fat. Well compare a typical Asian body type with a typical Anglo-Saxon body type and what do you have? I'll tell you: a person who is not 'large' by 'western standards' but ENORMOUS when compared next to Eastern standards. We once did a pose where you had to grab your hands while wrapping on leg through your other leg (seriously that's the best description I can give you) and I couldn't even touch my hands together. Not because I wasn't flexible enough to do it; but because I had too much leg 'muscle' and stomach 'muscle' to make the hand connection. Chinese women had no problem.

Normally, I'm not one to really focus on my body (above and beyond the normal obsessions). However, this class has not done much for my self esteem. Yet, not being one to dwell in the tub of lard, I do have my positive moments.

I do not 'complain' as much as they do when the instructor 'fixes' our poses and 'pushes' us into more difficult positions. And by 'fixes and pushes' I mean puts her entire body weight (yes her whole body) on my back/hips/shoulders/arms/legs/etc. I hold the poses longer than most (except for that extremely flexible and yogi-esq 50 year old in the back of the class). I feign ignorance when the instructor tells/shows the class how to 'relax' the stomach muscles by rubbing hands together and 'massaging' the stomach. When we stare at the candle to relax, instead of trying to focus on the light within, I try to put out the candle with my mind (telepath style) because "I don't understand what you just told me to do, although I really do understand what you want me to do but I'm not going to do it because it is hooky."

All of this aside, I've noticed some changes. I'm more sore. I can't raise my arms above my head anymore. I feel like eating more veggies. You know, the positive stuff in life. Really, yoga has been such an experience. I'm actually glad that I'm doing it. I mean, it is not every day you can survive (and thrive) in a class that is not taught in your native language!

Bottom line is. I like doing Yoga in Chinese. I finally figured out when they tell me to move my right hand or left hand (although I'm still about 3 seconds behind everyone else because I'm repeating in my head "Zuo. Zuo. Zuo is left. Left hand. Okay move left hand."). I'm getting exercise. And I enjoy being, finally, the biggest in the class.