1998. Boston. While perusing the aisles of Trident Booksellers & Cafe I came across The Sivananda Companion To Yoga. At the time I needed a change of pace so I plunked down the plastic and walked back to my apartment. Not entirely sure how many days went by until I actually began reading it but when I did I was hooked. For the next 2 to 3 months I was a yogi-from-a-book. I felt great, gained flexibility and--as an unexpected treat--found it was a great conversation starter at bars. Really. Anyway I stopped. Maybe it was because I moved, maybe because other interests cropped up, maybe it was just written in the stars that way. From time to time I'd stretch a bit mimicking some poses. Much more rarely I'd drop in a class at Bally Total Fitness which in hindsight was important because on a few occasions the teachers (I remember two) really knew their stuff or at least gave me the impression that they did.
Fast forward to last summer. By day (and night all too often) I'm a criminal defense lawyer. That means I'm either sitting in court, sitting at the office or sitting in the car voyaging between the two. I wasn't motivated to hit the gym or pound the pavement but I knew I needed to do something. It just so happened that I was getting the DISH high-definition package to watch the World Cup and among the hi-def channels was Ultra HD which airs Namaste TV on weekend mornings. Yes I was initially glued to the screen because of the fit ladies but after a few episodes I really started remembering how I felt while doing it back in Boston.
Ever the procrastinator it wasn't until February that I took the plunge and signed up for 13 weeks of anusara at Willow Street Yoga which was picked for its location and class schedule. I didn't know anusara from ashtanga of course. I was under the belief Sivananda yoga was yoga. I've learned a bit more, continue at Willow Street and I'm developing quite an interest in ashtanga. And therein lies the purpose of this blog, to chronicle my yet-to-begin ashtanga practice. I bought my rug though so maybe I have begun.
