I am glad to be back.

I used to practice Astanga Mysore style yoga every Thursday. It is a self practice yoga where one would come to class and start working on either primary series or second series asanas. In case you are wondering, everyone may work on different poses, the class is well run and not at all chaotic. I had begun to practice second series so I worked on the primary series and half way through the second series during class. November 2011, my teacher went on an extended maternity leave and there were sub teachers and eventually the Thursday evening class was canceled. 

I started attending a Sunday afternoon class with a different teacher where she teaches instructed led Ashtanga and allows advanced student to work on self-practice yoga at the corner of the class. In this class I practiced the primary series only. In October, I overstressed my metatarsal bones on my right foot  probably from indoor rock climbing and wearing heels at work. I took a month off from yoga and started back again in November.

I was elated to see my teacher's name in the roster for the Sunday morning class and went to class. When I walked into class, it felt different as the placement of mat has changed. In the past, there were 2 rows and on each row, yogis faced one another and there was an empty aisle in the center. To accommodate more yogis, all mats face the front of the room and the space between one yogi and another is much smaller that what I was used to.

My teacher saw me and gave me a hug. It feels great that my teacher acknowledges my existence in class. I started to feel that I am finally home. I can't think of a better word than "home" for now. There are 2 teachers for the morning class and both helped and guided me through the primary and secondary poses.  

I have more support in getting better at yoga in this class. I missed the one-on-one guidance and now I feel more at home. During chanting, I sensed more energy around me as though there was a spiritual presence to welcome me to class. I told myself I was glad to be home. 

For the first time after so long, I started to practice second series in class. During my hiatus from serious practice, I lost my ability to complete the bridge to standing sequence. I am afraid and a lot of it is mental. I am patience and I know with the help of my teachers, I will be able to find my way to complete this sequence again. 

I was in pain all over and I am glad to be back in the swing of things.  It is great to be surrounded with a great support system: great teachers and motivated yogis. I am glad to be back.