10 years ago, in New York, at Jivamukti center, I dare to discover yoga. My first class is with my dear friend Natalia López, a model, actress and dancer. She’s totally relaxed while I’m thinking: ‘I’m gonna struggle with this’. I don’t know exactly what it’s going to be like. I’ve already heard about this center and the ashtanga practice. I am aware this goes beyond meditation and involves a lot of physical effort as, in NY, you bump into it every other minute.
Once the class starts, I realize that all the ballet that I had practiced as a kid for many years has had a lasting imprint: I am more aware of my body than I remember. However, I also realize I’ve lost a lot of elasticity.
Now I remember how something as simple as a ‘downward-facing dog’ pose made me super uncomfortable and all my upper body sored, I was unable to place my heels on the floor. With practice, it slowly became a relaxing pose between asanas (‘poses’ in sanskrit).
Skepticism prevents us from believing in what we can do and on our ability to overcome. Years of regular practice have given my body the power to surprise me. That’s why I keep telling myself: ‘Don’t forget to listen to it’.
