I love the idea of yoga--suspension yoga and hatha yoga are so appealing--and the health benefits alone are enough to convince any couch potato that it’s worth venturing away from Netflix for a little bit. However, being a master procrastinator, I come up with a variety of excuses that allow me to hide under my cozy blanket on the couch: everyone will be so much better at it than me; I’d have to wear yoga pants… (in public!); I can’t sneak away from the kids before school, and after school is out of the question with kids’ activities and such; it’s too expensive; what if I fall while attempting some inverted, feet-behind-my-head pose… or worse… what if I fart?!
Entering stage right to my dramatic reasoning arrives Patricia Pulcine, founder and trained yogi of Peaceful Warrior Wellness Studio in Sault Ste. Marie, ON. Patricia is a certified yoga teacher, registered yoga therapist, and member of the Canadian Yoga Alliance. She trained at The Flying Yogi in Toronto, which is Canada’s original Suspension Yoga™ studio and Teacher Training Academy.
However, it wasn’t her impressive credentials that made me feel so at ease with her. Patricia has a very welcoming and honest personality that made me feel comfortable enough to ask some of my most embarrassing questions about yoga.
Me: Are people going to watch me and silently judge my clumsy attempts?
Patricia:
I think most often when people come to class, they’re so focused on what they do themselves, that they are their own worst critic. When you’re going through the poses, you’re more focused on what you’re doing than on what the person beside you is doing. Come to the mat and just be with yourself and let the other stuff just fall away. So no; people are not watching or judging you. If you find yourself in a place where you find people are doing that, then you’re in the wrong place.
Me: Do I have to wear yoga pants and that skinny little bralette… cause I’m going to be honest, the last thing anyone needs to see are my belly rolls and ladies flopping around.
Patricia:
Well, I really feel like confidence in your body image is a fantastic thing. You don’t have to be a model to wear those types of clothes. If you’re comfortable wearing those types of clothes, wear them; but it’s not necessary. If you’re more comfortable in sweats, then do that. Sometimes tight clothes can impede your movement. Really it’s a matter of personal preference. There are no requirements.
Me: Do I need to bring my own mat? What about those blocks and special towels I see at Winners?
Patricia:
At Peaceful Warrior Wellness Studio, we provide a fair amount of equipment (enough for up to 24 people). I have blocks, towels, cushions, etc. There’s no need to go out and purchase anything special. There are many times we don’t even use extra equipment but rather focus on being in the moment, connecting yourself to the movements. If you have your own mat and are more comfortable using it, you are more than welcome to bring it to classes.
Me: How can I fit in yoga around my kids’ activities and my own work schedule?
Patricia:
That’s something that most of us struggle with. At the end of the day, people are so exhausted mentally, emotionally, physically... and I get that. But once you realize that making that effort to make yoga a regular part of your week (schedule it in the same day, the same time each) the benefits are so worth it for spending that extra time on yourself. Eventually it just becomes routine. Then it becomes OK to say no to the kids sometimes, to work sometimes, and yes more to yourself. It’s OK to be a selfish parent when it comes to your health. And your kids will be ok with it. Sometimes they need to chill too from the busyness of afterschool activities. It’s good for them.
I do offer a variety of class times to accommodate various schedules. There are daytime classes, lunch times classes, and evening classes. In the end it should be something that you look forward to, not something that feels like a chore.
Me: How much money do I need to borrow from the bank to take lessons?
Patricia:
Well, less than the price of coffee every day. Less than lunch out one afternoon each week. We all prioritize everything, and money is no different. So you decide what you’re going to invest in. A bottle of wine or a yoga class? Both may have benefits, but life’s about choices and making choices that help you meet your priorities.
Me: What if I can’t do the moves?
Patricia:
Everybody has this idea that you have to be flexible to do yoga; and really that’s not true. You only need one thing to be able to do yoga: breathe. We all have bones and joints shaped differently; some parts of our bodies may be more flexible than others… what you can do on one side, maybe you can do or can’t do on the other side. And how your body is able to move will change from moment to moment.
Yoga’s so much more than being able to do the poses. It’s forgetting your ego and your desire to strive for some sort of perfection or ideal. Really it’s just realizing that you are enough just the way you are and letting the practice move through you.
Me: Why do I have to take my shoes off?
Patricia:
We leave our shoes at the door for a few reasons. First, there is a lot of bacteria on your outdoor footwear… really gross stuff. You don’t want to pick up those things on your bare feet. The other part of that is from the spiritual aspect. It’s a sacred space. It’s a place of heightened awareness. If we bring in with us all the drudgery from the day, then we kind of muddy up that space. I think about it like casting off the day’s trappings; leaving the dust of the world outside; and really separating yourself from the gunk.
I also encourage people to leave their purses and cell phones locked in the trunk of their car. And that’s hard for people to do, to be away from their phones. The more challenging that is for you to do, the more you need to try it.
Me: Most importantly, what if I fart in the middle of downward dog?
Patricia:
It happens (haha). I’m not going to lie. It happens. Most often no one really knows where the sound came from. We’ve all thought about it one time or another, so people are very kind in their reaction or their acceptance of it happening because it’s just a part of life. We don’t draw attention to it unless you fall over and start to giggle; then we’ll giggle with you. And that’s a good thing.
After talking to Patricia, I felt a whole lot more relaxed about the idea of joining a class. Patricia reassured me that I’m not the only person who has these concerns. Chances are if you join a class, there are others there just as nervous as you. Yoga is about being in the moment, being comfortable in and accepting your own body. I could use a little of that. Certainly enough to trade in one lunch out each week.
If you’re ready to give yoga a chance, click here to see a list of classes being offered at the Peaceful Warrior Wellness Studio. My next adventure… suspension yoga!
