Going outside for today’s yoga practice was an entirely new experience, and I enjoyed nearly every minute of it. Although we performed the same movements that we’ve done in the past, I got to face the rising sun, feel it’s warmth, and listen to the birds chirping and the cars passing by.  Prior to beginning out outdoor practice, I wondered if all of the noise and people walking on the Oval would cause a distraction, but felt excited to try something new. From the way that people around me positioned my mat, I was face-t0-face with one person or another no matter which way I turned, and I thought this might take away from “my” experience. On the contrary, while I didn’t look directly at these other students so as not to interrupt their experience, I feel like our circle created a certain bond between everyone. I felt completely comfortable closing my eyes for motions that I’d never closed my eyes while practicing in the classroom. Now looking back, I never thought of the sounds of flip flops passing by or horns honking as people watching and/or judging what I was doing. I felt like I was engaging not only in my own practice, but rather in our practice, and something made me sense that others felt similarly. I believe this feeling of comfort comes from our previous 9 weeks of learning together, and because our practice is considered something more than physical exercise. Without this bond, I don’t know if I could/would have been so willing/able to commit myself to the practice and those around me, and I’m appreciative to have had everyone there.

As I stated before, I enjoyed nearly every moment of the practice. Although I kept my eyes closed for many of the postures, there were some postures that for balance reasons required me to keep them open. I noticed these incredibly small red bugs on my mat and some were crawling on me. I continuously tried to tell myself that they were posing no harm to me, and to just stop worrying about them, but I simply couldn’t fully commit to my practice for that portion. Finally, when it came time for meditation, I was able to let go of my insect concerns and relax.