I now have a new passion — yoga!

It was really by chance that I got into yoga. Benjie, my brother, had long been egging me to get into it when the kids were a lot smaller. Back then, I used to tutor them and often found myself climbing walls.

Last March 2006, the boys’ school opened up their HUGE sports center and offered various fitness programs including yoga. On a whim, I tried out the yoga class (primarily because the first class was FREE!). And I slept like a log that night! Next day, I resolved to enroll for a month, once a week!

Soon after, when the body gets used to the muscles being worked, it craves for more. An opportune time, too, since Pio (our yogi teacher) and Minna opened up the Vinyasa Yoga Center at the Ortigas Center, not far from home. The once a week sked soon turned into twice a week and after bonding with a great set of yoga mates who turned out to be YOGA ADDICTS like me, we found ourselves getting into a 3rd class on many occasions.

It feels great! And the bonus is all the new girl friends I have made. We are a support group unto ourselves. We text each other when we go to class, exchange books and websites on yoga, share our difficulties with some poses (asanas), celebrate improvements, encourage each other to press on, and on the less serious side, we are just a funny bunch of girls who enjoy each other’s company….

We have earned the monicker “ADDICT CLASS” — a name given us by Atom who runs the Center together with Pio in the absence of his sister Minna (who has gone on extended vacation in Europe while searching out yoga retreats there).

Yoga is not only slowly shaping our bodies. It is slowly shaping our lifestyles as well. I am more conscious of what I put into my mouth (as in….less meat, more fruits & veggies!!! To the delight of my Mom!). I sleep without pillows now and my normal breathing is mostly the yogic way. But I am still a L-O-N-G way from being truly fit. Years of taking in toxic food and generally unhealthy living has taken its toll. While the effects are reversible, they will take time to undo.

But Pio teaches patience and acceptance of self — and we are eager to learn. My yoga mates are true treasures as we journey together to test our bodily and mental limits. But more than that is the real appreciation of the body given by the Lord which we need to take care of as we are going to be held accountable to Him for it.

Namaste! (I bow to the Light of God in you)