I’ve had a reserved, slightly fraught, relationship with yoga. My first brush with this activity was at the age of 11. My school had implemented a year of yoga, so I spent about 2 hours every week stretching, bending and balancing. Although I enjoyed outdoor activities, yoga was different. It required flexibility, something I severely lacked. Despite this, I used to have fun. The environment was relaxing and most of the class whispered/spoke to each other throughout the activity.

Since then, I’ve been practicing yoga extremely sporadically. Needless to say, I haven’t gotten much better: During the yoga session, there were many moments where I felt like I had gotten a pose, only to realise that I had not. For example, a fair number of the poses required straight legs, but my knees were almost perpetually bent. The most enjoyable was shavasana, the one where we  focus on our breathing while lying down (Only because it did not test my flexibility or balance).

However, Megan, our instructor, told us to go at our own pace. It was a reminder that everyone has different abilities, and you shouldn’t force yourself to do something that could potentially injure you. Which was an important point for me, considering my prior experiences with yoga. Overall, it was a relaxing event that was a good way to take a break from work.