Yoga in NYC

This past week, I got to visit New York. I had never been before. Paris, 4 times. NY, zero. It was time to balance the scale! During my stay, I noticed how intense New Yorker's are. They have a lot to do, places to go, people to see. There was almost a constant rush of people flowing and pushing and merging...

They are communicating. They are creating. They are dancing. They are building the world.

Still, surrounded by so many people, I could only think it can still be hard to feel connected. So many interesting individuals, swimming in a sea of strangers.

I've never trusted stereotypes. Since I studied French in college, some people like to tell me how they dislike the French because they are wimpy, smell bad and never shave. Unfortunately, they never have the experience of meeting a French person or traveling to France to back up this opinion.

People say New Yorkers are rude. Au contraire mes amis, New Yorkers were sometimes very kind. One man overheard us trying to find our way and stopped to give us directions. A cabaret pianist coerced me into singing a song and he was sweet enough to pretend I was as good as the professionals in the room. They make room for you on the subway seat next to them. They don't question you if you want to wear neon underwear beneath a sheer pink dress out in public (we did see this by the way).

I can definitely see how New Yorkers have to be tough. And they have to move fast.

But some of them know how to slow the world down and reconnect to the quiet space inside themselves. I visited the Jiva Mukti yoga studio (http://www.jivamuktiyoga.com/) in New York. After walking, running and climbing subway stairs for several days, yoga felt like a relief. My muscles were stiff. My lower back and hips were in pain. Yoga hurt sooooo good.

The studio is peaceful when you walk in. The attendants are informative and reassuring. I changed, and went to the "Krishna" room for the open yoga class. Class began with a beautiful meditation and chant-song. (We had a chant book and they did chant-repeat) The room echo'd with our voices. I couldn't hear New York anymore. Somehow to world shrank away and all that was left was breath and movement. We were cocooned. Gently throughout the entire practice, helpers came around to adjust us in our yoga poses. The particular adjustment I got in down dog really helped to release my lower spine. The practice was challenging, especially being sore, but it was releasing as well. Then it was time for savasana. We let go of our bodies and relaxed. When we came out of savasana, we sat in quiet for several blissful moments before ending on the same chant-song.

I felt euphoric as I left. And grateful for how yoga benefited my travel-weary body. Bring it on New York, I was ready for more!

~Liz