Taking a break from our Confessions of a Yoga Teacher series, we're exploring yoga student confessions today with Lauren. She's behind this guest post spilling the beans on what she's really thinking during yoga class. We also asked the YBCers over on the Yoga Forum for their confessions and included them below. Hope you'll share yours!! xo Candace
Don’t get me wrong, I definitely have priorities when it comes to yoga – lots of them actually. My first priority is not to die (especially when it comes to hot yoga, woof), my second priority is to not embarrass myself entirely (I’m smart enough to know I’ll probably embarrass myself a little bit and I’m totally okay with that) and the third could be a tie between remembering to avoid lululemons leggings (which are not downward dog friendly #pantyshow) and to quiet the mind.
Okay time for some real talk here. Yoga does a lot of things for me but calming the mind is not one of them. I know what you’re thinking, the moment you step onto your mat you’re supposed to let go of everything in your mind and just be present for yourself. Well for me that’s a lot easier said then done and I started asking myself, “What’s wrong with me?” Then I started to think, I can’t be the only one with this issue, can I?
So to put my theory to the test, we decided to ask you guys what is it you really think during a yoga class… you know, the thoughts we should be pushing away but somehow creep in anyway. I have to say that I am SO glad we decided to do this post because you guys confirmed that there’s nothing wrong with me at all and that a quiet mind is not always the case when you step onto your mat.
I’m sure I’ll get there in time but until then I thought it would be fun to share the thoughts that scroll through my mind on an almost constant basis. Give or take a few details, this is what goes through my mind during any given class.
“Ok, where should I put my yoga mat? Ugh, this is just like picking my bus seat first day of school when I was 10; my decision is going to say a lot about me.”
“Jeeze I should have gotten a pedicure before unleashing these puppies in public.”
“Oh no, please don’t fart...okay, only 45 minutes to go. I can do this. I GOT this.”
“I’m hungry, is anyone else this hungry? Why am I hungry already? I wonder what I have in my car to eat…”
“Pfff I'm pretty sure I can do this pose - piece of cake... Oh. Nope, no way…I cannot.”
“Holy, I’m gonna be sore tomorrow if my limbs don’t fall off before that.”
“I have so much laundry to do, speaking of laundry, I really need more yoga clothes...I wonder if there are any holidays coming up, they’re just so expensive! Ugh there's my stomach again. Why don't I eat before I come? This happens every time.”
“On a scale of 1-10, I wonder what level my resting bitch face is at right now? I hope its not a 10, I really like this teacher and also there’s that guy over there…”
“BREATHE, LAUREN, why can’t I ever remember to breathe?!”
“I hate this pose. I’d like to meet the human who thought this pose was a great idea.”
“Could that guy stare any longer?! Okay buddy… I’m not for sale, I don’t understand what you’re staring at. Actually it’s probably my claw toes. I’d stare at these bad boys, too. Ugh how embarrassing.”
“Pretty sure I’m not getting out of this pose, it’s a 50/50 chance.”
“Ok, 10 minuets left and I haven’t let one slip. I knew I had this. Winning!”
“What type of psychopath leaves during savasana?! It’s the easiest and most enjoyable part of class.”
"Nailed it. Now food…."
We asked what other #YBCYogis are really thinking during yoga class and here's what they said...
"Damn...this hair got away while waxing/shaving" -Vicky
"Waitwaitwaitwaitwaitwait." - Hildegard
"This modification (that's intended to help me) complicates this pose and is unnecessarily awkward." -KristiSmithYoga
When a teacher has brought us from one side (3 breaths), to the next, and then decides to help a student, leaving us on that one side for 6, 7, 8, 9 breaths: "Oh come ON ALREADY!" -YogaByCandace
"If you don't hold this and stay strong, you're gonna look like a little ----- in front of all these women..." -Jake
"Please stop talking." (When the teacher is continuously going on and on about things that are not relevant.) -Kcharts
"Oh my god is this ever going to end" -Mimisouth
Ok your turn - do you ever get distracted by your thoughts?! Add yours down below in the comments or over on the Yoga Forum!
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