Ommmmm

I'm at a yoga retreat this weekend.  It's marvelous and terrifying at the same time.  That's a lie.  It's not marvelous, though that could still happen.  I'm surrounded by people who can jump from downward dog to lotus in the time it takes me to begin strategizing about how I might get to the front of my mat without putting my knees down.

Where are all of the middle-aged folks who want to do some yoga just because it might feel good for a few days? These people appear to skip middle age altogether.  They magically go from their fabulous lean, muscular, glowing twentysomething selves, directly to their fabulous lean, muscular, glowing, silver-haired sixtysomething selves.

And they're so damn nice!  Why can't they be stuck up or bitchy so that I would have an excuse to hate them beyond pure jealousy??

And that's just the people.  There's also the yoga.  I actually came home last night after the first session to double check the flier for the retreat - Yes, it did say, "This retreat is for EVERYONE!" (Their caps, not mine.)  Everyone?!  Everyone who speaks fluent Sanskrit, knows all of the yoga chants -- no, not just Ommmm, I mean full on call and response chanting of Sanskrit verses.  Oh, and speaking of Ommmm, everyone has a beautiful, resonant Ommmm voice so that the room virtually shakes with their karmic vibrations.  To continue - Everyone who only uses the Sanskrit names of the poses, so that I have to look around to see what hugodashidana (not a real pose) looks like.

You get the picture.

So this morning, before I head in for the next three-hour session, I'm trying to find some equanimity.  I'm just going to do some yoga the best I can.  No - I'm just going to do some yoga that feels good and that will be the most restorative and healing for me.

Wish me luck!  Namaste.