yoga

i finally joined the yoga classes at markaz. and i'm enjoying them. i'm stretching muscles i didn't know existed. i'm using my back instead of my neck to do things, and finding i can do them much better. i have learnt that my shoulders tend to be tense throughout the day, and i find myself consciously relaxing them. i am suddenly much more aware of my body, of what it can and cannot do, of what i want it to do. it is strangely liberating.

what is also liberating, is watching the people around me. witnessing their awareness of their bodies is just as much of a thrill as experiencing my own. i was initially wary of seeing middle aged women, without their ridas, contorting their bodies in awkward positions. i am used to praying or socializing with these women. exercising with them is much more intimate, more physical. however, i believe it will become simply another form of bonding, and i'm looking forward to it :)