Yoga and me.

The view from the from the front terrace of the Kripalu Yoga Center. In the distance you can see the Stockbridge Bowl.

When I was younger, my Mother started to practice yoga. Now, this was in the 60's and 70's. She had a friend, Zelda Johnson, who was very involved in yoga. Now, Zelda was an interesting lady, she had a PhD in heavy science, but no place to use it--instead she was a housewife and mother, who was so unhappy, that she developed a drinking problem. She and my Mother were an unlikely pair. Zelda's husband was a friend of my dad's in graduate school, and he knew Zelda too. This led to a long time custom of him always dancing a polka with Zelda when my parents were at dance parties. My Mother and Zelda did Northshore lady things, went to lunch, meetings and community activities, but my mother was more involved in that stuff than Zelda was. Somehow, my mother started to practice yoga on Zelda's recommendation. She loved it. She would show me poses and comment on their difficulty. she was an athletic person, who thought that exercise was the solution to most problems. When she moved into the retirement apartments, she took up yoga again.

When I was young, I thought that anything that involved Zelda was wacky. So in my mind-- yoga=wacky.

Now, ahead about 35 years. Zelda in long gone, my mother is gone, and I am practicing yoga and loving it. I started about a year after I finished physical therapy. I started in golden yoga--which was for seniors. Then I moved up to gentle yoga. For the past few years I attended a basics class every week. Now, I am confident enough to do multi-level yoga several times a week. I even have my own mat.

When I was in the Berkshires, I decided to spend a day at the Kripalu Yoga center. My son had been there two years ago, participating in a study involving musicians, stress and yoga. So, I had to prepare so I wouldn't make a fool of myself and fall on my face at Kripalu. I started to go to the multi level classes at my health club, and took my practice more seriously.

The experience at Kripalu was wonderful--the setting is beautiful, the food is tasty, the people I met were nice. I really enjoyed myself. I attended a class, a Yoga dance class, a moderate yoga class and meditation. The yoga dance class was so much fun. I didn't fall on my face in the yoga class--my classes at home prepared me well.

So, how do I relate this to my Mother and Zelda? My mother told my that Zelda attended yoga retreats, and I think that my Mother may have gone too. So, does this make me wacky too?