thelifeofthefuneral

About 3 weeks ago I started Yoga.   This was after toying with the idea for...about 7 years! I could never find a class near me, at a time that worked and I must admit, my own masculinity stopped me a lot of the time.  I saw it as girly.  Why do I need Yoga? Men bench press, that's all we need right? No.  There are a lot of types of strength and Yoga is its own category.  I have been lifting weights seriously for around 5 years - not that it shows! However my personal bests (so I can show off a little bit): 60kg EZ Curl  100kg Bench / 80kg Working Weight Body Weight Shoulder Press (Machine) 180kg Deadlift 300kg Leg Press That last one resulted in my nearest brush with passing out while lifting. So I thought I would attend a local Yoga class and breeze through.  Nope.  Not happening.  This is a different kind of strength, mostly in the mind.  Brute-force and a level of stupidity will get you far lifting weig...

I can't relax. I don't have the ability.  I was hyperactive as a child, so maybe this is where it comes from. But I can't relax.  I try to put this to good use.  I try to be productive all the time, but the downside of this is I get more stressed out if I am not productive, I feel guilty when I do relax and I end up very frayed and burned out regularly. The first time I felt truly relaxed as an adult was 8 years ago, on my first trip snowboarding in Sauze D'oulx in Italy.  I had had a rough year and I remember sitting down on the mountain one day and feeling at peace.  I was physically drained but I was fired up with adrenaline and I was completely alone on this section of mountain.  It was snowing, it was cold, I had a wet arse, the clouds had closed in so visibility was low.  And I felt safe and happy for the first time in a year. I think this was my introduction to meditation, looking back. I am no expert, but I fee...