Since my sophomore year at Saint Mary’s, I have been living with athletes. Between their countless practices, games and sometimes injuries, it has been nothing short of inspiring watching each of them go through the last four years remaining committed to their love for the game. As the NARP, non-athletic regular person, of the group who is surrounded by this environment, it is important for me to have an activity of my own to remain motivated. In my case, that is yoga.
The very first time I took a yoga class was actually during my senior year of high school. It was 2020 when I had abundant free time as the world was on a collective pause. None of the sports or clubs I was a part of prior to COVID-19 were up and running, but I desperately needed something to cure my boredom. That is when my therapist recommended I take a yoga class.
To nobody’s surprise, yoga quickly became my preferred way of exercise. As an ex-dancer, one of the very first things I noticed was how similar yoga is to dance. Whether it be the fact that both require some level of flexibility, or how both involve moving to music, I found them to be one in the same. I started off taking basic yoga classes for a year until I started to want something different.
The following summer is when I really started dabbling in yoga and its various forms of classes. I was dealing with some health issues that left me very weak and I wanted to feel a lot stronger before heading back to school. One class that I fell in love with is called yoga sculpt. It is a full body-yoga workout incorporated with weights. Needless to say, you leave drenched in sweat, but the cold lavender cloth during savasana makes it all worth it. This type of yoga class is the whole reason I keep coming back for more.
Above all, yoga has helped me tremendously with my anxiety. I am by far the most anxious person I know. Yoga taught me to slow down as it is a practice that requires patience and mindfulness. I love the yoga community because, to my left, there will be a teenager and, to my right, is an 80-year-old. It is truly for everyone and an uplifting community built to meet people where they are and provide comfort amidst life’s inevitable chaos.
Maybe one day I’ll get my certification or do something crazy like a handstand atop a mountain like the photos you see on Pinterest. But for now, the yoga mat in my hometown strip mall will do just fine.
Namaste.
Moira Quinn is a senior at Saint Mary's College studying communication. When she isn't writing for The Observer, she can be found with friends, watching a good romantic comedy or missing her basset hound. You can contact Moira at mquinn02@saintmarys.edu.
