Meditation, chants and breathing exercises were what I expected. What I got was a gruelling workout where I was made to do handstands, asked to defy my bodys limit to stretch and given a pose that felt suspiciously like a push-up. All this in a 75-minute yoga class with instructor Jacqueline Quesnel at Akasha Studio, Long Circular Road, Maraval. My yoga education prior to the class was decidedly limited, Id only tried the activity once before, in a yoga for beginners class, which didnt prepare me for the intensity of Jacquelines workout. What I did know was that yoga was the type of exercise that focused not just on the body, but on the mind as well. Jacqueline practices an Anusara-based yoga, a type of yoga she said was known for hand stands and promised we would make an attempt before the class was over.

I wasnt overly excited. I had never attempted or even wanted to attempt a hand stand before. The very first principal is to open to grace, said Jacqueline, before letting me know she would begin with a Sanskrit chant. I interrupted before she could begin, wanting to know the religious connotations here. In my research I had learnt of yogas connection with Hindu philosophy and that it was practiced by Hindus and Buddhists. You dont have to be a Hindu to practice yoga, she answered. I encourage my students to chant with me after I translate for them but I also give them the option of saying a prayer or even being silent before the class starts. The purpose of the prayer, she explained was to give thanks and prepare yourself both spiritually and mentally for the class. She admitted, there was a spiritual aspect to Yoga but added that it wasnt religious. I am Catholic and I have never strayed from being a Catholic. I use Hindu stories as guide sometimes in my class but I dont practice Hinduism or teach it, she said.

While she did a chant, I closed my eyes respectfully and said a quick prayer, thanking God for life. What, I should have done, was asked him for strength, energy and endurance as we stepped onto our yoga mats. The mats, Jacqueline revealed could cost upwards of $300, depending on the material. Eco-friendly materials cost more. Jacquelines first instruction was for me to hug my muscles to my body. I took this to mean I needed to make my muscles tense and proceeded to do so. With Jacquelines assistance I managed to align my body in a proper standing posture, a marked difference from my usual slouch.

She instructed me in my first pose, the table pose, which felt very much like the pose one starts a pushup with, but instead of actually pushing up I had to hold my body in place, all the while with tensed muscles. Yoga is a combination of fitness and stress management and is something you take at your own pace. While speaking, Jacqueline directed me to lift one hand towards the sky and turn my body sideways so that only one of my hands was supporting my body. As my arm wobbled and I felt myself sweat, I realised that this was a lot harder than Jacquelines soft voice and vibrant smiles, as well as several online pictures of pretty poses had led me to believe. We tried the cobra pose. Jacqueline said I did a great job on most of the poses but looking at her fluid moments and the ever-present joyful smile compared to my aching muscles and frowns of concentration I wasnt so sure.

Continued here:
Yoga tougher than you think