I am sure I have uncovered one of Amherst’s hidden gems and they are the yoga classes. Monday through Friday, Amherst offers a one-hour yoga class to all students, with no experience or commitment required. AMAZING RIGHT? I learned about yoga through the daily mammoth and decided to try something new this week. To my surprise, I love all the sessions I attended. I will admit, it is already making a difference in my life. A good number of college students struggle with trying to find out what is right for them but I am convinced there is no “right” thing, it is a matter of what makes you feel more like you. Yoga happens to be for me, a way to stop and contemplate, a space to connect with my body, and a moment away from the stress of schoolwork.
Not that this blog has to be anything related to my courses but I feel that I have to mention the connection it has to my first-year seminar (How to Do Nothing with Professor Nelson), after all, I am a liberal arts. In case you are reading and do not know what a first-year seminar is then here is a little explanation, it is a course you take your first semester as a first year with kids who are majoring in all different fields therefore the people in the class are there to learn fundamental skills to take with them for the rest of their Amherst career. How to Do Nothing is an interesting course name right, in class, we would discuss the attention economy and rituals in our daily life. Yoga is a ritual, a daily routine I want to implement as a rejection of the attention economy that comes from our modern technological devices. In other words, do not become a “meat puppet” (like Professor Sitze might say) but also not be trapped in a bubble of work for the entirety of my day. I find this activity to be liberating from the swarm of 70,000 thoughts throughout the day. Balance is key. Balancing your schedule with small breaks in the middle of the day is important.
More about yoga, I have learned how to do various poses and the movement throughout the class allows me to be more in touch with my body. You won’t know until you try it. I was suspicious about the difference between one hour of yoga can do for you but it is relaxing on a level where your body is free to move in ways you are not forcing it to. My last class was more of a personalized yoga class because I was the only one that attended and I must say, I was stressed the entire day and felt tension on my shoulders. I voice the parts where I felt the tension and the yoga instructor addressed those certain parts through eagle and tree poses. Yoga can also be an activity for exploration. It is cold and snowing outside so finding time to do indoor activities is also good for one’s mental health. Overall, I see myself continuing to attend classes as a way to rest and distract my mind.