I went to yoga today. My experience of yoga before today was at swanky gyms with swanky people in Adidas. I always felt this was a little sterile for yoga and would scour the internet for a bamboo eco friendly mat that didn't hurt my knees but was still in a pretty colour.
But this place isn't just a yoga centre. Its a place of tie dye, jingly bells, peace signs and happy little messages in the toilet asking you to 'please not steal the loo paper' but to have a 'happy and fulfilling day'.
Utterly charmed by all positive thinking, and feeling smug that I had not stolen the loo roll, I skipped down the stairs to the studio.
But I'd got it wrong. All wrong. I was in sportswear (WITH LOGOS - me? An evil corporate conspirator? Who knew!?) not vests and capri pants in earth tones with ballet wraps as coverups. I made mental note at once that I needed a new yoga outfit before venturing back into this unknown realm but decided to suck it up and just get on with it.
THEN I put my mat in the teachers place.
At an ANGLE whilst everyone elses is straight.
I'm met with scowls as I shuffle my mat into an acceptable position whilst silently cursing it because one end keeps rolling up. I am officially anti hippie, anti eco, never ever grown cress in an egg shell bad person and I felt guilty every time I go into downward facing dog and saw the offending coral colour I'd painted my toes specially.
Next class I shall have yoga grunge down to perfection and maybe one day (when I find my inner peace) I won't care what they think. Bloody Namaste to you too!
