“Hi. My name is Jeff Cross and I wrote a blog about a year ago when I was still a rookie. You all may know me, I’m the old guy with the black glasses that attends several classes each week. After a year I’ve learned that there is a lot I don’t know and so much more I’m eager to learn. When I started I had difficulty crossing my legs and sitting comfortably, and there were several beginner poses that I couldn’t do. Guess that’s why I was a beginner. Now I can do several of the beginner poses that I used to have trouble with. But I’ve learned there is more to the practice than just performing asanas.

Who would have thought you could perform an aerobic exercise and breathe through your nose, I didn’t. Now I do it regularly and there is less panting from my corner. There is also the quiet times at the beginning and end of practice where you focus on how your body feels and your breathing. Savasana is the coolest pose ever. I practice it whenever possible to perfect my technique. In yoga one has to be an expert at relaxing, and I’m trying. I’ve also learned that by working on pranayama I’ve been able to relax my body with just the breathing techniques I’ve learned. This can be really a life-saver when I’m riding on BART (because they’ve closed all their bathrooms since 9/11).

I’ve learned to develop an intention with each practice. My intention doesn’t vary much. It is usually to work hard, improve my practice, and relax. When I started my intention was to lose weight, lower my blood pressure, and reduce the stress in my life. I believe the practice has influenced my behavior towards others and I try to be considerate, gentler, understanding and less judgmental nowadays. Before yoga those thoughts weren’t present, now I work at good thoughts. I’m enjoying my evolution.

Since I started there have been several “ahah” moments. When I could finally grab my feet in Happy Baby was the first. Others were when I was first able to grab my feet in bow, when I did a forearm stand (without the wall), and last week when I easily moved into Camel (for the first time). Most of the movements and adjustments are gradual. Like when you stop worrying about where your next gasp of breath will come from, and you relax into straightening your leg, or pressing the outside of your foot to the floor (during Warrior II), or relaxing your body while in a difficult pose.

Another thing I’ve learned is that you can do the same pose several times during a practice. Each time it change because your body undergoes changes as you progress through your practice. Downward Dog at the beginning of practice feels much different that Downward Dog at the end of practice.

Now my goal is to go to practice, and gradually improve. I’m not n a hurry. I enjoy practice and love the way my body feels when I get done. I keep trying to breathe correctly and relax when I enter a pose. I’ve also began to understand that yoga is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s something I intend to work on until I die because I’ve liked the changes I’ve seen in my body and in my head. Peace.”