The sound of yoga

This week I had other wonderful 4-sessions of yoga at the studio; with the weather this past week being something of an experience, I was pleased with the sanctuary that the yoga studio offered: A serene experience and a place to remember what the sun really does look like.  In each class this week, I found that I am now moving into the poses with relative ease and each class continues to introduce something new to me, the extent of the practice is truly amazing.  This is what I love the most, being able to work on what I have done before then also being guided into a new pose. 

I have found some difference this week in the way I am able to listen and concentrate while in the class.  The importance and feeling around the opening and closing chants are increasing every time.  Being someone who does not take up singing in front of people, at first this seemed to be something I would probably ruin, the one chanting out of tune and ruining the harmony for everyone.  This feeling has happened ever since I hummed along to the piano in my 3rd grade music class in a try-out for the violin (a prestigious honour at my school).  As the music teacher pressed each note, I hummed it back to her in perfect harmony, which is until she told me that I would have to stick to the recorder and would not be continuing in her violin class.  As I left that music room, with her disapproving look, that was my one try for anything musical related, leaving singing for times when alone, or recently, to my 6 month old niece who it seems appears to like it!

So with this in mind, my first few weeks of joining in to the opening and closing chants were soft and quiet, not wanting to spoil the ambience with my out of tune-ness!  This week however, I realised that I was joining into the chants quite feverishly and one occasion, I was quite loud, but I don’t seem to mind anymore as the notes reflect around the room, all together and it sounds nice.  Eyes closed, and in the relaxed state, it has allowed me to freely express my voice into these harmonious chants and I like it.  I recently tried this during my visit to the family in England; while trying to settle my niece, I hummed some of the chakra notes I had learned from the relaxation class and she calmed and settled into me, staring at me and listening to my humming, it was wonderful to feel her relax with me. Yesterday evening, while in relaxation yoga I hummed the chakra notes and found the notes emanating like a buzz from the each chakra, a wonderful experience.  I have even found, on my walks home from the studio that I can break into a little humming from time to time.  This is not something I was expecting at the start, to open up into all different senses is wonderful and I look forward to another week filled with learning and practicing.