Drew comes to practice yoga with a down to earth spirit and warmth that adds a sense of calm to the studio. Even though he’s had a long day at work, he always has a “happy to be here” attitude. Drew puts his best effort into each posture and allows himself to fully relax in savasana (final relaxation). Although Drew hasn’t practiced yoga for long, he has embraced the very essence of yoga. I truly enjoy having him in my class. –Sara Holliday MFT, CPT
1. How old are you? 48
2. How many years have you been practicing yoga? I practiced about 12 years ago for a short time. However, I have been practicing yoga in Sara’s studio for about 8 months.
3. Before you starting practicing yoga what did you think it would be like? My perception was that yoga was “only for women” and that it was more of a spiritual experience and not much of a physical one.
4. What prompted you to try a yoga class with me? My wife, Shawnee had been taking classes with Sara and would always come home raving about how wonderful the class was. She said she enjoyed the workout and the relaxation portion at the end. Once Sara created the coed class I was very excited about joining.
5. What made you decide to come back to more classes with me? I really enjoyed the great workout and the feeling I had from the relaxation portion. After the relaxation portion, I felt like I had a massage plus I felt energized.
6. What advice do you have for others seeking a yoga instructor? Seek someone who cares about you as a person. Sara is this type of instructor! She always points out that we have different experience and or levels of flexibility. She also has a way of making us feel good about where we are in a posture. When we begin class, Sara asks each person what they need, and utilizes that information to structure the class. Because of this, each person leaves feeling satisfied. I have never been disappointed!!!!
7. How has yoga improved your flexibility and or strength? Throughout my life I have broken several bones and had some significant injuries that I knew would plague me in my older years. Since I have been taking yoga with Sara, a lot of the aches and pains have diminished or gone away completely. I also run on average 18 to 20 miles per week and have noticed that yoga has dramatically improved my flexibility and breathing all of which are helpful to running.
8. What’s your favorite yoga pose? Pigeon pose because I like how it feels when I do this stretch.
9. What do you like about yoga? I love the fact that I get a good workout and feel relaxed after the session. The strength conditioning is extremely dynamic. I especially like the abdominal stretches and strengthening postures. An added bonus is I enjoy the time with my wife. Even though we are doing our individual poses in class, there is a very special feeling that comes from taking the class together.
10. How have you changed physically, mentally and spiritually since practicing yoga? Physically I feel much stronger and I don’t have as many aches and pains that I had prior to practicing yoga. Mentally it is a great stress relief which helps with all aspects of my life. I believe that my interactions at work, home and at play are affected in a positive way because of the stress relief I get from yoga. Spiritually I am able to focus on God during the relaxation period of yoga. I can clear my mind from all other things that cloud it up throughout the day and focus on praying for my family and friends. Also, I’m not sure whether this is spiritual, but when we hold some of the harder poses for a long period of time I thank God when they are over. J
11. What do you say when people ask you about how you got your results? I tell others that yoga has definitely played a part in my results. Yoga has given me a great workout, improved my flexibility, and reduced stress. I often encourage others to try yoga. My male friends have been reluctant in the past but they are becoming more open to it as they see the results that I am having.