Yoga . . . In Spanish

Many of you know that I love yoga. I’ve been taking yoga classes for more than 20 years now. Yoga keeps me sane. (Can you imagine if I didn’t do yoga?? Do NOT answer that!) Although I don’t need yoga mentally as much as I did when I was working as an attorney, I still enjoy both the mental and physical benefits yoga provides. So, of course I had to find a yoga studio here in San Sebastian, and I’ve found a good one that is a 10-minute walk from our place that I try to go to about three times a week.

Taking yoga classes in Spanish has been a bit challenging. Yoga is first and foremost about breathing, combining breath with movement. The problem is that when I am so focused on understanding what the instructor is saying in Spanish, I don’t always remember to breathe! So, combining practicing Spanish and yoga often means I’m not doing either very well. Of course, you can look around and figure out what you are supposed to be doing, and it doesn’t matter much if you are a step behind. Still, there are times when I’m so focused on the teacher’s words that I don’t even realize that she has used the Sanskrit word for a pose! (And sometimes I think I know Sanskrit better than Spanish!)

But things have improved for two reasons. First, we had a more extensive class about the Spanish words for body parts last month. Second, I have identified the teacher that speaks most slowly and clearly, and she has become my favorite, both because I can understand her most of the time and because her classes are varied and move at a pace I like. One of the other teachers does not enunciate well and she speaks softly – there are days I honestly think she is teaching in Basque instead of Spanish.

Up until December the studio had two classes a week taught in English. My Spanish teachers were disappointed that I would go to these classes – which I understood because they encourage us to practice listening and speaking Spanish as often as we can. But I must admit that I loved these classes because I could focus on my breath and relax! Since our return, my ability to understand has significantly improved, but it still depends on the teacher.

We also take spin classes, and it is even tougher to understand the spin instructors who speak through a microphone with the music blaring. But after years in spin classes, we speak “spin,” so what the teachers are saying doesn’t much matter to us. The instructors play a lot of American music, which we enjoy and find amusing. I also take a weights class that is much easier to follow, especially since it is consistent from week-to-week in the different exercises we do.

One additional note, taking yoga and spin classes reminds us that people are the same all over the world. Just like in any yoga or spin studio in the US, there are people who are always jostling for their spot or their bike. You learn to stay out of their way.

Namaste,

Shana

PS – Boy do I miss my Saturday 10 a.m. yoga class with Morgan in Seattle!

PPS – Another reason I love yoga here in SS...John John is often there. She is both beautiful and sweet.