Member-only story
My Lovely Yoga Obsession
Yoga, I love you when I’m sober
My story of how I found yoga, fell in love and tried to manipulate it
Oh, Yoga, how I love you!!
Yoga has saved me time and time again over the years. In 2010, I went to my first yoga class that happened to be hot yoga. I was newly sober at the time and was very focused on being healthy. A friend coaxed me into meeting her there and I was so nervous. Anything new always causes me stress because of my social anxiety.
I check-in at the front desk and am looking around for my friend, who is not in the lobby, so I decided to just enter the hot yoga room. Immediately, I am sweating and unsure of what to do. Trying to pretend I am not a newbie I observe what others are doing: how to place your mat, water, and towels. I had no idea I should have a special yoga towel, so here I am with an oversized beach towel that completely covers my mat.
Sitting on my stupid beach towel, I feel so dumb and out of place. My negative inner monolog won’t shut up. “Where is my friend”, “Should I just leave?” “What if I faint or pass out from the heat?” and this is followed by my comforting voice “You can’t leave now and everything will be ok.”
To my dismay, my friend never shows. The class starts and I am committed because if you have ever done hot…
