For my birthday, I decided that I wanted to go snowboarding. Yesterday, my friends and I went to Stevens Pass. The last time I went snowboarding was last month at Whistler when I was hugging the mountain the entire way down. So, I thought I would be kissing the snow this time. Instead, I learned how to dance with Steven.
I think my new experience with snowboarding was a result of yoga. Not only does the Chaturanga (also known as the "upward/downward-facing dog" flow) strengthen my core but it's a lot easier to get back up after a wipe-out. Poses in hatha classes helped me a lot - Balance is a critical element in both yoga and snowboarding. Also, the mental practices of yoga, like giving up doing it right and being "perfect" inside the studio allowed me to get out my head and be with the mountain. In yoga, we learn how to trust our body and its potential. After I got over the fear of falling and breaking a bone or dying, I allowed my body to do what it wanted to do, like turning and going on my front edge. I was literally dancing in circles with the mountain as I was humming to myself.
Now, I can truly say that I enjoy snowboarding. Thank you, Yoga.
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