"Being Present" by Raisa M

     While I was doing my calculus homework, I checked the time and it was 4:15 A.M. At
this point I was extremely frustrated. Only halfway done with my homework and only 5 hours of
sleep, my inefficiency to get my work done has reached an all-time high. Plus, I had to get to
school by seven which meant I would have to get ready in half an hour..only I realized that there
I had to go a yoga class with my dad at 5:15. So with a mind full of regret, I forced myself out of
bed, grabbed my new yoga mat that I purchased the day before (at least the color was purple),
and I went to yoga. Once my dad and I got into the gym and into the yoga classroom, I looked
around the room and the first thought that came into my mind was how the room looked like the
practice rooms from Dancing with the Stars since it had a mirror facing the entrance of the door.
     Additionally, there was only one other person in the class and she was elderly. So after getting
my bearings I layed down my yoga mat. After a short while, the yoga instructor came in and
introduced herself and she turned on calm instrumental music. Her first instruction was to start
Ou-jai breathing, which is basically the continuous rhythm of deep breathing in through the nose
and out the exact same route. One pose that the class had to do was to touch their toes. I
couldn’t touch my toes and there was an elderly woman next to me that was able to touch her
toes. It’s embarrassing for me being a 16 year old girl to not touch my toes while a woman in
her sixties was able to touch her own toes.Throughout the yoga lesson, we had to do some
very challenging poses such as upward dog, downward dog, and warrior pose. While
performing these poses I found out that I kind of have a small humpback when I stand up
straight. At that moment I started to think about all the years I have carried a heavy backpack or
have hunched over in a chair. At that point in time, I realized how destitute my health was and
how much I was disrespecting myself. Then, near the end of the lesson, the yoga instructor told
us to choose a pose that was most comfortable to us. So still being a little sleep deprived, I
layed down on my back. The yoga instructor said that staying still was the hardest pose for most
people because of all the racing thoughts in a person’s mind when people stay idol.
     Unfortunately, she was right because I started to think about being on time for my zero period,
the large amount of homework hadn’t finished, and the fact that as the year goes on I am
becoming more irresponsible. As a result, I became very tense and frustrated. However, after a
few seconds, I started to realize that physically I am not in my thoughts. Instead, I am in a
Fitness 19 in a room lying a on yoga mat with my eyes closed. Eventually, I started to calm
down and instead of worrying about the future I started to live in the present for the first time in 4
months. After the lesson, I found that my mood had improved and I was more enthusiastic for
the day ahead. I found that by living in the present and clearing my mind I was able to become
more efficient in completing my work and putting forth my best work possible. Additionally, I was
excited to go next week’s yoga class.