Web Exclusive: Yoga Journey

By Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman

In our Summer issue (June 2017), I announced “exclusive online articles” about my journey into the practice of yoga. The articles will be written in a journal style as I visit various studios and learn poses and meditation techniques. This journey is one I have been aching for, and it also prepares us to launch into our Fall issue (September 2017) in which yoga will be a focus subject.

So first, a word or two of warning! When blogging, especially in the first person (as opposed to a more journalistic article), I tend to write in a stream of consciousness mode. I find that way you the reader can actually follow my thoughts – and my growth – as I find myself on this journey.

Exclusive Online YogaSo, why yoga?

I ache for the self-discipline of yoga. I ache for a conscious and natural relationship between myself and the world around me. Lately, I find myself needing to be still. From a physical viewpoint, I need to loose weight and get my diabetes under control. I do want to be healthy but I need to get myself to that point where I WANT to be healthy. You know that one commercial? “I want purple, but not PURR-PLE.”

My yoga experiences:

A little while ago, I had joined a local gym. It’s a huge gym. They had lots of group sessions but no one on one instructions, no beginning level class. In went to the weekly class anyway and thought I was doing good; that is, until someone told me I was “doing it all wrong” and that I looked like a beached whale. And so ended my attempt at yoga.

That made me realize that I really needed a place that would be willing to walk me through the various poses – there are a few I did get right – to ensure I was doing things right. I have no place at home to really practice at home, plus I don’t feel comfortable exercising in front of my husband.

So, begins my search …

Author: Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman

Publisher/Editor