How many ways can you stretch?

Attended my first yoga session at the Hindu Temple tonight.  Our instructor, Punjabai, teaches the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays.  Although I don't have a whole lot of experience with different variations on instructor, I am learning that they are ALL very different in how they instruct.  He took us through our paces and I believe we must have been contorted (me, not necessarily anyone else) into at least 50 different poses.  We also did some breathing (loved the Lion! ~ right Ginny?) and meditation in our hour long class.

We were told that it was the largest class they'd seen in a while.  We easily were 25-30 people spread out in the auditorium.  Spacious enough, without feeling like your head was jammed in someone else's feet during a pose.  There are nine instructors total who rotate through in the schedule.  Accompanied by the scrumptious smell of food and curry wafting through the building, I was able to stay on task and kept up with most of the poses, but refused to do the Urdhva Dhanurasana for fear of not being able to get back OUT of it.

I did surprise myself with being able to get up into Ardha Sarvangasna.
 
Do you remember doing this one as a kid?  Yes, it is probably much easier when you are young and flexible, but I was happy to hold the pose for the short while he had us in it.  Not sure if anyone heard the "thump" when I came out of it, not so gracefully.  This pose promotes proper thyroid function, strengthens abdomen, stretches upper back, improves blood circulation and induces relaxation.

All in all, I think that exchanging my Zumba classes (hard on the knees and the pocketbook) for yoga is the best thing I've done for myself lately.  I am excited to continue taking classes, both at the Yoga Center in St. Louis Park and the Temple in Maple Grove.  I slept very well on Tuesday night after class, also in polar opposite to being hyped up after a Zumba class.  If you're local and want to join me ~ I'm over my anxieties about trying something new and would LOVE to share this new-found love with you!