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Journal Entry #3
Shabnam Mashinchi
Journal Entry
Friday's class was very interesting and although I was absent, I did not miss all the fun because I was able to do all that the class did that day. I learned a lot from that class. Certain things tugged at my heart while others challenged me. Other yet, I will personally apply it to my life. One of the concepts I learned in this class was yoga. I had never tried yoga before this class, and I always thought that it was a way of maintaining physical fitness. To me, it did not seem like an effective physical activity compared to others like cycling.
However, this class gave me a deeper understanding of yoga and I was surprised at how little my knowledge of the concept was. I learned that there are aims of yoga apart from physical fitness. These aims include growth which encompasses both physical and mental wellness. Yoga also helps one to learn because, through yoga, we get to deepen our awareness of the practice, such as breathing and pausing. Additionally, yoga is a powerful therapy and is a good choice for anyone who wants to heal and rejuvenate. Lastly, yoga makes us powerful by enabling us to master physical feats.
While yoga was an interesting concept to learn, it was also the concept that challenged me in that class. I found it hard to achieve the level of concentration and focus that is required in yoga. I also encountered challenges in strength and flexibility. I could not achieve certain expressional poses, and I found this quite frustrating. It made me feel very unfit, although I am very physically active. I had underestimated yoga all along because I thought it was too simple to qualify as a physical activity. Yoga is very difficult especially when you are a beginner.
The exercise of giving to the homeless tugged at my heart. It was a show of humanity and caring for the less fortunate in our community. I gave some food and some clothes to a homeless person, and it warmed my heart how grateful the person was. I realized we should all do this often and not just as a classroom activity. There are so many needy people out here, and we should make it our responsibility to help them where we can. This exercise made me very emotional because it reminded me of something I should always be doing.
In this class, I learned the art of giving. I will personally apply this lesson to my life. Henceforth, I will try to offer help to the needy people in my community, no matter how little the help might be. Not only the homeless but also the elderly and other vulnerable populations. I learned that what one sees as little and meaningless can mean a lot to someone in a different situation. I also intend to continue practicing yoga because of its massive benefits. Although I found it challenging, I will not quit and I believe I will get better at it.
