Secrets of Yoga

I had been anti-yoga for a long time.
I thought it was trendy, another passing fad
I would not fall prey to breathing and incense.

Over the summer, my friend C., a yoga believer,
dragged me to her class
and despite my skepticism
I loved it.

I felt relaxed rolling around on the mat
melting into the floor

The only problem--
I wasn't very good.

I've never been athletic
I played field hockey in high school
because I liked the kilt for a uniform
In middle school, I tried out cross country
and was always the last one running
around an empty field

Yoga has been no exception

rising up
grounding down
light and heavy
tucking and tilting

Last night we were to visualize this wheel
helping to keep our body moving
in all these opposite rotations
Trust the image
our teacher intoned

But I just didn't get it

I couldn't figure out how this wheel was moving
and how it was supposed to help me
it kept switching directions--
rolling off like a forgotten tricycle

So I pretended,
while stretching into triangle pose
conjuring up a bicycle wheel
which rolled over my right foot
rather than putting me in balance

I wanted to get it
but figured my teacher
could tell I wasn't
receiving the visualization

Isn't this life in any classroom?

A teacher in full understanding
trying to break knowledge
into palatable bites
a pupil longing for the moment
when it's clear as the final piece
of puzzle locking into place

the world falls into balance
your head floats to the clouds
your feet root in the spring dirt
you smile
the secret is yours