Pelvic breathing

There's been this yoga class that I've been wanting to take at the tennis club pretty much as long as I've been a member (since July of last summer). It hasn't ever really worked out since it starts at 3:45, but I really wanted to go, so I put the kids down for their naps a little early so they'd wake up early and we could go. We were running a little late, but I manged to get into the class only a couple minutes late. Now, in true "Paige" fashion, the normal instructor wasn't there for this particular class. I believe her son was sick, but really, I have to believe that the memo got out that I was going to try something new.

Anyway, I walk in and am instructed to grab two sticky mats. I do so, and find a spot towards the back of the class where I can stumble and grope my way around in semi-privacy. Now, I should mention that not only is this my first yoga class at the tennis club, but this is also my first official yoga class. Everything I learned about yoga, I learned from a few DVD's I have. I ADORE yoga. I love the way I feel when I'm done. I love how sore I am, in different places, the next day. I love the way it makes your muscles look and how it strengthens your core. But I have been a little hesitant to do it publicly.

As I mentioned before, the class had already started when I got there. I got settled in the back of the class with my two sticky mats and tried to follow along with the pelvic tilts that the instructor was guiding everyone in. She was saying things like "let the breath move you" and "up and back", asking us to rock our bodies, using our breath.....coming from our pelvis. This pelvis doesn't breathe. Now, I can get on board with a certain amount of "breath" talk when it comes to yoga because I do know how important it is to the practice in general. But, when you ask it to come from my pelvis, I'm just plain lost.

Anyway, I try to follow along as best I can. We finally move away from pelvic tilting and more into traditional poses that I'm familiar with. Except the instructor was interesting. Like, she'd ask you to "sort of let your arm fall to the back a little, if you want, without forcing it, just let it kind of go back without thinking about it" Ummm, what?? Either I'm thinking about my arm moving and making it move, or I'm not. And she'd say things like "and then maybe your hands touch above your head". What do you mean MAYBE?? I know yoga is all new-agey like, but really, I guess I just need simple instructions. Not, sorta kinda do a thing that you haven't really thought about. What the hell is that?

We spent the last what seemed like eternity lying on the floor doing nothing. Which was nice, I admit. I almost fell asleep. Except there were those pesky kids to go get from the nursery!

I will try the class again with the normal instructor, but I may also just stick to my DVD's where she actually tells us what to do and we are not trying to breath from or tilt our pelvis.