Via Flickr:
30 Days Hath September
Quiet Mind Yoga Studio, 3423 14th Street, NW, Between Newton & Monroe Streets, Columbia Heights, Washington, DC
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I started smoking when I was 16, and in the 11 years between then, and when I quit last September, I made numerous attempts to quit, with different levels of effort. I quit for 6 months in 2007, because my girlfriend at the time hated them, and was supportive of my quitting. When she broke my heart, I took them up again.
But, at 27, I was tired of it. Tired of spend $7 a pack, or $130 a month. I'd carefully weaned myself down a half-pack per day for several months. And, on September 6th, quit for good. I knew I had to take up something better.
Smoking cigarettes, paradoxically, promotes healthy breathing practices. The smoke it bad, sure! But the practice of going out, taking a 10-minute meditative break where you inhale and exhale deeply, several times a day, is actually good. I knew I would have to replace the unhealthy breathing of smoking with some sort of healthy breathing.
I redeemed a Living Social deal for Quiet Mind on Sepember 6th, 2010, and then went on to either run in Rock Creek or take a yoga class every day for next 30 days. For a variety of reasons, running fell to the wayside, but yoga stuck.
I fell in love with a number of the teachers at Quiet Mind--Rita, the owner is beautiful, and offers an affirming and lovely class. Yael Flusberg brings an intense spirituality combined with Brooklyn Jewish mother, making you smile and sweat. Daniel Hickman leads creative chose-your-own-adventure classes. Michelle Mae's classes are serious vinyasa-hatha style that push your limits while teaching proper alignment.
Since that first class on the 6th of September, I've taken over 125 classes--going two to seven times a week. I've sweat, twisted, stretched, and centered. I've not only gained control over smoking (not a puff in nearly 8 months, and all serious cravings have diminished to nothing), but am on a journey to unite mind and body, to heal myself, lower my anxiety and otherwise work towards being a better, more balanced person.
(post written April 28, 2011)
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