YOGI OF THE MONTH

June 2022 - Carol Buchman

What first brought you to yoga and how long have you been practicing?

My husband and I practiced yoga while we were still working and living in the Washington, D.C., area. I had been practicing meditation, and yoga seemed to be a good complement to that practice. After we both retired and started spending more time in Reedville, we stopped practicing. We had recently talked about starting again, and then I saw an article in the Rappahannock Record about Susan’s workshop on core strength. I went to it, and when I left I felt so good that I signed up for a class the following week. So I have only been back to practicing since February, and my husband started again in May.

What is/are your intention(s) for your yoga practice?

Yoga makes me more aware of my body and how it moves. I think it also help to keep me flexible, which in turn helps with other activities, like cycling and walking. I want to to continually improve my ability to focus on what my body is doing as I take on more challenging poses.

What is your favorite pose and why?

I really don’t have a favorite pose. At this point in my practice, I think they all help me to focus on my body and what it’s doing as I move. Three years ago I had a hip replacement, so my right side has less flexibility than my left. Because of that, some poses are more difficult to execute on my right side. But yoga has definitely helped the flexibility on my right side, and I continue to see improvement.

What is your favorite class at InsideOut Yoga?

Again, because I’ve been practicing yoga only since February, I have taken only one class, Slow Flow. But I am looking forward to taking other classes at InsideOut Yoga!

How has the practice of yoga influenced your life?

Practicing yoga has allowed me to be more attuned to my body and my mind. I always feel great after yoga classes, even if I falter a bit while doing the poses.

What advice would you have for a beginning yoga student?

Well, I’m really a beginning yoga student, so I could use the advice as well! Starting out can be overwhelming because we often find ourselves in sessions with others who have been practicing for a long time. My advice to beginners would be to not compare themselves with others, but to focus on what their bodies are doing, and with practice, the poses become will become more familiar and easier to do. I think it’s also important to remember that each time we practice yoga we open ourselves and our minds to new opportunities to learn.

What is your occupation?

I spent most of my “career” as a writer and editor. I retired from the federal government in 2015, but I also worked in educational and cultural organizations before joining the government. And of course, when I was young I had jobs in restaurants, bookstores, libraries, and retail. I like to think that I learned something from all of the jobs I’ve ever had!

What activities do you enjoy?

I enjoy so many activities—I am never bored! I knit, spin yarn, and do a little weaving. I enjoy outside activities, such as cycling, walking, hiking, and being out on the water in our boat(s). I like to cook and to garden as well. I enjoy traveling, and because I have friends in Barcelona, I go there often. I enjoy learning, so I love doing anything that allows me to be active and to learn more about people and places.

What is your favorite thing about living in the Northern Neck or Middle Peninsula?

The water. I enjoy being close to the water, but I enjoy even more the different ways the water can look depending on the time of day or the season of the year. I love color. In the morning, the water takes on the reds and purples of the sunrise. In the afternoon, the water and shoreline across the creek have a golden glow that lasts only moments. Sometimes, when we’re out on the boat on a late summer afternoon the water takes on a purplish hue. But I think for me, nothing compares to the silvery light of a full moon on the water.