yoga: cheater, cheater

i have a very lucky situation as far as yoga studios go.  i love my studio.  i've signed up for a full year of unlimited yoga for two years in a row.  i count my pennies, so for me that is saying something.  however, the studio isn't without its problems.  there is a limited class selection and i feel like those classes (and the studio in general) is geared towards yoga 1 & 2 students.  please don't let me delude you into thinking i'm a superstar yogi.  there are days that just balancing is more than i can handle.  however, i like the challenge.  i like the vigorous flow that can get the heart racing and the sweat beading.  i get this during my saturday morning class.  during the week there's a lot of requests for stretching and classes are so much more gentle.  it makes me a little crazy.  my other issue is that the studio is closed a lot.  all the teachers have kids who are in the same school district and the studio's schdule revolves around it.  they're closed for spring break (a whole week!), memorial day, 4th of july, labor day, thanksgiving and two weeks at Christmas.  now, i don't have kids and i don't give a flying flip what they're schedule is.  i want to go to my studio and practice when i want to practice. 

well, a few weeks ago i found that a new studio moved into town.  i felt a funny flutter of excitement in my stomach.  what is this studio's story?  i looked their schedule up online and there's classes galore.  i was intrigued but what about my old studio?  is it cheating?  would they be mad if they found out i went to another studio?  i had no idea what the proper yoga etiquette was.  well, yesterday i put on my red lipstick and cheated on my studio.  i had to know what the new kid in town was all about.  the first class was free after all.  their class last night was an hour and a half (awesome) and hot.  i don't have a lot of experience with hot.  the last time i attempted a hot class i ended up locking my husband out of loaner car at the train station.  that was very bad but the class last night was very good.  i kind of got used to the hot and i liked that the class was different than what i was used to.  the teacher was super talented but not intimidating.  in fact, i was more intimidated before class started.  this guy (who must've been part monkey) was jumping from downward facing dog through to balancing his legs straight out in front of him.  i was thinking i was in big trouble if that's what the class was going to entail.  luckily it was accessible to a wide range and i felt great when class was over.  the studio runs a deal that if you buy a package the day of your first class you get 15% off.  i bought a 20 class pass.  i was pleased to discover that i have a whole year to use it up (at my other studio it is three months).  this pass will get me through the upcoming spring break (it still makes me mad) and my husband's upcoming softball season.  he plays in a league with the guys in the neighborhood (they're awful) on thursday nights during the summer and this class is the perfect thing to occupy my time.  i'm quite excited though i have to drive through two stoplights to get to the new studio where i only have to drive through one to get to the old studio.

in all, i don't feel guily about 'cheating' on my studio.  i still love my wednesday night and saturday morning classes but am thrilled to be expanding my yoga horizons.  instead of guilty, i feel blessed to live some place where i have the option of more than one studio.  namaste!!  (i'm actually not a big namaste, om kind of yoga practitioner, it just seemed appropriate at the time).