Just Breathe: Hope’s Full of Yoga

14 December 2011Courtney C and Cherrie K

You can see it everywhere – bags under the eyes and yawns every five minutes from students scuttling anxiously around campus with comforters and blankets. It is the new fashion statement. Yes, ladies and gentleman, you have guessed correctly – it is Brentwood College School’s grand December exam week!

The anxiety, coupled with long evenings of study and last minute panic attacks, have plagued students all around – but luckily, the girls of Hope House have been purged of these infectious nerves by immersing themselves in a refreshing dose of relaxation at the suggestion of our House Parent, Ms.  Hedquist: Hope House yoga! 

Oh Reader, what an indulgence it is to sit and do nothing but breathe for an entire hour.

Breathing is an intrinsic activity for all living things on Earth – but it is surprising how rarely we breathe consciously. As people who are always on the go, we seldom think – we just do. We go as fast as we can, and we take our breaths in between. 

We’ve been told that this type of fastidious lifestyle is unhealthy. 

Yoga promotes a philosophy which is the polar opposite of our own this past week: relaxed, even breathing while leisurely stretching out your limbs like a cat, or sitting cross-legged in one spot. Yes – that is what yoga is all about, channeling that invisible, wildly inspiring inner spirit stirring within your holy heart as you bask in the golden light of yoga’s eternal peace. Wow! 

And that golden light of peace graced Hope House earlier this week! Our girls packed away their stress and anxiety and uncoiled their tense and jittery nerves through a series of relaxing stretches and spiritually productive breathing under the wonderful guidance of Ms. Hedquist’s superb yoga instructor, Lise . 

Thank you to Lise and to Ms. Hedquist for this spiritually productive initiative. 

Now, we’re off to write English 12!

Courtney C and Cherrie K