Writing about my yoga mat
Title
Writing about my yoga mat
Description
How my yoga mat has become important during the lockdown
Creator
Claire Uziel
Language
English
Text
I bought myself a yoga mat around 2003 and used it regularly for a few years. However, the next time I moved, I couldn't find yoga classes I enjoyed and my practice came to a halt. I moved the mat from home to home but never looked for classes again. So the mat went untouched for a dozen years.
March 26, 2020: We'd been under lockdown for 10 days and my sister in Boston texted to ask if I wanted to stretch together in the afternoons. I immediately loved the idea.
Sarah stretches every morning before breakfast and she knew I'd been anxious, so this suggested activity was solely for my benefit. And it sounded so nice -- a daily check-in with someone I love PLUS motivation to move my body a bit (something I don't do enough). This was a GIFT.
Nearly every day since then, we've met via video call and done a yoga video from YouTube. I put my laptop on the floor, unfurl my mat, sit down, and start a Zoom call with Sarah. We often chat first, sitting 40 miles apart on our mats and staring at our laptop screens. Then we do yoga for 15-25 minutes, and then there's often more talking. We talk about ourselves, our partners, our parents, our work.
My yoga mat is now stored in the corner of the living room instead of a closet. And it's not used for simply yoga. It keeps me connected to my sister. And what could be more important than that?
March 26, 2020: We'd been under lockdown for 10 days and my sister in Boston texted to ask if I wanted to stretch together in the afternoons. I immediately loved the idea.
Sarah stretches every morning before breakfast and she knew I'd been anxious, so this suggested activity was solely for my benefit. And it sounded so nice -- a daily check-in with someone I love PLUS motivation to move my body a bit (something I don't do enough). This was a GIFT.
Nearly every day since then, we've met via video call and done a yoga video from YouTube. I put my laptop on the floor, unfurl my mat, sit down, and start a Zoom call with Sarah. We often chat first, sitting 40 miles apart on our mats and staring at our laptop screens. Then we do yoga for 15-25 minutes, and then there's often more talking. We talk about ourselves, our partners, our parents, our work.
My yoga mat is now stored in the corner of the living room instead of a closet. And it's not used for simply yoga. It keeps me connected to my sister. And what could be more important than that?
Date
05/19/2020
Location
05/19/2020
Collection
Citation
Claire, “Writing about my yoga mat,” Rhode Island COVID-19 Archive, accessed September 19, 2024, http://ricovidarchive.rihs.org/items/show/333.
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