Playing to the gallery

I took one of my classes outside this week, into the beautiful grounds of the hotel and spa where I'm lucky enough to teach. We found some shade on the manicured lawns, and as we lay down beneath the evening sky we could see red kites overhead and hear the distant sounds of the village cricket team practising. It was splendid.

The only thing that would have improved the setting would have been if the hotel hadn't been playing host to a conference that finished just as we were about the start. Delegates were pouring out on to the terrace with drinks and buffet food in hand jostling for position, not to find a table, but rather a spot on the steps leading down to the garden for a good view.

We didn't mind, really. We have enough inward focus not to be distracted by clinking glasses and chatter, but we did wonder what they thought of us sticking our tails in the air while they were enjoying their chicken legs. What was really funny was how they made no secret of the fact that they were watching us. I almost expected a round of applause when we finally rolled up our mats and headed back inside.

'I'm like a bird'

It was a challenge at the gym today. The car park was heaving, because there was a conference on next door; the online booking system is still showing classes are full when they're not; and the air conditioning wasn't working. It was a sticky start in many ways.

Because the room was so hot, we agreed to keep the doors open. One door opens on to the corridor leading to the changing rooms and the swimming pool, so there was a constant stream of folk going past our session. Many were talking loudly into their phones and quite a few stopped to have a look at us with our tails in the air.

The other door opens on to a reception area, where people were chatting and clinking coffee cups, and loud music was playing. We acknowledged the distraction, but tried to keep our focus inwards, like good yogis. I smiled on the outside. Highlight of the session came when we were moving into  Eagle posture, just as Lynyrd Skynrd's 'Freebird' came on.

Honestly, you couldn't make it up.