A Yogini in Sin City

Re-reading the title of this post, it doesn't seem as if yoga and Las Vegas should even be in the same sentence, but nonetheless, here I am, a yogini in sin city. A wedding has brought my husband and myself here and no, Elvis didn't perform the ceremony.

This is my first visit to Vegas and I feel like a kid in a candy shop, wide eyed and so much to choose from, lights, noise, smoking, drinking, gambling, gambling, and more gambling. Did I mention gambling? Actually I feel more like a fish out of water. I don't drink, smoke, or gamble.

And the heat! The weather has been averaging temperatures of over 100 degrees’ that any Bikram yoga devotee would be ecstatic about.

We flew in Wednesday and my search for a yoga class started. I found one not far from our hotel, a mere $15 taxi ride away. Things aren't measured in miles here but time distance and how much did your taxi ride cost.

After a very early start to the day to get to the airport on time, taking care of my 87 year old mom who came with us, and getting restless on the four hour flight because I don't sit still well on airplanes, I needed to breathe.

The studio, Barefoot Sanctuary, is located on the second floor of a Whole Foods in Town Square, similar to our Partridge Creek but without the Whole Foods, and don't even get me started as to why Macomb county doesn't have a Whole Foods yet.

We all met at the Espresso Bar and were led by our teacher Christie to the practice room, through the isles of the store, into the back room (I always wondered what was behind those double doors at grocery stores) up two flights of stairs, passed many offices. She then led us into a very small room, hmmmm...it looked bigger on their website. But the second I walked through the threshold, I found it, there it was that sense of peace I was looking for.

The room could barely fit 8 students but once I became centered and started to breathe, I was transported. Whew....that's better. The magic of yoga started. Christie led us through an Ashtanga inspired flow that was just what I needed, something familiar in this strange land. The 75 minute class flew by and we were in the ending pose of Shavasana before I knew it. I thanked Christie as I left the class, telling her that I was grateful I was.

The moral of the story? It doesn't matter where you are, who you are with, what your surroundings are or even if you are by yourself , it's all good as long as you remember to.....just breathe.