Morning Yoga

I am still befuddled.
Yesterday, I finally went into my morning yoga class after missing a couple of weeks.
It was about 5 minutes to start time I was the last to arrive. My teacher actually came all the way out into the lobby to greet me. She hugged me, told me how good it was to see me. (?)
Welcomed me back and asked where I'd like to be, the front or the back of the room (in a round Quaker church)? I said the back was fine..but I've always taken what was available. After I took off my shoes I went into class and swore i saw someone moving to the front to make room for me.
I hope the teacher didn't make someone move just for me? It was like I was Norm and just entered the bar. She began and not 5 minutes into class the woman to the right of me interrupted and introduced herself to me. She even told me she was glad I was able to 'be there today'. No sarcasm. Geez, really folks, the rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated! I only missed a couple or 3 weeks? I've been going off and on for 14 years here. I began to question my reality. I thanked her and went back to the lesson. The lesson began with a talk on Saucha, Sanskrit for Purity.

"Shaucha is a way to achieve purity through practice of the five yamas of non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, control of the sensual drive, and non-greed. Practicing these yamas is a cleansing process to clear away negative physical and mental states of being... and in turn, to achieve a "pure" state of being, a physical and mental state of being that is better prepared for higher states of consciousness.
Saucha is cleanliness of body, heart, mind and environment. It is directly translated as that and nothing else. This involves making choices about what you take in as food, through all channels, mouth, ears, eyes and mind. "

The class actually started with rest, then we went into a myriad of 'squeezing' exercises to literally wring our organs. I reckon I could use some spleen wringin'..

Then after 90 minutes of that, we ended class and before I could roll up my mat and try to scoot out, Jane to my right stops me. "I'm so glad you were able to join us today! Take care!"

I guess they like me, they really like me.