Missives from a rainy, Parisian Sunday
Yesterday I went to a yoga class in French at Paris’ Modo Yoga. I’ve practiced yoga in the United States for 15 years now, but I had never taken a yoga class in French. How better to improve my French than to jump in with both feet and learn by doing?
Before I arrived at Modo Yoga (the Parisian affiliate of the American Modo Yoga studio chain), I was nervous and unsure if I would understand anything the instructor said. Upon arriving at the studio, I signed in with the instructor who pointed out the wall of yoga towels I could rent or buy and directed me to the changing rooms around the corner that had lockers where I could place my valuables.
When I walked into the yoga classroom it was already nice and hot, probably around 90 degrees F. Once class got underway I understood probably half of what the instructor said and observed the other students to figure out the rest. We moved and breathed together for an hour and half of hot vinyasa-style yoga. Since I hadn’t been to a formal yoga class in a studio since early October, before I led my yoga retreat in Morocco, the class was hard and sweaty. I loved every minute of it.
The power the breath has to cross cultures and languages astounds me. Even with the language barrier here in Paris, even though I had to work hard both physically and mentally to keep up, our breath united all of us in practice and community.
After my satisfying hot yoga session and a cold walk back in the Parisian rain I warmed myself back at our 20th arrondissement apartment with a hot shower, a big mug of tea, and a chocolate almond croissant. (I didn’t even know you could add chocolate to an almond croissant. The result was indulgent and delicious.)
Have you ever done yoga in another language? What movement do you actually enjoy doing that you make time for? Tell me more in the comments.
The Paris Project
I’m Sarah, a travel and wellness writer based in the US. Join me on my 30-day journey in Paris as I post something new each day. You can follow along here on my blog or subscribe to my newsletter. I’ll send a weekly missive to all my newsletter subscribers while I’m here of all of my favorite Paris discoveries and adventures.