Yoga Class

Posted on Thu May 30th, 2024 @ 6:53am by Sub-Commander T'shir & Lieutenant JG Amelia Johansen & Commander Saul Whitford & Lieutenant Commander Gabriel Calhoun & Lieutenant Jack Peters

1,751 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: The Landings
Location: Multi-Purpose Room
Timeline: 5 Days Before The Landings

Amelia had received 5 reservations to the class, so she had set out 7 yoga mats, plus her own at the front of the all purpose room that had been cleared for the occasion. She had also borrowed a fan and placed it a corner toward the front and made sure to turn it on so that air was circulating. Relaxing nature sounds were playing in the background as she waited for the first guests to arrive. Amelia was barefoot, with dark green leggings, and a black sleeveless shirt.

Peters walked into the room. He was wearing skin tight shorts and no shirt. He bowed to Amelia.

"Good morning, Doctor Peters. Ready for some positive strength and flexibility exercises and a little relaxation today?" Amelia asked.

"Always wanted to try this out, now is probably the best time to do it. What's first?" Peters asked.

T'shir followed not far behind Dr. Peters. During her time on Earth, she had found both Yoga and Pilates to be useful exercises, and not unlike practices that had been developed on Vulcan. She walked quietly to a mat that was situated in a back corner and sat in sukhasana, a cross-legged position with her palms on her knees and a straight spine, while she waited for class to start.

Amelia saw her take a seat and started to wave and say hi, but saw that she already seemed to be deep in concentration, so she retreated her hand.

Amelia looked back at Dr. Peters. "While we wait for the others a good place to start is to focus on your breathing." She stood in front of him. "You can sit or stand, but with a straight spine, take a deep breath in through your nose nice and slowly, counting to five, and breathe out slowly, taking a full five seconds to exhale."

Jack sat on the floor, crossed his legs, straightened his back, closed his eyes and started breathing as she instructed.

Gabe Calhoun felt quite a bit out of his element when he entered the room to try the yoga class offered by Amelia. He found Sub-Commander T’shir and chose to sit next to her. He did not own a yoga mat, but they were available to borrow in the corner of the room. He nonchalantly grabbed one and settled in next to the Vulcan.

“Sub-Commander, good morning. This is my first time doing this sort of thing. You familiar with it?”, Calhoun asked.

T'shir paused briefly before reacting to Commander Calhoun's enthusiastic greeting. Her meditation exercise now interrupted she turned toward him slowly and raised a peculiar eyebrow. "I am familiar with yoga, Commander. On Vulcan we practice similar mind and body routines. Yoga is an acceptable substitute."

“I’m sure it is, Sub-Commander, I’m sure it is. Hope I don’t make myself look like a fool doing it. I promised Amelia I would give it a go, so here I am. Maybe when you get an opportunity you can tell me about the Vulcan practices. Cultural anthropology has always been an interest of mine , you know,” Calhoun said.

"You are welcome to join me in the mess hall for tea or a meal if it is convenient, Commander," T'shir responded.

“I would be delighted. I have a feeling we’re going to have our hands full in the next few days, but I look forward to it. Until later, then.”

"Very well, Commander," T'shir responded.

Bouncing in to the room, Whitford waved at those present and gave a 'hello'. Glancing about, he saw quite a few of those present were barefoot, and slipped his own trainers off. Looking at Peters he decided he was decidedly over-dressed in his tanktop and running shorts. He nodded at Amelia, 'thanks for setting this up.'

Jack heard the others enter but continued with his breathing exercises.

"Thanks for coming, Commander. I know everyone might not think it's their cup of tea, but if people would give it a shot, it really is so beneficial. Especially when we are in close quarters with so much tension floating around." Amelia placed her hands together and tipped her head slightly and then spread her arms into a welcoming gesture.

Jack returned the gesture.

Jack went back to doing deep breath exercises, while he waited to be told what the next lesson was. The level of pheromones was very high in the room, with all the preening happening in the room.

Jack went back to doing deep breath exercises, while he waited to be told what the next lesson was. The level of pheromones was very high in the room, with all the preening happening in the room.

'Interaction with the crew,' Whitford shrugged, 'supporting Amelia in promoting good physical and mental health.' Shifting his stance, Whitford indicated his concentration on the yoga teacher.

Amelia stood at the front of the room at took a position at the front of her mat, which was situated perpendicular to the front wall. She announced to the class, "If everyone is ready to begin, I'll have you come stand at the front of your mat." Amelia paused for a brief second and as the class began to shuffle around. "Feet flat on the floor, spine straight. Head held high, and should back, but also relaxed. Think of squeezing a lemon between your shoulder blades, the very slowly letting that lemon drop to the floor."

Jack moved to the front of his mat, as instructed, feet flat on the floor, spine straight, head held high and shoulders back.

Amelia continued "Good, now put your palms together in front of you, prayer pose, and take a deep breath in, count to five. . . . . Now slowly exhale, bringing your arms down in front of you, out to your sides, and sweep them up over your head," Amelia performed each move in front of the class so that they could follow along. "Now with a flat back, keeping your arms outstretched, take a deep breath in, then exhale as you bend forward, but stop about halfway down, and just spend a couple of breaths here, and feel that stretch before going all of the way down."

Peter's took the prayer pose, took a deep breath in and released it slowly after counting to five. His arms moved out to the front of him, then swept them over his head. Then with a flat back, arms outwards, he took a deep breath in, then exhaled as he bent forward, and stopped halfway down, took three deep breaths and reached down to touch his toes. He had always been flexible. That helped him in surgery and now.

"If you can't touch your toes that's perfectly alright, you can rest your hands on your shins, or some of you may be flexible enough to touch your feet, or even the floor," Amelia stated as the class stood in a forward bend.

T'lenn followed the Dr. Peterson's instructions, and was now bent over with her palms touching the floor, as she waited for the next move to be called, likely the instructions for a half forward bed, as the ship's psychiatrist appeared to be walking the class through a beginners version of a sun salutation.

"Keep breathing," Amelia's voice rang out. "Lift your upper body slightly to relax your back, now place your palms on the floor and either step back or jump your feet back so that you are in a plank position, bend your arms with your elbows folded at your side, and drop into half-plank, or chataranga pose."

Amelia got herself into position and waited for everyone to see her, and then she got up and walked around to check everyone's arms and shoulders before initiating the next move.

Dr Peters positioned himself into the half plank pose.

"Okay, everyone is looking good," Amelia said encouragingly. "Go ahead and come down off of the top of your toes, and let the tops of your feet touch the floor as you lower your body to the floor. With a slight bend at the waist, raise yourself up either to cobra pose, or if you are feeling good today, go all the way into upward dog."

Peters had a little problem finishing the pose. But eventually, he did it.

Amelia got herself back into position on the mat in front of the room. "It's that time you've been waiting for, raise your tailbone to the sky, take a step or two forward keep your knees relaxes, and your back and arms straight. Your head should be between your arms as you feel this stretch. Downward facing dog."

Concentrating on regulating his breathing, Whitford found he was struggling with the forms. Clumsily executing the basic poses Amelia was leading them through, he vowed to get better at them. Apparently there's more to life than lifting weights.

Amelia walked them through the last steps of the sun salutations, bringing them back into a standing position at the front of the mat. After two more sun salutations, she challenged the class's flexibility and balance with a few planned out poses, before bringing them to a place of rest and relaxation before concluding the class.

"Thank you for coming today," Amelia said as the class was ending. "Stay as long as you like."

Peters stood up, stretched to relive the aches. He picked up the mat and placed it back where he found it. He watched the women standing and talking.

Sat, leaning back on his hands, Whitford took a moment to reorient himself, and allow the calming effect of the exercise to wash over himself. Slowly getting to his feet, Whitford moved towards Amelia. 'Nice class today, Lieutenant. I hope you opt to lead more of them - it was quite the challenge. If you need someone to rota in some more formal classes, drop me a memo.'

"If there's an interest, I'm happy to keep providing them. I would have liked to have seen more of our MACO officers here. It's a great way to avoid injury, and recover from old ones," Amelia said.

After putting away his mat, Peters left the room, returned to his quarters to shower and change, then returned to sickbay.

Commander Saul Whitford
Executive Officer/Chief Armory Officer
Unicorn NX-151

&

Sub Commander T’shir (NPC Amelia Johansen)
Chief Communications Officer/Officer of the Watch
Unicorn NX-151

&

Lieutenant Commander Gabriel Calhoun
Chief Engineer
Unicorn NX-151

&

Dr. Jack Peters
Medical Officer
Unicorn NX-151

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