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The room which had previously been the Ministry Employee Fitness Room had, seemingly overnight, been cleared out and refurbished. Where there had once been rows of treadmills, stationary bikes, and other high-tech, magic-powered exercise equipment, now there was space for a wider range of activities.
A cabinet filled with board and card games, both magical and Muggle, stands against one wall. A pair of tables and several chairs were placed nearby. Here, one will find games ranging from wizard's chess and Snitch Snatcher to Risk and Cluedo, Gobstones and marbles to Scrabble, Wizard Skittles, Articulate, Runok Ko, Wingspan, and even Exploding Snap. A few decks of self-shuffling cards can also be found, for those many games that can be made from a deck of cards.
Along the opposite wall, another cabinet is surrounded by more tables and chairs. This cabinet, instead of games, hosts a variety of healthy snacks and baked goods which are restocked...irregularly.
The back corner is untouched, perhaps the only recognizable part of this truly multi-purpose room. A small selection of exercise machines remain, accompanied by a stack of yoga mats and the ballet bar. For those who wish to join their snack with sit-ups or card games with cardio, this is the place for it.
The fitness room had always been Rosemary's favorite perk of her job at the Ministry, despite having similar workout equipment at home. Sometimes it was nice to break up the monotony of her day job with a quick 15 minute run on a treadmill. Just something to energize her before she was back to the grind. Her first time back into the room after it's repurposing had been a shock.
She'd been expecting to see all the machines from wall to wall, but they'd.. added a lot. It was almost like another break room now. And while she'd still continued to go for a run here and there, she'd also started coming in just for the snacks. As they were available anyways.
Which... today must have been her lucky day. She could see there was some options of different nuts. Selecting a packed of deshelled pistachios, she opened it up to snack while finding herself a spot to sit as she eyed the shelves of games. Did anyone actually utilize those?
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Let them point and laugh at who we are, it's you and me here dancing from the start
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
SPOILER!!: Rosemaryyy <3
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chelliephone
The fitness room had always been Rosemary's favorite perk of her job at the Ministry, despite having similar workout equipment at home. Sometimes it was nice to break up the monotony of her day job with a quick 15 minute run on a treadmill. Just something to energize her before she was back to the grind. Her first time back into the room after it's repurposing had been a shock.
She'd been expecting to see all the machines from wall to wall, but they'd.. added a lot. It was almost like another break room now. And while she'd still continued to go for a run here and there, she'd also started coming in just for the snacks. As they were available anyways.
Which... today must have been her lucky day. She could see there was some options of different nuts. Selecting a packed of deshelled pistachios, she opened it up to snack while finding herself a spot to sit as she eyed the shelves of games. Did anyone actually utilize those?
It may come as a surprise but the only exercising Lucas got done was when he was here at the Ministry. Oh sure, there was the occasional run here and there around the neighbourhood at home but runs there happened once in a blue moon. He much more preferred to get his workouts in the Fitness Room.
Or the Room once called so.
“I’m not sure if I should be unfaithful to our old room and say that I sort of like this revamped one more.” But there! He had said it anyway. Lucas smiled in Rosemary's direction then eyed the yoga mats, some apprehension in his eyes. “Are you one of those yoga fanatics?” he questioned, moving towards the mats and prodding one with a finger. Most yoga moves always seemed mighty complicated to him.
It may come as a surprise but the only exercising Lucas got done was when he was here at the Ministry. Oh sure, there was the occasional run here and there around the neighbourhood at home but runs there happened once in a blue moon. He much more preferred to get his workouts in the Fitness Room.
Or the Room once called so.
“I’m not sure if I should be unfaithful to our old room and say that I sort of like this revamped one more.” But there! He had said it anyway. Lucas smiled in Rosemary's direction then eyed the yoga mats, some apprehension in his eyes. “Are you one of those yoga fanatics?” he questioned, moving towards the mats and prodding one with a finger. Most yoga moves always seemed mighty complicated to him.
Rosemary glanced up hearing a familiar voice, giving Lucas a smile and a wave hello as she did so. "I'm torn. The cushions and games are a bit much for anyone who could be self conscious about how they look when they work out." Was she one of those people? Absolutely not. She was always flawless. Clearly. "But the snacks... When we're stocked up, I can be found here." She held out the bag of pistachios towards her division head as an offer.
She considered briefly ribbing him and teasing about why of all exercises he'd assume yoga when she could weightlift with the rest of them. A gift from her brothers. But Lucas was far too nice for her temper tantrums, even the fake ones. And she DID really like yoga, so he was kind of on point. "I wouldn't call myself a 'fanatic' but I do like it. It's excellent for your metabolism, core strength, endurance and flexibility." She could list more, but she'd spare him. "Interested in learning the basics? I swear it's actually fun."
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Let them point and laugh at who we are, it's you and me here dancing from the start
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
SPOILER!!: Rosemaryyy! <3
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chelliephone
Rosemary glanced up hearing a familiar voice, giving Lucas a smile and a wave hello as she did so. "I'm torn. The cushions and games are a bit much for anyone who could be self conscious about how they look when they work out." Was she one of those people? Absolutely not. She was always flawless. Clearly. "But the snacks... When we're stocked up, I can be found here." She held out the bag of pistachios towards her division head as an offer.
She considered briefly ribbing him and teasing about why of all exercises he'd assume yoga when she could weightlift with the rest of them. A gift from her brothers. But Lucas was far too nice for her temper tantrums, even the fake ones. And she DID really like yoga, so he was kind of on point. "I wouldn't call myself a 'fanatic' but I do like it. It's excellent for your metabolism, core strength, endurance and flexibility." She could list more, but she'd spare him. "Interested in learning the basics? I swear it's actually fun."
Lucas chuckled heartily. “Are you? Self conscious, that is. After all this time being employed at the Ministry?” The man was genuinely curious because indeed everyone adjusted to coworkers at varied paces. He himself always felt that the Games and Sports Department had a ‘family’ atmosphere. Lucas accepted the bag of pistachios, poured himself a handful then handed the bag back to Rosemary. “Thanks.” Popping a few pistachios into his mouth, he allowed his gaze to once again wander the surroundings. “I dunno about you but this new setup somewhat motivates me to come here more often.”
There probably was something positive in the air because he found himself considering Rosemary’s offer.
Lucas eyed the mats once more. “You certainly are educated on the topic. Not going to let me pull a muscle, are you?” What was a little challenge, eh? “Alright. I must be barking but sign me up for a yoga session. It’s free, right?’’ Chuckling again, the rest of the pistachios were downed before he grabbed a bright purple mat. Newbie Lucas reporting for yoga lessons!
Lucas chuckled heartily. “Are you? Self conscious, that is. After all this time being employed at the Ministry?” The man was genuinely curious because indeed everyone adjusted to coworkers at varied paces. He himself always felt that the Games and Sports Department had a ‘family’ atmosphere. Lucas accepted the bag of pistachios, poured himself a handful then handed the bag back to Rosemary. “Thanks.” Popping a few pistachios into his mouth, he allowed his gaze to once again wander the surroundings. “I dunno about you but this new setup somewhat motivates me to come here more often.”
There probably was something positive in the air because he found himself considering Rosemary’s offer.
Lucas eyed the mats once more. “You certainly are educated on the topic. Not going to let me pull a muscle, are you?” What was a little challenge, eh? “Alright. I must be barking but sign me up for a yoga session. It’s free, right?’’ Chuckling again, the rest of the pistachios were downed before he grabbed a bright purple mat. Newbie Lucas reporting for yoga lessons!
The question nearly sparked a laugh from the woman before she forced it down, instead just smiling at Lucas and shaking her head. "No, I'm pretty comfortable here now." Merlin, had it already been so long since she came to the ministry? And to think, this was all supposed to have been temporary for her. She'd proven her point by staying for a year, but now that she was going on three... she briefly realized she actually liked her job. She took the bag back from him, nodding at the gratitude before popping a few more pistachios in her mouth. "I think it motivates me to come more, but not particularly for the right motives." She laughed softly, gesturing once more to the snacks. She was italian, food was love.
"Back when I was at Beauxbatons yoga was what I used to stay in shape for recreational quidditch with my friends. I wasn't on any type of teams or anything so I had to have something consistent and yoga was just the easiest to fit into my schedule." She supposed it was surprising she remembered so much about it, especially when it was so rare for her to do it now but... the more she thought on it the more poses that popped to mind. "Of course not! And after a few weeks of yoga, I bet you'll find you're even less concerned about any back injuries!" If that had been entirely joke, she missed it and assumed perhaps Lucas WAS actually concerned about pulling a muscle. "It'll cost you a bag of pistachios." She joked, finishing off her snack and discarding the trash to move towards the mats to pull a few out.
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Let them point and laugh at who we are, it's you and me here dancing from the start
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
SPOILER!!: Rosemary! <3
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chelliephone
The question nearly sparked a laugh from the woman before she forced it down, instead just smiling at Lucas and shaking her head. "No, I'm pretty comfortable here now." Merlin, had it already been so long since she came to the ministry? And to think, this was all supposed to have been temporary for her. She'd proven her point by staying for a year, but now that she was going on three... she briefly realized she actually liked her job. She took the bag back from him, nodding at the gratitude before popping a few more pistachios in her mouth. "I think it motivates me to come more, but not particularly for the right motives." She laughed softly, gesturing once more to the snacks. She was italian, food was love.
"Back when I was at Beauxbatons yoga was what I used to stay in shape for recreational quidditch with my friends. I wasn't on any type of teams or anything so I had to have something consistent and yoga was just the easiest to fit into my schedule." She supposed it was surprising she remembered so much about it, especially when it was so rare for her to do it now but... the more she thought on it the more poses that popped to mind. "Of course not! And after a few weeks of yoga, I bet you'll find you're even less concerned about any back injuries!" If that had been entirely joke, she missed it and assumed perhaps Lucas WAS actually concerned about pulling a muscle. "It'll cost you a bag of pistachios." She joked, finishing off her snack and discarding the trash to move towards the mats to pull a few out.
There was some amount of relief which went through Lucas. He’d hate to think that any of the Games and Sports Department employees hadn’t adjusted. How long was it since Rosemary joined? Two or three years give or take a year? Yep, she was family now. The man laughed heartily. “You make a good point. I don’t think my wife would appreciate it if I rapidly put on some extra pounds.” Tallie would probably put him on a diet and see to it that Brody made him follow a rigorous workout regime.
One of the reasons Lucas enjoyed being out and about with the coworkers was because he got to bond with them. Yes, he knew that Rosemary had attended Beauxbatons from her personnel file but had not known until now that she practised yoga. “That’s good enough for me. You’re hired as my instructor.” Lucas’ tone was light and cheery but he was definitely serious about this. “I’ll pay you double if I don’t pull any muscles.” Laughing again, he made the mental note to pick up a few bags of pistachios when he was out. “Okay, let’s get this party started.” He spread his purple mat neatly then looked expectantly at Rosemary.
Despite it being the off-season for professional Quidditch, Peggy had noticed summer always seemed especially busy in her department. Whether it was due to youth sports leagues being run, or the summer camps, or even being short staffed due to employees on holiday, she could never tell. What she did know, however, was that summer kept everybody busy, including herself.
Still, sometimes a break was necessary. In between meetings and paperwork, she'd taken to stopping by the Mutli-Purpose Room. As a result, she'd been doing a better job of keeping the snacks stocked than she had in the winter and spring. Partially because she hated going to get a snack and finding they were out, partially because restocking snacks were a welcome mental break from regular departmental business.
Today, though, she wasn't here for a snack. Instead, she was setting up a game of wizard's chess on one of the tables. It had been too long since she'd played.
The Multi-Purpose Room has been transformed, for today only, to accommodate a special event. The tables and chairs have been cleared out, though the cabinets hosting board games and snacks remain. What remains of the exercise equipment from when this was the Fitness Room has been pushed against the back wall, leaving a wide open space in the room.
The yoga mats, usually stacked neatly, have been unrolled and laid out, spaced evenly along the open floor facing the front wall. A supply of foam bricks and resistance bands have been piled near the door, and a radio is playing a mix of calming instrumentals and soothing chants.
A sign on the open door reads “YOGA – ALL WELCOME”. Claim a mat and take a seat.
She was a fairly active person, used the multi-purpose training room as often as she felt the urge (which was at least weekly), plus had a gym at home that had been initially installed for the prior spouse but that she certainly got use from now. So when she first heard the murmurings of this fitness event that would be hosted on Level Seven, it was a no brainer that she would make the time to attend. She hadn't paid much attention to what type of fitness, so appearing at the door and spotting the YOGA sign was just icing on the cake.
With the rare genuine smile, Rosemary entered through the doorway, bright green workout set already changed into so she didn't have to get her normal work clothes all sweaty, and immediately selected a sky blue mat to set up all of her stuff. 'Stuff' being her water bottle and a foam brick she had nabbed on her way, just in case. Her lower back had been giving her trouble lately, which was something she preferred to hide lest anyone start to thinking she was seeming... old. The horror.
Crossing her legs into a seated position on the mat, she went ahead and began to slowly do circles with her upper body, keeping her bum planted in one place on the ground in an effort to loosen up whilst she waited for the rest of the er... 'class'.
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Let them point and laugh at who we are, it's you and me here dancing from the start
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
“I’m not stalking you,’’ Lucas announced his arrival as he stepped into the very, very familiar Multi Purpose Room. He had arrived moments only after Rosemary, and seeing as she was the only one here so far, the words felt fitting. There was a small towel {to wipe the sweat away during the session} hanging around his neck and he was, of course, dressed appropriately for today’s yoga session. Then again, yoga happened to be a frequent thing in his life from the moment Rose had introduced it to him months back.
Lucas selected a mat to his co-worker’s immediate right. “You look ready for this.” He threw her a smile and began his stretches by sticking his feet straight out in front before leaning his torso over his thighs, arms extended over his legs.
Wizarding World RPG Admin Minister for Magic Alley Proprietor
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Seventh Year
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Ministry Department Head:
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Minister's Office
Ministry Department Head:
Airey Flamsteed
Mysteries
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No novice to yoga (the mother of his children and his 42 was a yogini, after all), Airey quietly found himself looking forward to this little session. His flexibility still left much to be desired and was still slowly rebuilding in his recovery and rehabilitation efforts since the war, but he at least had regained all of his sense of balance now. In addition to the physical benefits...Airey really needed the mental and relaxation perks to chime in. His daughter was off in Australia working on conservation efforts in the oceans there, one of his sons abroad in remote villages in Asia training to become a healer, and his other finishing out their final year at Hogwarts...and it all made the astronomer feel old.
Which, technically speaking, he was now. It was less the physical aspect and more a premature empty nest syndrome. Something Airey never imagined he would experience. Especially not after all those diaper accidents that had sent his suits to the muggle dry cleaners. He had not been able to WAIT for the twins to grow out of that stage...and now he...almost...missed it?
Speaking of suits, the man was NOT to be seen without one, or at least something that resembled one, and that was why he had arrived today in a deep maroon traxedo. Yes, it did look as ridiculous as it sounded...but there was absolutely no telling the man this. Nor would he accept that Medea had purchased him a couple of these as a gag gift.
"Good day," the department head greeted as he stepped inside and moved towards a mat aaaaaaaaaaall the way in the back corner. He expected to see more Unspeakables to join in soon enough. It had been written in the announcement tomes that it was highly encouraged to participate.
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When you’re stuck in a moment and your spark has been stolen .................................................. ........... this is our time to own it, so own it..................................... baby we were born withfire and gold in our eyes
Shortly before her yoga class was scheduled to begin, Lisa walked the short trip from her office to the Multi-Purpose Room. She'd set up the room earlier, but now it was time. Wearing her trusty yoga pants and a sleeveless exercise top, she walked in, smiling individually at Rosemary, Lucas, and...what was Airey wearing? She supposed it was more suitable today's activities than his usual attire, but she still thought it looked a bit eccentric. Then again, he seemed like an eccentric man from their previous interactions, so maybe she shouldn't have been surprised.
Lisa took a seat, cross-legged, on her yoga mat at the front of the room, facing the others. With a brief wave of her wand, she lowered the volume of the music playing. Then she set her wand to the side, where it wouldn't get in the way. "Good day, everyone," she said serenely, closing her eyes to focus. "Let's get started with some breathing..." She opened one eye to check on the door, which she'd left open in case there were any stragglers.
"Imagine a string attached to your head, pulling you gently upward toward the ceiling and lengthening your spine," she said, her voice gentle but loud enough that Airey should be able to hear her from the back corner. "Inhale through your nose..." she demonstrated, breathing in as she counted silently to yourself. "And exhale..." She repeated this a few times. "Be present in your body, and just focus on your breathing."
Toothless - Napoleon of Crime - Gryffinclaw - Owl Emissary - Pirate Auror - DoctorDonna
Was he late?
Okay maybe he was running a little late which he was loath to be. But he had gotten stopped by a subordinate in the atrium with a question while had tried to slip by unnoticed and couldn’t just brush him off. Oh well. At least as Simon slipped quietly into the room that had been set aside for the activity it appeared as if they had just begun so it wasn’t too bad. The security man was dressed in his dark neutral-colored workout clothes ready to give yoga a try like he had agreed to when having a previous chat with their department head/instructor.
And here he was supporting the event on a free mat breathing out and in in deep breathes as Lisa instructed. His eyes still open though as he worked on settling into the activity. It was hard to close out paying attention to the world around him.
The Regal was a run-down boxing gym in a run-down part of Blackpool. It was haunted by the ghost of a turn of the century pugilist who had taken the permanent ten count. On the witching hour every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Damian Pendragon would also haunt The Regal to train. One of his duties with the Ministry was to help ghosts with their unfinished business, and this one surly spirit was looking for the fight of his death.
Damian thought yoga might help. He still favored his right leg, despite it being healed well enough that he no longer had a limp or need for a cane. Only the scar remained.
Breathing, right. Be present. Don't dwell on the past or worry about the future. For someone who worked closely with ghosts, he really should be more aware of his body, and not take breathing for granted.
curly haired prefect - "sometimes I get angry!" - 30/90 - *chicken emoji* - probably @ Disney - I speak dog
Jay was there at yoga, he was just being quiet and hiding near the back of the room. He'd nodded at his Department Head, Airey, as he'd walked in to let him know that he was there, but as of right now...was he the ONLY one from his department there? Wow. Lame.
Jabari Rahal was NEVER the person who actually showed up to things. Who was he becoming!?
Ok, breathing. That seemed simple enough. Jay had never done yoga before, but he knew there was a lot of stretching involved. That was what it looked like on muggle TV shows, at least. Maybe this would be fun? He followed the woman - Lisa, her name was, he believed - and breathed in deeply as instructed. It really did feel good to just stop and focus on your breathing for a few minutes.
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I'm still standin'________________________________________ better than I ever did
Lookin' like a true survivor_________________________________feelin' like a little kid
Hearing a familiar voice follow into the room, her attention shifted to the doorway and she laughed as her colleague made his appearance. "You know, I considered waiting by your desk to make sure you were coming. You were such a good pupil and seemed to enjoy it when we first started practicing!" So stalking or not, she was just glad to see her had made it. She absolutely was ready for this, and it helped she kept multiple different workout outfits in a drawer at her desk for this purpose. So at his comment, she just smiled and nodded before incling her head towards his legs stretched out before him. "And you're looking like a professional. Next thing we know, you'll be leaving us to become a yoga instructor."
Another voice at the door had Rosemary's attention turning that way again, and what greeted her there had her nearly gaping. What.. in the name of Merlin… was Airey Flamsteed wearing? Perhaps his mind had been left a bit muddled following the affects of the merpeople items. Was that even a thing? As far as she had been able to tell, no one else had long lasting affects. But then again, the amount of attention she paid to most was slim. Could he have really chosen to be seen in that? Reaching for her bottle of water, she took a sip and attempted to blink away her expression and the pain of that particular outfit, before pasting a smile in order to give a proper greeting. "Good day, Mr. Flamsteed. Feeling alright lately?" … She couldn't resist confirmation.
In order to hide her concern-masked-judgement, she glanced around the room and offered small smiles to all the current attendees, a small incline of her head in greeting, before her department head was entering the room and beginning to lead them. Straightening her spine and resting her hands loosely on the tops of her thighs, Rose let her eyes drift close as she imagined her string, picturing it as she took slow and steady breaths.
In…..
Out….
In….
Out….
Well, that certainly felt nice.
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Let them point and laugh at who we are, it's you and me here dancing from the start
As she continued their initial breathing exercises, Lisa kept one closed, the other on the door to keep track of what she hoped were the last stragglers entering the room. She hoped this half watching wouldn't throw off her symmetry for today's yoga session, but it couldn't be helped. Not unless she closed the door, and she wanted the room to remain welcoming.
After a few final inhales an exhales, Lisa opened both eyes and smiled at everyone in the room. "Now," she said gently, "We're going to come to all fours, to do some cat-cow transitions." Moving with ease, she uncrossed her legs and lifted up into the position. She felt a bit like her youngest grandchild preparing to crawl, except she knew what she was doing and the baby was just trying to figure it out. "Make sure your hips are above your knees, shoulders are above your wrists, and all of that," she said. She was sure regular yogis like Rosemary didn't need the reminder, but since she didn't know everyone individually here, she couldn't be sure there weren't newcomers who needed the instruction.
"Start off with your body relaxed, let it fall into a natural curve between your hips and shoulders," she said, demonstrating. "Remember to breathe, and then slowly begin to stretch--you want to elongate your back, and pull your belly and chest upwardly." She again demonstrated. "And breathe in........ and out..... " She demonstrated the poses a few more times so everyone could follow along.
Jane Howard had slipped into the yoga class just before it started as neatly as a hand into a glove and, without disturbing anyone, had taken her place on a mat and began the preliminary exercises. She had nodded to her boss, Airey Flamsteen, as she entered, but he did not appear to be paying attention. Good thing, too, because one eyebrow shot up at the sight of his 'exercise clothes' before Jane could control her usually even facial expression. Oh dear. Well, at least he was getting some exercise, and as they began class, Jane noted that he seemed to be pretty good at it, too. Jane herself was clad in a one piece sleeveless purple knit jumpsuit which was far more body-hugging than her usual prim attire. But one needed freedom for yoga, and so Jane was clad appropriately--she was no stranger to the practice, after all, and found it very centering, though she preferred Taichi.
And let's see--who else from Mysteries was there? Damian--good, it would do him good to get some non-life-threatening exercise--and Mr. Rahal, who Jane didn't know very well. Hmmmm....she did hope her colleagues knew that the correct interpretation of the phrase "highly recommended" was "you had better be there or incur Flamsteed's displeasure." Oh well.
Jane herself began to relax into the spine-bending of the Cat-Cow routine and felt the knots in her upper back began to slowly unwind. Good...good...she needed this, needed to get out of the claustrophobic atmosphere of the Death Chamber laboratory.
Toothless - Napoleon of Crime - Gryffinclaw - Owl Emissary - Pirate Auror - DoctorDonna
In…out…In…out…In…out…In…out.
Simon too found he couldn’t quite tune out the world even as he got his breathing to soften to a more relaxed state as he sat there on the mat he had claimed as his own. The downside of his training and a job that had to have him alert. It was how he noticed that it seemed to be mostly members of the Department of Mysteries that were joining them for the yoga event. Perhaps Airey had heavily promoted it.
In…out…In…out
As the Games and Sports head moved them on, Simon watched her move first before doing his best to replicate it. First shifting onto his knees with legs uncrossed and then leaning forward to put his hands on the floor. His left palm was fine while its partner caused him to winch ever so slightly as he laid it flat on the mat and put light weight on it. The security man adjusting the position to better appease the offending limb. It seemed as much as he had worked to get his grip back, his hand protested returning to the position it was almost stuck in.
In…out…In…out…In…out.
Pausing for a few deep breaths, Simon moved on to the full cat-pose she was demonstrating. First the relaxed phase and then slowly lifting his back into a curved position that reminded him of some of the physical therapy he had gone through. Perhaps he might have found something more to help.
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
So many all too familiar faces were making their appearance. Lucas greeted everyone as he saw them while juggling his stretches and carrying on the conversation with Rosemary. “If there’s ever another yoga session, definitely wait for me,’’ he replied, very much serious. “Thank you but the teacher was quite encouraging so I just had to put my best foot forward.” This was a huge fact! Lucas laughed. “I think I require some more practice with you before I get my confidence up to that level.’’ The words of praise were appreciated very much.
The Quidditch Manager shot Lisa a smile as he pulled himself into a proper sitting position, his spine straight. This was a good start because it was exactly what his boss was alluding to, was it not? Lucas found that closing his eyes when doing breathing exercises helped a bunch so, it was exactly what he did.
Eyes closed? Check.
Breaths in and out? Also check.
Breathing exercises were as far as Lucas excelled, however. The numerous poses involved in yoga were not his strengths, no matter how much Rosemary helped. Thankfully, the cat-cow position was one he was familiar with and he had no issue setting his old body as directed. It was far easier - a less awkward - for him to focus on stretching his back and breathing.
And suddenly it was as if all the tenseness from work had started to melt away.
Kendra was caught between yoga was exactly what she needed and what on earth was she doing here. In theory, yoga sounded like a great idea to her. She certainly wasn't new to fitness as she regularly worked out to stay in shape. And she certainly could use the relaxation and clarity of mind that went with yoga. But now that she was here on all fours in the midst of many other Ministry employees, she felt very awkward. But at least she wouldn't be the only one.
She curled and stretched as she slowly worked through the cat-cow position. No one was watching her, thankfully, though she surreptitiously glanced from here to there before she could finally relax. Many employees from Mysteries. She half wondered if Airey had made it compulsory for his employees. Perhaps that was something she should have done with her own employees, noticing that not many of them were there. Or something that she should do in the future. She made a mental note.
Too many distracting thoughts still in her head though. Kendra closed her eyes as she continued her stretching and focused on her breathing. Innnn through her nose.... and ouuuut through her mouth.... innnn.... and ouuuut...
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started like a knight in a fairytale_______________________________________________
ended like a moth in flames______________________ ______________________don't you worry I'll be fine _________________________________________________you were good for the plot line
Well! What a surprisingly good turn out today's yoga event had ended up being. When one of Rose's eyes had peeked open, she'd been surprised to see just how many people had changed them. Was this enough of a turn out they could make this like... a weekly thing? She'd be pretty pleased if there was like an hour and a half or an hour to just... stretch in the middle of the day. Imagine how healthy that would be for everyone for this to be a regular occurrence.
Hearing Lucas, her attention shifted towards him and she nodded her head to show she heard and agreed to do exactly just that. Despite being her boss, he was probably the person she would say she was closest too in the ministry - though Rose would be the first to admit she hadn't tried nearly hard enough to make friends. Maybe one day, if god forbid Lucas actually retired. She'd be forced to then. "Encouraging? Me? Are you sure you're breathing deeply enough?" She teased in response, adjusting her own stance in order to easily arch into the beginning post for cat-cow. "I'm up for practice at any time. I forgot how nice it feels to just stretch." Especially after a longer day stuck in her cubicle.
Taking a few more deep breathes, she allowed her breath to guide her from arch, to stretch... to arch... allowing her body to just fully lean into the stretch and giving a small sigh of relief as she felt the day's stressors melting away. See, they should do this all the time.
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Let them point and laugh at who we are, it's you and me here dancing from the start
Lisa closed her eyes to focus on her own breathing and to try to remember what other poses she'd planned to lead the group in. Tree pose? Maybe, but surely she had had something in mind to transition from cat...cow to tree. Her brow creased ever so slightly, only enough that those who knew her well would be able to notice.
Her memory of whatever she'd planned failing her--she could blame the quiet chatter among some of the employees, but in truth it was probably just lack of repetition of the sequence--Lisa completed the cat-cow sequence one final time before moving on. At this point, she was making it up as she went along, but she'd done enough yoga in her lifetime that doing so would likely turn out...just fine.
"We'll move on to some lunges," she said. "If you think you'll have difficulty balancing, go ahead and grab a brick for support." She gestured toward the stack of bricks, in case anyone hadn't noticed or grabbed one when they entered. "Starting with your left leg, reach your heel back, let's get a good stretch there..." Lisa demonstrated, extending her leg backwards before shuffling her left foot forward. "Then step your left foot forward into a lunch. Heel under your ankle, remember." She wasn't particularly graceful as she completed the movement, but she managed to get her left leg into position.
Though she didn't need help balancing, Lisa grabbed a foam brick in her right hand, using it to lightly brace herself. Such was a yoga instructor's duty, to demonstrate for any newbies to the practice how to make it work at whatever level of ability they had. "This is where you may want the brick. Focus on pressing downward through your right foot for stability, but the brick can aid you if need be," she said cheerfully. "And if not, we can bring one or both arms out and upward as we inhale....and exhale...."
Breathing slowly and consciously, Lisa used only her left arm to demonstrate the movement for a few turns before dropping the brick and using both arms to feel her breathing. "And when you're ready, we'll switch to the other side." They had to do the same lunge and breathing on the right side, of course, for symmetry.
Ah yes, this was just the sort of thing she needed to get back in shape for fencing. Jane realized that she had been spending far too much time in the Death Chamber, trying to nudge her experiment into some sort of conclusion before some disaster or other spoiled it...again. She could tell she would be sore later, but for now, she was pleased that she was able to manage the lunge without wobbling--she still had it, apparently! She peered out of the corner of her eye at her colleague, Damian, to see how he was handling this new move with his not-that-long-ago injured leg.