Week 3 Day 3

Finally. Back at yoga. I'd never practiced the style we did today although it was very much a flow class - which is among my favourite. What I'm beginning to notice though, is that, while I used to only want to do flow because it felt so right for my body, I long for time to work on my alignment.

I've also had a real epiphany with pada banda. I feel so much more support in poses when I engage me feet and legs. Yeah, it's harder but when I got to a pose on the floor and work on my pada banda, the pose feels better from my feet up so I know it's got to work when I'm standing too - even though I can't quite always make that connection yet.

I felt myself wanting to look around during wheel/bridge today. Not out of envy, but out of wonder. The person beside me this morning moved with such ease in the pose. There was effort, but no audible or visual effort to her achieving the pose. She just moved as she was ready. And then I realized that I do the same thing in my own small, un-bendy way. I may not go to wheel but I focus on the ease and breath within a pose. If my breath is laboured and out-of-whack (technical term), then I know I need to find my breath or back off. So I'm not in full wheel (which is beautiful, by the way). I'm in my version of wheel.

I find myself thinking about next week. I have set an intention to go to yoga twice next week, which will be a challenge. I figure that if I do one on Monday, I only need one more in the whole week. That should be achievable.

Week 3 Day 2

Feeling better but my stomach is a bit "off". Kelly said last night that I should forego one more day of boot camp before returning. Since his instinct is more often right than wrong I decided to heed his advice (but only when I woke up at 5:30 a.m.) It was nice to sleep a bit longer because I'm super tired and because I really believe that when you are sick, you should rest. And that includes me.

Week 3 Day 1

The flu hit my office early last week. It started hitting me yesterday. I headed over to my local pharmacy for Cold-fX and tucked into bed early thinking I might make it to yoga this morning. It was not to be. When I woke up at 3 feeling hot and achy, I changed my alarm so that I could sleep a bit longer and still make it to work. So here I sit, at home, with my Cold-fX beside me wishing I could have made yoga but knowing that it would not have been helpful to go today.

Perhaps later I'll get in another Malasana, which has been going better now that I can actually feel the pose in my feet and not just in my groin, calves, shins, and ankles.

Bonus - a 4-day work week (assuming I make it to work tomorrow).

Sorry Sheryl - the sticky buns are on my table waiting to be delivered to you!

Dew Drops

Wow. Really. Just Wow.

http://www.scienceray.com/Earth-Sciences/Meteorology/Every-Dew-Drop-has-Heaven-in-It.243385

Week 2 Day 5

Totally. Freakin'. Awesome.

This morning was the best morning yet. I was prepared and actually excited to come to yoga - even if I couldn't tear myself out of bed for meditation.

Week 2 complete. It's going so fast!

Week 2 Day 4

Thai Massage.

I learned today that I am a much better giver than receiver. I mean, I knew this but I had never actually given it much thought. That is who I am. That is what I do. I would have gladly spent all day doing Thai massage for the entire class than have someone's cold (clammy-ish) hands on my hips.

The combination of a tall Bendy Girl with a short Un-Bendy Girl proved to be as interesting as I thought it would be. Me, Un-Bendy, showed caution in how far I stretched her. I didn't want to take her to far, even though my mind knew I could probably flip her leg right up over head and give her a really good hamstring stretch, my body wouldn't allow it. Conversely, she didn't exhibit the same caution in her desire to give me what she thought would feel good. And she is strong. Really strong. I found myself tensing up, trying to receive her effort, trying to breathe into it, trying to accept her strength. The first side was a disaster for me but I managed to allow her to move me (with some modification) on the second side. And it was wonderful.

But I wondered what I could offer her (did I mention, she's really Bendy?) and as I watched her breathe, I felt the best thing I could offer her was my long deep breaths. So I made them more pronounced, and incorporated my breath with her gradual shoulder and hip openings. And I kept thinking "I offer you my breath, I offer you my breath". It was very meditative for me. I hope she received some benefit.

So, did I enjoy Thai Massage? Yes. And no.

Week 2 Day 3

A note about cardio - my speed on the treadmill increased by .2 to .3 this week (Monday).


I wasn't feeling well this morning. Kelly thinks I may have poisoned us with salmon (he always thinks that when I make salmon).

So, not feeling well, a funny thing happened to me at yoga. I gave up caring. I gave up looking at the Bendy Girls. I didn't even try to go into headstand. And although my stomach didn't feel good, I felt good about my practice. The stories don't stop in my head though. Self-doubt, fear, worry, anger, they all showed up today.

Final meditation was unique to me. I could feel the vibrations of Dillon's voice in my arms. Then when he no longer spoke, I could feel the vibration of vehicles going by.