One of the rules of the 31-day Challenge states that you may practice twice in one day in order to take a day of rest. A day of rest wasn't what I was after tonight when I decided to return, having done Lunch Flow.
I'd been working on the new website which was a bit of a bear in light of a couple plug-in errors on a page I'd created. I spent a great deal of time on the phone with Apple and on AIM chat with my friend Rick. The upshot was simply something corrupt on the page. All three of us agreed it would be simplest and best to scrap the page and rebuild it. By this time, however, I had about had it. Filled with frustration and desperately needing a break, I decided at 6:00 to return to yoga to work out my angst. The 7:30 class was perfect - a Level 1/2. Oddly, I didn't feel all that tired as I had at Noon. It felt good to use physical exercise to manage the frustration.
Good thing I went, too. I was chatting with a girl in the hallway as we waited for the preceding class to exit. Turns out she's getting married in July and needs a DJ. Perfect. I need the work!
I returned home to hit the website again, and it's up - but with errors. I'll pick away at them tomorrow.
Time for rest.
Namaste, peace.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
The 31-day Challenge: an update
Today marks day 9. I took in Pat's class at lunch - a modest 50-minute flow class. Hips were tight today, but my breathing was more steady and regular.
Sunday morning's class was a bit of a surprise. I arrived in time for a 9:00 start, but there was, oddly, a class in ahead of us. What surprised me more was that they stayed, while we joined them. I'd never been in such a large class - 46 as opposed to the usual 20-something. We were set out 8-inches apart, practically mat-to-mat. It was hot, too, but it didn't seem hot.
The special occasion? Turns out, on the first Sunday of each month, Mark Darby from Montreal has a group of instructors in for an all-day session. We were simply fortunate enough to join them.
Boy, did I sweat. I wasn't working any harder than usual - in fact, today Pat commented on how well I had paced myself throughout Sunday's practice which was very definitely a Level 2 class. In the latter part of the class there were poses I simply had to omit, or do part of. Nevertheless, I felt like I had about four showers in the hour and a half - all from the inside out! I'd literally towel down head to toe, and was dripping wet within 5 minutes. Oddly, it wasn't a "dirty" sweat - quite clean, and cleansing. But for the first time in my life, I literally rung my shirt out at home.
I returned home for actual shower number two, followed by a third after having worked in the yard.
There was a kid next to me, he might have been 16 or so. He was struggling to keep up. It reminded me of my first class back in '07. i don't think anyone had told him the part about "make it your own practice" and "it's a practice, not a performance". At one point, Mark wandered over and said,
"Your Mom made you come, didn't she..."
We all had a little laugh and carried on. His Mom, on his left side, smiled and agreed!
Overall, I'm finding a great deal of benefit in daily yoga practice. It's helped keep my mind fresh, caused me to willingly and eagerly drink more water, and the physical benefits are making their way in as well. I hesitate to "assess" the situation physically until I've put in a full year. What I notice the most is that I'm now highly aware of my body's A-symytry and all the little things that I've left unaddressed for four decades. The urge is there, every so often, to lose myself in the frustration of "why didn't I get into this earlier?", but that's not very yogic. I'm finding myself to be far more patient with my progress - especially physically.
In drinking more water and less-to-no coffee, I've also discovered that for what seems like 'forever', I've been exhausted. Inside, outside, physically, emotionally and mentally. Looking back on my routine, it's been coffee and other stimulants like sugar and alcohol that have kept me 'artificially' awake.
Sad, really.
I didn't sleep well last night - I couldn't shut off my brain. I had 'things of tomorrow' running through my head, and now that 'tomorrow' is today and those things have passed, I'm looking forward to planning 'tomorrow', tomorrow.
Tonight, it's time for rest.
Namaste, peace.
Sunday morning's class was a bit of a surprise. I arrived in time for a 9:00 start, but there was, oddly, a class in ahead of us. What surprised me more was that they stayed, while we joined them. I'd never been in such a large class - 46 as opposed to the usual 20-something. We were set out 8-inches apart, practically mat-to-mat. It was hot, too, but it didn't seem hot.
The special occasion? Turns out, on the first Sunday of each month, Mark Darby from Montreal has a group of instructors in for an all-day session. We were simply fortunate enough to join them.
Boy, did I sweat. I wasn't working any harder than usual - in fact, today Pat commented on how well I had paced myself throughout Sunday's practice which was very definitely a Level 2 class. In the latter part of the class there were poses I simply had to omit, or do part of. Nevertheless, I felt like I had about four showers in the hour and a half - all from the inside out! I'd literally towel down head to toe, and was dripping wet within 5 minutes. Oddly, it wasn't a "dirty" sweat - quite clean, and cleansing. But for the first time in my life, I literally rung my shirt out at home.
I returned home for actual shower number two, followed by a third after having worked in the yard.
There was a kid next to me, he might have been 16 or so. He was struggling to keep up. It reminded me of my first class back in '07. i don't think anyone had told him the part about "make it your own practice" and "it's a practice, not a performance". At one point, Mark wandered over and said,
"Your Mom made you come, didn't she..."
We all had a little laugh and carried on. His Mom, on his left side, smiled and agreed!
Overall, I'm finding a great deal of benefit in daily yoga practice. It's helped keep my mind fresh, caused me to willingly and eagerly drink more water, and the physical benefits are making their way in as well. I hesitate to "assess" the situation physically until I've put in a full year. What I notice the most is that I'm now highly aware of my body's A-symytry and all the little things that I've left unaddressed for four decades. The urge is there, every so often, to lose myself in the frustration of "why didn't I get into this earlier?", but that's not very yogic. I'm finding myself to be far more patient with my progress - especially physically.
In drinking more water and less-to-no coffee, I've also discovered that for what seems like 'forever', I've been exhausted. Inside, outside, physically, emotionally and mentally. Looking back on my routine, it's been coffee and other stimulants like sugar and alcohol that have kept me 'artificially' awake.
Sad, really.
I didn't sleep well last night - I couldn't shut off my brain. I had 'things of tomorrow' running through my head, and now that 'tomorrow' is today and those things have passed, I'm looking forward to planning 'tomorrow', tomorrow.
Tonight, it's time for rest.
Namaste, peace.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
A day of rest. Then...
March 1st. marks the start of the Yoga Shala's 31-day challenge.
I started going to class daily when I got back from Vancouver. WIth the exception of last Saturday and today, I've been each day for either a lunch-hour 50-minute class on Tuesdays and Thursdays or morning or evening 90-minute classes. It's been a good test of the waters to see if I actually LIKE it enough to go each and every day for a month. I do indeed enjoy it and have already realized the benefits of daily practice. (It keeps me from succumbing to the urge to pick flowers off the wallpaper when things get stressful.)
It's a bit of a landmark day today, too. One month into 40, and I'm signed up to take the challenge AND Canada took Gold this afternoon in the Men's Hockey at the Olympics in Vancouver. There's something wonderfully athletic about this year. I hardly felt athletic at all back when the Olympics were held in Calgary in 1988. Is it the fear of being 40? Not likely - more like a realization that indeed, as we age, it takes more care on our part to keep the machine well oiled... not to be confused with 'greased' - which was fun at 18, at 40, not so much.
Here's to remaining physically, emotionally and mentally fit!
Namaste,
Peace.
I started going to class daily when I got back from Vancouver. WIth the exception of last Saturday and today, I've been each day for either a lunch-hour 50-minute class on Tuesdays and Thursdays or morning or evening 90-minute classes. It's been a good test of the waters to see if I actually LIKE it enough to go each and every day for a month. I do indeed enjoy it and have already realized the benefits of daily practice. (It keeps me from succumbing to the urge to pick flowers off the wallpaper when things get stressful.)
It's a bit of a landmark day today, too. One month into 40, and I'm signed up to take the challenge AND Canada took Gold this afternoon in the Men's Hockey at the Olympics in Vancouver. There's something wonderfully athletic about this year. I hardly felt athletic at all back when the Olympics were held in Calgary in 1988. Is it the fear of being 40? Not likely - more like a realization that indeed, as we age, it takes more care on our part to keep the machine well oiled... not to be confused with 'greased' - which was fun at 18, at 40, not so much.
Here's to remaining physically, emotionally and mentally fit!
Namaste,
Peace.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Beginner Ashtanga - a time to breathe
Indeed. Tonight, Dana's class seemed almost peaceful. It's probably because I've been attending Level 2 classes - much higher-paced and athletic. Having started at the Shala in '07, I was probably the longest standing pupil in the room of almost-all-beginners. I like taking the slower-paced intro classes - they're a nice break.
For the first time in two weeks, I came to the end of class refreshed, not tired. I think my body's conditioning to the consistent physical exercise.
Ages ago (back in late '07 I think) I was whining in a blog post about Yoga Mala days - a period of time that you're encouraged to come to the mat for an entire month - every day. At the time I saw it as a marketing tool to get you to come to the studio. Under Dana's management, however, I don't feel that way about the "31-day challenge" starting March 1st. I've been going 15 days straight and as I do more, it simply becomes habit. It's helping me deal with the incredible stress going on in other areas of my life - effectively might I add.
I bought a bolster tonight too. I've been sleeping with a rolled-up comforter running the length of my spine for the last number of nights. It's helped roll my shoulders back, stretching out my traps and pecs. My shoulders are levelling out, and I'm feeling taller these days - if only by an inch or so. I start using the bolster tonight - excited, actually!
Chiropractic in the morning, so we'll see what Dr. Mike has to say!
Peace.
For the first time in two weeks, I came to the end of class refreshed, not tired. I think my body's conditioning to the consistent physical exercise.
Ages ago (back in late '07 I think) I was whining in a blog post about Yoga Mala days - a period of time that you're encouraged to come to the mat for an entire month - every day. At the time I saw it as a marketing tool to get you to come to the studio. Under Dana's management, however, I don't feel that way about the "31-day challenge" starting March 1st. I've been going 15 days straight and as I do more, it simply becomes habit. It's helping me deal with the incredible stress going on in other areas of my life - effectively might I add.
I bought a bolster tonight too. I've been sleeping with a rolled-up comforter running the length of my spine for the last number of nights. It's helped roll my shoulders back, stretching out my traps and pecs. My shoulders are levelling out, and I'm feeling taller these days - if only by an inch or so. I start using the bolster tonight - excited, actually!
Chiropractic in the morning, so we'll see what Dr. Mike has to say!
Peace.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
I knew this would happen...
...I didn't feel all that groovy about yoga today. I was out of sorts: a hiccup in my morning plans threw me off and I simply wasn't centred when I started today at 12:10. Middle-of-the-day classes seem to be like that in general. I know I must be one of the only people in my group of friends who has the luxury of attending a yoga class at lunch, but it's taking some getting used to - to switch modes significantly in the middle of the day.
By the end of the practice though, I went headlong into the back side of my day with a clear head and a bit more positive attitude. Made some business contacts that it would seem are a little warmer as a result of my noon-hour gift to myself.
Read this in Gord's bio on the Shala site... something to digest:
“The winds of grace are always blowing, all we have to do is set our sails.”
-Krishnamurti
By the end of the practice though, I went headlong into the back side of my day with a clear head and a bit more positive attitude. Made some business contacts that it would seem are a little warmer as a result of my noon-hour gift to myself.
Read this in Gord's bio on the Shala site... something to digest:
“The winds of grace are always blowing, all we have to do is set our sails.”
-Krishnamurti
Monday, February 15, 2010
Day 13 - not so unlucky
Today's Level 1 class with Sara was progressive. I've noticed a lengthening of my hamstrings - however small, but enough to notice. I started pre-class with Pigeon which is a fabulous hip opener. It actually demonstrates to me just how tight my hip flexors are. I think the hip flexor police would shut me down if they knew how tight mine were going in, back in January.
Pat's words from a couple years back rang through my head: "It's better to do a little, a lot, than a lot, a little". This going every day has yielded some pretty amazing results in less than two weeks!
Bottom line?
I feel better.
Pat's words from a couple years back rang through my head: "It's better to do a little, a lot, than a lot, a little". This going every day has yielded some pretty amazing results in less than two weeks!
Bottom line?
I feel better.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Busy Be, Busy Me
I've experienced a paradigm shift.
What was once a really challenging "thing to do" has been integrated into my lifestyle, full on.
When I purchased my 1-year unlimited pass at the Yoga Shala, I became mindful of the monetary cost. I created a spreadsheet to track how many visits I was making to the studio against the yearly fee, and comparing that to the adult drop-in rate. Then I began to think more about the benefits of using the pass to its utmost: practising every day.
I took a "vacation" of sorts to celebrate my 40th birthday. On my return I was exhausted - mentally, physically, emotionally. My vacation had been exciting and full of life experience, but hardly restful.
I returned to yoga class on the second of February tired, stiff, locked up and generally numb from my noggin to my toes, inside and out. The first class was excruciatingly painful. I backed off almost every pose, and skipped a lot of the vinyasas. At the end, however, I felt... OK - OK enough to want to go the next day, and the next.
Along came Friday. I went to a 6:45 class called "Restorative". When I entered the room, nothing was as it had been in any of the previous classes. All the students were lined up, yoga mats against the wall around the perimeter of the room. Each had a bolster and a couple foam blocks. I use the blocks regularly to lift my hip off the floor in some poses, but never had I used a bolster. All we did, for the whole class, was to use this bolster in one position or other to lie across and stretch... for an extended period of time. Legs up the wall, back flat on the mat, bolster positioned along the length of the spine. It caused my shoulders to move back, and my traps to open up. There wasn't anything athletic about this class, contrary to Ashtanga's principles... well, principles beyond mindfulness of the breath anyway.
I went to see Mom on my way home after class. She said,
"You've been to yoga!"
"Um... yah... how can you tell?"
"Your shoulders are level!"
Well, well, well...
When I got home, I created a bolster of my own out of a rolled up comforter. I slept on the thing that night, and with the exception of waking up once, it was a long, restful sleep. I woke in the morning with a stretched-out back, and level shoulders.
I've been going to class - be it lunch-time with Pat, or evenings with various instructors. Dana, who owns the studio, has mentioned how much she enjoys my coming to her Level 1 class on Wednesday evenings. She thinks I take a front-and-centre position in the room because I'm keen. Should I tell her it's because it minimizes the temptation for distraction when everyone else is BEHIND me? Literally, I can be in the room with 30 other people, and feel like I'm on my own - in my own space.
Speaking of Dana - I was on the Shala website checking class times for the weekend and decided to read some of the blurbs for the different teachers at the studio. I hadn't actually read Dana's entry, and something she wrote really hit home:
"Someone wise told me that with a regular practice of Ashtanga yoga, the qualities which do not serve us gradually fall away. I expect that someday in the near future I won't be so inclined towards sleeping in, drinking coffee and cursing like I sometimes (often) do. In the meantime, I get to my mat and enjoy such benefits as a calmer mind, a more compassionate heart, greater flexibility / strength and so much more." -Dana Blonde, 2008
That whole notion of "qualities which do not serve us gradually fall away" is something I'm experiencing already. I've found that in the last week of practice, I've felt better - physically, emotionally and mentally - and I'm making my way through that feeling of being tired (which happens to many people who take up regular, frequent exercise) to feeling more energized, focused and... calm.
My awareness of the paradigm shift I spoke of at the top of the entry occurred last night. At the beginning of class I sat in "Child's Resting Pose", set the pace of my breath, cleared my mind, and it hit me: I love myself first and foremost, and to finally turn my focus inward, toward caring for myself before anyone else was so dynamically different than what I'd believed my whole life.
I mentioned to Mom, yesterday over coffee, that the yoga studio is the first place ever that I've been able to learn and grow at my own pace - without a sense of urgency, without a sense of competition. We've created for ourselves a world full of time constraints, deadlines and worst of all we set up our lives to generate stress - perpetually.
SIDEBAR - Perhaps this is a topic more appropriately addressed at the Armchair, since it isn't directly yoga-related, but I'll touch on it briefly by asking a question: I wonder if it was the stress of having to compete with other people that caused me to go out on my own and pursue self-employment? It makes a certain amount of sense - I've never really LIKED living by other people's rules, and I've often found it difficult to comply because we're all measured with a one-size-fits-all measuring stick. I believe I decided to work for myself so I could operate by my own rules and make my own mistakes without adversely affecting others.
So... I've added yoga to my daily to-do list, and it's wonderful! I feel there's something good, nay, great looming on the horizon, and it's inspiring.
Namaste, peace.
Turtle out.
What was once a really challenging "thing to do" has been integrated into my lifestyle, full on.
When I purchased my 1-year unlimited pass at the Yoga Shala, I became mindful of the monetary cost. I created a spreadsheet to track how many visits I was making to the studio against the yearly fee, and comparing that to the adult drop-in rate. Then I began to think more about the benefits of using the pass to its utmost: practising every day.
I took a "vacation" of sorts to celebrate my 40th birthday. On my return I was exhausted - mentally, physically, emotionally. My vacation had been exciting and full of life experience, but hardly restful.
I returned to yoga class on the second of February tired, stiff, locked up and generally numb from my noggin to my toes, inside and out. The first class was excruciatingly painful. I backed off almost every pose, and skipped a lot of the vinyasas. At the end, however, I felt... OK - OK enough to want to go the next day, and the next.
Along came Friday. I went to a 6:45 class called "Restorative". When I entered the room, nothing was as it had been in any of the previous classes. All the students were lined up, yoga mats against the wall around the perimeter of the room. Each had a bolster and a couple foam blocks. I use the blocks regularly to lift my hip off the floor in some poses, but never had I used a bolster. All we did, for the whole class, was to use this bolster in one position or other to lie across and stretch... for an extended period of time. Legs up the wall, back flat on the mat, bolster positioned along the length of the spine. It caused my shoulders to move back, and my traps to open up. There wasn't anything athletic about this class, contrary to Ashtanga's principles... well, principles beyond mindfulness of the breath anyway.
I went to see Mom on my way home after class. She said,
"You've been to yoga!"
"Um... yah... how can you tell?"
"Your shoulders are level!"
Well, well, well...
When I got home, I created a bolster of my own out of a rolled up comforter. I slept on the thing that night, and with the exception of waking up once, it was a long, restful sleep. I woke in the morning with a stretched-out back, and level shoulders.
I've been going to class - be it lunch-time with Pat, or evenings with various instructors. Dana, who owns the studio, has mentioned how much she enjoys my coming to her Level 1 class on Wednesday evenings. She thinks I take a front-and-centre position in the room because I'm keen. Should I tell her it's because it minimizes the temptation for distraction when everyone else is BEHIND me? Literally, I can be in the room with 30 other people, and feel like I'm on my own - in my own space.
Speaking of Dana - I was on the Shala website checking class times for the weekend and decided to read some of the blurbs for the different teachers at the studio. I hadn't actually read Dana's entry, and something she wrote really hit home:
"Someone wise told me that with a regular practice of Ashtanga yoga, the qualities which do not serve us gradually fall away. I expect that someday in the near future I won't be so inclined towards sleeping in, drinking coffee and cursing like I sometimes (often) do. In the meantime, I get to my mat and enjoy such benefits as a calmer mind, a more compassionate heart, greater flexibility / strength and so much more." -Dana Blonde, 2008
That whole notion of "qualities which do not serve us gradually fall away" is something I'm experiencing already. I've found that in the last week of practice, I've felt better - physically, emotionally and mentally - and I'm making my way through that feeling of being tired (which happens to many people who take up regular, frequent exercise) to feeling more energized, focused and... calm.
My awareness of the paradigm shift I spoke of at the top of the entry occurred last night. At the beginning of class I sat in "Child's Resting Pose", set the pace of my breath, cleared my mind, and it hit me: I love myself first and foremost, and to finally turn my focus inward, toward caring for myself before anyone else was so dynamically different than what I'd believed my whole life.
I mentioned to Mom, yesterday over coffee, that the yoga studio is the first place ever that I've been able to learn and grow at my own pace - without a sense of urgency, without a sense of competition. We've created for ourselves a world full of time constraints, deadlines and worst of all we set up our lives to generate stress - perpetually.
SIDEBAR - Perhaps this is a topic more appropriately addressed at the Armchair, since it isn't directly yoga-related, but I'll touch on it briefly by asking a question: I wonder if it was the stress of having to compete with other people that caused me to go out on my own and pursue self-employment? It makes a certain amount of sense - I've never really LIKED living by other people's rules, and I've often found it difficult to comply because we're all measured with a one-size-fits-all measuring stick. I believe I decided to work for myself so I could operate by my own rules and make my own mistakes without adversely affecting others.
So... I've added yoga to my daily to-do list, and it's wonderful! I feel there's something good, nay, great looming on the horizon, and it's inspiring.
Namaste, peace.
Turtle out.
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