I am so tired, I can barely keep my eyes open. I got through my Power Yoga session, even though I'm ready to collapse.
We hiked today with the in-laws, went to an outdoor craft show, and went to a wonderful concert. The hike was killer, at least for me, and everything else was just icing on the cake.
During the hike, we had to cross a stream 3 times. In an effort to keep my shoes dry, I tried rock hopping. Here is another place in life where tree pose came in handy. Balancing on one foot, and using every muscle in my foot to grab onto that rock and not fall was a serious challenge - one that I rose to because of practicing yoga! Later though, at the far edge of a stream, just as I was about to hop on to dry land, I misplaced my foot and got my sneaker wet. After that, it was too dangerous with wet shoes to navigate the rocks, so I just trudged through the stream, shoes an all. I was so hot and sweaty, so it felt great!
I was afraid I would be too worn out when I got home at 11pm to even think about yoga. But I did my normal routine, and I did it well considering my fatigue. And now with a quiet, calm mind... I'm going to bed!
Namaste
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
I almost forgot!
Tonight, I did a practice from Yoga Journal that was all about centering, bringing the focus inward, and quieting the senses. I thought I didn't do very well with those goals, but yet I almost forgot to log on and blog! Maybe I am a little withdrawn from the outside world right now. ;)
Seriously though, the practice was interesting. I felt fidgety, and tried hard to keep bringing my focus back. At the end, I thought it had been to fast, and that I hadn't spent enough time on each pose obviously, since I was done so quickly. But when I looked at the clock, much more time had passed then I realized. Does that mean I was off in la-la land and distracted without realizing it? Or was I really tuning out from the outside world, and tuning in to my body and breath, and losing track of time by doing so?
I'm not sure of the answers tonight, and I'm really too tired to think about it anymore, since I'm doing this so late!
Namaste
Seriously though, the practice was interesting. I felt fidgety, and tried hard to keep bringing my focus back. At the end, I thought it had been to fast, and that I hadn't spent enough time on each pose obviously, since I was done so quickly. But when I looked at the clock, much more time had passed then I realized. Does that mean I was off in la-la land and distracted without realizing it? Or was I really tuning out from the outside world, and tuning in to my body and breath, and losing track of time by doing so?
I'm not sure of the answers tonight, and I'm really too tired to think about it anymore, since I'm doing this so late!
Namaste
Friday, September 18, 2009
Just a quick note...
With 4 people in the house, I'm battling for computer time! Right now, I've got an antsy husband waiting to get back on, so I'm going to make this quick.
I am so proud of my push up pose hover that I actually demonstrated it for my husband tonight! It's really coming along, and that makes me feel good. No, better than that. It makes me feel great!
How's that for fast?
Namaste
I am so proud of my push up pose hover that I actually demonstrated it for my husband tonight! It's really coming along, and that makes me feel good. No, better than that. It makes me feel great!
How's that for fast?
Namaste
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Wishing...
Tonight, I'm wishing I could keep the confidence and inner strength I feel doing yoga going all the time. I'm wishing, because right now, it feels so far from reality. I finished my practice tonight - a vigorous power yoga session - feeling great, feeling strong, feeling accomplished. But then I read something that upset me, and I lost that feeling in an instant. How do you get it back? Even better, how do you not lose it?
When I feel personally attacked, or worse, when I feel someone is attacking someone I love, my heart starts to pound, my breathing gets shallow... I guess it's some version of fight or flight. I don't like it at all, and I recognize that it's an unnecessary reaction. Why can't I breathe through it, focus on calm, see the trivial nature of the problem, etc.?
I was planning on coming here to post about how my neck and shoulder practice has released so much tension that I felt I could arch back in my standing back bends with much more ease tonight. And, my arms are getting so much stronger that for some chaturangas, I'm not using my knees - that's a huge improvement. But then I read that one thing... and I let myself get diverted.
Yoga is definitely not an easy answer, or a cure all for everything. I guess I should focus on the skills I have, and know that I'm working on strengthening them, and with time, I can hope to react better to stressors that really shouldn't stress me at all!
Namaste
When I feel personally attacked, or worse, when I feel someone is attacking someone I love, my heart starts to pound, my breathing gets shallow... I guess it's some version of fight or flight. I don't like it at all, and I recognize that it's an unnecessary reaction. Why can't I breathe through it, focus on calm, see the trivial nature of the problem, etc.?
I was planning on coming here to post about how my neck and shoulder practice has released so much tension that I felt I could arch back in my standing back bends with much more ease tonight. And, my arms are getting so much stronger that for some chaturangas, I'm not using my knees - that's a huge improvement. But then I read that one thing... and I let myself get diverted.
Yoga is definitely not an easy answer, or a cure all for everything. I guess I should focus on the skills I have, and know that I'm working on strengthening them, and with time, I can hope to react better to stressors that really shouldn't stress me at all!
Namaste
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Full House
We've got a full house for a couple of weeks. Family arrived today from upstate New York, and in a tiny 2br, 1ba house, double the people equals quite a crowd ! I'm going to have to be extra dedicated to carve out the quiet time and space for yoga for the next two weeks.
I squeezed in today's practice while my husband was en route to the airport. I don't like to think of yoga as something I 'squeeze in', but some days, that's just the reality. It's better than just pushing it aside completely, right?
With my arm sore from having the burn irrigated today, I focused on my legs. I deepened my lunges, balanced my strength between both legs, and really stretched those heels in downward dog.
It felt great to really work my legs, but more importantly, it felt like I was doing the right thing to choose to create that mental space in my head and in my heart.
Namaste
I squeezed in today's practice while my husband was en route to the airport. I don't like to think of yoga as something I 'squeeze in', but some days, that's just the reality. It's better than just pushing it aside completely, right?
With my arm sore from having the burn irrigated today, I focused on my legs. I deepened my lunges, balanced my strength between both legs, and really stretched those heels in downward dog.
It felt great to really work my legs, but more importantly, it felt like I was doing the right thing to choose to create that mental space in my head and in my heart.
Namaste
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Snap, Crackle, Pop!
No, not Rice Krispies... my neck! I feel as good as if I just came from my favorite chiropractor, or maybe even my favorite massage therapist! (Both of whom are back in Georgia, and are two of the very few things I miss about that state.)
Tonight, after a long day of errands and working on projects around the house, I did Yoga for Stress Relief - the Neck and Shoulder Tension series. While in the first series of breath related stretches, my neck started cracking and popping. Normally, this would freak me out. I don't like for my joints to make noise, even when I'm paying for it! But if felt so gooooooooood.
I haven't been to a chiropractor in over 6 months, and I've only had one massage in that time too. Normally, I have my atlas adjusted, which makes everything else fall into place on its own. But here in Hawaii, there aren't any chiropractors who use the Atlas Orthagonal method or machine. This makes me sad... but maybe if I keep up the daily yoga, I won't need it as much!
Namaste
Tonight, after a long day of errands and working on projects around the house, I did Yoga for Stress Relief - the Neck and Shoulder Tension series. While in the first series of breath related stretches, my neck started cracking and popping. Normally, this would freak me out. I don't like for my joints to make noise, even when I'm paying for it! But if felt so gooooooooood.
I haven't been to a chiropractor in over 6 months, and I've only had one massage in that time too. Normally, I have my atlas adjusted, which makes everything else fall into place on its own. But here in Hawaii, there aren't any chiropractors who use the Atlas Orthagonal method or machine. This makes me sad... but maybe if I keep up the daily yoga, I won't need it as much!
Namaste
Monday, September 14, 2009
Right Action
Today's Meditation from the Mat is so good, I wish I could quote the whole thing! I am really enjoying this book, and looking forward to working through it with the same enthusiasm I have for a good fiction novel.
The entry today is all about the right path, the right action, and working towards knowing ourselves, and what is good for us.
I've heard it talked about so much on shows like Oprah, and in magazines, and I truly believe that the ability to say 'no' is a very empowering thing. We are raised, at least as women, to give as much of ourselves as we can. The more we are able to do, the more successful we are. As a person who loves to volunteer, I always feel a little guilty saying no. But I'm getting better at it.
In the last week, I've been exercising this ability. And I'm really working on not feeling guilty about it, as long as I'm saying no for the right reasons. If I'm saying no to avoid overextending myself, to avoid a precarious situation that I don't think is right for me, or to enable someone else to act and think for themselves instead of relying on others, then these are all good times to say no.
But I'm not saying no to yoga of course! Even with my arm hurting, and feeling a little run down from all the stress of the last week, I'm saying YES to yoga, which is of course saying YES to myself!
Today I practiced with power yoga again. It's amazing how a few 'easy' days to let my arm rest have shown their effects in the rest of my body. But it felt good to do a slightly more vigorous routine, though it was far from difficult. I'll build back up to that, and feel great while doing it!
Namaste
The entry today is all about the right path, the right action, and working towards knowing ourselves, and what is good for us.
I've heard it talked about so much on shows like Oprah, and in magazines, and I truly believe that the ability to say 'no' is a very empowering thing. We are raised, at least as women, to give as much of ourselves as we can. The more we are able to do, the more successful we are. As a person who loves to volunteer, I always feel a little guilty saying no. But I'm getting better at it.
In the last week, I've been exercising this ability. And I'm really working on not feeling guilty about it, as long as I'm saying no for the right reasons. If I'm saying no to avoid overextending myself, to avoid a precarious situation that I don't think is right for me, or to enable someone else to act and think for themselves instead of relying on others, then these are all good times to say no.
But I'm not saying no to yoga of course! Even with my arm hurting, and feeling a little run down from all the stress of the last week, I'm saying YES to yoga, which is of course saying YES to myself!
Today I practiced with power yoga again. It's amazing how a few 'easy' days to let my arm rest have shown their effects in the rest of my body. But it felt good to do a slightly more vigorous routine, though it was far from difficult. I'll build back up to that, and feel great while doing it!
Namaste
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