Writing on my mat

My original mat was a Wal-Mart special, and after about six weeks of daily use and a good deal of time in my hot car, it was beginning to disintegrate. I went to a great shop in Nashville and invested a bit in a beautiful new mat. I hated it. It was too spongy and made my feet hurt. It was also a bit slippery, and that was the last thing this balance challenged yogi needed.

There are so many kinds of mats available. Many are like a life time investment. Some are clever, others are really cute. I didn't want to make another poor investment (luckily my daughter was thrilled to be gifted the expensive mat). Back to Wal-Mart. I bought a mat just like my first one, but I upgraded from gray to a rosy pink.

Often during yoga, I have wished I had written instructions, or diagrams to help me keep everything straight. I had thought about putting sticky notes all around my mat to help me remember to breathe, stretch, align...I could go on and on. There is so much to remember! So, I got out a Sharpie and wrote three things on the top of my mat:

"my mat, my time, my body, my practice" (this is helpful when I feel old and clutzy)

"no judgement" (I wrote this because I really hope it is true)

"breathe" (if I forget this I'm in big trouble!).

At my next yoga class, I realized that it had really helped me focus on these things to have them right in front of me.

I was also feeling proud of my accomplishment of approaching 100 days of continuous practice. I was getting close to the goal, so I added tally marks on the side of my mat. As of this writing there are 125. I like seeing this in ink.

I added the phrase from what I an now calling my yoga song "I get a little bit stronger". Then, things would just come to mind every now and then. I was having a dickens of a time with the balance pose the call Tree (I have another name for it that I won't mention). I wrote the scripture from Psalm 1, "you will be like a tree firmly planted" - so I was inspired to be planted and solid in more ways than on my mat.

There's a few more - some that show a bit of my struggle with yogi philosophy. Later......

Keeping up with it all.....

Keeping up with my yoga practice while on vacation has not really been hard at all. It has meant getting up a bit early on some days, and I may be giving up a little shopping time (did you know that Fort Myers is home base for Chico's?). I drove in for class today and had my days and time mixed up. I thought I was 10 minutes early for a 12:30 class, but I was actually 20 minutes late for a class that started at 12:00. Oh well. I really enjoyed practicing by myself at the condo. I always feel like I work harder in the studio, but was pleased with my efforts on my own.

I also spent some time writing on my mat. I don't know why I am writing on my mat, it is not something I have seen anyone else do in yoga. More on that another time.

Yoga - exercise or philosophy of life?

For years I believed that Yoga might be in conflict with my faith. There seemed to always be allusions to Buddhism, and I had heard that the practice of transcendental meditation was taught in many studios. I went to my first session leery of these things, and in my over one hundred sessions at Yoga East, I was never uncomfortable with the philosophical side of the practice of yoga. The studio I am visiting in Florida is the other side of the coin.

I personally use the stillness and quietness for prayer. I wonder how many studios have this bent, and how I would feel about yoga if this had been my first experience? Interesting.

Slow and Steady?

I went to my third class at Joyful Yoga this morning. I was excited to have another 90 minute class, ready for a hard work out. The pace at this studio is so much slower than what I am used to, I found my mind wandering a bit. I feel like the slower pace allowed me to find the correct pose and hold it longer, but I left wondering if I was working my body as hard as I am used to in an hour class. But, being sure that it was more of a workout than sleeping in, I surely I advanced my journey toward fitness.

Today is day 121. I know I have made progress - yet sometimes I think I imagine that I have made more progress than I really have. I stopped after yoga at my favorite lingerie store - dressed in my Target workout clothes, straggly hair, no make-up, yet feeling like I am fit and thin and ready to take on the world. I think I might have a distorted body image. Really. I saw some really cute tops in the store and took them back to try them on, thinking they will look great due to my four months of diligence in yoga workouts. The mirror was my reality check - letting me know to keep at it, and reminding me that I am not always kind to myself and that have a pretty fragile self image. Slow and steady - it's ok? Right? I think I need to convince myself of that.

Independence Day - Striking a balance pose!

Huge country music fan that I am, I blasted and repeated Martina McBride singing "Independence Day" all the way in to yoga. That song has nothing to do with the Independence of America, but somehow I feel less than American if I don't listen to it on the Fourth of July!

I was amused in class as the instructor talked about independence throughout our practice. We were approaching that time in each class that I dread - balance poses. The klutz that remains in me always shows up about this time in each class. We were doing a sequence of warrior poses - they are numbered, and the higher the number, the more I am challenged (and they only go up to 3). Warrior one - great, done. Warrior two - great, done with concentration. I know what is coming next. Warrior three - stand on one foot, lean over, extend the back foot (this is usually where I start wobbling), lean your head toward your toe (I never get this far), and extend your hands toward the foot that is up in the air (sure!).

Is my issue gravity? Weak muscles? Fear? Well, today, on day 120, I listened and followed the instructions and I did it. I didn't know I was going to do it. But I did as if I had always been able to do it - I felt like I was flying. If I want to show off some basic writing skills, I can call this my Independence Day pose. Did I break away from gravity, fear, or inexperience? I don't know, but it is a great little victory for me to celebrate....

Joyful Yoga

The yoga studio, Joyful Yoga, was quite a bit larger than Yoga East. About five times larger. I went and signed up, and had to affirm that our family owned property in the area to take advantage of the special. Apparently it was not for vacationers!

I liked that the class was 1 1/2 hours rather than just an hour. It was very slow paced, and there were really no new or difficult poses. The instructor gave very clear instructions and the slow pace helped me think about my form. Most of the practioners were in my age bracket. They sold a great deal of yoga related merchandise in the studio, and may have had the cutest yoga pants I have ever seen. But, after landing such a bargain for the classes, I maybe should resist the temptation of $85 yoga pants. I missed the personal touch and little adjustments and massages that I receive at Yoga East at home.

I'm going in again tomorrow for a 90 minute flow class. I hope I can last that long!

A Yoga Deal in South Florida

I came on vacation wondering how I would continue my yoga practice. I packed my props in case I found myself without an affordable and convenient studio. I had searched online to see what was available, but the most attractive sounding studio charged $18 dollars a class. Yikes - that would ruin Mike's vacation!

Tonight we went in town to eat at California Pizza Kitchen. I know, that doesn't sound very beachy, but we love it. We happened to pass the the expensive studio - what I saw almost made me jump out of the Subaru! There, hanging above the door, was a banner proclaiming a two week special - unlimited classes for two full weeks for just $49 dollars. Yippee! It's about a 20 minute drive, but I think I'll be able to do that on most days.

Yoga at the beach. It should be interesting......