Wednesday, June 29, 2011
I love hip openers!
My husband says that after every yoga session I claim it was the best one ever. I guess that's a good thing! We spent much time in our class tonight working on opening up our shoulders and hips. I just have to say how good it felt. When my daughters encouraged me to start my yoga journey, one of them said it's just a good way to move in ways that you don't normally move. That is certainly an understatement for this soon to be 58 year old woman. Hopefully, it is a least slowing the aging process.And tonight was the best session EVER!
Can't wait to go to yoga!
I am ready to go to yoga. I put on my favorite yoga pants - I bought them as a pajama bottoms a couple of years ago. They are a slate gray, but they once were black. Since it's been sandal and barefoot around the house season, I made sure I washed off my feet. I took off all my jewelry except my wedding ring, so I have a reminder of my left side. I'm ready to go - but it's not quite time to leave. I find myself being impatient with the clock because I REALLY WANT to go to yoga. I don't remember feeling this way about other types of exercise, EVER.
Two friends of my from school said they are coming tonight. Neither of them have ever been to a yoga class. I hope they don't chicken out. I promised them that no one ever has time to notice what other people are doing on their mats. I know I don't, I'm still to busy trying not to fall down or go the wrong way.
Well, time to go - yea!!!!
Two friends of my from school said they are coming tonight. Neither of them have ever been to a yoga class. I hope they don't chicken out. I promised them that no one ever has time to notice what other people are doing on their mats. I know I don't, I'm still to busy trying not to fall down or go the wrong way.
Well, time to go - yea!!!!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Yoga on the Road
I've been investigating ways to make sure I keep up my practice while I am traveling this summer. I plan to find a studio near the family's beach home, but it would be pretty expensive to do that daily. Exercise TV has some OK looking routines that I could do from my computer, and after 115 days I could probably come up with a few positions on my own. But I don't want to get bored with it - so, like I said, I have been looking.
I found a neat little Yoga treat for my Kindle. It's called "My Yoga Studio". It takes you through many series of poses, tells you how long to hold the pose, and gives a great written description of how to execute the pose correctly, and what to focus on.
It even leaves you with a closing thought. Today's was great for my upcoming vacation - "A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving". Actually, that perfectly describes the travel philosophy of my husband. I'm afraid that for the past 32 years I have considered that a character flaw, and now I learn that it is actually ancient wisdom!
I found a neat little Yoga treat for my Kindle. It's called "My Yoga Studio". It takes you through many series of poses, tells you how long to hold the pose, and gives a great written description of how to execute the pose correctly, and what to focus on.
It even leaves you with a closing thought. Today's was great for my upcoming vacation - "A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving". Actually, that perfectly describes the travel philosophy of my husband. I'm afraid that for the past 32 years I have considered that a character flaw, and now I learn that it is actually ancient wisdom!
Monday, June 27, 2011
DAY 113!
It's great to have the summer freedom to take a morning yoga class. I practiced at 10AM this morning and have felt great all day. I do, however, feel like it's time to go back this evening.
I noticed this morning that my forward bends are getting deeper. When I fold forward my nose touches my kneecaps and my hands will go flat on the floor. The resulting stretch in my hamstrings feels completely different than it did a month ago.
Those balance poses are still driving me crazy. I think I'll practice some at home tonight.
We leave for vacation later this week. I need to find a great yoga workout to use on my computer, and maybe I can catch a class or two at the beach. I hate to break my string of attending class at Yoga East.
Anyone know of a good Yoga video?
I noticed this morning that my forward bends are getting deeper. When I fold forward my nose touches my kneecaps and my hands will go flat on the floor. The resulting stretch in my hamstrings feels completely different than it did a month ago.
Those balance poses are still driving me crazy. I think I'll practice some at home tonight.
We leave for vacation later this week. I need to find a great yoga workout to use on my computer, and maybe I can catch a class or two at the beach. I hate to break my string of attending class at Yoga East.
Anyone know of a good Yoga video?
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Family Wedding
We had the most wonderful family wedding yesterday. My niece and her fiance were married in a gorgeous ceremony on the brow of Lookout Mountain. We gathered at 6:00 AM, had coffee and watched the bride come to the bluff at sunrise. It was breathtaking, not only for the scenery, but for the commitment we witnessed between this beautiful couple.
In a minor contribution to such a glorious day, I was able to enjoy and display some of the advantages of the past 111 days of yoga. Perhaps a tad prematurely, I was confident enough to bare my arms for the outside festivities. I wouldn't quite say yet that I have "yoga arms", but yoga has certainly shaped and firmed my arms. It felt great to be sleeveless.
After a wonderful brunch (at 8:00 am I would still call it breakfast :)), we dispersed and met back at Cloudland Canyon for dinner and enjoyment of a wonderful evening with friends and family. I wore new cropped jeans, down three full sizes from the beginning of my yoga trek. It was a great event, and it was a wonderful feeling to be confident in what I was wearing.
With the wedding's split schedule, I was able to sneak in a yoga class mid day. Having been up since 4AM, I knew I would fall asleep during savanstana, and I did. But that's ok - it was refreshing and renewing to to practice during such a busy day.
In a minor contribution to such a glorious day, I was able to enjoy and display some of the advantages of the past 111 days of yoga. Perhaps a tad prematurely, I was confident enough to bare my arms for the outside festivities. I wouldn't quite say yet that I have "yoga arms", but yoga has certainly shaped and firmed my arms. It felt great to be sleeveless.
After a wonderful brunch (at 8:00 am I would still call it breakfast :)), we dispersed and met back at Cloudland Canyon for dinner and enjoyment of a wonderful evening with friends and family. I wore new cropped jeans, down three full sizes from the beginning of my yoga trek. It was a great event, and it was a wonderful feeling to be confident in what I was wearing.
With the wedding's split schedule, I was able to sneak in a yoga class mid day. Having been up since 4AM, I knew I would fall asleep during savanstana, and I did. But that's ok - it was refreshing and renewing to to practice during such a busy day.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Hard is frustrating....
Just when I think I can breeze into class and be challenged but successful, I attend a wonderful class by a fabulous and fun instructor and I can't get ANYTHING right! Everything was so playful, but hard, and painful, and I was back at square one - and I found myself quite frustrated.
Did I mention that I have been writing around the border of my mat? It is probably against some kind of yoga etiquette, but I have written reminders, as well as tallies of my consecutive days of practice. Breathe - be present - peel the onion - you will be like a tree firmly planted - wake up. I think I need to add - don't take it so seriously. I guess it was a good reminder that I still have a long way to go. It was nice to see the tallies mark along my mat to remind me how far I had come.
Did I mention that I have been writing around the border of my mat? It is probably against some kind of yoga etiquette, but I have written reminders, as well as tallies of my consecutive days of practice. Breathe - be present - peel the onion - you will be like a tree firmly planted - wake up. I think I need to add - don't take it so seriously. I guess it was a good reminder that I still have a long way to go. It was nice to see the tallies mark along my mat to remind me how far I had come.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
"Floating" into a pose
"Float your foot in the air." "Step or float to the front of your mat." "Float your hips toward the ceiling." I had heard the instruction before, but last night it seemed that every instruction began with the word "float". Yoga is usually a pretty quiet place, but I heard the words come from my mouth in the middle of class - "What is FLOAT?".
It took me 85 consecutive days of yoga to be able to step to the front of my mat. Apparently, stepping is not the final goal. I learned last night that the difference between stepping and floating is that in floating, the core muscles are doing most of the work. It's a matter of finesse. Moving in a controlled, slow manner uses more muscles and reaps more benefit. It's a goal in every move. Another layer of the onion to work on. OK, it makes sense. How long will it take for this to move from my brain to my actual practice?
It took me 85 consecutive days of yoga to be able to step to the front of my mat. Apparently, stepping is not the final goal. I learned last night that the difference between stepping and floating is that in floating, the core muscles are doing most of the work. It's a matter of finesse. Moving in a controlled, slow manner uses more muscles and reaps more benefit. It's a goal in every move. Another layer of the onion to work on. OK, it makes sense. How long will it take for this to move from my brain to my actual practice?
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