Sunday, April 27, 2008

Day 243

After a restless night of sleep (I haven't been sleeping well lately in general), I managed to do a stiff early morning yoga practice. I was really looking forward to getting on that mat . Although I honoured my 'day off' yesterday, I really felt keen for some asana. This is good - it keeps it fresh for me during the other six days of the week.

I've been in a really good mental state lately, in terms of my practice. It's not a struggle, though it's not always blissful either. It's just a pleasant routine and fact of my day-to-day life.

My lower back was feeling cranky, so in each posture, I focused on creating space and softness around my lumbar spine. This caused me to modify some postures and not fold as deeply in my forward bends, but by the end of the practice, my lower back was feeling much better.

I had a much easier time this morning focusing on breath and kept a steady stream of Ujjayi breathing throughout the practice.

I've been experiencing some interesting turbulence in my personal life these past few weeks. Some extraordinarily serendipitous events have come together in a really wonderful way and I'm almost giddy with the excitement of it all, while still trying to keep my feet firmly planted on the ground and not get too carried away.

I sometimes question my own decisions and paths in life, but I generally have faith that everything happens for a reason and in its own time. Everything is unfolding as it should.

One thing that has really come to light recently is how important the past year has been for my yoga practice and how much I *needed* the year to get my shit together. Had I made different decisions, I would not have had this year of practice and reflection. My daily Ashtanga practice, with all its challenges and difficulties has been key to my own transformation. Today, I'm full of gratitude for yoga in general and Ashtanga in particular.

Years and year ago, I hurt my back carrying concrete blocks used for portable fencing on an archaeological site. I tried yoga to ease the pain. Those blocks now seem like a gift. All of the circumstances that led to the moment when I picked a yoga video out of the bargain bin at Best Buy seen significant and amazing to me in retrospect.

In a nutshell, I feel like my heart and mind are open to new possibilities. It's a powerful feeling.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I too started Yoga after hurting my lower back and i am happy now at how things turned out..

Michelle said...

Fantastic. What insight. I hope you dwell happily in your current state of mind and affairs.

alfia said...

Morning, Kai!

I like you post a lot. I can sign under every single word of it.
:)

Kaivalya said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kaivalya said...

K: Yoga is such a tool for healing. I see this in my students and it never fails to amaze me.

Michelle: Thanks for the good wishes!

Alfia: I often feel that way while reading other yoga blogs - all those 'lightbulb' moments when I connect with another's experience. Sometimes, that's all that keeps me going on the rough days. It helps just knowing that other people are out there doing the practice and having the moments of epiphany just like me ;-)