Astanga

I was so good! I went to bed before ten last nigh. But my mother apparently didn't get that memo about my Grand Plan to start getting up early for practice. She phoned at 10:15 p.m. and woke me up...argh. To her defence, she only phoned because I told her to. I thought that “Call me in the evening” would translate into a phone call around suppertime. Nope. Mom's on mountain time.

When the alarm went off this morning, I pushed snooze and slept till 7 a.m. Not as good as 6, but better than 8. Baby steps.

It's 'Bike Month' in the city. This event used to be called 'Bike Week' but the scope has been expanded. Many of the annual events still take place during the first week of June, though. I rolled out of bed and headed down to the University 'bike breakfast'. Free food!

I enjoyed half an apple pastry, a cheese danish, some yogurt and apple juice. There was live music - something blue-grassy. This is the tenth year I've attended this little event. TEN!!! I can't believe I've been in this city for over ten years! I think I may be settling in...

After a long walk with the dog, I unrolled my mat for practice, full Primary, the usual. To be perfectly honest, I don't think walking beforehand makes a significant different in my practice. I thought it did, but I was wrong. I had a good practice, to be sure, but warming up wasn't any easier because of the walk. In other words, I could roll out of bed in the morning straight onto my mat and get the same practice.

Every time I do Kurmasana, I think of Kermit the Frog. Kerm-asana! At least I'm binding. The binding is going so well that I'm beginning to wonder what it would be like to cross my feet. Not over my head - not yet. But soon?
Shoulderstand-y poses felt lovely today. I could have fallen asleep in Halasana.

I was stable in headstand and did the half-bend but didn't come back into full headstand before exiting the pose. That's the icing on the cake for me. The last time I seriously and unexpectedly fell out of headstand was while I was coming up from that half-bend. As Teacher M always tells me, it's all a brain game.