Astanga

Oh, it would have been so easy to hop on a train, head for the ferry terminal and escape to the beach for a day of fun. But I didn't. I looked around at my sad, dusty apartment: dirty floors and piles of laundry. I felt a pang of guilt. I'm on my last roll of toilet paper, the dog needs a bath and I could write my name in the layer of dust on top of the television set. Today just needed to be a cleaning day.

And so it was. Four loads of laundry, a trip to the corner store for provisions, scrubbing, sweeping, cleaning and coaxing the dog into the bathtub. Everything looks sparkling and beautiful now and I feel relieved. I needed to do this.

I rewarded myself with my yoga practice. Back to full Primary today. I was indoors, where the floor is solid under my feet and I sweat and sweat. I don't know why I sweat more when I'm inside, but I do. It was nice to have a focused, heated practice. No breeze, no distractions. Also nice to be back on my Manduka again (I use a cheap dollar-store yoga mat when I'm in the park).

I particularly enjoyed my Savasana. I've really experienced a sea change in this pose over the past year. I remember a time when I couldn't be bothered with it, or found laying still for five minutes unbearable. It felt like a waste of time. Now, I'm fully committed to five minutes in the pose, at the end of my practice.

I set a timer. I use the black silk eye pillow I won in the very first WoYoPracMo (Thanks Christelle!). I'm a huge fan of eye pillows now. I even use it at night sometimes, when I'm having trouble drifting to sleep. There is something about that slight weight again my eyelids that eases me into a relaxed state.

Today in Savasana, I was so deeply relaxed by the time the timer went off that I stayed for a little while and observed my own state of bliss. Wonderful!