Hatha

I stopped at the store on the way home from class yesterday to buy ingredients for baking. Spontaneously, I thought to grab a banana and a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips to put in the muffins. Yummy chocolate! I was having a craving. Coincidence or hormones?

Hormones. My Lady's arrived. Drat. I had big plans for full Primary this weekend! Oh well...

Coincidence: I received an email from YogaDork letting me know that I had won a giveway. I'm very excited to be receiving Bobby Clennell's new book, The Woman's Yoga Book: Asana and Pranayama for All Phases of the Menstrual Cycle.

One of the reviewers on the Amazon page credited the book with helping her avoid cramps and bloating. As a person currently suffering cramps and bloating, I'm ready for any advice on offer!

Plus, since I'm regularly doing yoga during my menstrual cycle, it will be nice to have some beneficial sequences to follow.

While we're on this delicate subject, I might as well mention my new love affair with the Diva Cup.

(Male readers, cover your eyes! Anyone who is squeamish or easily offended, go look at the kittens)

I'm late to the Diva Cup Party, but SO happy to be here. How did I go for so long without discovering this? I have to credit EcoYogini for helping me make the leap. Her unrestrained enthusiasm about this product was heartening.

So I bought one.

To sum up: Expensive, fussy, initially intimidating, but absolutely fabulous. I think it was the price that turned me off initially. $40 is a lot of money to pay for a silicon 'leap of faith.' It's not like I could just return the thing if I hated it.

I was a late, late convert to tampons. I never liked them, but as a yoga teacher, they became a necessity. I hated the idea of them (toxins, bleach, ect), but savoured the freedom.

I will say this: if inserting tampons freaks you out, the Diva Cup may be a scary trip. The instructions say 'DON'T PANIC' in all-caps for a reason: once it's in there, you really, REALLY *want* to panic.

Don't panic. Seriously. Especially if you're a regular yoga practitioner. I don't know how closely Mula Bandha is related to the muscles used to push 'down' but holy smoke, when I 'pushed', that cup practically flew out! Not a problem.

So far, it's a 'learning experience, but I give it high marks.

Practice today was easy-going and slow. I did Gentle Hatha #2 with Jackie, 45 minutes. I kind of half-slept through the first part of the practice. This one was nice but I think Gentle Hatha #1 is still my favourite.

I spent some time on the Acuball as well. My back is a bit cranky, but feeling better. I'm really tired today. I think I may have a sleep defiicit going. Maybe I'll go to bed early with a good book!