That precious extra hour

Home practice is harder than going to a class because I have to find a way to coax myself onto the mat every morning, but I forgot about one of the big fringe benefits: time.

Going to Hot Central daily was time consuming! The commute was about 10 minutes (yeah, decadent, I know!) but in order to get into the class, get a good spot in the yoga room and a convenient shelf in the change room, I had to get there 20 minutes early.

Once class was over, I had no time for for Savasana because I needed to make a quick exit. I had exactly 15 minutes to get out of the room, shower, dress, dry my hair, slap on some makeup, pack my sopping wet clothes/yoga towel/mat into bags and jet for the subway in order to make it to my noon class on time.

Each morning was a frantic marathon and when I *finally* found myself on the subway, sipping Emergen-c and eating my oatmeal, I felt a tangible sense of relief. After dragging that knapsack full of wet stuff plus a heavy mat around the city for hours, I hauled it all home and dedicated another half-hour to bucket-laundry.

And then, I could eat lunch, maybe take a nap, tend to Princess Fur and head off to my evening classes.

I did this for 30 days. Phew!

Home practice has given me this: Less laundry to do and over an *hour* of free time in the morning to sip tea, eat breakfast, check email and blog. I sit in the window seat with my hands wrapped around my warm tea cup and gaze out at the morning light streaming over the city. I cuddle Princess Fur. I read. I day dream.

Then I finish my bucket laundry and carry on, business as usual. Such a small thing, but it feels so precious!


*******************
Day 2 of my full Astanga practice: My right shoulder is a tiny bit tender, particularly pressing back to Adho Mukha Svanasana from Urdhva Mukha. But it's not agonizing.

Headstand feels perfectly solid again. Urdhva Dhanurasana is uncomfortable, but I hold the backbends and breath, walk my hands in more each time. I'm toughing it out. My shoulder is a bit uncomfortable, but nothing dire.

Overall, aside from my vinyasas (I'm not doing jumps, but stepping my feet forward and back), my practice feels stronger than ever.

Tomorrow, I'm going to an evening hot class at Hot Central. I'm on the fence about Saturday. I may actually opt to do Astanga on that day. I'd like to try for a four-day week and see how it goes.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad