Astanga

Last night, just as I was snuggling under the covers and feeling sleepy, the fire alarm went off. I waited. It kept going. So I got up, dressed and carried Princess Fur down a kazillion stairs to the lobby where all of my equally unhappy neighbours were congregating. I chatted with my next door neighbour and tried to calm Fur, who was shaking like a leaf.

The firemen came in, all noble and handsome in their bulky beige jackets and nifty hats. They declared a false alarm (second time in less than a week - argh!) and sent us all back to our little boxes in the sky.

Except, except...the alarms didn’t stop. They went on and on, sporadically for almost an hour afterward. It was loud. It was maddening. It was absolutely impossible to sleep. I’m right in the thick of the busiest part of my week; sleep is essential. So I slept in this morning and then I was pressed for time.

Since my practice takes the highest priority these days, I finished that first. The quickest I could do was Sharath’s CD for most of the practice and closing on my own. Savasana was a quicky - down and up and out with the dog for a walk. If I don’t dawdle, I can pull off my entire practice in just over an hour.

I was surprised to find that the bind in Supta Kurmasana has returned and the bind in Marichyasana D is back as well. Backbends felt good and I felt strong. I’m getting used to the ‘lift-ups’ in my seated vinyasas and I’m beginning to contemplate kicking my legs back. I tried today, but didn’t get very far. Baby steps!

Miraculously, I made it to my noon class with 10 minutes to spare (the Transit Gods were smiling on me). Now: time for a nap!

Astanga

Today: Practice Interruptus.

During meditation this morning, I noted that I was actually *looking forward* to my practice. I was looking forward to an entire hour-and-a-bit of uninterrupted ‘me time’. I put the kettle on so I could enjoy a pot of chai as I moved through the Primary Series. I carefully laid out my mat. I started the sun salutations joyfully.

I got as far as Kurmasana when the phone rang. I needed to take that call and resigned myself to a half-hour away from my mat. When I finally got back to it, my body was cold again. Even three sun salutations couldn’t help me bind in Supta Kurmasana. I just did my best and moved on.

And that’s when the fire alarm went off. I rolled my eyes and kept practising. I mean, SERIOUSLY?!

I hoped it was a false alarm. It wasn’t. With a deep *sigh*, I got dressed, called to Princess Fur and we headed down a kazillion stairs to the lobby. It was was the real thing, with fireman and everything. Princess Fur and I went to the park for a walk, because what else can you do?

Two hours after I started my first Surya Namaskara A, I stepped back on the mat to continue my practice. By this point, I just wanted to finish it and I did. It wasn’t my best practice, just my most determined one.