Unplugged

As I started to construct a new 'practice schedule' after completing my month at Hot Central, I knew one thing for certain: I wanted a day off, a real, genuine day OFF. Last year, I was teaching 7 days a week; there wasn't a single day that I wasn't doing something yoga related, whether teaching or a vigorous practice. It was wearing me out!

Late last year, I *finally* cleared my Sundays. With a work-free day available, I've decided that henceforth, Saturday will be a practice day and Sunday will a rest day (it's not the Astanga standard, but very little of my practice is these days). I often do a bit of yoga on my day off, but it's usually Yin or Restorative - something low key. I've decided that's allowable in my new scheme.

But I decided to add another, somewhat contentious, element to this day of rest: no work-work (business-related/cleaning/errands; with fun personal projects excepted) and NO INTERNET.

Originally, the plan was for 'no computers or internet' but since I've gone 'paperless', much of my life now revolves around the screen. My journaling is done on computer, my magazines live there and even many of the books and articles I read are electronic (what I can't get at the library, I buy on my Kindle).

As I moved through my Sunday, I was amazed by how often I referenced something on the iPad, even without Internet available. I keep a dream journal, jot down quotes, look up recipes, maintain a list of 'books read' and 'books I want to read', and use a meditation timer.

So, what did I actually DO with my work-and-internet-free day? Lots! I read, read, read, mostly. I finished *two* books and started two others, which kind of amazes me. I also took Princess Fur for two long walks, enjoyed a hot bath and visited my favourite South Indian restaurant for lunch. I cleaned out a bathroom cabinet, drank lots of decaffeinated-green-tea-chai and took an afternoon nap. I did some restorative yoga and meditated.

I broke my own rules and did a tiny bit of work that I had forgotten to finish yesterday and, of course, I'm writing this blog post. But frankly, I'm astounded by how much 'free time' I liberated simply by turning off the cellular connection on my iPad. No tweets, no RSS feeds, no email. I miss it, but I kinda don't miss it.

Verdict? It was great and I plan to make it a weekly event.


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Warm boots, crunchy numbers and an icy park

I woke early this morning but my LH was in full force, so instead of practising I cleaned out the bottom of my closet.

This is part of my continuing decluttering efforts. Clearing the closet has been a surprisingly emotional task, so I've been moving through it incrementally, shedding items in a trickle instead of a diluge. Seems like every few days, I accumulate a bag to take down to the clothing donation bin. It's finally beginning to come together!

There's an online group dedicated to wearing only 33 items of clothing for 3 months in order to reduce and maximise a wardrobe. I'm intrigued by the concept, though I'm not willing to go that far (and I wonder if it's even possible here in Canada, where layering is a necessity). Really, most of us only wear a tiny fraction of the clothing we own.

I don't tend to hoard clothing for three simple reasons: 1) I hate shopping 2) I have simple tastes which favour comfort 3) My main wardrobe consists of yoga pants and tops. Makes things easy!

I also tend to buy quality and keep stuff around *forever*, often for TOO long. My current winter gear is a great example. My winter coat is 5 years old and up for replacement (very soon! stay tuned!).

My winter boots have been with me since the last century. They're in such horrible shape that this winter, I started wearing another pair of boots, not intended for snow, which are already 6 years old. Enough is enough! On Saturday, I reluctantly treked to the mall and spent two hours trudging from shoe store to shoe store. But I found a wonderful half-price deal. I love my new boots!





The rest of my weekend was spent bogged down in tax preparation. I've made a promise to myself not to fall behind in my accounting this year like I did last. In that spirit, as soon as I finished with 2010, I moved right on to January 2011. Done!

When I completed my data entry tasks, Princess Fur and I took the new boots out for a walk in the park. The natural rink has been flooded for about a week now (I haven't yet been out to skate on it). The neighbourhood winter festival was in full swing as we passed by: Barbeque, neighbours and an obligatory hockey game.





Yoga practice was Restorative today (I finally unrolled my mat just before lunch). I followed the during-menstrual sequence from Bobby Clennell's women's yoga book. Tomorrow, I'm hoping for something a bit more active.

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Restorative

I had a rough day, but I survived. My LH hit full force in the mid-morning, just as was preparing to teach a busy noon class. I had just finished a comfortable restorative practice, draped over a bolster in various contortions for a better part of an hour. And *bham*. Frankly, I wouldn't have chosen this timing (busiest teaching day of my week) but these things are rarely 'choosable'. I carried on as best I could.

I was really basking in gratitude that I actually had a voice to teach with. It's been coming and going since yesterday. Last night, I took a hot bath and gargled salt water, used a neti pot and crossed my fingers. When I woke this morning, I emitted an experimental 'OM' and sat up joyfully in bed when I could hear it resonating through the room.

My classes went well. Tonight was special for my students: these were the last classes of a ten-week session. There was a sense of celebration, honoring all that they had learned over the previous months. My voice lasted through all four classes, but started to fade as I made my way home.

I'm now 'on holiday' from these evening classes until the New Year, so I'll get a bit of a break. I'm looking forward to it.

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Iyengar/Restorative

I kept my promise to myself and eased off of vinyasa practice this weekend. Today, I took it down another notch and did an Iyengar-style restorative practice in the evening, based on an Iyengar sequence that boosts immunity. I prepped with a long, hot salt bath, then I blissed out over blocks and bolsters, finishing my practice with Viparita Karani and a leisurely Savasana.

The immunity-boosting practice was strategic - I woke this morning with a scratchy throat and sore sinuses. I've been using my neti pot all day and taking supplements to fight this off. It's absolutely the *last* thing I need right now, given that I'm moving into my last week of a heavy teaching, plus my LH is due any moment now.

*sigh*

So I'm grumpy, sniffly and I have no idea what kind of practice I'll be doing in the morning. I'm planning to get a good night's sleep and see what the dawn brings.



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Restorative

The goal for my 'Lady's Non-holiday' this month: Stick to a routine.

I often get lethargic and depressed during these few days, but I'm not sure my cycle is entirely to blame. It might have *something* to do with the fact that I'm usually oversleeping, eating unhealthy food (chocolate!) and doing very little yoga (or any kind of exercise).

I'm the first to admit that I'm a bit of a baby about this whole thing. Yeah, I get cramps, but I always feel better if I get up and move around. But it's such a good excuse to sit around and watch DVDs, which is fun but not necessarily healthy for me.

So here's a plan: For the next three days, I'm going to wake up when I usually do, replace my Astanga practice with a gentler form of yoga, and try to maintain normal activity levels (walk the dog, run my errands, etc.)

Day 1: I was feeling wretched this morning, but I woke at my usual time and did 90 minutes of restorative yoga. I took my practice from the Bobby Clennell book, the sequence for 'during your cycle'. It involves a few supported heart-openers over bolsters and loads of bolster-supported forward folds.

Verdict? I'm feeling SO much better! Tomorrow, I may opt for a more active yoga practice but still no inversions.

I've written about this topic before (in fact, 'Astanga during menstruation' is a trending keyword search for this blog). I'm still not convinced that taking a break from yoga is necessary or healthy during menstruation.

I find that I feel better when I practice and yoga seems to soften (or eliminate) pain and bloating, it lifts my spirits and restores my appetite.

I know Astanga practitioners who practice throughout their cycles with no ill effects. I know of others who abstain from all yoga for up to a week each month. Different senior teachers have varying (and strong) opinions about this.

I think this may be one of those things that should be left up to the individual practitioners. I'm still figuring this out for myself, but I'm leaning toward 'practice without inversions.'

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This week, one of our 70s Yoga Ladies demonstrates 'The Kneeling Cobra':




Quick, yoga teachers! What would you adjust first? Her knee? Or her hair?

Oh yes, and this pose is supposed to 'reduce the hips'. Awesome!

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Hatha

My brain enjoys having a day off, but I'm not sure my body does.

All day, I was spontaneously stretching my shoulders and hips. Finally, I just unrolled the mat and enjoyed a good half-hour hip-and-shoulder-stretching session. It felt soooo good.

And then I ate a vegan mini-cake!




I love Saturdays! :-)

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Restorative

As it turns out, this was a 'three day' yoga week for me. My Lady's Holiday followed close on the heels of the new moon, so Tuesday was my last full Astanga practice for the week (I'm happy it was a good one, and I'm really glad I did that extra back bending on Tuesday night!).

I won't get back to my full practice until Sunday.

I can't remember the last time I had a four day break from my Astanga practice! It's not unwelcome - I can use the rest. I'm just a bit anxious about Sunday, though. I have a feeling it won't be easy to return to 'the routine'. My schedule hasn't been consistent in weeks.

But at least I'm caught up on sleep!

Today, I did a light restorative practice mostly consisting of hip openers and supported backbends. It felt good and I was surprised by the deep feeling of relief that passed through my body as I lay down on my Manduka. I had a rough day. The mat is a safe space for me and I felt better immediately - no actual yoga required (though it was certainly welcome).

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A few weeks ago, there was a some buzz surrounding an advertisement in a recent issue of Yoga Journal. The ad, for yoga socks, features yoga teacher Kathryn Budig demonstrating a yoga posture in the nude (except for the socks, of course!).

(Photo Credit: Jasper Jahal)

A highly respected senior teacher, Judith Hanson Lasater, wrote a pointed letter to Yoga Journal's editor, objecting to the ad and, in particular, the use of nudity (read: sex) to sell a product. She questioned whether the ad had a place in a magazine dedicated to yoga practice. The letter was published in this month's issue of YJ.

As the debate raged on, I reserved judgement. To be honest, I was patiently waiting for a voice I found absent from this conversation. I was curious how Kathryn Budig felt about posing in the nude for an advertisement.

Today, I found my answer.

In this blog post (from Yoga Journal's website), Kathryn Budig offers her perspective:

"...it dawned on me that I was being given an opportunity: I could show others how the practice of yoga, when stripped down to it's simplest form, is a radiant projection of the soul. I went ahead and shot the photos. After seeing the beautiful results from the talented Jasper Johal--who has the ability to make even a harpy look beautiful--I knew we were onto something good.

To me, the photo is a lovely example of what happens when you blend strength and surrender, because this particular shoot required extra doses of both. I summoned up my strength, shed my fear (along with my clothes), trusted in the vision of a talented photographer and company, and channeled the depths of my asana practice, my sacred feminine, and my soul.

Then there was the surrender--I had to embrace my authentic self in it's raw form, to allow my image to be seen in magazines, and to offer my heart and intention to each and every pose."

This debate, and Kathryn's response, grabbed my attention for a special reason: I modeled in my teens and 20s and I have posed nude for art shoots.

I can confirm that those first few moments in the buff are definitely awkward! But a nude shoot quickly descends into the mundane and becomes like any other as the shots are set up and the photographer works. After a while you kind of forget you're in the buff.

Seriously, it's *really* not a big deal!

I'm actually impressed that Kathryn found the inner sources to 'channel her sacred feminine' while holding yoga postures for a photographer under the glaring lights of a studio environment. Good on her!

Personally, I wasn't offended to find Kathryn's nude image in Yoga Journal. I thought the photography was respectful and incredibly lovely. To me, it reflected the intention of the model and the photographer.

Just don't get me started on those silly socks! ;-)

For some other perspectives on this issue:
A spirited defence of KB ( which includes full text of Judith Hanson Lasater's letter to Yoga Journal)
Brooks Hall is a fan of Kathryn and Tara!
Rosanne Harvey's interview with Judith Hanson Lasater

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Restorative

If lying over a bolster and writhing around in agony qualifies, then I did some restorative yoga today. I tried, I really did.

When the pain started last night, I assumed that it was my Lady’s, arriving a bit early. But it wasn’t. I had a touch of food poisoning, which was just enough to keep me in bed for most of the day.

Of course, I was bored out of my mind!!! I didn’t have the mental focus to read a book or study. The Internet is a Dead Zone on the weekend. DVDs can only keep me entertained for so long.

After the first few uncomfortable hours, I figured out a brainless activity that would help me pass the time: I organised my photos from the past year. This in itself was a bit painful, given the Big Life Changes I’ve gone through, but there was an element of closure in the process, which I appreciated.

And if I had to get sick, at least I did it on a Saturday! Tomorrow I’ll be back on the mat.

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I shot a State-of-the-Backbend photo during my brief Second Practice yesterday:

No huge changes from previous weeks.

Why on earth do I feel like I can’t breathe if I walk my hands in to my maximum? (where they are in this photo)

It feels like an iron band is cinched around my chest and the air won’t go in.

Restorative/Backbending

I didn’t go to the Shala this morning because of my Lady’s Holiday. *sigh* I felt bit sad and wistful not to be practising. The rest of the day felt just like a Saturday!

I slept until almost 7, got up and immediately started doing stuff. Yeah, I know I’m supposed to rest, but my Pitta likes to putter! I had an entire to-do list of things I’ve been putting off for ages so I dove right in. I cleaned the apartment, did three loads of laundry, scrubbed the floors, cleaned my desk and generally tidied up. It’s a joy and a relief to have a clean space again! It was beginning to feel a bit grimy in here.

I also clipped Princess Fur, who has been getting furrier and furrier as the summer has progressed. Poor thing! All that fur and it’s SO hot out! But I was afraid the extreme temperatures would cause the clippers to overheat. It was cooler this morning and I finished the task in a little over an hour. She looks great and so much more comfortable. Balled up, the fur I removed was bigger than a head of lettuce!

Then I restrung my guitar and played Beatles songs for an hour. :-)

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I took a long walk, but didn’t do any backbending in the park - it was too hot. When I got home, I did some restorative yoga: hip openers and supported backbends. I goofed around with Laghu Vajrasana, hanging back into it and curling up slowly, lifting through the chest, head last (trying to visualize how this would feel while ‘standing up’ from Urdhva Dhanurasana). I stood up from a few (not particularly deep) hangbacks.

I didn’t do any dropbacks to the floor, but I’m definitely coming down more easily with the support of the wall - just one ‘hand tap’ and I’m there. That’s a HUGE change from even two weeks ago! I’ll bet I could do it if I was properly warmed up (and my silly brain would just shut up).

I came into a couple Urdhva Dhanurasana and did some rocking. I discovered something surprising: I really *am* rocking onto my fingertips! The heels of my hands are coming off the floor! Of course, my knees are bent and my heels are up, but I’m definitely getting some lift on my own!

Yesterday in the Shala, I was so certain that my hands were lifting only because R was muscling me into it. To be honest, I *still* think it was mostly R pulling me forward, but I *am* capable of doing this on my own. Exciting! Today is the first time I’ve observed any impact from my ‘park work’ on my backbending practice.

I also see some improvement in today’s State-of-the-Backbend photo:

In this one, I was trying to straighten my legs more and push my hips forward.

Yes, that’s Princess Fur on the futon. I didn’t forget that it’s ‘Princess Fur Friday’ :-)

Look how bored she is! She actually stretches out a little deeper as I come into my backbend. Oh, more backbending? SO boring!

Entirely unimpressed!

Ha, ha!

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Finally, I know that not all of you read the comments section on past posts. I wanted to share a particularly good one with you. This is from KateR. She recently ‘cracked’ the whole standing up thing and offered some advice:

As someone who only recently has started coming up successfully from drop backs, I really can identify with your focus on this. Grimmly recently commented on how the way someone describes tips and advice can strike a chord with your own practice. I've been thinking about the 'formula' I use to stand up and in case it helps at all, wanted to share it with a fellow cyber shala student... just in case....

Here it is:

Drop back - but don't focus on anything except dropping back - put coming up out of your mind for the moment or it will spoil your drop back.

Land hands near feet as possible and pause.

Walk hands in until you feel that your belly has become weightless - a really strange sensation but this is how I would describe it...Your heels may lift to get you further forward, but that's okay - you can lower when you start to rock. Feet can also splay a little when you start this - you can straigthen them over time)

Start rocking - only allow three times though - try to stand on third attempt.

Focus when rocking is on moving knees and hips FORWARD (not up, but FORWARD).

When the hands lift and you feel the weight transfer to feet, change focus to UNFURLING THE SPINE (to steal Susan's brilliant comment). When i started this, I would lift off okay but then always fall back - and that is becuase I hadn't grasped the concept of curling the upper body up and back to a standing position. It requires a lot of strength though and I always have to tell myself, "Don't give up. Follow it through".

Best of luck and please let me know if any part of this helps at all.

Thanks Kate!!! I’m rolling this information around in my head and plan to put it into action tomorrow at the park! I’ll let you know how it goes!

Restorative

Today’s practice report: I did a half-hour of restorative yoga, including the usual repertoire of poses that I do when I’m feeling like roadkill. I hate this time of month: pain, crazy-as-shit-hormones, and the rest. It wasn’t a great practice, but at least I stretched my hips and hamstrings a bit. By the afternoon, I was so miserable, I put three arnica pellets under my tongue and passed out for four hours. I’ll probably do that again tonight.

Since I can’t keep a single coherent thought in my head today, here’s a whole smattering of random stuff: gremlin/dinosaur updates, items I’ve promised to post, backbending musings:

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An update on Nitara, my persistent and ever-mobile gremlin:

A few days ago, my left hip started feeling all crampy during the first few forward bends of my practice and I knew that Nitara was once again on the move. By Thursday, she had already shifted back to her regular spot in my left psoas. On Friday morning, my neck was just mildly sore. Nitara is like the bad tenant who leaves a filthy bathroom and holes in the walls. There’s a lingering feeling of stiffness and bad energy in my left neck and upper back.

I felt a need to stretch and twist things out. In fact, when DR smoothly rotated me into that deep, deep Marichyasana C on Friday, it was *exactly* what I was craving and I felt better for the rest of the day. I was able to comfortably roll every Chakrasana on Friday, without worry or fuss. Sarvangasana was a non-event. Sirsasana felt great.

I’m so glad the neck saga is over with, though full lotus is once again ‘not-quite-comfortable’. It’s always something with my Gremlin! I hope Nitara stays more-or-less dormant for awhile. I’m weary of her antics and now I’m worried about my toe.

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The ‘dinosaur’:

Damned toe.

My ‘lady’s non-holiday’ arrived yesterday afternoon so I have at least two days off. This will be a good thing for my toe. It has been suggested that my toe might heal faster if I wasn’t wrapping it up in Bandaids, sweating profusely on it, then pounding it into the floor 50+ times every morning.

Astanga is hard on toes! This is *such* a dumb spot to get an easily avoided, silly infection! I’d kick myself if I didn’t think it would impede healing. Argh!

A few days ago, I realised that the toe was doing better without the epsom salt soaks. Keeping it moist seemed to be aggravating the infection. I’m now fairly certain that it has a *cover your eyes* fungal component. I added tea tree oil to my antibiotic mix, which I’m applying every few hours throughout the day. I’m giving this another week to heal with natural remedies. If there’s no progress, I’ll head to the regular doctor and take my chances with antibiotics.

I hope it doesn’t come to that.

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A few days ago, a reader asked me about the neti pot mix I use to clear up sinus and bronchial infections. In my 20s, I had chronic bronchitis, year after year. When I started teaching yoga in my early 30s, the bronchitis morphed into laryngitis at best, pneumonia at worst (although neither was a best case scenario: it’s hard to lead a class when you can’t talk!). This constant illness is one of the reasons I’m resistant to antibiotics.

I’ve had better luck with natural remedies: I’ve managed to stay mostly healthy over the past few years with a combination of oregano oil, ColdFX, and my neti pot, used preventatively.

I’m a big believer in the magic of the neti pot! In fact, I’m such a passionate evangelist that I actually demo the neti pot in my yoga classes. Nothing says ‘crazy’ like the yoga teacher who pours salty water through her nostrils in front of 25 sets of astonished eyes. The reactions vary but I always get one or two students who become True Believers and join my merry little cult.

I still hear from a one teenage (now adult) student who has used the neti pot to manage seasonal allergies for years - ever since I demo’ed it in a Hatha class he attended years ago. He no longer practices yoga, but he still pours water through his nose!

See? I’m leaving a legacy!

A few years ago, I started getting sinus infections fairly regularly. My neti pot helped, but didn’t heal the infections. I started researching various natural antibiotics and I developed a mixture that cleared up a particularly stubborn infection that three rounds of conventional antibiotics couldn’t touch. Several months later, I used the same mix to ward off an infection. Now, whenever I feel a cold coming on, I rinse my sinuses with salt water several times a day and use my special anti-infection recipe at least once a day.

I haven’t had a sinus infection in years!

My ‘recipe’ is simple:

In one half-cup of very warm (but not hot) water:

.25 tsp baking soda

.25 tsp sea salt (non-iodized)

.25 tsp raw apple cider vinegar

5-10 drops of GSE (grapefruit seed extract)

Mix well, pour into the neti pot and use one half-pot per nostril. Try not to clear it out of your sinuses right away (you’ll be tempted to because it’s nasty!).

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Backbending:

DR was very generous on Friday and spent significant time observing my Urdhva Dhanurasana and making adjustments and suggestions to help me eventually stand up.

I did three Urdhva Dhanurasana, pretty lame backbends, actually *cringe*. But I walked my hands in and tried to go as deep as I was capable of (I was hot and tired at that point, and a smidge disoriented, being a new place, not knowing exactly what was expected of me). On the third Urdhva Dhanurasana, DR helped me bring more weight into my legs, but I wasn’t able to stay here for long and came down.

I decided to try just one more and DR sat down in front of my legs and pulled me forward, encouraging me to press down into my heels and engage my legs fully. My quads and calves were burning! I came down when my strength literally gave out.

What I learned: I need to be stronger! If I don’t press down through my feet, my legs are not going to engage the way they need to in order for me to stand up from a backbend. I really do need to keep my heels pressed to the floor!

DR said something that made perfect sense to me: He talked about shifting the centre of gravity forward over the feet. This resonates with me because it’s the way I approach Sirsasana. I’m really not *that* strong in Sirsasana, but I can manipulate gravity like nobody’s business! That’s why the half-bend is no big deal and I can lift my legs easily into the pose.

I’m very tall (nearly six feet) and though I’m not heavy, I’m awkward - the same way a big, long mattress is awkward! I could be in wrong in this, but I think my height makes it harder for me. Shifting the centre of gravity is going to be key because there’s ‘so much of me’ to stand up!

Last night, I worked on ‘research poses’ in the evening. I’ve started back to Maehle’s Lolasana exercise because I really want to nail those jumpbacks (I’m SO close!). But I’m also working on strength and endurance in my backbends.

I set a timer and repeated Urdhva Dhanurasana with one-minute holds. In between each one, I did a modified bridge pose for one minute, working on engaging my legs actively until I felt the same ‘burn’ I was getting with DR’s adjustment. When I finished, my legs were all wet-noodle-y. This morning, my quads felt fine, but my calves were a little sore.

The cool thing is, I was getting to the point where one minute felt comfortable in Urdhva Dhanurasana and my breathing became smooth and deep. In a day or two, I want to bump up the hold time! I would love to get to the point where I feel this ease while backbending at the Shala.

Restorative

I just love Saturdays! I still tend to wake up early, but after that, it’s all lazy, lazy, lazy. I took Princess Fur for a walk in the park before the entire neighbourhood woke up and it was so peaceful.

I’ve regained full range of motion in my neck, with lingering soreness in some positions. I’ve been trying to sleep on my back to keep my neck neutral, but last night, I was actually able to sleep on my side for awhile. I think belly-sleeping is out for the time being. Don’t laugh! The Neck Book actually discusses various ways of sleeping badly and I’m the poster child for all of those positions! I’ve been sleeping that way since I was a baby - I confirmed it with my mum. I also shouldn’t sit in bed/windowseat reading because I don’t have good posture. The gremlin is stealing all my fun!

Today’s practice was restorative. I lolled around on my mat for about an hour, doing various hip/hamstring openers. I accidentally discovered that I’m VERY close to nailing full Hanumasana, so I experimented with some targeted hip opening. My hamstrings are already there, my hip flexors just need to join the party. I’ll bet if I worked this over the next couple weeks, it would be a done deal. That would be great, given that Hanumasana has been on my ‘resolutions’ list for years. It would also help my Urdhva Dhanurasana.

My teaching schedule won’t ease off entirely until July, but I’ll definitely have more spare time in the coming weeks and I’m looking forward to adding some afternoon or evening practices. Not Astanga, but Hatha with maybe a vinyasa class or two thrown in for good measure. I can do all my favourite ‘extracurriculars’! I need to pick Boodi’s brain for some ideas to improve my strength and co-ordination in jumpbacks.

I only have this abundant free time in the summer, so I need to make the most of it and deepen my practice as much as possible.

And then I can run off and join the circus! Just kidding :-) But I’m still coveting an ‘Om Gym’.

Have a nice Saturday, everyone!

Restorative

Last night was so much fun! This was the last chapter of my extended birthday celebrations. I managed to get tipsy on one just one Caesar, which is fairly typical; I’m the cheapest of drunks! We were at a student pub, but a nice one with good, inexpensive food. The place got louder and louder as the night went on. It was so great seeing my friends! I laughed until my ribs hurt. There were some priceless moments in there.

Vodka is like a truth serum with me and I was totally wearing my heart on my sleeve. I’m afraid I revealed a little too much, which will certainly be fodder for much ribbing later on! I’m bracing myself :-D

On the way home, I stopped by the drugstore for allergy meds and also picked up some more Epsom salts on sale. So there I was, 1 a.m., staggering down the street with 8 kilograms of the stuff draped off of me. I looked like a bag lady!

It was so nice to sleep in this morning! I stuck to my resolve to take it easy on myself. I took a long epsom salt bath, then lolled around on my mat in restorative yoga poses for an hour. I was all blissed out, I needed the rest! Tomorrow will be intense, with led Primary in the morning and a workshop at Shala North for most of the afternoon.

It’s been raining all day here. I’ve been camped out in my window seat, eating chocolate cookies from the Market and drinking chai, but the sun just peeked out and it’s clearing. I think I’ll walk Princess Fur to the Big Park this afternoon. I’m feeling restless and we both need to stretch our legs.

Restorative

Not a happy camper at all today - I’ve been hit with some pretty intense discomfort as a result of my Lady’s Holiday (I call it my 'monthly misery'), so I’m not feeling particularly wordy.

My practice was 90 minutes of restorative yoga, derived from Bobby Clennell’s sequences for menstruation and including specific poses for menstrual cramps. Who knew that Ardha Chandrasana could relieve pain around the uterus? Not me! And it works! The leg-to-the-side part of Supta Hasta Padangusthasana is also a good one.

For Princess Fur Friday, I'm offering a series of photos shot over the past week. Just in case any of you were wondering if the ‘golden egg’ thing was a one-off or just a passing phase. Here’s your answer.

Fur is patient. Very patient. If she sits on on that thing long enough, *something* is bound to happen!

(Don't even think about touching my egg!)

Iyengar

Aw, it’s finally snowing a bit! I’m curled up by the window with a cup of hot tea, keeping warm and watching the weather. :-)

I taught a class today, which was good for keeping my spirits up and also for getting me out of bed and back into my routine (I really need to stop sleeping in all the time, but it’s so much FUN!).

I practised in the morning, the same Iyengar restorative sequence I did yesterday. I actually raced to the mat as soon as the bed was made and the dog was fed. My nerves were so badly frayed last night, I was near tears. The yoga was instant relief. I felt wrung out afterward, but balanced and calm.

This morning, practice helped clear my head. I made a few important decisions, setting boundaries on my time and emotional energy over the next week (and beyond). I have a lot to do and I also need to set aside some time to rest before the Big Busy hits next week.

All I really want is a few hours here and there to sit and quietly read a book. I’ve penciled that into my calendar.

Iyengar

I spent a good part of the day laying around and watching documentaries on that BIG television. Good fun, but I’m a bit burned out on it now.

Still, the ‘Planet Earth’ series was stunning. The episode on ‘Shallow Waters’ was my favourite because of the reefs, marine mammals (baby whale!) and colourful and swirling schools of fish. I’m adding ‘Scuba diving on Indonesian reefs’ to my life list. What’s left of them, anyway. The documentarians were careful not to be too depressing, but there was a sobering undertone of ‘our disappearing wild spaces’ and shadows of climate change.

I’m feeling off-kilter and uncomfortable right now, due to my monthly cycle. I didn’t find my way to the yoga mat until after supper.

I did the I did the restorative sequence found in Chapter 12 of Bobby Clennell’s book. I’ve only skimmed this book, but I tried this sequence in November and was astounded by how much better I felt afterward - not just physically, but emotionally.

Once again, it was magic! My nerves were feeling jagged and the practice smoothed out my rough edges. I feel so much better. I’m going to meditate now, and try to get some sleep.

Restorative

It looks like I'm going to be pulling in some serious cat-related good Karma this week. I just picked up the key for my THIRD cat sitting gig. Amusingly, I'm now cat sitting for the neighbour who lives next door to my next door neighbour (the one who has the two cats). Since both these neighbours live on my floor, I don't need to travel far, unlike the other cat, who lives in a different building entirely...

Are you confused yet? I don't blame you. I am too.

So I created a special 'Cats' category on my Google Calendar just to manage all the departure and arrival times for the various cat owners (in order to avoid my worst nightmare: entering an apartment for a cat visit, only to find my jet-lagged neighbour getting out of the shower...egad!).

Let the purring commence!

The first few days of the week may have indeed been busy, but today absolutely trumped them. By 8 a.m., I was already up, baking cookies. On the way to my noon class, I had stop by the mall (oh, KILL ME NOW!) and even worse, the Apple Store (ARGH!!!). After class, I made the mad dash home for a very quick lunch before heading back out for two more classes.

From there, I went straight to the soup kitchen where I was not needed in the slightest; We had a GLUT of volunteers. I ended up standing around, gossiping, eating french fries and watching the newbie volunteers collide into one another in the narrow aisles between tables. I finally left because there was nothing to do (I'll be back there early tomorrow anyway).

When I finally got home, I was tense and tired and cranky, so I made some time for Restorative Yoga: Hot aromatherapy bath, 20 minutes of restorative backbending over props, and another 10 minutes on the massage balls (for my shoulders).

I'm all blissed out now.

The next few days will be so nice. I don't *need* to go anywhere. I'll be volunteering at the soup kitchen, but that's more joy than it is work. I teach one class on Boxing Day. But otherwise, it's all sloth. I have a pile of trash fiction from the library, some good books on my Kindle and some groovy new Christmas music to listen to.

And when I was at the library today, I picked up Rainbeau Mars' DVD 'Yoga for Beauty'. There are two different classes offered: Dawn and Dusk. I'm looking forward to my first Rainbeau experience and becoming VERY beautiful, since the DVD promises to “Improve circulation for an all-over glow!”, “Boost energy and vitality” and “Eliminate impurities for radiant skin!”.

Yay.

Restorative

The past few days have been absolutely wild, gyrating between tearful-awake-all-night-consumed-with-worry to pure-WOOHOO!-elation. It's almost indescribable. My days are usually very serene, with the careful unfolding of a regular routine. No fuss, no excitement.

But this week? Let's do this in point format (because, frankly, my brain is fried):

- Monday: Princess Fur has been lethargic, hesitant to eat and she hasn't been playing much. I took her in to the vet for testing and walked out $500 poorer. Ouch. After everything else was ruled out, we agreed that she needed a dental cleaning.

I spent the rest of that day telling myself that I should just 'let go' of that $500. But it's hard. I had *just* started getting back on my feet financially.

- Tuesday: My vet phoned me with the quote for Princess Fur's dental cleaning: $1300. I shit my pants. I simply don't have this kind of money (I had only $400 saved for the procedure).

I spent much of that day tearing up every time I saw a Christmas tree because I was pretty sure I would have NOTHING but a huge debt for Christmas after this was all over. I stayed up all night surfing the Internet, hoping Google might save me.

Then my Lady's Holiday hit me with power cramps and a bad headache. Wacky hormones were magnifying everything. I felt like I was falling apart.

- Wednesday: My all-night research led me to another vet in the area. After a quick chat with the receptionist (I was a tiny bit hysterical), I decided to take a chance and bring my dog in for yet *another* examination.

This vet (a kind and compassionate older gentleman) spent a half-hour talking me off the ledge and reassuring me that my dog is actually very healthy. He went through the test results (faxed from the other vet) line by line by line. He gave me a quote for the dental cleaning: under $400!

Woozy from lack of sleep, I spent the rest of that day feeling like I was in the twilight zone: exhausted, relieved and a bit suspicious that I was actually living in another dimension.

Today: Things seemed like they were finally back to normal!

The dog is booked for a cleaning on Monday. I had a solid 8 hours of sleep. I did 30 minutes of restorative yoga this morning using Teacher H's CD, but modifying one of the poses into my newly beloved Supta Baddha Konasana using a bolster to add a slight backbend, totally blissing out. I noted that there's no twinge at all in my shoulder now. I'm hoping to get back to a more rigorous practice on Friday.

My Thursday noon class is fully booked, which is great news: I'll have enough cash for my monthly subway pass purchase.

As I'm finishing up my practice, the UPS guy phones. UPS? I wasn't expecting a delivery. The packages are from Amazon.com. There's a small box and a bigger box.

I open the small one. It's a case of some sort. I'm puzzled. I open up the bigger one:

Yes, as a matter of fact, that *is* an Amazon Kindle.

I'm officially gobsmacked (to be continued...)

Restorative

Way back in October, I submitted a short personal anecdote to YogaDork for the Bobby Clennell book give-away,:

As a teenager, I lived with my bachelor single father. My dad had a broad knowledge of many topics, but there were some that alluded him - like menstruation and the purchase of an appropriate bra.

That’s where Rita came in. She was our neighbour and quickly became my friend and confidant. Every teenage girl needs a mother figure to guide her and Rita steered me right. She helped me buy the bra, explained the ins and outs of my period and helped me pick out clothing (To this day, I’ve never managed to develop her finely honed fashion sense).

After we moved away, Rita and I kept in touch. A few years ago, she let me know she was thinking of me a lot. She had cancer and there wasn’t a lot of time. She passed away last year. I’ll never forget her kindness. She was my ‘port in the storm’ during a time of great transition. I was blessed to know her.

...and I won! The Woman's Yoga Book arrived last week and just in time for my Lady's Holiday. This is a medium-sized, well-made book with the thick quality paper that I love and full colour illustrations that are hand-drawn. I love the illustrations in this book - they're just beautiful and they inspire me to try the poses. A quick scan of the chapters made me want to curl up on my futon and start reading.

This will be an especially fun read, especially given that the intricacies of my monthly cycle absolutely fascinate me. I'm interested to see how it all relates to my yoga practice.

This morning, I propped the Clennell book open on a pillow and spent 45 minutes doing most of the sequences from Chapter 12, 'During Your Period: Effortless Practice'.

I haven't even read a word of this chapter yet, but I can tell you that the restorative poses were worth the price of admission! I felt so much better afterward. My nerves have definitely been frayed lately, so it was a relief to feel the return of calm.

This has renewed my enthusiam for Supta Baddha Konasana, an old favourite!

Restorative

Once again, my practice is beginning to feel like 'Groundhog Day' but of a different flavour: the 'restorative' edition.

The good news: My shoulder is feeling better, much better. The bad news: My left Deltoid is still tender. Specifically, it cramps up if I hold my left arm out to the side, à la Virabhadrasana II. Apparently, this soreness is not unusual and it may plague me for another few days. Good times!

Since the sore deltoid triggered the old shoulder injury (I'm almost sure it was Virabhadrasana II or Parsvakonasana that did it on Wednesday), I chilled out today with restorative practice again.

I did most of Teacher H's restorative class (I have this on audio), all the way through the backbends section. Then, I used a strap to do my own signature hamstring/psoas series (my legs were feeling tight). My practice lasted an hour.

I also stretched the upper back in my noon class while teaching the Schiffmann shoulder sequence to my students.

This felt so good that I was inspired to purchase the Beginner Yoga 'Backyard' video that Karen mentioned a few months ago. It features an expanded shoulder sequence. I'll try this for my practice tomorrow. I should be ready to do some standing poses by then. I haven't viewed the entire video yet, but in the first moments, he carefully clears a few fallen leaves off of his yoga mat before sitting down. For some reason, I find this extremely endearing!

While I was snooping around on Erich's iHanuman page, I found a free talk entitled 'Why meditate?' I love this! I'm going to listen to it every time I feel a burned out in my meditation practice! I enjoy the simple, clear way Erich conveys complex ideas and they way he phrases things. The story about 'the window' is a keeper!

No backbend photo this week, but here's a photo I shot of my Downward Facing Dog recently.


This one has a story!

I took the photo out of pure curiosity because something's been bugging me. At a spring yoga conference earlier this year, a perky little YTT Trainee bounced up to me as I was leaving a workshop she had been 'observing'. With impressive arrogance, she proceeded to tell me *everything* that was wrong with my downward facing dog, the main issue seemed to be the alignment of my pelvis and back. She was very insistent: if I continued to do the pose with this alignment, I would surely injure myself.

I was nice about it. I let her know that I was an experienced teacher. I gently explained that I've been doing the pose that way for 15 years and it's *fine*. And, as a teacher, I have a pretty good sense of alignment. She gazed at me in confusion for a moment, then bounced away.

I would *love* to know whose teacher training she was in. :-D

So I curious to see if she might have a point. My back looks fine in the photo. My arms are the big stand-out. Although I do hyperextend in my elbows, that's not what's going on here (Believe it or not, I'm microbending the joint like a good girl). I just have funky arms. I do seem to sink into the armpit chest (Teacher M is always pointing that out) but I have a hard time finding the middle way between sinking and rounding up too far.

If I was as cute as Princess Fur, people might give me treats at conferences. Just sayin'!

Restorative

Is there such a thing as the Friday Blues? This is the second week in a row that I've felt 'off' on Friday. Last weekend wasn't very much fun, so maybe I'm flinching in anticipation?

Last night, I laid over the Acuball for 20 minutes, smeared some heat-rub on my left upper-back and left arm, then took muscle relaxants. That seemed to do the trick. I slept like a log and I felt a bit better in the morning.

The pain (a tight, cramping sensation) flares up on the inside edge of my left scapula when I turn my head to the left (more pronounced if I then drop my chin to my shoulder). Playing my guitar makes it worse. I didn't practise my guitar at all on Wednesday. Yesterday and today, I played and took breaks, trying not to tense my shoulder. Maybe this will break my bad habit of scrunching my left hand up when I'm trying to get the G-chord. Argh.

Anyway, I'm not taking any chances with this 'injury'. I'm doing Yin or Restorative yoga until my upper back is pain free. No Chaturanga for me. I'm in constant movement while teaching my classes, I don't need to stress my upper-back/shoulder any further with my own practice. I miss Astanga. I've been on a serious Astanga spree and life isn't the same without daily Beryl!

This morning, I practised with Teacher H's restorative yoga sequence, leaving out the part against a wall, since I no longer have a free wall to work against (the bookshelf works for Viparita Karani, though) The supported backbend was *wonderful* and I could really feel it working in my thoracic spine. I'll have to keep that one in mind for finessing my Urdhva Dhanurasana.

Teacher H was my main teacher for years and it was soothing to hear her voice. I looked up her schedule and she has one vinyasa class that doesn't directly coincide with my classes. I may stop by and visit, since the Jivamukti studio seems to be defunct.

After practice, I went back to the Acuball, then took a hot bath. I'm going to nap for an extended period this afternoon instead of working at the soup kitchen. More rest for my shoulder!

Also, I need the extra sleep because I'm going to a party tonight and I'll be out past my bedtime (I know, shocking, isn't it!?). My friend S is celebrating his birthday and he throws the *best* parties. He always invites a diverse group of really interesting, multi-faceted people; the movers-and-the-shakers, but the ones you really *want* to know. I'm shy in groups, but I always have a good time and end up in a good conversation; people aren't cliquey at these parties.