I had a late hockey game last night and I nearly didn't go, but bribed myself at the last minute with a few cookies and some coffee. ;-)
I'm glad I played - it was such a fun game. I like my new team! L and I are playing together again. We're both on defence, so it's fun to have someone to chat with on the bench and we play well together. Last night, there were only 3 defence, so we were rotating through. No goalie, but one of the forwards volunteered to play in the net (with equipment). It's amazing what a difference that makes, just having a designated goalie - even if she doesn't have some of the skills. We won, 5-6. I had three strong shots on net (that were ably stopped by my friend A, who was subbing in net for that team).
My shoulder is still sore, but that's not what was really bothering me last night. I just couldn't get my skates right. First, they felt too loose, so I tightened them. Then they were too tight and I couldn't manoeuvre properly. I was carrying the puck and did an actual belly flop onto the ice, still frantically swatting at the puck with my stick. When the whistle blew, I had a good hard laugh at my own expense. The I loosened them again; Goldilox hockey.
I got home late, then had a rare spell of insomnia, probably because of the game. I didn't go to sleep until after midnight, so I slept until almost 8. I didn't do my practice until nearly lunchtime and it was a great one. My hamstrings were so open! I love practising in the afternoon for that reason - my body is so warm and pliable and I'm able to go deep into the postures.
Musical Sirsasana was very wobbly and week. I held it for 2 minutes, 32 seconds to 'Dorje-Den' by Yungchen Lhamo.
My backbends were great! I've started adding some Anusara stuff to the backbends to help build strength. For the first Urdhva Dhanurasana, I come into it as I normally do and hold for five breaths. Second, I come up for one breath and then bring one hand to a thigh for two breaths, put that hand down, then bring the other up for two breaths. Third backbend, it's the same general concept, except now I'm lifting my legs up and extending them toward the ceiling one at a time.
Of course, if I was really doing Anusara, I would be doing all of that in one backbend, with no breaks and holding it for five minutes...but, whatever. ;-)
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Day 186
Wow, I really miss yoga when I'm not doing it every day. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy the time off, particularly on the first day of my Lady's Hols. But by Day 3, I was chomping at the bit.
I was feeling relatively good for LH this month. I rested on Friday morning, taught youth classes in the afternoon. On Saturday, I got up early to do the cleaning and shopping. In the afternoon, I baked. I baked bread again this week and also a huge batch of Oatmeal Banana muffins (I froze these in single servings in plastic wrap; I pop them under the broiler in the morning and they taste fresh-baked!). I made yoghurt on Saturday night. I bought the cutest miniature souffle dishes at Honest Ed's. Each dish holds about 75g of yoghurt, which is perfect!
I also spent a fabulous hour wandering around the St. Lawrence Market eating samples of cheese, jam, olive oil (with bread), sparkling wine and flavoured tofu. You can practically make a lunch of it ! I ended up buying the best strawberry-banana jam. I've been eating it on my bread - it's so good!
Anyway, yoga: I had a rotten practice this morning, to be honest. I felt very stiff and sluggish. I woke in the early morning on Sunday with a slightly scratchy throat and my immune system has been very busy fighting it ever since. I lingered in bed for a long time this morning, feeling cranky and tired (and this after going to bed early!). The good news is that I'm feeling much better now.
Musical Sirsasana was 'Tempest' by Jesse Cook, 2 minutes, 29 seconds (and I was wobbly, but still managed to do half-bend).
I was feeling relatively good for LH this month. I rested on Friday morning, taught youth classes in the afternoon. On Saturday, I got up early to do the cleaning and shopping. In the afternoon, I baked. I baked bread again this week and also a huge batch of Oatmeal Banana muffins (I froze these in single servings in plastic wrap; I pop them under the broiler in the morning and they taste fresh-baked!). I made yoghurt on Saturday night. I bought the cutest miniature souffle dishes at Honest Ed's. Each dish holds about 75g of yoghurt, which is perfect!
I also spent a fabulous hour wandering around the St. Lawrence Market eating samples of cheese, jam, olive oil (with bread), sparkling wine and flavoured tofu. You can practically make a lunch of it ! I ended up buying the best strawberry-banana jam. I've been eating it on my bread - it's so good!
Anyway, yoga: I had a rotten practice this morning, to be honest. I felt very stiff and sluggish. I woke in the early morning on Sunday with a slightly scratchy throat and my immune system has been very busy fighting it ever since. I lingered in bed for a long time this morning, feeling cranky and tired (and this after going to bed early!). The good news is that I'm feeling much better now.
Musical Sirsasana was 'Tempest' by Jesse Cook, 2 minutes, 29 seconds (and I was wobbly, but still managed to do half-bend).
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Day 185
Moon Day was a true break for me, as I tried to rest my shoulder. In the afternoon, I tied a couple of tennis balls into a sock and laid over them (gradually rolling them down my spine) to work some of the knots out of my upper back. It was the most uncomfortable 15 minutes I've ever spent with tennis balls, but it worked like a charm and I felt better. I felt like there had been an important 'release.' I also used a heating pad for part of the day. As I taught my four Wednesday classes, I found that despite the discomfort, doing a tiny bit of yoga was actually helpful and I was feeling even better a the end of the day.
So I wasn't completely reticent when I hit the mat this morning. I wasn't sure how my shoulder would feel, but it turns out that yoga was exactly what I needed! I did a more gentle practice (didn't bind in Marichyasana D, replaced Setu Bandhasana with a bridge pose), focused on the Bandhas and breath. I could feel the heat of the practice easing the tension out of my shoulder and upper back. I laid on the tennis balls again during Savasana and felt like a new woman when I got out of the shower.
(Musical Sirsasana was 'Do It Well' by Jennifer Lopez, 3 minutes, 33 seconds - I was feeling tippy today, so did headstand near the wall in case I needed it).
I feel almost 100% better now. There's a tiny bit of residual tension in my left shoulder, but mostly it's just sore. I think I was having muscle spasms and possibly had a pinched nerve near the left shoulder blade. This is not a new problem - it's been popping up periodically for 15 years. Makes me wonder what trauma I'm holding in those muscles!
I think the trigger was a week of teaching twists followed by a rough hockey game and some unrelated personal stuff that's going on. All the ingredients for angst, borne out by my body. Ah well...
Really looking forward to practice tomorrow!
So I wasn't completely reticent when I hit the mat this morning. I wasn't sure how my shoulder would feel, but it turns out that yoga was exactly what I needed! I did a more gentle practice (didn't bind in Marichyasana D, replaced Setu Bandhasana with a bridge pose), focused on the Bandhas and breath. I could feel the heat of the practice easing the tension out of my shoulder and upper back. I laid on the tennis balls again during Savasana and felt like a new woman when I got out of the shower.
(Musical Sirsasana was 'Do It Well' by Jennifer Lopez, 3 minutes, 33 seconds - I was feeling tippy today, so did headstand near the wall in case I needed it).
I feel almost 100% better now. There's a tiny bit of residual tension in my left shoulder, but mostly it's just sore. I think I was having muscle spasms and possibly had a pinched nerve near the left shoulder blade. This is not a new problem - it's been popping up periodically for 15 years. Makes me wonder what trauma I'm holding in those muscles!
I think the trigger was a week of teaching twists followed by a rough hockey game and some unrelated personal stuff that's going on. All the ingredients for angst, borne out by my body. Ah well...
Really looking forward to practice tomorrow!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Day 184
I was up very late last night, mostly because I drank too much coffee at the pub before the game. It was great coffee and it had me bouncing off the ceiling. I probably played my best game all season, in part because I was so hyped up! ;-) We had a good game, but lost, 6-5. All of the goals for the other side were scored by the same person, which made it feel a bit like we were playing 'an individual' instead of a 'team.' So much for 'team sport.'
After I got home, I took a hot bath and read until I was sleepy, but it was after midnight before I finally fell asleep. I slept in a bit, snoozing until 6 a.m., then did some other work because I was feeling groggy and finally started my practice around 7:30 a.m. It was the best practice I've had in ages! My body felt very open, particularly my hamstrings and back. Everything flowed and felt good.
I came into my backbends really deep today. The only thing that didn't feel very solid was my balancing (ironic, as I'm teaching a sequence on balancing in my classes this week!).
Musical Sirsasana was the Arcade Fire, 'Intervention' (4 minutes, 19 seconds).
I was hit pretty hard a few times last night during the game. I play defence, so I'm often shoved around as I try to foil plays and recover the puck from the opposing team (and this team had some big players). There isn't supposed to be any body checking, but when the ref's back is turned, stuff sometimes 'happens' (as it was, the other team had two penalties, something that almost never happens in our league, which goes to show you how rough it was getting).
Anyways, I got slammed into a corner pretty hard by a snarky right winger and my left shoulder/upper back was feeling tender last night. It felt fine this morning for practice, but afterward, I had a horrible cramping sensation around my shoulderblade. I took a nap this afternoon and I'm taking it easy, and will try to rest the shoulder as I teach my final class of the day.
Tomorrow's Moon Day couldn't be better timed! It will be a good day to rest - and perhaps have a nice lie-in (I'm exhausted!).
After I got home, I took a hot bath and read until I was sleepy, but it was after midnight before I finally fell asleep. I slept in a bit, snoozing until 6 a.m., then did some other work because I was feeling groggy and finally started my practice around 7:30 a.m. It was the best practice I've had in ages! My body felt very open, particularly my hamstrings and back. Everything flowed and felt good.
I came into my backbends really deep today. The only thing that didn't feel very solid was my balancing (ironic, as I'm teaching a sequence on balancing in my classes this week!).
Musical Sirsasana was the Arcade Fire, 'Intervention' (4 minutes, 19 seconds).
I was hit pretty hard a few times last night during the game. I play defence, so I'm often shoved around as I try to foil plays and recover the puck from the opposing team (and this team had some big players). There isn't supposed to be any body checking, but when the ref's back is turned, stuff sometimes 'happens' (as it was, the other team had two penalties, something that almost never happens in our league, which goes to show you how rough it was getting).
Anyways, I got slammed into a corner pretty hard by a snarky right winger and my left shoulder/upper back was feeling tender last night. It felt fine this morning for practice, but afterward, I had a horrible cramping sensation around my shoulderblade. I took a nap this afternoon and I'm taking it easy, and will try to rest the shoulder as I teach my final class of the day.
Tomorrow's Moon Day couldn't be better timed! It will be a good day to rest - and perhaps have a nice lie-in (I'm exhausted!).
Monday, February 4, 2008
Day 183
Today is the official half-way mark for the Reluctant Ashtangi. I began doing this practice near-daily last June and I only have 182 more practices to go to reach my goal of 365 days of the Primary Series!
I woke up early and lazed around in bed like a huge lump for a half-hour before finally getting up and sweeping the floors, then hitting the mat. I had a great practice - even though I started a half-hour late, I finished on time because it took me just over an hour to complete the Primary Series. On these days that I'm able to maintain a deep, one-pointed focus on breath, I really move through those postures. It's rate, but it happens (and it's been happening more and more lately).
Musical Sirsasana was Avril Lavigne, 'Slipped Away' (3 minutes, 35 seconds).
Tonight is Finals Night at ice hockey. My team is second-to-last, so we're playing the consolation game at 9:30 (another late game - yuck!). I'm going to party with my friends at the pub early, before the game. My official plan is to drink coffee and eat only a few slices of my pizza because I don't like to skate on too full of a stomach.
I woke up early and lazed around in bed like a huge lump for a half-hour before finally getting up and sweeping the floors, then hitting the mat. I had a great practice - even though I started a half-hour late, I finished on time because it took me just over an hour to complete the Primary Series. On these days that I'm able to maintain a deep, one-pointed focus on breath, I really move through those postures. It's rate, but it happens (and it's been happening more and more lately).
Musical Sirsasana was Avril Lavigne, 'Slipped Away' (3 minutes, 35 seconds).
Tonight is Finals Night at ice hockey. My team is second-to-last, so we're playing the consolation game at 9:30 (another late game - yuck!). I'm going to party with my friends at the pub early, before the game. My official plan is to drink coffee and eat only a few slices of my pizza because I don't like to skate on too full of a stomach.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Day 182
It was nice to get back on the mat this morning after my day off. Also nice to know that the momentum I established in January is still serving me in February. I got up early and had a very good practice.
Those two handstands were on my mind all through the Mari's and wouldn't you know, they were totally anti-climatic! I was able to hop up with both legs easily, bringing my feet lightly against the wall, then straightening my legs from there. I can come up without doing that, but that seemed like the thing to do today so I just went with it. I'm feeling less anxious about the handstands now. But how will I feel tomorrow? Time will tell...
Musical Sirsasana was Rachael Yamagata, 'Meet Me By the Water', (4 minutes).
I have a confession: I don't enjoy Savasana very much. I've been guilty of skipping it. Since I've been doing Ashtanga I've been more diligent: I do it , but grudgingly. I just can't seem to relax in that pose. It's not that I'm a live wire and don't like laying around, because I do. I can happily lay in bed, doing absolutely nothing, for hours.
I decided that perhaps I need to pamper myself a bit more at the end of my practice and make Savasana 'my happy place'.
A few year ago, during Yoga Teacher Training, I worked weekends at a gallery. My employer gave me a wonderful polar fleece blanket/pillow set when I left. They're cozy - the blanket has a side that's fuzzy, fake lamb's wool. I dug these out of my blanket box and designated them my official Savasana props: blanket on top and pillow to prop my legs. I even put on the hot pink fuzzy spa socks one of my students gave me.
And I did have a better Savasana! Maybe I was just cold before, or felt too exposed (It's food for thought, in terms of my students and their needs in Savasana).
I had a spectacular day off! Doing yoga every single day in January threw my cleaning schedule off. I usually clean the apartment on Saturday mornings, wash the floors on Moon Days, and try to wash my Mysore Rug every two weeks in winter, once a week in summer. Last month, I didn't do any of these things and though I made a half-hearted effort to keep up minimal cleaning, it wasn't enough.
I didn't realise how filthy the apartment really was until yesterday. Yuck. I woke up at 4:45 a.m. (I know! I know! I woke before the alarm...), read my book for a bit, then spent three hours doing catch-up cleaning. I cleaned everything: the kitchen, the floors, scrubbed down the bathroom, dusted, cleaned up my altar. I washed my Mysore Rug. The apartment is now sparkly.
Then I baked some bread (Ahhh! Hot bread with raspberry fruit spread = heaven) and prepped a small batch of homemade yogurt. I am the soul of domesticity! And I'll be eating well this week!
Today, I went to the soup kitchen in the morning, went for a long walk in the afternoon. I stopped in at the LCBO to buy a bottle of wine and then went to Madeline's for a perfect, tiny cupcake. :-)
I love weekends!
Those two handstands were on my mind all through the Mari's and wouldn't you know, they were totally anti-climatic! I was able to hop up with both legs easily, bringing my feet lightly against the wall, then straightening my legs from there. I can come up without doing that, but that seemed like the thing to do today so I just went with it. I'm feeling less anxious about the handstands now. But how will I feel tomorrow? Time will tell...
Musical Sirsasana was Rachael Yamagata, 'Meet Me By the Water', (4 minutes).
I have a confession: I don't enjoy Savasana very much. I've been guilty of skipping it. Since I've been doing Ashtanga I've been more diligent: I do it , but grudgingly. I just can't seem to relax in that pose. It's not that I'm a live wire and don't like laying around, because I do. I can happily lay in bed, doing absolutely nothing, for hours.
I decided that perhaps I need to pamper myself a bit more at the end of my practice and make Savasana 'my happy place'.
A few year ago, during Yoga Teacher Training, I worked weekends at a gallery. My employer gave me a wonderful polar fleece blanket/pillow set when I left. They're cozy - the blanket has a side that's fuzzy, fake lamb's wool. I dug these out of my blanket box and designated them my official Savasana props: blanket on top and pillow to prop my legs. I even put on the hot pink fuzzy spa socks one of my students gave me.
And I did have a better Savasana! Maybe I was just cold before, or felt too exposed (It's food for thought, in terms of my students and their needs in Savasana).
I had a spectacular day off! Doing yoga every single day in January threw my cleaning schedule off. I usually clean the apartment on Saturday mornings, wash the floors on Moon Days, and try to wash my Mysore Rug every two weeks in winter, once a week in summer. Last month, I didn't do any of these things and though I made a half-hearted effort to keep up minimal cleaning, it wasn't enough.
I didn't realise how filthy the apartment really was until yesterday. Yuck. I woke up at 4:45 a.m. (I know! I know! I woke before the alarm...), read my book for a bit, then spent three hours doing catch-up cleaning. I cleaned everything: the kitchen, the floors, scrubbed down the bathroom, dusted, cleaned up my altar. I washed my Mysore Rug. The apartment is now sparkly.
Then I baked some bread (Ahhh! Hot bread with raspberry fruit spread = heaven) and prepped a small batch of homemade yogurt. I am the soul of domesticity! And I'll be eating well this week!
Today, I went to the soup kitchen in the morning, went for a long walk in the afternoon. I stopped in at the LCBO to buy a bottle of wine and then went to Madeline's for a perfect, tiny cupcake. :-)
I love weekends!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Day 181
I was particularly well-organised this week and managed to climb into bed just after walking in the door after teaching my evening classes both Wednesday and Thursday. I also took a two-hour nap on Thursday afternoon. As a result, I wasn't dead exhausted this morning for practice; I was feeling pretty good. This is a good way to go into the weekend.
As I came into Surya Namaskara A and the first downward dog this morning, I felt a happy sigh escape from my lips. Lately, I've really been digging the sun salutations. They're becoming my favourite part of the practice. I did the full primary. The more I do it, the less onerous it feels to me. Everything just flows.
I've been thinking about what I would like to work on in February in terms of my asana practice. Last month, it was jump-throughs and those are still coming along nicely. It's fun to have a 'project' to work on.
Yesterday, I was messing around with handstand in the afternoon and it occurred to me that I'm coming into the pose with a lot of control these days and sometimes balancing on my own (against the wall, of course). There are a few directions I could take this pose now that I'm feeling more comfortable with it.
I was thinking a lot about my 'entrance' into it. Those of you who are familiar with BBB's Power Yoga DVD may remember that Stan (the skinny guy in the front row) hops up into handstand instead of coming up one leg as a time. Teacher M was trying to get me to do this last year and it was laughable. I just kind of hopped around, got frustrated, then sat on my mat and glared at him.
I tried it again yesterday and it actually seemed do-able. The jump-throughs have given me a chance to get used to that unsettling feeling of jumping the hips over the shoulders. I tried it again and came up on the third try.
So that's my asana project this month: 'hoppin' into handstand. I do two handstands between repetitions of Navasana and this morning I 'hopped' into both of them. The second time felt really good. I find that it's easier if I imagine pushing the floor away with my hands as I 'hop' - this keeps my arms active.
As I came into Surya Namaskara A and the first downward dog this morning, I felt a happy sigh escape from my lips. Lately, I've really been digging the sun salutations. They're becoming my favourite part of the practice. I did the full primary. The more I do it, the less onerous it feels to me. Everything just flows.
I've been thinking about what I would like to work on in February in terms of my asana practice. Last month, it was jump-throughs and those are still coming along nicely. It's fun to have a 'project' to work on.
Yesterday, I was messing around with handstand in the afternoon and it occurred to me that I'm coming into the pose with a lot of control these days and sometimes balancing on my own (against the wall, of course). There are a few directions I could take this pose now that I'm feeling more comfortable with it.
I was thinking a lot about my 'entrance' into it. Those of you who are familiar with BBB's Power Yoga DVD may remember that Stan (the skinny guy in the front row) hops up into handstand instead of coming up one leg as a time. Teacher M was trying to get me to do this last year and it was laughable. I just kind of hopped around, got frustrated, then sat on my mat and glared at him.
I tried it again yesterday and it actually seemed do-able. The jump-throughs have given me a chance to get used to that unsettling feeling of jumping the hips over the shoulders. I tried it again and came up on the third try.
So that's my asana project this month: 'hoppin' into handstand. I do two handstands between repetitions of Navasana and this morning I 'hopped' into both of them. The second time felt really good. I find that it's easier if I imagine pushing the floor away with my hands as I 'hop' - this keeps my arms active.
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