Day 317

Okay, I'm back. Ladies Holiday hit me like a tonne of bricks this month. I was out of commission for a full three days and needed one day extra to recover (that never happens). I hit the mat at 5:30 this morning and it felt good to stretch.

I'm still doing the short form. My Grand Plan to do a longer practice this week never materialised. Maybe this weekend...or maybe not. I have a feeling I'll get my full practice back when I leave this job.

Just three more weeks...

Day 316

I had an interesting practice today - I didn't practice at the apartment. Instead, I practised at my partner's house. I can't remember the last time I practised in a different space. It might have been on the beach during my camping trip last year.

I woke on my own at 5:30 a.m., tottered sleepily down the hall to the front room, where my old Maha mat was already unrolled. With minimal fuss, I did my practice (at that time of morning, I'm generally too sleepy to stall). I like to face east, so I found a way to do that and I found a wall to steady myself against for Utthita Hasta Padangustasana and Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana (since my balance is still wonky). The room was warm, but there's a door I can open if I need some air.

As I was finishing up, I happened to glance out the door where I could see the dog on a step, waiting for me to finish. I invited her in as I did my last few poses, then I 'took rest' while cuddling with the dog.

I'm housesitting for the next week, so I'll be practising in this yoga space for the next several days. I've never had a separate yoga space to practise in, so it should be interesting. I'm also hoping to start expanding my practise back into the full primary series. I figure this is a nice opportunity to focus on my practice, since work is slow-er.

Day 315

I rolled out of bed at 5:30 a.m. into a very enjoyable practice. Sweaty, calming, lit by a pink sky. I wasn't sure if I would actually do my practice - my life is shifting and expanding. I'm seeing someone and that someone stayed over last night. But somehow, it just felt right. So I got up, quietly unrolled my mat and did it.

And it was fine. One more puzzle piece gently settling into place in this new routine. I was worried that in my new life of 'we' and 'us' there might not be space for my yoga practice, but there is, and it feels better than ever.

This is turning out to be my best year, my best summer!

Day 314

Yesterday morning, practice simply didn't happen. When I awoke, I realised that it just wasn't practical, so I let it go.

I had a wonderful weekend with my new friend. :-) We happily spent our days awash in a happy daze of domesticity: walking the dog, talking to neighbours, preparing meals together, going out for brunch (and savouring a fabulous mushroom risotto at a sidewalk cafe in Little Italy).

We made a terrific team mowing the lawn and doing yardwork. Two people can accomplish four times as much as one - and it was so much fun because we really enjoy each other's company.

This morning, it was really and truly back to reality. I rolled out of bed onto my mat at 5:30 a.m. and did my practice. Practice is easy when it's routine - it's when it's not routine that it all falls apart.

I think I need to start forming new routines - ones that incorporate this new life I'm building. All of the (mostly positive) changes I've experienced this summer are forcing me to fit my practice into brand new contexts. The shoulder injury continues to demand that I modify my sequence. My two-month contract introduced a time-squeeze. My new relationship is pulling my energies in different directions.

I believe this change is all normal and wonderful and it's a brilliant segue into my last 50 days of the Primary Series, as I begin to explore how Ashtanga will be part of my life moving forward.

Day 313

I had an ordinary, kind of wonderful practice this morning and that's saying a lot, considering that it was 4:00 a.m. when I stepped on the mat.

I did the short form, but I added Mari B just because I miss it and I did Urdhva Dhanurasana because I sometimes feel like I'm not 'pushing my edge' enough in my practice and backbends always do that for me.

My shoulder felt just a tiny bit tender.

Yes, I know it's a moon day but I really wanted to take the weekend off, so that's what I'm going to do: no yoga until Monday. I'm ready to be a sloth!

Day 312

I've developed a fabulous skill over these busy weeks: I can roll right out of bed and onto the mat and start my practice. From stillness to buzzing activity in less than 30 seconds. And it doesn't stop for the rest of the day. Last night after a full day at my office job, I taught an evening yoga class, biked home, briefly phoned the Girlfriend and went to sleep. I got 9.5 hours of rest and I really, really needed it.

Of course, now that I'm caught up on sleep, I'm behind on everything else. I've stumbled upon a great new CR strategy: It's called "Too tired and busy to eat supper". My lunches and snacks have been very strong on the nutrition side so I can get away with this. And if I'm sleeping, I'm not mindlessly snacking. Not preparing an elaborate supper frees up time to catch up on other things. I make up for my culinary laziness on Tuesdays, when the Girlfriend comes over for supper. This week, we had sushi.



Practice this morning was the short form. I know, I know, I said I was going back to a full practice, but for now, this is what I can do. Yoga isn't the only part of my life that is being neglected. The apartment hasn't been cleaned, the laundry needs to be done, the fridge needs to be cleaned out.

I only have the energy to feel guilty about one thing at a time and today it was this blog - I've fallen behind on my entries. Rest assured, I'm still practising, albeit abbreviated and distracted and often exhausted.

Day 311

I reluctantly rolled out of bed at 5:30 and onto the mat this morning. I did the short form again and again, my shoulder is feeling sore. It still bothers me at night and first thing in the morning. Yoga does help and this morning, I laid on top of two tennis balls. It felt simultaneously horrible and terrific. I could feel the muscles along my spine twitching as they released. My poor erector muscles...I have no idea what I did to them.

I ate a healthy lunch and supper yesterday, but I wasn't hungry for either. I felt like a snake who had swallowed a mouse and was waiting for it to digest. Today, I finally got my appetite back, though I wasn't famished. The Buddha Belly is receeding. I really, really don't like feeling so swollen and I could observe the impact this has on my energy levels. This is a great inspiration to avoid the junk food. I had an opportunity to grab some yoghurt-covered almonds while I was at the store this evening and I happily passed them right by. I'm really feeling keen for my greens and other healthy fare.