Practice Yoga regularly, with the wonderful, worldwide alumni of 30-in-30

It was just over a year ago that I started the 30 in 30 goal, and now I’m doing it every day, in some form or other. I love it, it centres me like nothing else and I miss it when I don’t do it.

I’ve been taking advantage of some free time over the holidays to go to a lot of classes, and every teacher tells me something new, like a gift.

I’m continually humbled and overwhelmed by how much of a novice I am, how there is so much potential in yoga that I am just on the surface of. I don’t think I’ll ever stop learning.

Thank you to Elderbear for first inviting me to the 30/30 goal, and also to Aaty and the rest of the team for continual inspiration.

It may sound over the top but this practice has really changed my life in profound ways and I am constantly grateful and overawed that I have discovered this thing.

I hope 2008 is a great year for you all .♥•.¸¸.•♥´¯`•♥.¸¸.○o

I felt energetic and inspired, so I took the Little Black Beast out to the nearby park and did a cycle of the Dance of Life and then a (somewhat mangled) sun salutation. It felt really really good and it stretched out the old back.

This morning I had an “early” appointment to get some stitches removed. There was no point in going back to sleep afterwards, so I spent 20+ minutes doing some low back focused yoga. Lots of time spent in reclining cobbler’s pose and then a few that were more active. I didn’t do the whole session, because I needed to get ready for work.

My back feels a whole lot better now!

I used the Yoga for Stress Relief (With The Dalai Lama) DVD section on:

Lower Back Tension (35 min.)
Reclining cobbler’s pose.
Wave breathing.
Reclining leg stretch.
Lying face down, crocodile & locus.

I didn’t finish the routine with:

Upper back bolster.
Quarter dog pose.
Savasana

yet ever so needed 40 minutes of yoga. i used to think an hour was dreadfully loooong. i literally would sneak a glance or two at my watch to see how far along into the session we were…today was not enough.

The 45 minute tension headache relief routine. Very restful and restorative. I woke up about 4:00 AM with a migraine coming on and took Imitrex. I still had a bit of headache when I woke up later (around 10:00), so I spent 45 minutes in slow stretches with Barbara Benares and then took a brisk walk. It still feels as if the headache is lurking, but in remission for now.

Before I went walking, I did the 20 minute routine for neck and shoulder tension … “Passive.” I enjoy the Yoga for Stress Relief (With The Dalai Lama) because it has several related routines. I’ll probably make the 45 minute routine for tension headaches my “standard.”

It was good to wake up without a headache and to feel my body stretch and relax.

(yesterday I had a lot of neck pain – I did the “active” 30 minute routine for neck/shoulder pain … I like the passive routine better.)

Today I woke up without a headache (for the first time in 14 weeks), but I could feel one coming on. So I took the migraine meds and then turned to yoga. I used a passive 20 minute routine for neck and headache. It felt really good. Then I got a chiropractic adjustment. The headache has been manageable today.

(Backstory) I had been taking a powerful anti-inflammatory for a year to control arthritis pain. Three months ago I found the right medication to actually control the arthritis, not just the joint pain. So, I discontinued that anti-inflammatory (because it was screwing with my stomach). That started headaches 24×7. It turns out I had a “rebound headache,” which can be severe (think migraine) and can only be treated by DISCONTINUING all medications to alleviate pain. Period. Not even aspirin or tylenol! Today I was functional enough to do yoga.

and did an hour of yoga.

feel as tho all is kharmically good in my world.

Today is the 6th anniversary party of the Body Lyrics Gym where I work out.

The gym is launching its website and magazine at the party followed by a brief show of various fitness forms by the gym’s instructors. Then cocktails, dancing and dinner by the poolside.

Venkat, my yoga guru also teaches silambam, a traditional South Indian martial arts form and Tai Chi. He is doing a fantastic 4 minute silambam routine twirling a 6 foot staff with fire burning at both ends.

For the yoga section, we decided this morning to choreograph a brief 3 minute flowing yoga routine. We kept it simple because we only had the morning to rehearse.

Here is a link to the rehearsal video

We borrowed quite a few ideas from Paul Grilley’s Yang Dragon sequence from his Yin Yoga DVD.

After our yoga show, comes a cardio dance routine and finally a body building show by the spotters who guide gym members at weight training.

The stage for the performances has been erected across the middle of the pool.

I am looking forward to tonight.

I plan to video tape Venkat’s silambam routine and hope to post it at youtube too.

i have finally been able to get yoga in again. it makes me a better being. i will do my best to keep it up once a week. it should be MUCH more than that. i did not realize how much i had missed it until i was back.