practice yoga 4 times a week

This morning I went to a Bhakti Flow 2-3 class. My friend insisted that it was manageable because she had confused it with another class. It was way beyond my level and there were lots of things that I just couldn’t do. BUT at the beginning, the teacher said, being intermediate or advanced is not about being “bendy” its about being able to connect with your breath, because that’s what yoga is.

I’ve been working on challenging myself and pushing to or beyond my limits in my practice, so this was well… an opportunity.

The class was packed, like I was literally an inch away from my neighbors on the left and right and not more than 4-6 inches from my neighbors front and back. It was a bit too stimulating than I prefer… but I felt good that despite the obstacles I was able to focus for at least part of the practice quite well on my breath.

dragged my ass out of bed and did a nice morning practice. got me feeling engaged, awake, and envigorated. great way to start the day.

if anyone else is doing this, the current issue of yoga journal has a great article on home practice.

last night i had a great practice. i hadn’t intended to practice after top chef because it was late and the later i stay up the slimmer the chances of going to the gym before work. but i did. it was a great practice, i really was able to focus and connect to my breath and it really cleared my head.

i was thinking about Parivrutha Trikonasana again and reaching toward my higher self. this is something i definitely haven’t been doing. i’ve kinda been wallowing in my post Africa plus PMS slump. but i did it half heartedly on one side, then really kinda got it together when i went to the other side. at first i thought, in a misguided attempt to achieve balance, that i should only hold it as long as i held it lazily on the other side. but then i thought why? why should i limit myself based on past limits or failures? it was great.

i also started to come out of the pose when i thought i was about to fall. until i realized that the worst thing that could happen as a result of falling is… falling. and that by stopping before i fell i was succumbing to my emotional limits and not my actual physical limits.

i love yoga!

it seems really out of context somehow to be doing yoga here, but then somehow not… i’ve actually kept to my minimum of 4 times a week here so far :) yay me!