I really enjoyed the restorative yoga class last night. I'm getting more used to letting go, 'inviting the pose' as the teacher puts it, rather than trying to get somewhere -- or indeed fervently wishing I was somewhere else entirely! Maintaining concentration is still really hard, but I'm more conscious of physical sensations and unnecessary tensing... Continue Reading →
Is preparation everything?
I got home from work the other day with one thing on my mind -- that I was going to be home early enough for a totally indulgent, non-rushed, much-needed yoga practice. Time to be alone, away from any responsibilities to others, time for rebuilding myself a little after fragmenting, splintering a little, under competing... Continue Reading →
Sleeping my way to enlightenment
Physical practice this week has been a bit of a bust. I accompanied Hubby to a Hot Power class at the weekend, because he wanted company. But the teacher came and asked me if I was OK during the class and again after the class because I spent so much time lying down! It made... Continue Reading →
Painful steps
When I wrote about my hamstring injury last year, I was totally self-absorbed. Of course! It was my first yoga injury and I had a lot to learn about all aspects of handling it. A voyage of discovery into working with a physio, starting to understand some anatomy (what are the hamstrings anyway?) and how muscles... Continue Reading →
Darkness in surya namaskar
I know the yogic drill. I'm supposed to be present. I'm supposed to let my body move through the sequences, breathing through any intensity, avoiding nothing. Today the choreography of movement was some exquisite torture. Each surya namaskar was a physical confrontation to my desire to retreat, to curl up and make myself small. Instead... Continue Reading →
Trust me! Trust me?
Hubby asked me the other day if I'd help him work on his Cobra (Bhujaṅgāsana). We've yet to do this, but even the request has blown me away. He has a couple nerve issues at the moment and triggers pain really easily. For this reason I'm always wary of helping him with his practice and... Continue Reading →
What my toothache is teaching me about asana
So I've had toothache for a while now, and my dentist can't quite figure it out. She's put me on antibiotics, slightly out of desperation I think. I'm naturally trying to avoid the pain so I'm eating differently at the moment. I don't mean diet-wise. More in terms of my physical actions. So I'm eating... Continue Reading →