327: and i'm back

life caught up with me recently and while i have been practicing, i haven't been posting. the best practices i've had recently have been with my daughter, V. she is nearly 6 and approaches yoga very energetically. i recently gave my girls a new yoga deck which has game ideas and partner poses as well as traditional poses. one sunday, they played and play with the cards for hours.

then, while my little one napped, V and i laid out a sequence and she went through the whole practice with me.

after we finished our little practice, V showed off her fierce dragon:

now, we're going to peanut yoga with a local instructor on sundays. V loves it. we also learned peaceful gorilla at last week's class which has come in handy as my girls have gotten over excited lately. we just do peaceful gorilla for a couple breaths and start again. parenting with yoga isn't too bad.

peaceful gorilla, credit des moines parent

349: forrest with a friend

75 minutes: forrest yoga in the studio

tonight, a new friend from our new-ish neighborhood joined me for yoga tuesday. i got there *really* early, she got there right at 6pm. we didn't manage to practice next to each other, but i'm still glad to have had company.

credit: yoga outlet

last week, i felt so powerful after my practice and proud of myself. tonight, i felt tired. just really wiped out. the instructor, J,  read a poem about holding onto life with a clenched fist and choosing to let go and move forward with an open palm.

i tried to be active in my poses, but i got tired. i got into side angle pose and felt so strong and long and reached my arms into the bind and then my legs shook and my foot cramped and i had to come back out. this felt like a practice of fits and starts.

as i chatted with my girlfriend and J after class, she mentioned that she sees students who practice forrest yoga progress very differently than students who practice primarily vinyasa flow. i was laughing at myself for being so exhausted tonight and she said, well, you just don't know what you did yesterday that could have affected your practice.

ah! just now am i realizing that the fact that i was up until 11pm last night and didn't sleep well and ran a 4 hour meeting today might have effected my physical ability this evening.

have you had a moment like this? it certainly helped me this evening to share the experience with my friend, but also with the instructor. it feels good sometimes to know that progress comes in pieces and there are a million reasons why one could not be operating at 100%.

351 + 350: restful weekend

meditation, continued

credit: huffington post

you would think that with the time change and a random playdate at nana's house that more yoga practice would have fit into my day yesterday, but then there was the laundry and the dishes and some minor spring cleaning that took precedence.

since i started my 365 days of yoga, i've found that not only have i started to look forward to getting onto my mat, but i also really like making space at the end of my day to set an intention and settle in for the evening.

last night, i decided to focus on being kind. i can be sharp with my language sometimes and unthinkingly say something that can be perceived different from what i meant. i went to sleep with that on my mind and woke up with that intention for the day.

today, i have to work all day and then attend a class this evening from 6p-10p. ugh. it's an important class and it seemed like a good idea when i signed up, but i was literally asleep before 10p last night. fitting in an evening practice is not in the cards.

i read an article that highlights 3 ways meditation helps you deal with adversity. it's not to say my life is full of adversity, but the 3 points can be applied to lots of situations. the author writes:

1. mind over matter: reversing the stress response

2. eye of the hurricane: calming the emotions

3. seeing the big picture

everyday, i have moments where if i pause to take a deep, even breath, i can move forward in a calmer state of mind.

 

 

 

353 + 352: meditation and a surprisingly brief practice

353: friday night, date night. ultimately, i missed my window to practice and chose to meditate before bed. the cool thing is that i slept really well. i have a Fitbit Flex now and it's actually kind of cool to monitor when i mediate before sleep and when i don't. last night, i slept 8 hours, 25 minutes. i was up once and restless 3 times. more typically for me is being up at least once and restless between 4-16 times.

352: 20 minutes, yoga journal home practice

today got all out of order. or not really, but it felt rushed somehow. V went to dance. we came home. it was NICE out!!! we played outside. we went for a walk. N wouldn't settle down for a nap. i couldn't decide if i had 20 minutes or the hour i wished for.

ultimately, i went with a 20 minute practice from a magazine i found on the desk. i thought i would make up my own, but couldn't focus. i have found that having a guide when you're just not feeling like being creative can make or break my practice.

today, i felt like i could have practice for an hour, but with 2 kids and a husband intent on running for an hour on the first warm day of the year i made my choices. not the most satisfying practice, but better than no practice today.

355 + 354: tree pose, inside, outside, upside down

355: i'm going to be honest. i totally forgot to practice and/or meditate. i woke up late and went to bed early and it wasn't until this morning that i realized i had missed a day. while i'm not giving myself a pass, i do choose to accept the fact that establishing (or breaking) a habit takes time and attention.

354: 30 minutes - vinyasa flow

credit: google images

tonight, i really wanted to be active. i thought about choosing a restorative flow, but i kind of wanted to re-center. the class i chose (on yogaglo) focused on tree pose. standing, in down-dog, on my tummy, on my back, on my side. literally inside outside upside down.

and i fell over about 5 times. usually, i'm solid in tree pose. i find my focal point and i balance. i just couldn't find my balance this evening. but, after my practice, i could re-do the flow and probably not fall over at all. i feel more centered and i'm really glad i focused my intention in on myself and embraced my wobbly balances.

356: ostrich and arm balance

75 minutes: forrest yoga

last night, i went to the studio for yoga tuesday. the class i chose had my usual instructor, but she changed the format from being a vinyasa 1/2 class to forrest yoga.

forrest yoga was developed by ana forrest. the forrest yoga philosophy begins:

Forrest Yoga is renowned as an intensely physical and internally focused practice that emphasizes how to carry a transformative experience off the mat and into daily life.  The practice challenges students to access their whole being and to use Forrest Yoga as a path to finding and then cleansing the emotional and mental blocks that dictate and limit their lives.  Students cultivate an acute awareness of their own practice and life process, creating a unique and powerful opportunity for them to make practical life decisions based on their own experiences. 

 the intention, in my understanding, is to overcome adversity and build power through yoga. the intention for our class last night was self-acceptance. i had read an article in yoga journal earlier in the day that talked about slowing down and not using momentum through transitions, but to focus on proper form and then adjust. i kept that inside as my own intention. to move mindfully through transitions.

in this class, i found two new poses that i've never done (or have never been able to do) before.

first, ostrich. it's called ostrich because you look like you're putting your head in the sand.

credit: the joy of yoga

from warrior 2, you turn to face your open side. then, interlace the fingers behind you and being careful not to stick you butt out for balance, lean into a forward bend and let the arms pull away. the tricky part is staying balanced over your legs and not tipping forward or back. amazing.

second, an arm balance.

starting again in warrior 2, plant your hands on the open side like you would in plank pose. then, lean into the hands like pulling into plank position. on the first side, i had to stay here. but on the second side, i was able to balance on my left hand and right foot and grab my left foot with my right hand and balance for a moment or two.

my first arm balance. i am so proud of myself right now!

357: evening practice

30 minutes: evening flow

credit: women's health magazine

yesterday felt like a whirlwind. i got the kids up and to school and managed to have a super productive day at work. but, then the evening routine took over. dinner, homework and settle down all had to happen and suddenly it was 8pm.

rather than give it a miss, i searched for a 30 minute evening practice to settle myself down. i found a great class that still required effort and focus, but moved nice and slow. through my practice, i found my breath and eased into the evening. the flow included a handstand, but as that's not part of my normal practice and i didn't want to wake the girls by kicking up against a wall all by myself, i chose to sit quietly for a minute instead.

the pose above felt amazing for the giant knot in my lower back. it came near the end of the 30 minutes so my body had warmed up and my legs were nice and loose. i breathed in and stretched my back long and breathed out to sink deeper into the pose.

after i finished, i was so glad i made time for myself instead of watching random tv or just going to sleep. namaste.

358: sunday morning

30 minutes: vinyasa flow

i had high hopes of practicing for an hour this morning, but two active children, snow falling from the sky and blueberry pancakes shortened my window.

i browsed through the 30 minute practices on yogaglo and found one that looked promising. i actually really liked it. the instructor eased me into sun salutations and we did some good standing and seated poses before finishing up seated. perfect for me.

you can find them here

then, my kids fell into the room like a tornado. we pulled out the kids yoga deck and they did a couple more poses with me before i finally rolled up my mat.

i love practicing with my girls. it was a nice way to round out the morning.

360 + 359: my little home practice

360: meditation before bed

photo credit: balanced yoga

yesterday, i was in a foul mood. i had spent the entire day in the car and my cold was hanging on for dear life. i took myself upstairs at 9pm, but rather than just lay down and read, i sat and meditated for a little while. remarkably, i felt much calmer and more settled.

359: my little home practice - 25 minutes

this afternoon, i took my youngest upstairs to nap and figured i'd fit a little practice in while she slept. i wasn't sure how long i would really have since she sang to herself literally the entire time i practiced so i decided to go through a vinyasa series of my favorite poses. i also have a giant knot on one side of my lower back so i wanted to be as aligned as possible through my practice.

1. 3 sun salutations (a)
2. 2 standing forward bends
3. mountain
4. warrior 2, side angle pose (i did the bind!!), reverse warrior and triangle (first on one side, then the other)
5. wide legged forward bend
6. squat with prayer hands
7. pigeon pose
8. some seated poses i don't know the names of
9. tall seat

i feel more balanced and totally glad i didn't wait for my little one to fall asleep before i took advantage of my moment. i will say, i had a harder time focusing on my breath since i had one ear trained on listening for my girl to climb out of the bed.

361: in like a lion, out like a lamb

stupid cold.

i had such a wonderful plan to go to a drumming and yoga workshop this evening. i had signed up and paid and arranged a lift with a girlfriend to carpool together. ultimately, around 1pm when i realized i couldn't really breathe or concentrate or have any energy to spare, i cancelled.

i ate dinner. i put my kids to bed. and finally, i sat quietly by myself for a spell.

my intention this evening is to take care of myself. i took care of my kids and my husband. now, i will take some night-time cold medicine and see you in the morning.

here's hoping i'll be back to the practice in my 365 days of yoga.

362: my sphere of influence

last night, i set my alarm for 5am. when it went off this morning, i discovered that i have come down with the same sickness my husband has. it's not fun doing yoga when i can't breathe through my nose. i'm (literally) sick of this winter!

instead, i went back to bed.

i received a lovely email from a close friend yesterday who suggested focusing on the things i can control in my life as a way of dealing with the millions of things i cannot control. this evening, for my mediation, my intention will be to focus on my sphere of influence. i'll remind myself that i can be powerful and calm with the things within my realm.

i found this article on mind body green this afternoon with 10 empowering quotes for anyone who wants to be happy. i don't necessarily cleave to all 10, but some certainly serve as reminders for a way to move forward and grow.

the first one rings true for me today: you can't leave where you are until you decide where you would rather be.

363: meditation

i didn't necessarily plan to pull the meditation card out of my pocket quite so soon into my 365 days of yoga, but i live in the real world.

i've been battling a cold since friday and finally, last night, M succumbed to the awfulness that is being sick. where my cold stayed mostly in my head, he has the whole business: achy body, totally worn out and a stuffy nose to top it off.

i started my day with every intention of going to the studio tonight for a class with one of my favorite instructors. i took my clothes and mat with me all the way to cleveland and back again in hopes of being able to practice tonight. instead, i picked up N, cooked dinner and managed a double bedtime while M rested on the sofa. (it's not like i haven't spent my fair share of time there, too.)

then, i reached a crossroads. i could practice yoga or i could take a shower. and frankly, taking a shower totally won.

i'm going to finish up my little things around the house and take 20 whole minutes of quiet time to myself before i head up to bed. at this time of night, it seems the most appropriate choice. my intention is to be quiet.

it may not seem like much, but with the whirlwind that is my life sometimes, being quiet is a worthy goal.

quietly,
-s-

364: for the ladies

30 minutes: yoga for ladies

i found a 30 minute class on yogaglo designed just for women. she focused on reminding us that we're all sisters and being a warrior is not about fighting, but about listening and uniting.

it was a level 2 class and i couldn't actually do all the poses. i have a hard time straightening my legs and revolving. revolved half moon just isn't in my wheelhouse at the moment.

however, it was a really nice flow and a nice way to start my day. i'm not sleepy and feel centered and ready to begin the day. the girls are still asleep and i'm going to wake them up in a couple minutes. but, i'm hopeful we'll have a pleasant morning with minimal fussing. i'll bring calm back to them.

365 days of yoga: take a tall seat

25 minutes: nice and easy

this morning, i slept a little late and got started a little before 9am. (i have a little cold and i've taken nyquil the past two nights. i slept the sleep of a medicine induced sleep coma.)

i rolled out my mat, took a tall seat and some deep breaths, and started the de-stress practice from this month's yoga journal.

i ended in corpse pose, but rather than stay there and fall asleep (a real possibility this morning), i rolled up to take a tall seat again. i remember when i first started practicing and my instructor would say to imagine a string pulling up from the top of my head and down into the ground. today, i pulled that idea into my practice and sat a little taller. i breathed a little deeper.

it felt wonderfully grounding.

the rest of the day, i've been calmer and more centered. i have hope for my year of daily practice.

back to the mat

over the past month or so, i've been practicing rather sporadically. a sunday morning here, a yoga tuesday there. and i'm feeling it.

while i'm not doing any kind of proper challenge, i've decided to start a daily practice again beginning tomorrow morning. i found a series in the most recent yoga journal that highlights poses for stress relief (which sounds like a great way to start a week). i'll start there and just keep going this time.

rather than set a proper 30 day challenge, like the one that instigated the start of this blog, i'm going to count down from 365 and do a full year of daily yoga. it's my own little year long project. (i am also not very original in this path. while wandering through the internet, i found 365 days of yoga.)

i'm interested to see the changes in my body and in my self. i'm willing to adapt to allow for meditation on days when i don't have the energy for a full practice, but i'm hoping those days will be few. i'm hoping my energy will increase as i go forward. i'm hoping to ultimately become a stronger and calmer individual.

here we go again!

image credit: 365 days of yoga