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!

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.

back to back fitness

for yoga tuesday this week i attended our on-site zumba class with a handful of co-workers. the class lasted a very short 45 minutes. for me, i felt much less awkward than the first time i participated. i don't know if it was because i knew the moves a little better or if i just felt better generally. regardless, my arms felt sore this morning from all that pumping and punching.

from yoga journal

then, this morning, i rolled out of bed with the full intention of a good 30 or 45 minutes of practice, but instead ended up cleaning up cat puke. and then following the cat around the house as she continued to puke in various rooms. awful.

eventually, i managed to find a little cat-puke-free space and practice for about 10 minutes. i started with a couple sun salutations, then moved through warrior 2, side angle pose and triangle on each side. using vinyasa to transition, i ended with pigeon pose, seated forward bend and cobblers pose. i tried to sit quietly at the end of my practice, but i just couldn't let the thoughts move past.

stupid cat.

supported hero

30 minutes - nice and easy morning practice

yesterday morning, i started my practice in mountain to find my breath and get centered. i cycled through some sun salutations, standing and seated poses. then, instead of ending in savasana or corpse pose, i decided to sit in supported hero pose. (to add support, place a block under your sits bones. if it's too much of a stretch to sit in the full pose, this adds some height and helps if your feet tend to fall asleep.)

frankly, i was afraid i would fall asleep if i totally relaxed into corpse pose so i chose something more active to settle myself.

i found that i got lost in mindfulness, just noticing and letting thoughts pass through. i let go of my breath and just paid attention to my body. then i realized i didn't know how to get out. usually, i wiggle my fingers and my toes when i'm ready to start my day, but this time i didn't have a familiar pattern to undo my silence.

fortunately, M started shuffling stuff around in the kitchen and it provided just enough distraction outside myself that i could open my eyes. i started my day in a good place. and it was a good thing because i ended up working until after 9pm.