Yoga Journey

Solo Studio Practice

2006-02-26T13:57:00.000-05:00

I headed to the studio this morning and had a peaceful solo practice at 8 AM. I figured I might as well practice there rather than at home, since I was asked yesterday to open the studio for their 10 AM class.

No major highlights practice-wise, except for the fact that I practiced. being able to start Sunday with a full Primary Series practice is a highlight in and of itself, as far as I'm concerned. The feeling that I get as I approach closing is priceless. Maybe the fact that by then backbends are all done with and out of the way has something to do with that feeling of joy. I sometimes think that Urdva Danhurasanas were invented in the old days of India to torture people. Maybe they were used to teach a lesson to people who decided to mingle with folks from a lower caste.

The advanced 9 AM class yesterday, Saturday, was hard with long holds, but my hips and lower back felt quite opened, so no complaints there.

Practice-less Friday

2006-02-17T11:08:00.000-05:00

Plan from last night
====================
5:30 AM - Wake up + Nauli
5:35 AM - Meditate
5:50 AM - Primary Series Practice
7:30 AM - Shower + go to work
8:00 AM - Be at work

Actual
======
5:30 AM - Wake up + Nauli
5:35 AM - Meditate
5:50 AM - Go back to bed
7:30 AM - Dreaming in bed
8:00 AM - Wake up, part 2

Hey, life is too short to dwell on missing practice.
I started to feel guilty when I woke up the second time, but then I thought: There's always tomorrow.

Upavista Konasana B

2006-02-15T12:01:00.000-05:00

Had a nice solo PS practice at the studio yesterday, Tuesday, after work. It took me most of the fundamental sequence to get focused, but better late than never.

Funny how sometimes I'm more at ease in the standing sequence and not crazy about the seated part, and other times I can't wait to get the standing portion out of the way so that I can do the seated asanas. Another mystery of the mind and how it affects our moods, I guess.

Speaking of seated asanas, one of these days I'd like to do Upavista Konasana B with straight legs. Lifting both legs to meet my stretched arms is always so elusive to me unless I bend them a little. I suspect it has to do with a combination of not-so-strong bandhas and tight lower back.

Cranked my neck in Setu Bandhasana last night. That's what I get for not paying attention and placing more weight on the top of my head rather than the outside of my feet.

Not sure whether to do another solo practice tonight, it'll have to be at home though, or take the Vinyasa class at the studio. The teacher/owner is not teaching tonight as I heard that he's not feeling well, so I might just head home after work, turn off the phones and turn my living room into a shala for an hour and a half.

Feels so Good...

2006-02-11T14:08:00.000-05:00

That's exactly how I feel right now: So good.
This was not the case just over a couple of hours ago, when I decided to sleep-in and miss the 9 AM advanced class at the studio. I thought I was going to skip practicing today, as tired and achy as I was feeling, and was not very happy about it.

But just before 11 AM and after finishing some business on my laptop, I rolled my mat in my living room and just followed my breath right through the asanas of the first series. Amazing how this stuff makes one feel, a complete 180 degree turn from the pre-practice laziness and hesitation thoughts. The breath combined with the movements of this practice are just a life saver.

Now on to enjoying a cold and windy but guilt-free Saturday. True blessings...

Power Food: Tiramisu?

2006-01-29T12:41:00.000-05:00

Had an awesome solo practice this morning despite staying up late last night and swallowing a large piece of extremely delicious Tiramisu at 10:30 PM. I didn't think that I'd be able to get up early and have an energetic practice with all this food from last night, but I was wrong.

I even had a nice meditation session before practicing, which I think made it easier for me to be clear-headed and even out my breath. My energy level was high the whole time, and my breathing was particularly flowing.

Having forgotten to do a couple of my standing postures last Sunday at home, I quickly scanned all the standing postures in my head as soon as I jumped through for the seated sequence. Lo and Behold, it occured to me that I forgot to do Parsvottanasana. I immediately stood back up and did it, not wanting to miss any asanas today. I figured it's better a bit late than never.

Energy Boost

2006-01-25T12:04:00.000-05:00

After debating with myself the whole day yesterday, Tuesday, whether to practice or not, I ended up leaving work early in the afternoon for a 5 PM practice in the studio. I was feeling drained the whole day and was hoping that my Tuesady practicing partner, B, does not show up so that I can do an abbreviated P.S. practice.

There she was, though, right on time and ready to practice. So we ended up doing the whole first series, and assisted each other in drop backs before closing. The standing sequence was a bit shaky as my energy level was on the very low end, but I felt a lot more energized from the Marichy's on.

Funny how many of the asanas felt like I have not done them in a while, despite having been practicing regularly lately and with a full practice the evening before, on Monday. My hips, hams and back felt very tight too, making me dig deeper into my breath.

Despite all that stiffness and lethargy, it was great to feel energetic by the time I was done. My mind kept intervening afterwards trying to investigate the lack of progress and analyze some of my asana shortcomings, but the words "Practice and all is coming" made me relax a bit and just let go.

Harmless Red Wine

2006-01-22T11:09:00.000-05:00

Nice solo home practice this morning at 8 AM, despite the two glasses of red wine that I consumed last night at a friend's party. Consuming wine at night usually comes at a price the next morning, but not today, Thankfully.

However, I did forget to do Utkatasana (Chair) and the Virabhadrasanas (Warriors A and B) just before seated. I knew something felt weird as soon as I jumped through and sat down, but did not catch it until later when I was in the shower. Maybe that wine did have some effect after all.

It was a gorgeous day to practice, with a nice breeze and a perfect temperature. Not cold and not too warm either. Simply an awesome way to start a Sunday.

Yesterday's class, Saturday, with J at 9 AM felt very nice too, with a nice flow and cool energy around the room. My hips felt quite open, more so than they were this morning. Not that I want to complain about this morning's practice.

Vanishing Balance

2006-01-18T12:22:00.000-05:00

Finding my balance in the standing asanas was a bit on the wobbly side in my solo practice yesterday, Tuesday, in the studio. That was especially true in Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana (Standing half-lotus bind, frwrd bend) where I kept losing my balance on bringing my straight leg back to the front to go into the C version.

It must have had something to do with my less-than-desireable focus. This was my 4th solo practice in a row, and I was missing others' energy next to me. My usual Tuesday afternoon partner, B, was tied up at work and did not show up. Therefore, I'm going to the 6:30 PM class with J tonight, despite it being just a Vinyasa class. It is usually a good class, besides being packed with sweaty and heavy-breathing students. I'm not in the mood for a solo practice today.

My jump-throughs felt really floaty last night, amazingly enough, and closing postures were beautifully enjoyable. Too bad I can't say the same about the backbends which have been quite stiff as of late. I also had to do several attempts of rolling up into Supta Konasana before it finally worked, despite the fact that this had been pretty easy lately. Nothing can be taken for granted with our bodies, I guess.

I did not spend too much time analyzing the good and the bad afterwards. I just figured that as long as I get my practice in, it's all good and I'm thankful.

Living in the Moment

2006-01-14T15:04:00.000-05:00

Living in the moment is one thing that was very elusive in my practice this morning. I felt like I was constantly chasing after this concept and living in the near future instead. For some reason I could not stop thinking about and visualizing upcoming postures, dreading back bends when I was still at the Marichyasanas.

I decided to skip the 9 AM class at the studio this morning, and opted for a PS pracrice on my living room floor. I wasn't in the mood to hustle and drive, and felt that settling for a peaceful practice at home would be better. Peace-less was more like it, with all the dreading and anticipation going on in my head. I'm usually pretty decent at focusing on the breath, dristi and present posture, but my mind decided to not cooperate as much today.

Speaking of not cooperating, my right knee also comes to mind in this regard, misbehaving in many of the Janu Sirsasanas (Seated head to knee) and Marichyasanas, audibly popping and locking. Oh well, it was definitely still worth it, and had a huge smile on my face just before I got into closing. Savasana (corpse) was pure joy and felt like I really earned it.

Now on to enjoying the weekend, spending some time outside in this warm sun.

Cold Feet...Literally

2006-01-07T14:46:00.000-05:00

This morning was freezing in the studio, and my feet felt icy cold for a good 20 minutes into the 9 AM class. It was almost in the 30's outside overnight, which is not very common down here in South Florida. It took me a while before all these beautiful asanas started to feel good.

Amazingly enough, my hips felt very opened, especially in Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana (standing bound half lotus, frwrd bend). Even my left side did not give me the usual hard time and my right knee was well behaved, Thank Goodness. I'm done trying to figure my body out and predict how stiff or flexible it is going to be, which I think is a good thing. I'm much better off letting it do what it wants to do, and just going along with it. No sense fighting and coercing it into doing what I have in mind, especially with its ability to rebel and its way of saying: Payback is a ... (rhymes with witch).

J adjusted me in a very deep Marichyasana C (Seated twist, bound knee) on both sides, and my spine felt awesome afterwards. For a few seconds, and towards the beginning of the 5th breath on my left side, my spine felt like it was going to snap. That's when my breathing went into overdrive with a really deep inhale and a very loud exhale. Amazing are the things we do to our bodies.

After class, I ended up at a French bakery with a friend who was practicing next to me, enjoying some very fattening eclairs and croissants in the beautiful January sun. The subject du jour was mainly about Yoga, especially that she teaches Sivinanda in the area, and her fondness for Iyengar classes. I don't know, the thought of long holds with belts and props makes me want to just run for the hills.

Practicing in Front of Mirrors

2006-01-06T15:18:00.000-05:00

Did an early practice this morning, Friday, with B at the gym where she teaches. Morning practice is not the usual for me, but she called me last night and talked me into meeting her at her gym at 7 AM.

It felt weird not to be at the studio, especially with mirrors all over the walls. It was hard for me to focus while seeing our reflection every time I looked up or to the side. Add to that a few people coming in and out of the room to grab exercise balls or aerobics stepping platforms. A guy came in the last half hour of practice and started practicing some type of aerobic routine.

Having said all that though, it was a decent practice overall, except for backbends at the end. They were quite painful and I really felt as if my back was as hard as a plank of wood; bending was not on its agenda this morning.
The breath started out sluggish with a partially plugged nostril, but got better after the SuryaNamskaras. Nothing like breathing to make one feel better; it is truly a top form of medicine. It is very cheap too and almost always easily accessible. Gotta love this stuff. Nothing short of amazing.

Follow the breath

2006-01-02T15:15:00.000-05:00

After thinking of every excuse in the book, I suddenly found myself doing SuryA in my living room just after noon. I kept coming up with tasks to do, even started to look for some food to eat, but lo and behold all the sudden I found myself on my mat.

My body was a bit slow to react after missing yesterday and staying out late again, but just kept reminding myself to follow my breath; Let the postures follow. Amazing how it works everytime, I don't know why I'm not always mindful of it. You'd think I re-invented sliced bread when I just surender to my breath, like I've never done it before. Funny how the mind works.

Time to put this notebook away and eat some healthy chow, enjoying what's left of a beautiful sunny day.

Last practice of 2005

2005-12-31T12:16:00.000-05:00

Just finished my last Primary Series practice for this year, and as almost always the case, it's a great feeling. I struggled a bit during practice and found myself chasing after my breath a few times. My energy level was a bit low after taking 2 days off and after feeling under the weather yesterday.

Nothing really to brag home about on the asanas or bandhas fronts, I'm just happy that I got one last solo practce under my belt in 2005, in my own living room no less.

My intention is to only have one single sip of Champagne tonight at midnight while out and about with friends, and not cave in to drink any more than that. The plan is to do an 11 AM practice with my friend W over at her place. It'll be interesting to see if we can stick to this plan and usher in the new year with some first series stretching, jumping and heavy oxygen intake.

Happy new year's to all with wishes of lots of health and happiness, and a steady stream of funny and motivating blog entries from all.

A social practice !!

2005-12-27T12:35:00.000-05:00

Ended up practicing with B yesterday afternoon, Monday, at 5 PM in the studio, just the two of us. It started out great, with solid Ujayyi and bandhas, even though it took me a bit longer than usual to get warm. I normally only do 3 A's and B's, but had to do 5 each to get that blood flowing. The cold weather along with all the Christmas food/laziness must have contributed to that.

Once we got to the First Series postures, we started having all these conversations about alignment and form between postures. It was nice to share ideas about the practice with her, especially that she's a physical therapist, but it took the flow out of the practice.

It felt like we were taking a break between each asana, which can be quite bothersome for Ashtangis, since we have that old school type A working out mentality. All that left-over drive from years of running and hitting the gym is hard to shake off. We had to rush towards the end since people started coming in for the 6:30 PM Vinyasa class.

As a result of all that catch up I had to do at the end, I had to skip Sirsana (headStand) and the rest of closing. Not even time for a Savasana (Corpse). That's the price I pay for all that verbal exchange that took place.

We're supposed to practice again at 5 Pm today, hopefully with less chatter and more focus on the flow.
I also need to see how my R. knee fairs today since I popped it again yesterday in Mari D. It had been behaving nicely for the last couple of weeks, but must've pushed it a bit beyond its injured limit in yesterday's practice. Oh well! Can't let my guards down and must know when to stop pushing. Easier said than done in this case, with little warning before it pops.

Plugging Holes

2005-12-14T12:25:00.000-05:00

Sometimes my practice feels like I'm chasing after holes with only a small set of pegs. I plug one hole in one place, and another one pops up somewhere else. I feel really confident at a set of postures for a while only to feel wobbly at them from time to time.

It was not easy to hit the mat at 7:15 PM last night, Tuesday, in my living room, and was tempted several times to just go to closing and give it up. Practicing solo at home is just plain hard. I greatly admire people with daily solo home practices.

I just kept telling myself to take it one asana at a time, and low and behold, before too long I found myself knocking on the door of the closing sequence. Ahhhhh, what a sweet feeling. It reminds me of runners' high from my long-distance running days, but with a more relaxed and grounded sensation. This stuff is truly amazing.

I tried to hold my Supta Kurmasana for a few breaths longer and it helped a bit, but still needs a lot of work. Hey, what the heck, I've got the rest of my life to work on it, I guess. Whatever little improvement I realize here and there translates itself to much needed motivation over time.

Some of my favorite true and tested postures felt a bit out of place last night, which is a reminder for me not to take any posture for granted and to always go back to the basics, technique-wise. On a positive note, the breath and the bandhas were not too shabby, which tells me that I have very little, if any, to complain about.

Haunting Eyes

2005-12-13T12:46:00.000-05:00

I ended up practicing the First Series on my own in the private small room of the studio last evening, Monday, deciding to skip the 6:30 PM Vinyasa class. I was glad I did, feeling much better afterwards.

It was a weird practice in a way, where my mind and body kept going through various ups and downs. More like highs and lows, actually. My Kurmasana (Turtle: Seated arms stretched under spread legs) felt extremely tight last night, with my hams “bent out of shape”, pun intended. I saw in Kathy’s KJS blog this morning that she holds it for a count of 25 breaths, which is something I should start doing. Sounds like a recipe for loosening the hams that is worth trying.

Throughout the practice I was haunted by the eyes of those poor little cats and dogs that I saw on CNN’s Larry King’s show on Sunday night. They showed tidbits of a video smuggled out of China where they do unspeakable things to these poor pets just for their fur. It was very hard to watch. I have never before seen cats literally hugging each other out of fear. Kudos to Paul McCartney for canceling his concerts in China because of the video, which his wife is circulating in the media.

My friend W was telling me about their friend who’s a staunch pet lover, but who eats a huge steak several times a week. The word hypocrisy comes to mind in this case. Despite being a vegetarian, I’m not an advocate of other people not eating meat. To each his own. But how about doing it in moderation and in a more humane way.

Practice-wise, the plan for tonight is to shoot for a meditative solo PS practice at home, hopefully with a little less mind-agitation.

Earlier Practice

2005-12-07T13:58:00.000-05:00

Left work at around 4:30 PM yesterday, Tuesday, to meet B at the studio for a First Series practice. I have never had an early afternoon practice before. It’s usually either in the evenings after I leave work or in the mornings on the weekend. It felt strange, but really good. It was also nice to be done early and at home before 7 PM.

B was a bit weary of getting into Mari D, so I helped her with her balance a bit and she had no problem getting into it on both sides. I had to skip it, of course, due to my ongoing right knee problem. Oh well, C’est la vie; No sense fretting over it with so many other postures and transitions that I need to work on.
It’s a long list of asanas and entries/exits that I find waiting for me during each practice. And as Karen from DonutsZenMom said in one of her more recent entries: it is a lesson in anatomy. It is also a satisfying feeling to be able to come up with ways to work around injuries, seeing how far I can get into a posture before my knee pops.

I was happy to be able to pop up from Supta Konasana (Seated Balancing spread-legs, hands to big toes) again without bending my legs. This has been eluding me for a few weeks and I could not put my finger on the cause of it. I think I got into the bad habit of not spreading my legs wide enough on the way up.

Had to rush into closing after back bends since a class was about to start at 6:30. I barely had time to hold Sirsana (HeadStand) for a minute.
I’ll go back to my regular weekday practice time today and take J’s Vinyasa class, which is always challenging and fun. As an extra treat he might even be in the mood to include many of the First Series asanas. He was away last week at some retreat, so maybe he's got some new tips and techniques for us.

Kurmasana: Beagle style

2005-12-01T12:45:00.000-05:00

Solo Practice

2005-11-29T12:27:00.000-05:00

I skipped the Monday night Vinyasa class last night in the studio and sneaked into the small room in the back where private sessions are held. I was concerned about being a bit disrespectful to G for practicing on my own in the back room rather than take her class, but I was really craving a First Series practice.

I had a good practice, especially 20 minutes into it after my mind settled down a bit. That little room got so hot so quick, that I had to open the door for some ventilation. It initially felt weird to practice on my own while a class was going on in the main room, but made peace with it as I got deeper into my breath. It’s really all about the breath; No doubt.

My right knee locked on me a couple of times while doing Janu Sirsasana A and B (Seated one-leg head to knee). It was a bit painful too, so I had to take it easy on Mari B, skipping Mari D and Garbha Pindasana. It looks like I’ll have to get it looked at by an orthopedic doc soon, as it seems to be getting progressively worse. Locking is definitely not a good sign, as I’ve been told.

Bujha Pidasana and the Tittibasana transition have been problematic as of late, but it’s just mechanics that I need to work on and fine tune. It’s all small stuff when compared to major injuries, so I’m not really complaining. I have to keep selling myself on the idea that it’s part of the process, regardless of how long the journey is.

I’m shooting for another solo practice tonight, this time at home in my living room. I’ll have to test my will power by not turning on the TV and silencing the phones. Tomorrow evening I’m supposed to practice with my friend W at her 10th floor ocean apartment, which should be a great one.

Cold morning

2005-11-25T12:42:00.000-05:00

The alarm going off at 5:45 AM this morning was not a welcome sound, with all the food that I consumed last night and as nippy as it was outside. It was so tempting to just get back to my warm bed and pick up where I left off in the dream that I was in the middle of.

I got to the studio just after 6:30 AM to find a couple there in addition to B, who I was supposed to practice with her alone. It felt good to have 2 additional people practicing, adding to the energy of the place and time.

I found out after practice that the practicing couple is heading for an extended trip to Thailand for Ashtanga and leisure, and that they have practiced in Kovalam, Thailand and Crete before. More motivation for me to start seriously planning an Ashtanga trip abroad. Thailand and Greece are definitely high on the list. Mysore and Kovalam are up there too, needless to say.

They both had a nice practice, with the girl having a really nice Second Series routine. Cool stuff to briefly watch in between asanas, and makes me want to do many of these postures. Then reality sets in when I'm breathing and tackling the next asana of the First Series that comes up. At times it feels like taking a break from work to watch something entertaining and then reminding yourself that it is time to roll up your sleeves and finish the job at hand.

Practice was pretty good, and I managed to stay focused most of the time. My right knee was acting up in the half padmas, but it'd be unreasonable to expect otherwise. Bandha control was decent but surely not the best I've ever had.
Considering all the tasty food that I consumed yesterday, despite being vegetarian, I'm quiet happy with the level of flexibility and focus that I had early this morning. A second day of Thanks giving is in order.

Practicing with Dominic

2005-11-21T11:26:00.000-05:00

Took Dominic Corigliano’s Vinyasa flow on Saturday at 9 AM and his Mysore class yesterday morning, Sunday, at 8 AM. He’s a very cool guy, with lots of wisdom and gentle adjustments.

His Vinyasa class had a good mix of postures, with a good amount of core work for the bandhas. He did many of the postures with us despite having done a First Series practice before we got there.

He said many interesting things while he had us in the postures, mostly about quieting the mind and being more meditative. He’s not too big on thinking too much while being in postures just so that our asanas look perfect, which was music to my ears.
On the other hand, he was very complimentary about Mr Iyengar and his teachings, not to mention the great things he said about SKPJ.

A great Mysore practice was in store for us yesterday morning at 8 AM, with awesome adjustments. He’s firm but also gentle, being careful not to cause any injury. He also keeps the student very mindful of the breath.

He did not stop me at Marichyasana D, despite the fact that I could not do it due to my injured knee. He had me attempt it while adjusting me until the pain started to creep up.

I was a bit disappointed that only 5 of us were in class, as accomplished an Ashtangi and teacher as he is. This is a reflection on this market where Ashtanga is not very popular, to say it mildly. What a darn shame.
One girl, M, drove all the way from Miami Beach, which is a 50 mile trip, just to practice with him. She had a very nice practice too, with bendy dropbacks. Kudos to her for her dedication.

Speaking of dedication, my special friend W who turned 61 last month was there, despite not knowing the whole sequence. She did awesome with many of her textbook-looking postures. A well deserved brunch on the beach afterwards with her and friends made for a great Sunday, a day that made me think more seriously about letting go of some fears about making a trip to Mysore.

Loud Right Knee Pop

2005-11-17T11:49:00.000-05:00

I aggravated my right knee again last night, Wednesday, while in a deep adjustment in Baddha Konasana. Most people in the class heard it, as loud as it was, but I have to say that it sounded worse than it really is and the pain is minimal this morning, with just a little swelling. I've managed to pop this knee several times since I first injured it almost a year ago to the point where I 'm so used to it by now. I'm trying not to get too frustrated about it, but it is definitely setting me back in my padma progress. Oh well; I wonder what the silver lining is in this case. There has to be one, hopefully.

I'm going to rest it today and tomorrow, and hopefully be in a better form for Saturday and Sunday mornings with Dominic Corigliano. He's doing a led improv class on Saturday at 9 Am and a Mysore practice on Sunday at 8 AM. A few of us are very excited about that, and grateful that he rescheduled his trip after canceling in October due to Hurricane Wilma.

I almost skipped class last night due to feeling a bit under the weather, but glad that I ended up going. I was also fatigued from staying up till 1 AM the night before.
All the breathing, sweating and stretching that we did in class made me feel much better afterwards. A good night's sleep did not hurt either.

David Swenson at OMEGA

2005-11-14T10:24:00.000-05:00

David Swenson was his usual funny self yesterday afternoon at the Miami Beach Omega Yoga conference, giving a quick but really awesome introduction to Second Series. There were around 80 students in the cold hotel conference room, eagerly looking for hints and scraps of info on some of the second series asanas.

He started out with an abbreviated standing sequence up to Parsvottanasana (Standing Frwrd fold, hands in Namaste behind back), and did up to Tiriang Mukha Eka Pada Paschimottanasana (Seated Frwrd bend, one leg folded to side). He then had us do the first few postures of Second, up to Eka Pada Sirsana (Seated Leg-behind-neck, frwrd fold).

He then proceeded to demo the remaining postures really fast, up on a high and tiny stage no less, pretending to be telling a story about animals. It was really cool to watch him go through all these hard asanas really quick, as if watching his tape in fast forward. A nice way to make light of these very intimidating asanas.

We then did some of the postures with a partner, such as Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm stand), Mayurasana (Peacock) and Nakrasana. Lots of clapping at the end of an informative and entertaining session that was well worth the admission price.

I saw him the day before practicing in one of Shiva Rea’s funky Vinyasa classes with a big smile on his face. Maybe he was so happy that he chose Ashtanga a while back and stuck with it. On a side note, the girl in the dancer’s posture on the ‘Be Present’ pants web page was one of Rea’s assistants; her asanas looked awesome and had a ton of energy.

Also took Gary Kraftsow in the morning for an inversion and Bandhas session, which turned out to be mostly a lecture and Q&A session. The man knows a lot about Pranayama and asanas, but implicitly sounded like he was not a big fan of neither SKPJ nor BKS Iyengar. The last five minutes he had us go up in headstand and working on bandhas and pranayama while in it.

The conference is quite a commercialized yoga event, but fun and entertaining nonetheless with a very pleasant energy.

Back on the mat

2005-11-01T11:53:00.000-05:00

Felt so good last night, Monday, to roll down my mat in my living room and practice. I was a little tired, but just focused on my breath and bandhas instead of forcing my way into each posture. I did most of the Primary Series, minus a few of the padma-intensive seated asanas, such as Marichyasana D, since my right knee was acting up.

Stop lights are still down all over the area, making my 20-minute commute back from work last an hour and a half. Every light is now a stop sign, backing up traffic for miles on end. But hey, lines at the gas stations have nearly disappeared and electricity is back, so I can't complain. It felt weird to be back at work after a whole week off scavenging for food and gas and cleaning up all the debris.

I actually managed to practice First Series twice at home last week, and had a strong Vinyasa class on Saturday in the studio. It felt bizarre to be without power for a whole week, but sleeping was so much deeper not having lights, TV or Computers. The stars were so bright at night, reminding me of camping trips of long ago. I ended up reading the wonderful little book Siddharta by Herman Hesse, which my friend H loaned me.

My will power was in such a pathetic mode last night that I was hoping on the way back from work that cable is not restored yet. I figured if cable is back on, I'd probably end up firing up my computer and catching up on some TV time. Luckily it was still out, so I had a wonderful practice instead. I felt very blessed while in Savasana (Corpse) after the closing asanas, appreciating being able to practice and life starting to get back to normal.

Mysore practice w/ Dominic...AwRrrrighttt

2005-10-21T11:59:00.000-04:00

Found out after Wednesday night's class that Dominic Corigliano will be in the studio on Saturday and Sunday, Nov 5th and 6th, from 8 - 10 AM. Actually he was only supposed to do a Sat morning practice, but I talked J into adding Sunday morning too to take advantage of his stay. I'm very thankful to J for being so accomodating.

Saturday might end up being a led Primary Series class instead of Mysore, depending on the crowd. Either way, we're in for a rare treat down here in the land of Sunshine and Hurricanes.

J, the owner of the studio and a very accomplished Yogi and teacher, studied with Dominic a while back and is still good friends with him. What an opportunity to practice 2 days back to back with a certified Ashtanga teacher who has an awesome reputation.

Life is Goooooood.

Not too shabby for a Lazy Saturday

2005-10-15T13:58:00.000-04:00

Woke up early this morning feeling refreshed after a good night's sleep, but I decided to stay home and take care of some work on my laptop instead of driving to the studio for the 9 AM class. The rain outside made it a good morning to stay home rather than rush out the door.

After catching up on the news and Ashtanga blogs, I took care of some work and started to feel quite energized. The nap that I took yesterday after work must have helped too. So I decided to roll the mat down in my living room and do a midday practice. I did the First Series up to Supta Kurmasana, or an attempy of it (meaning that I was close to touching my fingers but no cigars), and then took care of closing. I unfortnately popped my right knee again in MarichyAsana B, so I had to skip MarichyAsana D.

The practice felt good, with decent breathing and bandha control, which meant that Jump-backs and jump-throughs did not feel too bad at all. My right knee and tight left hip took away from a great home practice, but I promised myself not to dwell on it, but rather be thankful that I can stretch, jump and get high on Oxygen for an hour plus in my own place. Besides, the weekend is here and it is time for some well deserved R and R after a pretty hectic week at work.

Left Hip: not so hip this week

2005-10-14T12:04:00.000-04:00

Haven't been able to bind on my left side at all this week and my left hip feels painfully tight.
Any asana involving a half lotus on my left side was a no-show this whole week. It is as if my left hip socket became square-shaped as the week went on.

I took Tuesday off from practicing just to chill and kick back, but practiced every day of the week so far. I couldn't even touch my left fingers to my left big toe in Ardha Baddha padmottanasana (Standing half-lotus frwrd bend) last night to save my life. My right side was nice and opened, but the other side was just not in a mood to cooperate.

Time to research some seated hip-opening postures and work on them while sitting hours on end at work, staring endlessly at the monitor. That desk-chair combination is seriously interfering with my asana progress. Man, like I need more reasons to slow my progress down.

Peaceful Sunday Practice

2005-10-10T10:53:00.000-04:00

Went to the studio yesterday afternoon, Sunday, and practiced the first Series with H. It was nice and quiet, just me and her, practicing to the sounds of our breath, the rain and thunder outside. It felt awesome. The rain makes it easier to be indoors practicing.

She really amazed me with how much she has improved. She went up to NY for a couple of weeks last month and practiced Mysore while up there, and the improvement is very obvious. It must be really nice to live in a city where Mysore style Ashtanga is available. For you folks who practice Mysore regularly: Don't take it for granted.

I did live in both NY and SF a few years ago, but I was still a runner back then, and the only Yoga that I did once in a while was Bikram. Maybe it's time to relocate to a Mysore-available city. The thought of moving again makes me cringe, though.

A new led Primary Series class might be offered on Thursdays in this area, but it's still not nearly as effective for me as Mysore style. It is too fast to work on the tough postures. It should be better than just doing Vinyasa style all the time, though.

Saturday's 9 AM class was a good one too, setting the stage for a nice and relaxed weekend. Starting the weekend with a vigorous yoga practice is rarely a bad thing, and usually gets it off to a good start.

Perfect Yoga Evening

2005-10-06T10:24:00.000-04:00

Had a great practice last night (Wednesday) in J's class, with an awesome flow and a bunch of asanas from first series. He even told me after class that he threw in many of these postures for me, for which I am very grateful.

Had great fun after class hanging out with a bunch of great people, catching up on the latest happenings and sharing a few laughs. Great practice followed by a good time with friends; What more can one ask for?

My hips were a bit tight, feeling tightness in my knees while in Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana (Standing half lotus frwrd bend). Sitting behing a desk at work for 8 - 10 hours a day does not help in this regard, I'm sure. It'd be nice to take a daily midday break at work to stretch my hips and hams for a few minutes; Not very likely with as little privacy as I have around the office. Besides, they already think that I'm a bit of a freak for being a Vegetarian and into Yoga. Hey... What the heck! Life is too short for us not follow our instincts.

I had one of my best jump-backs ever, with my hips lifting up high off the floor. I assume having lots of energy last night had something to do with it. My bandhas were in top form too, feeling them while breathing.

He had us lift up in Urdva Danurasana (Upward wheel backbend) while squeezing a block with the knees. We've done this a couple of times before and as much as I dislike it, I can definitely appreciate its benefit in helping me keep my knees close and hips aligned. Some body told me once that the asanas we dislike the most are the ones we need most, which I do agree with, for the most part.

Now if only I can find half the energy from last night and apply it here at work, which I'm going to need in 10 minutes for my status meeting.

Attachment and chatter

2005-10-05T12:46:00.000-04:00

Lots of chatter was going on in yesterday's (Tuesday) class. We had a teacher who subbed at the studio for the first time since the Tuesday night teacher is off for the holidays.

The pace was extremely slow at the beginning, with very long holds in the SuryaNamaskaras. Lots of verbal instruction and talking was also taking place, which was driving me crazy. It's awesome when teachers don't overdo the talking in led classes, but enough to make me want to get up and leave when they talk non-stop. Patience is in short supplies at times with me, and I need to do more counting to 10... Or 20... Or even a 100, before reacting.

Needless to say, my ego was acting up in a major way the first half hour. I was constantly questioning in my mind why she's having us do an asana this way and not the other way. "How dare she change this and that?" Like I know it all. The good ol' ego was also offended for not sweating and working hard enough. I kept telling myself to just let go and flow with it, constantly fighting the chatter box in my mind. Man, amazing how the ego makes life so much harder than it has to be. It so much needless hard work.

The class got better as we went along, but still would not be a class that I would take in the future. It was a good reminder of my state of stubborness and attachment, though, keeping me mindful of things that I need to work on and that this practice ain't all about the physical.

Practice should be better tonight, hopefully with lots of asanas from first series. That would be a really good treat.

Lack of Sleep's Delayed Effect

2005-10-02T11:34:00.000-04:00

It seems that at times the lack of sleep does not catch up to me right away, but takes a couple of weeks to go in effect. I woke up very tired yesterday morning, Saturday, and felt it in the 9 AM class. My strength was not in top form and my breathing was a bit choppy. I can only think that it is due to a couple of weekends ago when I was staying up really late.

Managed to give it my all though, focusing the whole time on breathing and bandhas, while trying to relax into each posture. 'Trying' is a key word here, of course. I also made sure not to get distracted by the multitude of unfamiliar faces next to me, which made me uneasy at first, since many of the familiar faces were not there. Funny how I have all these attachments that go along with my practice: friends, mat location, teacher preference, ...

Jump-backs and jump-throughs were not the best I've ever done, with the lack of energy and labored breathing interfering with my lifts. A good example was lifting in Chakorasana after doing Eka Pada Sirsasana (One foot behind neck) where my foot kept slipping off from behind the neck.
Surprisingly, lack of strength played a minor role in transitioning to Bakasana (Knees to armpits arm balance) from Mukha Hasta Sirsasana (hands away from head, Headstand), and felt controlled for the most part.

My left hip felt very tight in the half padma postures, especially in Bharadvajasana where a bind on the left side refused to materialize itself. My ego was trying hard to interfere so that I muscle my way into it, but somehow reason prevailed fearing that I would tear my left knee, like I tore my right one last year.

I love this practice that we call Yoga, which goes way beyond the physical everytime I lay my mat down and start moving while consciously breathing. Beautiful stuff, no doubt.

Desk Yoga: Silence

2005-09-30T09:37:00.000-04:00

The various distractions at work don't seem to stop from streaming in.
Nothing like having a boss who asks "How high?" when the client/user says "jump". I was starting to get upset this morning when he was giving me all these new issues (some are non-issues) to fix, in addition to the other tasks we're trying to finish up. I tried hard instead to be mindful of my breathing, gratitude (since things could be much worse) and all that good stuff that comes with practicing Yoga. The first two limbs, Yama and NiYama, came in quite handy.

I also thought of a beautiful quote from Rumi that I once saw on a box of green tea bags, of all places:
"A Great Silence overcomes me,and I wonder why I ever thought to use language."

Putting things in perspective, things aren't that bad, especially that the weekend is here. Silence is going to be my Modus Operandi for today; at least while at work.

As far as practice, had a very streneous and flowing one on Wednesday eve. It was more Power than Ashtanga, though, but still felt good.

Post-practice meditation

2005-09-28T10:55:00.000-04:00

After last night, Tuesday,'s class M had us do a meditation following Savasana (corpse). It was one that is practiced by someone with the name Saraswati, where the eyes are half-closed and the dristi is the tip of the nose. We only did it for a few minutes, but felt really good afterwards. I also tried it this morning before my Nauli, and it was quite calming. I keep closing my eyes habitually, but I can see how it can eventually work well if I keep them half-opened.

Class was good last night; unusually streneous for that time slot. It is more Jivamukti style than anything, and not too big on jump backs and Vinyasas, but flowing nonetheless. My Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana (Standing half lotus frwrd bend) felt good, with the usual tightness in my left hip and knee.

Following Eka Pada Sirsasana (One leg behind neck), or a rather attempt of it, She had us do AstaVakrasana, which I love to do, and which is so much easier when I kick my legs to the left. Kicking to the right is much harder for me to do. It must have something to do with my tight left hip.
Towards closing, we also dropped backwards from Sirsasana (Headstnad) into Urdvha Danurasana (Upward Bow Backbend); Very scary with my tight back, feeling like my neck is going to snap.

Class with J tonight, which is almost always great, with lots of energy and deep asanas. I need to stay mindful of my breathing throughout the day at work, loading up on energy.

The value of rest

2005-09-25T15:14:00.000-04:00

Taking both Thursday and Friday off did wonders for my mind/body this weekend, ending up having a great practice yesterday morning, Saturday, at 9 AM. The class was fast and flowing, with a bunch of advanced asanas.

My balanace felt much better in Utthita Hasta Padanagusthasana (Standing one leg hand to big toe) , with more focus and steadiness. My breathing and bandhas felt solid too, being mindful of both most of the time.

We ended up going up into Mukha Hasta Sirsasana (hands-away-from-head headstand) several times, and transitioning to Bakasana and others. Even my Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm stand) felt good, holding it on my own for a few seconds. Not there yet, but if I practice it regularly I should be more stable in it, with longer holds.

He had us take our feet behind the head after Supta Padangusthasana(Laying down one-legged hand to big toe), and I was able to do that as long as I kept my hand on my foot. I cannot go into hands in Namaste (prayer) while in it, yet. I can see how this posture can be very peaceful and grounding once I'm able to fully get into it.

Stayed around the studio afterwards and chatted with some awesome people in the nice cool ocean breeze, such as W and T. W is a very special lady and is a true lifelong friend; I 'm fortunate to have her as a friend. What could be better than having a great practice with great folks.

Lack of Dharana ==> Little Balance

2005-09-22T13:38:00.000-04:00

Had a good practice last night, Wednesday, with the teacher J setting a fast pace right off the bat. Lots of long Utkatasanas (squat, pelvis in and arms up) and Virabhadrasanas (Warrior I, II and III) thrown in with the SuryaNamaskaras (Sun Salutations), opening up the hips and chest.

I'm still feeling wobbly in the balancing postures, and have been for the last 2 weeks when I got sick. I just feel like my supporting leg is not very strong as soon as I lift the other leg in Utthita Hasta Padanghustasana (Standing one-leg up, hand to big toe). It even gets worse as soon as I move my dristi to the side in the parsva or B version. My concentration then becomes worse as I'm anticipating the loss of balance.
Needless to say, my ego does not help either, since I'm thinking that other practitioners are going to be affected by my lack of balance and create a domino effect.

This is where being mindful of Pratyahara and Dharana (4th and 5th limbs) makes a huge difference in the practice, focusing on the bandhas and breath instead of thinking of how others are doing.
One of these days I'd love to get to a point where I'm fully consumed in my practice, as if I'm all alone with no distractions. The good thing is that I do manage to go back to my breath and dristi when my train of thoughts start wandering, but I need to be more mindful of that. It's all part of the process, I guess. I like how David Swenson says that we should think in terms of decades when it comes to our practice, and not merely weeks or months.

Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana (Standing, half lotus bind, frwrd fold) felt awesome on my right side, except for when it came time to come up and lost my balance.
Upavista Konasana (Seated spread-legs frwrd fold) felt quite decent last night, so did many of the other floor asanas. My backbends felt deep too, with both my chest and back opening up.
Overall, it was a great practice and I'm very thankful that I'm able to make it a regular part of my life, with or without balance sometimes.

All asana'ed out

2005-09-17T15:38:00.000-04:00

Went to the 9 AM advanced class with J this Saturday morning, being a bit hesitant before leaving my place, having done the 2 hour practice to benefit hurrican Katrina's victims last night.

After one hour of lunges, reaches and twists, I was feeling drained. I had to really focus on my breath to stay with it the remaining half hour. My standing balance was decent, and so was my Mukha Hasta Sirsasana - transition to Bakasana - back into Mukha Hasta Sirsasana, surprisingly. I'm glad we only did one of these babies and not the usual 3 or 4 that he normally gets us into.

My backbends were pretty painful towards the end of class, with very little energy left. On a great note, the breeze outside the studio was beautifully nice and cool after class this morning, hopefully a sign of an early fall down here in humid South Florida.

Last night, Friday's practice to benefit the Katrina victims was fun, and even tougher than I thought it would be. Four teachers took turns for half an hour each, getting us into some fast paced asanas. The toughest segment was one taught by an Anna Forest disciple, doing lots of core and hip opening stuff. It was tough but good. My arms and shoulders were quite sore this morning, mostly due to a very long dolphin hold in preparation for Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm stand).

One of the segments was mostly seated asanas from first series with a Bharadvajasana thrown in, which is one of my favorite asanas from second series. Thankfully, my right knee held up nicely last night in the ardha padma postures; I need to stay vigilant in these postures and make sure to keep my ankle flexed as I get into them.

Great Yoga article

2005-09-16T11:03:00.000-04:00

I just read this awesome article about how yoga practice is all about being steady and not rushed, with movement control. The gentleman in the article is 80 years old and seems to be a heck of a wise yogi.

The article was posted on this great site: http://souljerky.com/ganapa-tea/, which is well known in the Ashtanga community. Many Thank you's for posting it.

The link to the article is:
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050823/LIVING02/508230301/1026

Keeping at it

2005-09-15T10:43:00.000-04:00

Finally had a decent practice lat night, Wednesday, after struggling in both Monday's and Tuesday's classes. Tuesday was especially bad; I was extremely tired and achy. This is two weeks in a row of feeling exhausted and I Hope that I'm getting this bug out of my system. Green Tea and Emergen-C have been helpful, I think.

Last night's practice had a nice flow to it, but it was a classic power yoga rather than a mixture of Ashtanga asanas. It was made up of mainly basic postures and none of the fancy second and third series stuff, but was invigorating. I was sweating profusely.

My balance was a bit shaky in Utthita Hasta Padanghustasana (Standing one-legged hand to big toe), especially in the twisting variation of it.

My Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana (Standing half-lotus bend, bind arm) felt really good, especially on my right side, and opened up my right hip for Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana (seated version, which I think is much harder than the standing one). I could not bind on my left side, and I did not really push it.

Not many twisting asanas, but lots of Utkatasanas (squat, arms up) at the start of the class and Purvottanasanas (Lift on hands and feet, body facing up) during seated potures, which got a bit exhausting, but in a good way. He also made us do a long and deep Paschimottanasana (Seated forward bend), which is such a basic and necessary asana for me, that I feel cheated if a teacher skips it at times.

A nice set of Supta Padanghustasana (laying down, one-legged hand to big toe) paved the way for nice backbends and closing postures.

Jump-backs and jump-throughs felt heavy, and I didn't frankly care. I'm just happy that I can be on my mat practicing despite my body going through a down cycle. I guess we need days such as these at times so that we can appreciate the good and superb ones.

A 2 hour class is offered tomorrow to benefit the Katrina victims, and I'm hoping that I'm feeling well enough to go to it. It should be fun with a bunch of teachers walking around and adjusting us.

A great way to start the weekend

2005-09-11T09:39:00.000-04:00

Great class yesterday morning, Saturday, at 9 AM. J said right off the bat that he was in a moving mood, meaning that he wanted us to move at a fairly fast pace.

I was still a little tired, but definitely felt much better than the beginning of the week. I was very happy to be there with a bunch of dedicated practitioners. The yogini next to me had this interesting tattoo around her waist of the names of all the dogs that she had owned, written in small Thai letters. Very cool stuff and nicely done.

My standing balances are still on the wobbly side, but better than Tuesday and Wednesday. He adjusted me in Ardha Badda Padmottanasana (Standing half lotus, arm bind) on my left side, helping open up my hip some more. My left hip is extremely tight and needs lots of work. My right side felt great and open, without much pressure on my knee.

My Vasisthasana left a lot to be desired with my tight hips, after which we got into Bakasana (Crow: Arm balance, knees to arm pits) from Muka Hasta Sirsasana A (Headstand: hands separate, away from head). I seemed to have gotten the hang of it a couple of weeks ago, but not yesterday. I did not feel strong lifting my head up and then getting back up into headstand. The transition requires a lot of bandha control, a mind/body feature that was not readily at my disposal yesterday.

He also had us try transitioning into Eka Pada Bakasana A and Koundinyasana, with not much luck. Open hips are definitely a prerequisite in Koundinyasana.

In seated asanas, Ardha Badda Padma Paschimottanasana (Seated half lotus, arm bind) felt OK on my right side, but needed his helping hand on my left side. Bharadvajasana felt really good, especially on my right side. I love this posture for some reason.

I was happy when the class was over, as I was feeling very drained at the end. I was also very grateful that I am able to practice yoga, on a regular basis no less, and that I have a place that I can go back to after class and take a shower and kick my feet up. It's amazing how life can turn on a dime, where we can potentially lose it all, even the small things that we take for granted. Watching the news these days is a constant reminder of all the blessings that I have in my life.

Minimum daily practice: How mini?

2005-09-09T12:43:00.000-04:00

I was very tired after I got home from work last night, Thursday, but thought I should do something to get my blood going. David Williams' advice on a minimum practice came to mind. I started out with 3 A's and 3 B's, as he advises, which loosened me up a bit, but did not feel like adhering to the fundamental standing sequence.

I played around with some asanas after a few of the standing balancing ones, and also did AstaVakrasana (Arm balance, straight legs to side) from 3rd series, since I haven't done it in a while. Surprisingly, it felt good and I was able to get into it without any problems.

I also did Marichyasana B (Seated knee-up, half-lotus wrap and bind) just to loosen up my right knee, which I am still nursing and I keep aggravating when i get overzealous sometimes. I lost my wrist bind in this one, and only managed to hook my fingers instead. The fear of popping my knee again was more terrifying than the nagging knee pain.

I wrapped up my mini practice 30 minutes later, after doing one Urdvha Danurasana (back bend), Sarvangasana (ShoulderStand), Halasana(Plow: laying down, legs over head), Urdva Padmasana (actually half padma since my knee is acting up again) and Sirsasana (headstand).

I felt a little guilty afterwards for not doing the whole series, mainly because of not being disciplined enough to do a regular home practice. I need the energy of a teacher and other practitioners to do a whole practice, which concerns me a bit. But deep down I do think that it is definitely better to do a little than none at all. I just have to be careful and not always settle for mini practices when at home, and try to stick to the full sequence instead. 'Try' is a keyword in this case.

Wobbly Balance

2005-09-08T12:17:00.000-04:00

My lack of balance in standing asanas was definitely the main theme of my practice last night, Wednesday. I had the shakiest Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Standing one-legged hand to big toe) and its twisting variations in a long while. I just felt like I did not have enough strength to hold my body up on one leg. The twisting variation of it was especially bad, and had a hard time looking back over my shoulder.

Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana (Standing bound half lotus) and vriksasana (standing One-legged arms up) were very shaky too. I kept trying to focus on my standing leg in my mind, visualizing it as stable and strong, with not much luck. So much for my 'mind over matter' mantra.

It also took an effort for me to go deep in Utkatasana (Chair) and keep my pelvis in and up.
Even my Sirsasana (Headstand) in closing felt unstable. My bandhas did not feel strong while up in it, even though my descent was not too bad and I managed to do it slow and controlled. Needless to say, my jump-backs were marginal, with light foot-sliding. Jump-throughs felt OK and clean, though, which is always a good feeling.

I'm hoping that my energy level gets back up again fairly soon, and that I don't struggle in this Saturday 9 AM advanced class, which I missed last Saturday due to feeling a bit under the weather. I need all the energy that I can get for that class, with all the 3rd series asanas that we do in it. Bandhas have to be in top form to feel good in this class.

Elusive energy

2005-09-07T12:04:00.000-04:00

Finally went to class last night, Tuesday, after 5 days off. Not good.
The long break did not help my energy levels much, as I felt tired and achy in class. I was too tired for practice last Staurday, and too lazy to practice at home. Running around and staying up late watching the hurricane disater news did not help much either. I ended up staying up late watching the news after class last night, which affected my sleep. I woke up a few times and had a hard time getting out of bed for my morning ritual of meditation and Nauli. Hope to snap out of it soon; like today would be good.

My binds in Parvritta Parsvokonasana (revolving side angle) variations were not as snappy as they have been lately. I felt like I was struggling to go deep into them, and had to remind myself to just relax and follow my breath. That's the price to pay for being lazy the last few days, I guess. My hams felt really tight and a bit sore this morning. I need to watch it so I don't get injured again like I did last year with my left ham. That was 2 months of very painful practices.

Even my Janu Sirsana A (Seated one legged head to knee) was a bit tight in yesterday's class. Marichyasana A (Seated knee-up bind) felt OK though, but B was tight and my right knee felt like it was going to snap again, so I backed off. We skipped many of the seated postures and M had us do backbends instead. I was slow getting up into my first Urdva Danurasana (Upward bow back bend) before closing, but the remaining ones felt good and open. She had us in Sarvangasana (Shoulder stand) for around 25 breaths, and I was happy to release out of it. It is always a good feeling after a long shoulderstand.

My jump-backs felt decent, surprisingly. I did not think I had enough strength to do them cleanly. The body is such an enigma; It has a mind of its own, one that seems to contradict my own mind at times. I just have to go with the flow rather than think that I can control it.

I'm working on my deep breathing while at work today so that I can have an easier time in J's class tonight. He's awesome, but tough and places lots of emphasis on alignment. If all fails, I 've got two words for myself: breath and Bandhas. Oh what the heck, and Driste too.

Deep Baddha Konasana

2005-09-01T10:10:00.000-04:00

Had a great practice last night, Wednesday, with J. It's never a surprise to have a great class with him; he's an amazing teacher and practitioner.

My mind was running amok for the first 20 minutes or so, but was able to get more focused on my breath and the bandhas as the class went on. I had to remind myself to keep my body relaxed and just flow with the postures as opposed to brute forcing them. It's amazing how much more enjoyable the practice can be when I pace myself and not be too tense.

My balance in standing asanas was not the best, but managed to do OK. Marichyasana C (Seated Revolving twist, one knee up) felt really good on both sides, as did Upavista Konasana (Spread legs forward bend) with forehead to the mat. Hope to eventually have my whole upper body and chin on the mat one day.

He assisted me in Baddha Konasana by pressing down on my bent legs, eventually bringing knees to the floor. It was painful at the end, but a really good opportunity to deepen my breath and relax into it. It felt awesome afterwards.

Jump-backs and jump-throughs felt really good, with good bandha control and not much foot sliding.

Sushi with a few great people from class after practice made for a nice ending to a busy day.

Tuesday night with M was OK. I was just too tired and my limbs felt like they were weighed down. I felt like there was a delayed response from my body.

August's tally was 19 practices, averaging 4 a week. I probably should be shooting for 5/week, but with my busy schedule, I cannot complain; Life is good.

Playing Mind Catch-Up

2005-08-30T11:55:00.000-04:00

Not a bad physical practice last night, Monday, despite it being very hot and humid. I was sweating buckets.

Energy-wise I was doing fine, but my mind was all over the place. I kept reminding myself to bring my focus back on the dristi, breath and bandhas, to no avail. It is amazing how stubborn our mind and ego can be. I had all kinds of thoughts running through my head, ranging from technical issues I was facing at work to dealing with people who I view as difficult. Blessed is the person who does not view anyone as being difficult. That is one heck of an enlightened human being.

I felt much better at the end of practice and was able to calm my mind a bit. Going out with a few Yoginis after class for some Sushi helped too. Being with good friends is usually a very therapeutic activity for me.

Practice-wise, my strength was not that great in Pincha mayurasana (Forearm stand) and supported handstand. My arms were a bit shaky. Maybe my agitated mind had something to do with that. Felt quite opened otherwise, especially when G assisted me in Upavista Konasana (Spread legs forward bend), enabling me to take my forehead to the mat.

Jump-backs were not too shabby, but light sliding in my jump-throughs was a common occurence. Oh well, I have to be grateful that I am able to practice. So many people don't have this luxury because of physical conditions or obligations. I'm just glad that I am not one of these folks stuck in Mississipi or Louisiana in the middle of a hurricane.

Hoping to have a calmer flowing practice with M tonight, relaxing and just following my breath.

Cleaner Bakasana Transition

2005-08-28T10:00:00.000-04:00

Very grateful that life is back to normal after hurricane Katrina and that I was able to practice in the Saturday 9 AM class. It was a very good one, as usual, with a great choice of asanas.

My drop from Muka Hasta Sirsana (Tripod Headstand, not bound) down to Bakasana (Crow) was much cleaner than previous attempts, and felt in control most of the time. Dropping my head back down and lifting back up into headstand before releasing was a bit shaky, though.

We also did cool standing balancing sequences that were added to Uttita Hasta Padangusthasana (Standing one-legged hand to big-toe), such as standing twists. J also added some variations to our Parivrta Parsvokonasana (Revolved side angle) by binding and balancing on one leg. Pure Ashtangis are usually not so cool with these additions, but I'm really starting to like all this power stuff. I think it's all good, especially that we do not have a pure Ashtanga shala down here.

He also assisted me in wrapping my feet in Garudasana (Eagle), which is one of my least favorite asanas ever. Felt good on my right side, but tight and wobbly on my super-tight left side.

Dropping backwards unassisted from Sirsasana is still scary to me, and had to wait for him to pull back on my hips before dropping my feet to the mat. I feel this one in my neck, which is sensitive to begin with.

Not too many seated postures to speak of, except for Supta Padangusthasana (Laying down one-legged hand-to-big toe). My body could have used a few Marichyasanas, but I realy have no reason to complain. It was a great practice and I was happy to be out there on my mat surrounded by awesome energy from everyone else. A great way to start the weekend.

Shoulders Opening

2005-08-25T10:09:00.000-04:00

Had a good practice with J last night, Wednesday, with a great energy and flow.

He gave me a really nice adjustment in Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm stand), pressing my shoulders in with his knees and flexing my feet. It felt good and not as scary as the last time he did this, as I was not in fear of having my ligaments ripped out. He was a bit gentler last night.

My right knee almost popped out again in Janu Sirsana A (Seated Head to knee), and I had to be real careful with it. Marichyasana C felt good with a very solid bind on both sides.
Supta Padangustasana (Laying down hand-to-big-toe) was nice, with my hips not too much off the mat in the B version.

He had us go up in Muka Hasta Sirsana (Tripod headstand) and then transition into Bakasana (Crow: Arm balance with feet lifted and knees to arm pits) by dropping the knees and lifting the head. He usually only does this in the Saturday 9 AM advanced class, and I was happy to do it since I'm not sure we're going to be able to practice on Saturday with a Hurricane hitting us tonight and tomorrow. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that the damage is minimal.

My jump backs were not very tight, with my feet sliding on the mat. I did have enough energy, but I think my focus was a bit lacking. My mind did wonder quite a bit around the room and even around the whole globe.

Contentment vs drive to improve

2005-08-23T14:07:00.000-04:00

Fairly good and flowing class with G last night, Monday. She had us do the usual variety of standing asanas, ranging from lunges and twists to Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon) and standing balance asanas. Right off the bat, not even done with our SuryaNamaskara (Sun Salutations) warmups, she made us come up in a one legged Bakasana from third series. I was like, what????? the lady practicing next to me looked at me and laughed. So much for warming up.

Still not completely straightening my arms in Bakasana (Crow), but my jump back from it is getting more solid and quieter. I was very conscious last night about having my heels touch while in it, and not just my big toes.

My Buja Pidasana (Arm pressure, feet crossed and off the floor) is not feeling strong these days and I need to practice it more. That's the problem with flowing classes; you don't hit the same postures all the time. But hey, I'll take what I can in the absence of an Ashtanga shala around here. Maybe one day I'll be inspired enough to have a home practice and not be distracted by a million things.

Upavista Konasana (Spread-legs forward bend) was not very opened last night, which does not surprise me. This is one moody posture, where at times I have no problem having my forehead on the mat. The upper body is a different story. That's an ongoing project with no near-term results expected.

My jump backs and jump throughs felt clean enough most of the time. Not too shabby for a hot and muggy Monday evening. It's tough to walk this fine line between being content and having a drive to improve and become better. Balance is the word, as always.

Eight

2005-08-20T18:58:00.000-04:00

This morning was my 8th Saturday 9 AM advanced class in a row, which was a motivating factor in getting my tired body out of bed this morning. I felt like I needed more sleep, but I made myself get up and head to the studio.

It was a great practice, with great energy and lots of awesome asanas. J had us do the usual regimen of advanced postures 20 minutes or so into the class. They mostly consisted of getting into tripod headstands as a transition to Bakasanas and then handstand. I can't even come close to lifting into handstand from there, but attempting is very rewarding.

He also threw in Marichyasana D (Seated bound twist in half lotus), which was very surprising, since he's never done it before in any of his classes that I 've taken. I had to cheat by placing my foot on the floor under bent knee and not in padma, due to my knee problem. We also did two reps of Upavista Konasana (Seated spread-legs forward bend), in which I was able to touch my forehead to the floor, but not my chin or upper body. Bending my knees a bit helps me lengthen my back more in this posture.

His Wednesday night class was nice too, and so were Tuesday and Monday classes with Meridith and Gerry, respectively. After Monday night's class, we ended up at the Sushi joint for some food and fun. I ended up swallowing down a huge bowl of Pad Thai despite not being hungry, which ended up making me sick for a couple of days.

Sore neck

2005-08-13T20:54:00.000-04:00

All the headstands we did today, Saturday, in the 9 AM class with J made my neck quite sore. They were the ones from Second Series that you do to transition into arm balancing postures. I need to slow down once I'm up on my head and hands before dropping my legs into Bakasana or any of the one legged arm balances. I also need to use my bandhas more when my legs are coming down so that my arms are not working as hard.

Upavista Konasana (Seated spread-legs forward bend) felt horrible this morning. My head was so far off the mat and my back was so tight that it makes me wonder how moody the body can be. This same asana felt really good on Wednesday night, with my forehead flat on the floor.

Overall it was a good class, sweating my behind off with the door closed. I wish J opens the door so that a nice breeze comes in. This was my 7th Saturday 9 AM class in a row, which makes me very happy. It took me a long time to finally become disciplined and make it to this class. Hopefully gone are the days when I used to just sleep in and go to later classes. Maybe one day I'll even be able to have a home practice as early as 6 or 7 AM.

The heat was on

2005-08-11T12:48:00.000-04:00

Last night, Wednesday, 's class with J was fast and hot, as predicted. I had seen him in the morning too since they asked me to volunteer the front desk 9 AM slot, with K being on vacation. It'd be nice to have a flexible work schedule and practice mornings a couple of days a week.

Lots of emphasis on alignment and long posture holds. I was running out of energy towards the end of class, especially in the three long Urdva Danurasanas (Upward Bow back bends). I only did 4 push-ups instead of 5 in the last one.

He had us do Marichyasana D (Seated twist in half lotus), which was surprising a bit, not having ever done it in his class. I had to set my ego aside and cheat because of my hip and knee issues. Instead of being in half padma, my foot was on the floor under the bent leg.

My Upavista Konasana (seated spread-legs forward bend) felt good, with my head on the floor in the second try.

Went to Boca Sushi and devoured 2 brown-rice Veggie rolls with my friends Gerry (she's my Monday night Yoga teacher) and Wiga afterwards, which is always a treat and a perfect way to end a stressful workday.

Class the night before, Tuesday, with M went very well too. Not many vinyasas, but a great flow with a medium pace. It was very energetic, especially with a long Sarvangasana (Shoulder stand) towards the end of class. I was glad to have some energy left for the next day.

Quick paced practice

2005-08-09T12:11:00.000-04:00

Last night, Monday, 's practice with G was pretty good, flying through many of the postures. It's good to have her back.

I was happy that she did quite a few jump-back/jump-through Vinyasas between the seated postures. Marichyasana C (seated One knee up, twist and bind arms) felt particularly good on both sides. Bakasana (Crow: arm balance, Knees to armpits) felt good too, with deep bandhas and heels high off the floor.

Upavista Konasana (seated spread leg forward fold) was weak, with my head not touching the floor, and my upper body miles away from touching the mat.

After Purvottanasana (Feet on floor, legs straight, arms straight, body lift) we did table top, which is a variation of the latter with legs bent instead of straight. I'm not sure why we'd do an easy variation of a posture after doing the harder one. But it's all good.

Saturday morning practice

2005-08-06T17:51:00.000-04:00

Went to J's 9 AM class this morning, Saturday, and had a good time. I was all over the place when he started and had to be conscious about calming down and bringing my breath and thoughts under control. I think that having to volunteer at the front desk had to do something with it, not being calm and ready for class.

He did quite a few advanced postures that we tried to get into from tripod headstand, where the hands are separate and back away from the head. Not much luck there, but good tries of some Ashtanga third series acrobatic stuff. Maybe one of these days this stuff will become part of my practice. And maybe one of these days I'll grow from 5' 9" to 6' 2", or even take a trip to Mars.

He gave me an awesome assist in Tiriang Muka Ika Pada Paschimottanasana and a variation where we go back on our back instead of fold forward. He pressed down on my hips, which was a bit much for my left side, but definitely needed that.

Did 2 sets of Setu Bandasana (Hips lift with legs extended and top of head and outside edges of feet on mat), and the second one felt really good.

Met a very nice yogini, L, visiting from the bay area with a very solid practice. We went to Starbucks afterwards and talked about Yoga and her trip to Mysore last year. I drank a large Green tea there and feel like I can go for another class as a result. In fact I did a few postures when I got home, such as AshtaVakrasana (Arm balance with legs straight and crossed to the side). My second try was much more solid, which made me happy considering that I haven't attempted it in a month or so.

I had taken J's class on Wednesday eve too, which was a good flowing class with very straight forward postures. No fancy stuff, but a good practice.

Vinyasa-less practice

2005-08-03T10:21:00.000-04:00

Practice last night (Tuesday) with M was OK, with the usual flow and emphasis on breath, but not one single jump-back and jump-through till the end, when I took a final Vinyasa before Savasana (Corpse).

I did miss them between some of the seated postures. The AC was on instead of the door being opened, which I 'm not really crazy about. Sometimes it felt like my sweat was drying off between postures. I like a breeze flowing, but not a cold air stream from a vent in the ceiling.

She had us hold Sarvangasana (Shoulder stand) for a couple of minutes as she usually does, which I like a lot.

On to J's class tonight, which should be a good one, as it mostly is, combining both alignment and flow. Especially when he sticks to traditional postures and not make us do too many of his funky inventions.

Popping sounds

2005-08-02T12:31:00.000-04:00

Popped my right knee again in Judy's class last night, Monday, several times . I popped it the first time in Ardha Badda Padma Paschimottanasana (Seated half-lotus forward bend), and then countless times afterwards. It was happening so often that I stopped caring about it, which is not good. She was subbing for G who's on vacation for a week, and was only my second class with her. She's extremely fit, doing many of the postures along with us while speaking in a commanding voice. never sounded out of breath.

Class was good with a fast-paced flow and lots of good postures. Did side Bakasana (crow) again and I seem to have gotten the hang of it. Some of the postures were not held as long as I would have, but overall it was a good class.

Got pretty deep in both Marichyasana A and C, and she even had us do the full transition from Bujapidasana to Tittibasana (Firefly: Extended legs outside-arms lift) and then a quick Bakasana (Crow). I was not able to go to Bakasana from Tittibasana, and is something that I definitely need to work on. Lots of Bandha control in these transitions, needless to say.

On to M's Jivamukti flow class tonight, which should be good with lots of oxygen intake and sweat release.

Eighteen...

2005-08-01T09:22:00.000-04:00

Went to J's 9 AM class this past Saturday morning, and it was a good one. It was my last and 18th practice of the month. Not too shabby for me, averaging 4 practices a week. Four a week seems to work best for me, not getting as achy and overly tired as I do when I go up to 5 or 6 practices a week. It does bother me at times that I have to scale back from when I was younger, but at 39, I must listen to my body. This is supposed to be a lifetime practice after all and not merely a constant competition.

The pace was quite fast on Saturday and he started the class with a bunch of inversions and splits up against the wall. It didn't take long for my heart rate to go up and start working on normalizing my breath. I was a bit tired starting out, having stayed up late on Friday night at a party with friends.

My Ardha badda Padmottanasana (Standing half-lotus forward fold) felt great again on my right side, with little strain on my knee. I'm very happy about that since my right knee never recovered after I blew it out in Decemeber of last year. It seems to pop out constantly when I get into padma asanas.

My Mukha Hasta Sirsana (hands-away-from-head headstand) and transitions to Bakasana (Crow) felt better, with more control dropping down. My side crow variation felt half-way decent too on the left side. Also did an assisted handstand and drop down into Bakasana, but with no luck hanging my knees in my armpits. I need more practice and bandha development before it starts happening.

Ended up going to the Russian baths in N Miami Beach after practice with a few friends. I had been there once before a year ago and it was a fairly enjoyable experience. I'm not too big on spending time in hot tubs and water pools with a lot of people. I do have some germ freakiness in me, no doubt. However, I did take the plunge, literally, in the icy cold tub after going into the sauna rooms a few times. It was very invigorating, going from extreme heat to ice cold water. My friend V, who used to be a teacher at the studio, gave me a great neck and jaw massage inside one of the sauna rooms. She went quite deep in the muscles, but felt good afterwards.

One student showed up to first series yesterday, Sunday, and I adjusted her in many of the postures. She came to practice last Sunday too, and seems to be liking the first series and Ashtanga practice. She's going back to Spain in a month and seems to be serious about finding and practicing with an authorized Ashtanga teacher while there.

Scraping the bottom of the energy barrel

2005-07-28T10:24:00.000-04:00

Had to muster all my remaining energy in last night, Wednesday, 's class with J. I started out achy and fatigued, quad and arm muscles shaking in long holds of lunging postures. It got better as the class went on, getting more control of my breath and bandhas.

It was a very good class, as is usually the case with him, but fairly small in size. Lots of people are vacationing, I suppose.

The standing balancing sequences that he gave us were pretty cool, with long holds and standing one-legged twists. Ardha Badda Padmottanasana (Standing half lotus bend) felt really good on my right side, Thank Goodness, despite my bad knee. We had done it in M's Tuesday night class, so it felt quite open. I should do it more often so that I can bring my knees closer to each other while folded forward.

Urdva Danurasana (Upward Bow backbend) felt good towards the end of class, with my back and shoulders opening up. He also had us go up in headstand and drop backwards into a backbend, which is one of the asanas in second series I think. I did not even attempt it, sparing both my neck and back.

I did not last too long in Ut Pluti (Crossed-legs, straight arms lift from seated) at the end of class, touching down after only 5 or 6 breaths. Oh well, it was still a good practice considering how fatigued I was.

Moderation & Ashtanga???

2005-07-27T12:16:00.000-04:00

Hit a wall in the middle of M’s class last night, Tuesday. I just felt completely drained, especially after attempting an arm balance asana with one leg up in the air. Not something very common in her class, but was nice to try. The verb "try" here is key.

She had us in a very long Sarvangasana (Shoulder stand) towards closing, maybe the longest I’ve ever done. She read a passage from the Bhagavad Gita about moderation and the middle path while in this posture. People were dropping their legs down as her commentary went on. I tried to focus and listen, which was a bit hard to do being upside down. Much of it made sense though, and made me think about how fanatical an Ashtanga practice and lifestyle can be in this regard.

My mind was playing tricks on me from exhaustion, and I could hear myself thinking “How about we release this posture for moderation's sake?” and “Boy are my arms tired; I can definitely use some middle-path advice and just drop my legs and relax”. It was quite a relief when she finally had us drop down to Halasana (Plow: Laying down, straight legs over head to floor). Joking aside, it’s a good feeling after holding shoulder stand for a few minutes.

I’m trying to conserve every ounce of energy today for this evening’s class with J. I’m drinking green tea and Emergen-C at work, trying to replenish my much-needed electrolytes. I also ate 2 greasy KrispyKreme doughnuts to replenish my levels of bad fats, sugar and cholesterol. So much for moderation and the middle-path.

Sore quads

2005-07-26T12:00:00.000-04:00

My quads were quite sore all day yesterday, Monday, but felt OK during G's class. It must have been from Sunday's adjustments of 2 students in first series practice.

Class was small yesterday, and hot as heck. My energy level was not very high and my bandhas and breath were mediocre as a result. My quads held up Ok and feel better today. Last week's J's classes on Wednesday and Saturday took too much out of me, I guess, as much sweating as we did in a full and humid studio.

My headstand felt OK yesterday, even though we only stayed up in it for a minute or so. Not much else to mention on the asanas front, except for the usual Monday flow and mix of standing and seated postures, with much more emphasis on standing. A standing balancing sequence that started with Utitta hasta Padangustasana (Standing One-legged hand to big toe) and ended with a standing one-legged twist felt quite good.

We'll see how today goes in M's Jivamukti class. I'll have to remind myself to deepen my breathing at work today and staying relaxed, conserving energy for a hot and humid practice. It shouldn't be too bad, since M's classes are not very high-intensity, despite having a nice flow with emphasis on the breath.

Tough one

2005-07-23T19:04:00.000-04:00

This morning, Saturday, 's 9 AM class with J was tough. Besides being hot and sweaty, the pace was quite fast. I think I was still recovering from his tough Wednesday night class, not feeling very strong from the get go. This class, by the way, was my 4th 9 AM class back to back. I think I 'm getting the hang of this early class on a Saturday.

He did a bunch of advanced asanas, getting into them from headstand a la David Swenson in his third series tape. Mostly inversions and arm balances, which for me were only attempts since I don't practice them enough to be able to do them. One of these days, I hope.

He did a decent seated series with jump-backs and jump-throughs. Tiriang Mukha Eka Pada Paschimottanasana felt good, along with Krounchasana (Like previous, with leg lifted) and Bharadvajasana.

Lots of binding and standing balancing asanas too. I like those a lot. Awesome for concentration and focus, which is a constant struggle for me. My mind wanders a lot during practice and I seem to always have to chase after it and bring it back to my breath, bandhas and the pose. Oh well, that's all part of it I suppose.

By the end of class I was really pooped and craving cold water. Can't wait till October when the temps start getting a bit cooler. This is the toughest time of year to practice. Hopefully all this sweating is making us detoxify even more. That's what my friend R keeps telling me. Hope that she's right. In the meantime, all I can do is replenish with fluids and Emergen-C.

Sauna Yoga

2005-07-21T11:57:00.000-04:00

Last night, Wednesday, felt like a Sauna in the studio. The combination of 25+ students and humidity made it feel like a Bikram studio. It almost felt like it was foggy towards the end of class. It was good to have J back. He gave me quite a few adjustments and cranked my neck, which felt good afterwards, but sheer terror during.

Class was fast paced with long holds, making it tough, especially with the heat. I was tired at the end, and felt wobbly in my assisted handstand and had no strength in my upper back and shoulders to kick up in Pincha Mayurasana (Feathered Peacock: Forearm stand).

Looking forward to his Staurday 9 AM class and hoping to keep the 9 AM streak going, making a habit out of it. It'll be my fourth Sat 9 AM class back to back. AwwwRighhhht.

Busy

2005-07-20T09:26:00.000-04:00

I've been really busy at work, with not much time to blog my practice progress, or lack of it.

Last night, Tuesday, practice was good with M. It was a fairly easy practice but very hot and humid. I asked her midway through class to open the door and let some air in, so that helped a little. My neck is bothering me a little, I think mainly from the funky headstands that we 've been doing in Saturday's 9 AM class.

We did Kurmasana (Tortoise: seated spread-legs forward bend, straight arms under legs) , which hardly anybody does in classes at the studio. My head was on the mat but not my upper body. My legs were nowhere close to being straight.

Monday night's class was nice too with G. Not much to report on, except for being rusty at Marichyasana A (Seated twist with arms bound) since we haven't been doing it much in classes. My bind was fine but folding deep into it did not come easy. That's one of the down sides of Vinyasa classes: it's hit and miss with the postures as opposed to a defined sequence in an Ashtanga practice.

Oh well. Hope to make it to J's class tonight. He's been gone for a week, so it should be good. Got to work on my breathing at work today to up my energy level.

9 AM Saturday class...again

2005-07-17T14:18:00.000-04:00

Made it out to the 9 AM class on Saturday again. I was not planning on going since J was not teaching, but I figured it'll be good to go and reinforce this new habit. I have to admit that I feel silly making a big deal about a 9 AM class, which is early for me, since most dedicated Ashtangis practice between 5:30 and 7 AM. Heck, Sharath's daily practice starts at 3 AM, from what I've read. Oh well, maybe one of these days. In this lifetime would be an added bonus.

I felt good yesterday and I hope that practicing in the morning becomes a life-long habit.

C taught the class, and she was very good. She had us hold many of the postures, emphasizing breathing and alignment. She hardly did any floor postures, except for some core exercises towards the end. She did lots of lunging and standing balancing asanas.

Did Koundinyasana again, which needless to say, I sucked at. My assisted handstand felt great again, consciously making the effort to feel my weight in my arms.

It was a great feeling afterwards, feeling lots of energy afterwards.
Today is off, except for first series adjustments if anyone shows up to the 4 PM practice.

Day off

2005-07-15T11:05:00.000-04:00

Ended up taking K's class last night, Thursday, which was a pretty good class. That's two of her classes back to back, since she was subbing for J on Wednesday. It was my 4 th class back-to-back this week. I'm ready for a break tonight.

Class was good with a decent flow, except for a little more instruction for some of the asanas than I like, especially at the beginning of some of the postures. Seated Floor postures were lacking too, so were jump-backs and jump-throughs.

She had us do a good standing balancing series, and a nice Gomukhasana (Cow face: legs crosses, one arm behind head binding with the other one). Lots of lunging twists too. My breath felt really good, flowing freely most of the time.

Tried Koundinyasana B (arm balancing scissors) again, to no avail. This one's going to take a while, I guess.
Assisted handstand felt awesome, feeling balanced with most of the weight in my arms. Got to stay with it and do it more often.

I need to make it to the 9 AM class tomorrow, even though J is still away. C will be teaching, who is really tough and has more of a power style. If I don't make it at 9, I'll probably skip the 11 AM class since it would be my 3rd class with K in one week.

Energy reversal from yesterday

2005-07-14T11:39:00.000-04:00

Went to practice last night, Wednesday, with K and had a ton of energy. I suspect it had something to do with being a large class and the combined energy of 23 students. K was subbing for J, and did a decent job with the flow. Could have included a few more seated asanas for a better variety, but not bad overall.

Lots of twisting postures, a good sequence of balancing standing postures and a clean assisted hanstand. Not many jump-backs or jump-throughs to test my bandhas, but the few that I did felt mediocre. Nothing to brag about.

Almost skipped Sirsana (Shoulder stand) and ended up doing a very short-timed one; barely five breaths-long.

I'm shooting for a class tonight with K, making it 4 nights back to back. I have to be there to open the studio and check people in anyaway, so I might as well do some limb bending and get high on Oxygen. It is usually a small class on Thursday night.

Low energy

2005-07-13T08:58:00.000-04:00

I was moving in slow motion in M's class last night, Tuesday. It was a small class and very hot. M did a fairly easy class, and I was not complaining. My energy level was quite low.

The highlight of the class was a 25-breath Sirsana (headstand). She stopped the class at one time and emphasized having the shoulders back and leading with the chest in chataranga. Always good to go back to the basics.

My right knee was bothering me in the seated half lotus postures, and my left hip felt very tight. Oh well. That's part of the practice, I guess. It's a matter of learning how to take the good with the bad. As long as the focus, breath and bandhas are there, I should not complain. That's what I keep hearing anyway.

Low back ticking bomb

2005-07-12T11:34:00.000-04:00

Very decent and flowing class last night, Monday, with G. It was extremely hot in the studio and there were only 10 of us. Our friend W, who's a regular on Monday night was not there due to being a bit under the weather. Hope that she's better tonight after she sees the doctor.

My lower back is bothering me again, going in one of its painful cycles. I need to be very careful in and out of practice, holding my Udiyana (lower stomach) bandha in as often as I can. This bandha does wonders to my lower back. It's helped me get through classes in the past with severe lower back pain. Hope that my lower back will eventually open up in the future and is not as tight as it has always been. Anytime in this lifetime will be nice. If not, hey, what the heck, it's bandha mindfulness training.

Hope that it holds up in M's Jivamukti class tonight. Lots of breathing and tight Udiyana bandha are a must for me to make it through it.

Nice and relaxed

2005-07-10T20:51:00.000-04:00

Made it out to J's advanced class yesterday morning, Saturday, at 9 AM. This is the second Saturday in a row and hoping to make a habit of it. I need to change my body clock and be able to function early in the morning instead of just practicing at night.

Flow was good with lots of advanced postures. It was a fairly small class because of Hurricane Dennis. We did Koundinyasana B (Arm inversion with scissor legs), which I cannot do. It feels really hard on my outer quad nuscle. Also did Vatayanasana (Horse: Half lotus eagle arms) from Second Series, which is really hard on my knees.

His standing postures included Ardha Chandrasana (Half moon), with variation of having arms bound. Great for balance. He also did Mukha hasta Sirsasana A (hands in front of head), which I'm not comfortable at. It feels weird on my neck. Also did variations of Bakasana (One legged) which I sucked at. These postures are very humbling, and keep me grounded as to where my practice is. Still a very long way from calling myself an advanced Yogi.

Today went up to the studio at 4 and had one beginner student. Adjusted her in the Primary Series up to BujaPidasana (Arm Pressure, legs crossed). She did well, but could not bind in Marichiasana D and skipped Janu Sirsana C because of knee issues.
She seems to have liked the practice and the adjustments.

Hope to make it to G's class tomorrow night after work. Another week gone by. Wow. Time flies.

Feeling better

2005-07-08T10:56:00.000-04:00

Felt a lot better in K's class last night, Thursday. I was not as tired as I was in the morning, even though my breath was not very deep.

Class had a nice rythm to it, with a decent flow. The pace was moderate, which is exactly what the doctor ordered. I was not really looking for a high-tempo practice.

Parivrta trikonasana (revolved triangle) felt good but a bit rusty. I did not realize that we had not done it in class for a week or so. We did a lot of twists too, and my binding Parivrta Parsvokonasana (revolved side angle) felt really good. She twisted me really deep in seated bound twist, feeling it deep in my lower spine.

Assisted and against-the-wall HandStands were decent, nothing spectacular though. It'll be nice to go up in handstand completely on my own in the middle of the studio one of these days. It'll be a 'Look Ma, no wall...' kind of feeling, I suppose.

No practice tonight, but hope to make it to J's advanced class tomorrow, Saturday, at 9 AM as I did last Saturday. The key is not pigging out on lots of food tonight and getting a decent night's sleep. Should be a windy and rainy weekend from hurricane Dennis going by us. Thank Goodness it looks like it's going to miss us except for some second-hand side effects.

Tired...

2005-07-07T08:52:00.000-04:00

Nice class with J last night, Wednesday, as usual. The heat is really getting to me though, waking up this morning feeling drained. Hearing about the explosions in London did not make me feel any better, needless to say.

Big class, as is always the case in his class, with lots of energy and deep breathing. He had us hold the standing twisting asanas for a bit longer than usual, really feeling it in the quads. I touched my head to the floor in Upavista Konasana (Seated spread-leg frwrd bend), but my back felt a bit tight and my upper body did not even come close to being flat against my mat.

The core stuff that he does towards the end of the class before closing postures were tough. I was feeling fatigued by then and looking forward to Savasana (Corpse).

Hope to have enough energy for K's class tonight.

Hot Tuesday

2005-07-06T13:01:00.000-04:00

It was so hot last night, Tuesday, in M's class. It did not feel as humid as usual though, and I did not sweat as much as I usually do.

It was a good flowing class with the usual standing balance postures and seated twists. Holding Shoulder stand towards the end of the class for around 15 long breaths felt really good.

No jump-backs and -throughs till the end of the class, holding UtPluti (Lift) for a few breaths.

Tonight is J's class which should be really challenging with all this heat.

Adjustments Sunday

2005-07-04T11:04:00.000-04:00

I ended up at the studio twice yesterday, Sunday. Once in the morning to let people in for the 10 AM class and then again at 4 PM for the Primary Series practice.

3 people showed up, and I adjusted them in some of the PS asanas. Two of them have been coming on Tuesday night for M's Jivamukti class, and have a really solid PS practice. It was a joy to watch them go through the asanas and help them get into a few of them, such as Marichiasna D (Half lotus twist).

No practice tonight, Monday, with G because of the 4th of July holiday, and I was too lazy to go to this morning's 9:30 class. Oh well. I'll go tomorrow through Thursday for 3 days back-to-back.

I did Sirsana (Headstand) for a couple of minutes this morning. Felt awesome afterwards. I am opening my hips by sitting in double pigeon (knees to ankles), which kills my hips but is really good for them. Especially my left side, which feels like somebody glued it to my hip socket with Gorilla glue.

Finally!!!

2005-07-02T19:52:00.000-04:00

I finally made it out to J's class this morning, Saturday, at 9 AM. This makes me very happy, as elusive as this has been. It's hard for me to get out of bed early on Sat morning, rushing to get ready and hydrating with enough fluids to take on an advanced class.

I got out of bed at 7:30, did my Nauli, started drinking lots of water with a squeezed lemon, meditated for 10 minutes, which calmed me down, had a glass of Greens+ and headed out the door at 8:25 AM. I must have changed my mind a gazillion times before conquering my mushy mind and just going there. It was gorgeous outside with a bright bue sky and not extremely hot yet.

It was a good class, but not harder than his class on Wednesday night. My balance was not that great this early in the morning. I was shaky in some of the standing balance postures.
Did not feel very open in Upavistakonasana (Spread-legs frwrd bend), not even touching my head to the floor. My TiriangMukaIkaPadaPaschimattanasana (Bent leg to the side frwrd bend) felt good, transitioning into Krounchasana (leg up) and Bharadvajasana afterwards.

It was a great class though, and a great feeling afterwords. Following class, I went to G's (friend and Monday night teacher) house for an egg Kiche and bagel brunch, where other people from the studio were also. It was fun.

Toughest class in a while

2005-06-30T09:31:00.000-04:00

Last night's class with J, Wednesday, was one of his toughest in a couple of months. It felt like his classes from a while back. Wow. The pace was really fast, with lots of power postures and long holds. Add the heat and humidity to the mix and I was one happy camper when it was over. It felt good afterwards, though.

I'm taking today off from Yoga, being as drained as I am. Today being the last day of the month, I ended up with 16 Yoga classes and 1 practice at home for this month. This will put me to shame with the Ashtangis who practice daily, but for working as much as I have been, I'm happy with it. 20 a month would be better, but I have to think of this practice as a marathon, and not a sprint. Hope to do it for a long time to come, even if it is at a lower intensity as I get older.

Drained

2005-06-29T12:42:00.000-04:00

I felt completely drained in last night's practice, Tuesday's, with Meridith. She had a nice and flowing class, as is usually the case with her classes. Lots of emphasis on breathing, a good mix of asanas and a long Sarvangasana (Shoulder stand).

I was so tired that I could not even have a controlled release from a fairly long Sirsasana (HeadStand) down to the floor. I just dropped my legs down instead of using my bandhas and slowly bring them down. It was embarassing.

My knee hurt in seated ardha padma (half lotus) and even in Janu Sirsana A (One legged head-to-knee). Not good.

Very few vinyasas between postures, but let us take one before Sivasana (Corpse), with me being the only taker for a jump-back and jump-through.

Hoping to have enough energy for tonight's class with J.

Great Monday Practice

2005-06-28T11:45:00.000-04:00

Practice with G last night, Monday, was really nice and flowing. I had a high energy level for most of the class, with easy breathing and decent bandhas.

I especially liked the following sequence: Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana (Pigeon), Marichyasana C, Eka Pada lift (Leg behind shoulder lift) and AshtaVakrasana. The asanas were all linked and I felt good bandha control in them. The jump-backs and jump–throughs that preceded and followed them felt great too.

Sweating buckets was a common sight, as humid as it was last night. Hung around the studio after class and solved the world’s problems with a few fellow practitioners all over again. It seems that fixing everything that goes wrong with the planet is a frequent event with some of us.

Ho Hum Saturday practice

2005-06-26T13:56:00.000-04:00

As I said in a previous post, I was not going to attend the Saturday 11 AM class any longer, but I only ended up took one week off. I just have a hard time making it to the 9 AM class, so I keep going back to the 1 AM class. So much for discipline.
I wish that somebody in the area would offer a kick-butt primary series Ashtanga class on Saturday. It would make my weekends, no doubt.

Yesterday's class was not a bad one, but not great either. We did too many basic standing and one-legged balancing asanas. I think balancing asanas are great, but doing 3 or 4 of them in a class eats time away from other postures. We also did 2 Gomukhasanas (Crossed legs, elbow behind back shoulder stretch), and several lunging postures.
In a word, the class was mostly dedicated to basic postures, which can be very frustrating when one is looking to get into more advanced postures.

Almost no forward bending postures from the primary series, except for Paschimattanasana (Seated frwrd bend) and Upavista Konasana (Seated open legged frwrd bend). I have to be thankful for these 2 postures, since I need to do them and do enjoy doing them.

We did Koundinyasana, or I should say I attempted to no avail, which the teacher keeps referring to as side crow or side Bakasana. How about doing a straight Bakasana (Crow) first. The choice and sequence of postures is very frustrating at times.

Anyway, it was still better than not practicing, and I need to be grateful that I am able to go to class and practice this beautiful discipline we call Yoga, even if at times it has as much to do with Ashtanga as playing a Tennis match.

Ready for a day off

2005-06-23T14:20:00.000-04:00

Last night's 6:30 class , Wednesday, with James was pretty good. I was still tired, but managed to make it through it. He had a nice flow with a good mix of asanas.

Upavista Konasana (Seated spread-legs frwrd bend) felt good, with head to the floor. Stomach is till off the floor though, as expected. I'm a long way from having my upper body flat to the ground.
He assisted me in Badha Konasana by pressing down on my thighs, which was painful when he pushed them all the way to the floor. Another hip opener that I must work on more often.

My jump-backs and -throughs were OK, considering my energy level.

He had us in a long Supta Padangustasana (laying down hand-to-big toe) series towards the end of the class, which felt good.
My Sirsasana (headstand) felt good and fairly under control, with not much pressure on my neck. I should practice it often again like in the old days so I'm not as wobbly in it as I have been lately. Use it or lose it, I guess.

I went to Whole Foods afterwards, and felt my right shoulder really sore on the way out. Not sure if it was something I did in the studio or the grocery bags I was carrying. How embarassing it'd be to have injured my shoulder while carrying grocery bags. I better stop typing before I injure my fingers.

Still achy

2005-06-22T12:55:00.000-04:00

I was still achy and not very energetic in last night's class, Tuesday, with Meridith. Things have been quite hectic at work, between both jobs, which interferes with my levels of Vitamin S, also known as Vitamin Z (Sleep aka Zeez) .

Flow was good as is mostly the case in this class. She even made us do a few more jump-backs and jump-throughs than last week's class. We even held our Tolasana (Crossed-legs lift) for a few breaths in the middle of class. WooHoooo. Always good for the bhandas.

Upavista Konasana (Seated spread-legs forward bend) felt a bit more opened than Monday night, with still a long way from having my upper body flat on my mat. The lower back needs to loosen up a bit more. Let me rephrase that: open up a lot more.

My Sirsana (Headstand) felt a bit wobbly last night, mostly due to minimal use. Teachers don't offer it much in their classes anymore. Must be the high risk of injury. They figure we do enough inversions with shoulder stands and assisted hand stands.

My hips felt as tight as ever in the padma (Lotus) asanas. Sitting in front of my desk all day long at work does not help much.

Hope to have enough energy for James' class tonight. I need to do some deep breathing at work, which helps sometimes. of course, at times my energy level is so low that inhaling a whole tanker of oxygen doesn't help.

Note to myself:
Deep breath in, hold, breath out... fall asleep at my desk, Oh, No... I meant chest up, shoulders back...

Achy practice

2005-06-21T09:42:00.000-04:00

I felt achy and tired in last night's practice, Monday, with Gerry. I did not have enough energy and felt like I was getting the flu. I felt better towards the end of the class, though. All that intake of Oxygen and sweating must've helped.

Lots of good asanas, with a decent Buja Pidasana (Arms pressure, with hooked ankles) followed by a mediocre Tittibasana (FireFly). Upavista Konasana (Seated spread legs) was not as good as I've been doing lately. My back is still very tight in this one. It'd be nice to eventually have my stomach and chest flat on the floor.

We did Ardha Badda Padma Paschimattanasana (Seated bound Half lotus frwrd bend), and my knees and hips were very tight in it. No bind on my left side, and vary careful on my right side due to my knee. Definitely need to highlight this posture in red. A biiiiiig stop sign with this one.

My jump-backs and jump-throughs were OK; but not the best that I've had.
When it's all said and done, however, it was not a bad practice overall. Still better than not practicing. I'll take the bad with the good, knowing full well that many down days will be encountered along this journey. The Up days are well worth the trip.

Ended up at the Sushi place in Meizner with Wiga, Gerry and Kirsten afterwards. Always a good ending to a work/practice day.

Saturday 11 AM class; Again

2005-06-18T18:34:00.000-04:00

I got up early this morning, Saturday, but could not even think about practicing. The elusive 9 AM class with James seems like an impossibility for now. I ended up going to Kathy's 11 AM class, which was pretty good. The flow could have been a bit better, but it was not bad at all.

Koundinyasana B was offered, with no takers. I can't seem to lift off the floor in this one. I'll be a very happy camper once I am able to do this asana. We also did Krounchasana and Bharadvajasana and they felt good on both sides, my right side being better.

My hips did not feel too tight today. Must be the double pigeons that I do at home sometimes. I should do them more often again, daily if possible. I was doing them almost every day when I was working from home the first couple of months of this year. Not anymore with having to be at the office 5 days a week. Maybe I'll do some now, 5-6 minutes each side.

Stuck at work

2005-06-17T09:57:00.000-04:00

Did not make it to James' class on Wednesday night, due to the visiting VP from TX walking into my cubicle and dragging me to his office for a "5-minute" talk. Needless to say, the meeting took over an hour, so no practice that night. I was really looking forward to a good practice, as things are getting more hectic and stressful at work.

I did go to last night's, Thursday, class with Kathy, which was a good class. She started us with a few A's and B's, which surprised me, and had a good mix of postures. Flow was decent, not exactly as fast as I like it, but was good overall. I love Kathy, she's a great person and works really hard in her classes. But sometimes she tends to sacrifice flow for the sake of emphasizing alignment.

She helped me up in Pincha Mayurasana (Scorpion), but felt my shoulders pretty tight. I was very wobbly in it. She did not have us do too many Vinyasas, but the few that I did felt decent.

Supta Padangustasana (Laying down fingers-to-big toe) and Urdva Danurasana (Upward bow backbend) towards the end of the class felt good.

When I got home, I wrote a narrative about Ashtanga and the Mysore class that we have at the studio, and eMailed it to Stephanie (one of the volunteer staff at the studio) so that she can add it to a newsletter she's publishing soon for the studio.

Steady breath

2005-06-15T10:15:00.000-04:00

Class was pretty good last night, Tuesday, with Meridith. The flow and breathing was great, with a good choice of asanas. 20 people showed up, which is quite a lot for a week night.

Amazingly enough, it was not very hot. I did not sweat nearly as much as the night before. It helped that she had the sliding door opened, letting a breeze in.

We only did a couple of vinyasas, so did not work much on my jump-backs. Did a few clean jump-throughs while transitioning from Down-Dog to seated, with my feet off the floor. Always thankful when that happens. My Mula bandha was not as elusive as it can be at times.

Marichyasana A felt really good, especially on my right side. I was quite opened while in it.

Hung around the studio with Wiga and Kirsten afterwards and talked about the Mula bandha and other fun and earth-shattering topics. I'm glad to say that we solved many of yesterday's world problems.

Hoping that tonight's class with James is very flowing, with lots of fun asanas, as it usually is.

Humid Monday eve

2005-06-14T09:10:00.000-04:00

Good flowing class with Gerry last night, Monday, with lots of sweating. The heat and humidity made it easier to get into some of the postures. I felt quite opened last night, which is always a good feeling. My jump-backs and jump-throughs felt fluid, with little dragging of my feet on the floor. My Mula bhanda was quite accessible too.

As far as asanas, we had a decent mix of standing and seated. I need to work on straightening my arms more in Bakasana (Crow). I'm still bending my arms at the elbows, and not leaning as far forward as I should. I am using my bhandas more though, and feel that my body is not as low as it used to be in the past.

We did Supta Padangustasana (Laying down hand-to-big toe) towards the end of the class, and felt my hips much more opened than in the past. Must be the heat.

I would have liked some more seated postures from the PS, such as Marichiasanas, but I can't really complain. It was a good class overall.

Adjusting one student

2005-06-12T22:15:00.000-04:00

One student showed up at the studio today, Sunday, for self practice. I started by doing 5 A's and 3 B's with her after the opening invocation, and then adjusted her in the postures. She was very good, and well experienced in the PS postures. She did not need much adjustment.

She stopped after GarbhaPindasana and went to closing. She teaches at a studio in Ft lauderdale and has a flowing practice.

I'm looking forward to get back to practice tomorrow for the 6:30 class with Gerry.

Home practice

2005-06-11T17:01:00.000-04:00

I did not feel like going to the 9 AM advanced class with James this morning, Saturday. I did not sleep well because of the storms and I was in the mood for a PS Ashtanga class.

After doing some light cleaning around the house, I hit the mat in my living room just before noon. I had all these grandiose plans for a great PS practice, and with some 2nd Series postures thrown in. I guess I'm pretty good at fantasizing about awesome Yoga practices, since I ended up doing a short PS practice that only lasted 45 minutes. I had a hard time with my Dristi (gaze), and I ran out of steam pretty quick.

My jump-backs and jump-throughs were not that bad, though. My Ujayi breath and bandhas felt decent the whole time too. It was not a complete waste of time after all. My right knee is really bothering me, which meant skipping most of the padma (lotus) asanas.

Self practice at home is really hard. I don't know how dedicated Ashtangis get up early in the morning and do their solo practice. I read somewhere that Sharath gets up at 2:30 in the morning and practices for 2 hours alone, before adjusting his students all day long. Very depressing... Oh No, I meant to say very inspiring.

Up: Upavista Konasana; Down: Jump-throughs

2005-06-09T14:49:00.000-04:00

Last night's, Wednesday, class with James was not the best that I've had with him. Flow was not exactly on top of his list. Alignment was ,which is not a bad thing I guess.

Slow flowing classes affect my energy level in a negative way. My jump-throughs were very weak last night, with my feet dragging on the floor. The same went for my jump-backs also, with mediocre mula banda lifts.

My Upavista Konasana (Seated spread-legs forward bend) was the best I've ever had, though. It does not look anywhere near perfect, but was able to touch my forehead to the floor. Hopefully my inner thigh muscles will open up some more, safely.

James had us partner off with others for hand stands, which is always a treat. It's great for taming the fear factor that comes with inversions. He demonstrated the way it should be done, looking very graceful and in control as if going up in slow motion. Maybe one day with enough practice I'll be able to do the same. ( Does not have to be in this lifetime, of course :) )

Tuesday night flow

2005-06-08T09:30:00.000-04:00

Big class last night, Tuesday, with Meridith. Lots of energy and breathing was taking place, with 21 students moving while sucking on Oxygen. A beautiful thing to see.

A lot of students like her flowing Jivamukti style. I also hear students complimenting her on her emphasis on the breath. She does call out each inhale and exhale for every posture, usually up to a count of 5. Sometimes up to a count of 10, such as in Paschimattanasana (Seated forward bend) and Halasana (Plow).

In Sarvangasana (Shoulder stand) towards the end of class, she usually has us hold it for 20 and 25 breaths. I like the long hold in this closing posture, which we held for a long time last night.

Her Uttita Hasta Padangustasana (Standing hand to big toe) variations are usually very challenging, which is awesome for balance. Last night she had us grab the foot with crossed hands and lifting off the floor to a straight leg, and then taking one arm behind for a standing twist before coming back down. Legs were shaking all over the studio.

I like the fact that she gives people a choice to do "whatever we need to do" before Savasana (Corpse), which is a signal for some of us to go for our last jump back and jump through vinyasa before completely letting go. The few jump throughs that I did felt very clean last night, with my feet completely off the floor. I love it.

Monday evening flow

2005-06-07T09:29:00.000-04:00

What a difference a little bit of flow can do to a yoga practice. Last evening's Monday practice was very nice, a typical Gerry class with lots of flow and a good mix of asanas. Her emphasis on a lot of standing postures the first hour of the class makes it a strong one.

Her seated routine was not bad either, even though I could have used a few more vinyasas between postures. She did end the class with a Vinyasa, which I was thankful for. Nothing like a clean flying jump back and vinyasa to end a good class.

She assisted me in Pincha Mayurasana (Scorpion), which felt good. That's a hard posture for me, with my tight low back and shoulders.

It was a very humid evening, typical for this time of year in South Florida. Needless to say , heavy sweating was performed by all.
She had us do Astavakrasana, which I had trouble doing on my right side. I was sweating so much, making it hard for me to hook my legs around my right arm. I had no problem with my left side though. felt goooood.

I went for some Sushi afterwards with Gerry and my dear friend Wiga, and Kirsten joined us later. I only had green tea as I was full from my Thai lunch with a friend whom I had not seen in 10 years. A great time was had with lots of good stories and laughs.

Saturday's expectations

2005-06-04T18:07:00.000-04:00

Went to the 11 AM class this morning, even though I was extremely tired. I was hoping for a good flowing class, similar to the last 2 Saturdays. This particular class has been very inconsistent, as far as I am concerned: Too much preaching and not enough flow at times. Some classes have been really good, though.

Sure enough, the first hour was not flowing at all, with so much pontification and instruction about alignment. It is great to have tips during each posture, but there's no need to listen to a whole speech before getting into each one. I had to tune the teacher out with too much info to process.

We also spent 10 whole minutes in the middle of the class partnering with other students to work on tripod headstand. So much for a flowing class.
We attempted Koundinyasana again, to no avail. That's a very challenging posture for me, with my tight hips.

I need to stop going to the Sat 11 AM class. I've been thinking about doing this for a while, but the time has come. Only if I can have enough energy for James' 9 AM advanced class. I'm just too stiff at this time of the morning. My blood feels like lead and my breath is shallow.
I have no choice though. I can't get as frustrated as I often do in this class. It is insane for me to keep expecting it to change. I just love the 11 AM time slot. It is so convenient for me.
Next Saturday is the test, I guess, whether I could break my 11 AM habit and go to the 9 AM class instead.

Great Wednesday eve class

2005-06-01T22:42:00.000-04:00

Class tonight, Wednesday, was awesome, as are the majority of James' classes. Great flow, long asana holds, emphasis on alignment and good choice of asanas. Not a whole lot more that one can ask for.
He had us do Janu Sirsasana A, B and C, but a bit different, order-wise. We did all three of them on the right side, followed by the left side, unlike the way we do it in an Ashtanga practice, where each posture is done on both sides, followed by the next one.

I, of course, had to open my mouth, thinking that he forgot to do the left side. He told me that this was his intention. I felt bad, and I apologized to him after class was over. I don't like to correct teachers and think it is disrespectful. Especially someone of James' caliber. He's a very accomplished yogi, with a very powerful and graceful form. My mouth will be taped shut from now on in his classes.

Class was full, with lots of students. Lots of energy happening in the studio. I feel great and thankful that I can enjoy practices such as tonight's. I also love that the project that I am currently on is only 10 minutes from the studio. Very convenient and stress-free.

Primary Series surprise

2005-05-31T22:36:00.000-04:00

Just got home from Tuesday night's class with Meridith. It was a nice and flowing led class. She did 5 A's and 3 B's for a warm-up, then proceeded with the whole fundamental standing sequence, much to my surprise. Very flowing and quick breathing. We then did the PS asanas up to Marichiasana D. No Navasana. I popped my right knee again in Mari D. My knee has become so sensitive to padma postures.

Before closing we did a few Urdva Danurasanas (Back bends) followed by Supta Padangustasana (Laying down Head to big toe).
Nice class. I then hung around and talked to my friend W about some gossip and world affairs, as is the routine when she's usually there.

Anything resembling the PS from time to time makes me happy.

Now on to finishing grading the finals for one of the classes that I am currently teaching. I'm not staying up past 11 PM, despite not being sleepy from all that Oxygen that I inhaled in class.

One student

2005-05-29T22:56:00.000-04:00

I went to the studio at 4 PM today, Sunday, and there was a young new student waiting outside. Never did Ashtanga before, but wanted to work on inversions. So I had her do 3 A's and 3 B's for a warm-up, which was plenty, as hot a day as it was. I then assisted her in all the fundamental sequence asanas, and then proceeded to work on some PS postures, back bends and inversions.

She's very good for a newbie. She actually got into MarichiAsana D, yes D, from the first try on her right side. She also had her knees all the way down in Baddha Konasana. I kept reminding her that she needs to work on her Ujayi and bandhas. That stuff does not mean a whole lot when you're 24. She was a good student, though. Very appreciative too.

No work tomorrow, due to Memorial day. If I feel OK in the morning, I'll take James' 9 AM class. It should be packed, with lots of energy hovering over our mats. I better hit the sack and get some shuteye.

First entry - Arm balance progress

2005-05-29T10:18:00.000-04:00

I figured it is about time to start expressing my thoughts about my Yoga practice in writing. Maybe it'll help me become more disciplined.

This has been a good week, practice-wise.

Monday's practice was very solid, with many postures from Ashtanga's fundamental sequence(Standing) and the Primary Series. Gerry, my Monday night instructor, is starting to incorporate more PS postures in her routine. AwwRighhhht.
Went out for Sushi and Green tea afterwards, with Gerry, W and K. Lots of fun.

In Tuesday's Meridith class, I was able to get into AstaVakrasana on my left side. I need to practice it more often, but I think I got the hang of it now. The key is tilting my pelvis down and extending my legs immediately.
I was not crazy about her stop in the middle of class to reinforce Ujayi breathing, which cooled me down before getting back into Parivrta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle). A girl complained to me about the class being slow, and I shared it with Meridith. I told her that I still like her class with her emphasis on breath and flow. A few more vinyasas between postures would not hurt though.

Wednesday's class was good, as most of James's classes are. He's the flow God, with lots of emphasis on alignment. He assisted me with Pincha Mayurasana, which felt good. His knees against my shoulders went a bit further than I like. I don't think he realizes how strong he is.
Went out for Sushi afterwards with W, K, Chloe and Angelie. Great time was had, as usual.
K(Kirsten) is very strong, with a beautiful practice. Chloe 's postures are looking good too.

Friday was my off day, but did AstaVakrasana at home, and felt good. Just wanted to see if I can still do it. Tried to do Mayurasana also, without much luck lifting my feet off the floor.

Saturday's practice had a nice flow to it with Kathy. It was not an easy practice; she did a good job. This is the second Saturday in a row that she did Koundinyasana B, which I could not do. I need to start practicing it. James must have been doing it in his Sat 9 Am class, since Kathy likes to model her class after his.

Today, Sunday, should be a rest day. I'm going to the studio at 4, and if anybody shows up, I'll just assist but not practice. It is not a formal class, just a PS practice, which very few people attend. Ashtanga is not very popular down here, unfortunately.
On the other hand, if it was, I'd be stuck in PS forever, as tight as my hips are. Padmasana (Lotus) looks like it'll be mission impossible for a long time, especially that I blew out my right knee in Dec of last year. Oh well.