Oh how I've missed the Atlantic Coast

Living in the smack dab middle of texas (or the country for that matter) makes me feel so removed. And having grown up on the east coast, being this far away is hard. Luckily for Memorial Day weekend, my mom invited me and my husband out to Florida. It was one of the most perfect vacations I have ever had. Even managed to do a yoga photo shoot on the beach, I'll post some of the pics here soon! :)

The only negative is that I didn't practice for the past 5 days. Mysore in the morning should be interesting ! Thank goodness Thursday is a moonday.

You tagged me, you really tagged me ! :)

Thank you Tim for tagging me! :) I was beginning to feel like the last kid to be picked for kickball teams! :)

Okay here goes:

1. While it may not surprise you that I read a lot of blogs, I also read a lot of celebrity gossip blogs like perezhilton.com . It's a habit I'm trying to give up, but geez they are strangely compelling!

2. In college, I used to play pool to supplement my income. They never saw it coming ;)

3. I am unusually sensitive to light and noise...I'm happiest in a dark or dimly lit room that is absolutely silent.

4. I tore my ACL on a trampoline when I was 15 years old at a friends house. She never spoke to me again because her family was so scared that mine would sue. We didn't.

5. I often feel like a phony at work. Like I am the only one there who doesn't belong. I keep promising myself that I'm going to spend all my spare time studying to try to "catch up" with everyone else.

6. My favorite meal is cheese pizza and champagne.

7. I have five parents. Dad, Step-Mom, Mom, Step-Dad, Ex-Step-Dad! Whew!

8. I have three tattoos, and plan to get another of the invocation in Sanskrit, when I graduate teacher training in August.

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The rules - 1: Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves. 2: People who are tagged, write a blog post about their own 8 random things, and post these rules. 3: At the end of your post you need to tag 8 people and include their names. 4: Don't forget to leave them a comment and tell them they're tagged, and to read your blog.
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I would like to tag:
Yoga Chickie
A Lotus Girl
Kayla (Mama Yogini)
Caroline (Ashtangi Aspirant)
Tiff (Yogini's Quest)
Xzar
Tabby Cat
EdHo

The Fountain

I watched "The Fountain" last night on video. My husband and I have been bound and determined to see it, and we went to 6 video stores last night before we found one in stock. Popular film! And now that I have seen it I get why it was so hard to find. One of the very best films I have ever seen. I may be a little bit biased because I love Aronofsky and a lot of the themes were very yogic. I'm still going to stick my neck out there and highly recommend it.

I would go into why I love it so much, but that would include spoilers, and I don't want to ruin such a wonderful journey for any of you. But run, don't walk, to your local video store and rent it.

In Practice News: I'm having a funny feeling on the left side of my upper spine, and it is has been hanging out there for a couple weeks now. It seems like I always have something physically nagging going on. I spoke with Mary after class about it today, and she had a really beautiful way of putting it. She said that our bodies are carrying a history with them. From our ancestors and from our own lives. The practice helps to realign our physical (mental, and spiritual) body, and this process isn't always comfortable. After hearing this, I feel differently about the pain in my back, like I am letting some trauma go from this spot. She also told me that as the years pass, these nagging issues come fewer and farther between. I hope she is right ;)

Namaste everyone.

Dropbacks...Drop! Back!

On Friday in morning mysore, Mary wanted me to start dropping back by myself....AHHHHHH!!!! I don't wanna!

Okay, now that the mild freakout is over...I really don't feel like I am ready. She has been assisting me, and I feel like she is doing all the work, and that when I do it myself, I am just going to fall on my head! I think tomorrow morning may be when I just have to go for it. I have a lot of fear in my practice. Headstand took way longer than it needed to, because I was scared of falling over, I don't jump-through properly because I'm scared I'll re-injure my shoulder. I've never attempted forearm stand (see headstand). And now, I can't seem to bring myself to make the drop.

I'm loving practice in spite of this fear. I've been given all the poses except setu bandhasana. Very cool.

I've started "teaching" classes fairly regularly. I have classes at my house, and I'm assisting with my second mentor. I'm surprised how much I'm going to have to get used to. Teaching is so much more complicated than I thought it was going to be. I look forward to having my own public classes where I can begin to feel more comfortable.

Hope you are all having a good weekend!

All Banged Up

Okay, either I am the most clumsy person in the world, or I am pushing myself too hard. I have teeny weeny injuries all over the place! They consist of:

-Bruises on the sides of both elbows from my legs pressing my arms into the ground in Kurmasana
-A small sprain on my left foot from landing weird on the top of my foot while jumping through
-A very sore inside of my left knee from landing on it when jumping back from bakasana
-A sore upper left spine, maybe from the rounding of Kurmasana and Supta Kurmasana
-A sore left SI joint, from demo-ing revolved positions while teaching when not warm enough
-Sore lower back from drop backs

The thing is, despite all of these, I'm really enjoying my practice and am being given a new pose almost daily. And any one of these on their own wouldn't be so bad, but I feel so beat up that it is definitely forcing me to take it easier....I don't want to be that person in class that is always injuring themselves...thank goodness tomorrow is a moon day! :)

Injuries and Openings....

I have a funny feeling in my upper back on the left side of my spine...not enough pain yet to be an injury, so I'll just refer to it as an opening... I was talking with Mary about it today, and she told me a story about how Guruji says that pain is "a symptom of the practice". I agree to a certain extent. Pain due to body changes and "openings" is totally fine, I think it teaches you to be strong and focused... That being said, pain due to injuries is not okay, although sometimes it is hard to tell the difference.

I was given Baddha Konasana today. Very cool. First pose I've ever been "given". My mysore practice before Mary was not as traditional, so I went the whole way through the primary series. I'm trying to not be attached to getting poses, but it is exciting!

Teacher training again on Saturday. And then I teach my first class on Sunday. Whew, time is a flyin'!

Yoga, Yoga, and More Yoga!

This weekend was teacher training, we have been together as a group for a while now, and have grown really close. This process has been extremely transformative for me, and I believe I have made some life long friends. Shout out to my Kula if any of you are reading! :)

Morning mysore was rough today. I guess from sitting around in training all weekend I tightened up...My shoulders in Prasarita Padottanasana C were "as if someone had filled them with cement". Someone on Ashtangi.net said it that way once, and I liked it. I'm hoping to be a bit more limber tomorrow. Mary suggested to me last week that I drink more water to help with my stamina, and boy has it! It's interesting to me how we forget how essential water is...keeps us energized, allows us to detoxify, fights depression and anxiety, keeps our skin soft and supple, etc, etc, etc,... and I still lapse in drinking enough. My new mission is to carry a bottle with me everywhere :)

I'll write more soon, I'm swamped and want to fit in posts as often as I can, but they may be a wee shorter for a little while :)

Namaste.

Morning Mysore with Mary

Okay, I was skeptical at first about this whole early morning mysore thing...but I have to say I freaking love it. Granted, Wednesday was a moon day, and I've only been today and Tuesday, but I can't wait to get up in the morning and go tomorrow! I'm converted! I have a feeling that this will be cyclical, like all things in life, and I will go through phases where I don't want to get up so early every day. If I can just remember how much I love it now, that should carry me through the times I don't love it so much.

Mary Flinn is an amazing teacher. She doesn't leave room for slacking off, and is very helpful and compassionate. I am really enjoying learning from her. She has given me through Garba Pindasana, and says that it isn't really about the poses, she thinks they are there for me to continue, she says it is more about stamina.

I agree with her about that one. My stamina is lacking lately, between switching to morning practice, that month hiatus for my shoulder, and giving up meat (yes I've finally gone vegetarian), my body is going through some adjustments. I see progress though, so I am pleased.

Teacher training again this weekend! I'm about half way through...Crazy!

Hope all is well with you.