I'm not as serious as you

I've been taking led classes in the evenings lately. I've been skipping out on morning mysore, partly to practice with my hubby, and partly because I've missed the group energy of the led class. But for some reason, and I'm sure it is all me imposing this feeling on myself, I feel less serious about my practice. Like I'm no longer "hardcore" and what not.

I'd like to take a poll, leave a comment if you would be so kind: Do you practice Mysore style in the AM or led classes any time of day?

Also, in your comment, if you want to be even kinder: Do you think that Mysore style classes in the AM are more "hardcore" than the led ones?

And by hardcore, I mean more devoted, more serious about the practice, all around a more committed ashtangi :)

Walking in Tadasana

After seeing the chiropractor yesterday, I've decided that I absolutely have to improve my posture. This hunching over at my desk, hunching over the lab bench, hunching over while in bed with my laptop, etc etc has got to stop...I realized today I even hunch over when walking! I am what my chiro calls "head forward". Granted it isn't a huge shift forward, but apparently every millimeter forward, the load on your back, especially upper back (ah ha!) is exponentially increased.

As a result, I have made a new resolution to walk in tadasana. This is really strange and even more difficult. When I place my head over my shoulders, over my hips, over my sits bones, over my ankles, it feels like I may fall backward, yet when I catch a glance of my reflection I am perfectly upright. I'm finding that my core tightens up much more...and I feel as though I'm thrusting my hips forward, but I'm not. And then when I let myself fall back into my old habit of walking from walking in tadasana, I realize just how bad my posture is...it is a dramatic difference.

Next week...sitting, sleeping, cartwheeling, showering, running, biking, in tadasana!

Ah Marichi, how I have missed you.

Today M gave me through Mari C. Hurray! I really missed the shoulder opening and binding in the marichi's.

My husband sent me an email in the middle of the day that read "I want to go to E's 7:30 pm on Thursday and M's 10:30 am on Saturday". Yippee! These will be his second and third led classes ever. Going to these led classes with him is harder than I remember led classes to be. I don't know if I work harder because of the group energy, or they are just faster, but I am surprised by how tired I get!

Hey anybody own the Prana Goucho's? I am considering them, but am worried they are useless for ashtanga...hmmmm, headstand in flared legs....I see london, I see france :)

Hurray!

My husband asked me to "ashtanga him" last night. I think maybe he has caught the bug :) I called the postures through warrior 1, and then we did yoga mudra, padmasana, and utiplutih to close.

My practice continues. Slowly, slowly. One by one we go. I am still doing primary through Janu C with only very mild discomfort. The thought occurred to me today while in savasana that soon I may have to get up earlier and work harder! In all my worrying about my back, I didn't realize that I was really getting used to my little practice :)

Like a Virgin...

Sore for the very first time...

That sounded gross...My husband and I went to an ashtanga led primary yesterday during free yoga day here in Austin. He emailed me today to say how sore he is. There is nothing like the soreness you feel your first few hundred times of a led primary class.

That was his first Ashtanga class ever! Other than me walking him through surya a & b and a few poses from standing here in our house. It was really fun to share it with him and I secretly hope the bug got him the way it did me after my first class.