The weather was a little nicer yesterday so I got a nice 4 mile outdoor run in during my lunch break. My run on Monday was really tough to get through because it's been ages since I've been running. Luckily my run on Tuesday felt much better so that was encouraging! Today is going to be a rest day from running, although I think I might still go to the gym because they just started a Zumba class and I've been hearing great things about Zumba!
This morning before yoga I had someone take a video for me of my crow to chaturanga - it's a little dark because the room is dimly lit, but you get the idea. Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to get the video to play directly from this page so here is a link:
Video of Crow to Chaturanga 3/31/10
My next goal is to combine what I have learned so far - Crow to Tripod Headstand, back to Crow, shoot back to Chaturanga...whew! I'm tired just thinking about it!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
the eyes have it
I did it! I did it! I did it!!! Yesterday after work I went to the 5:15 Hatha class with Brett. I got there around 4:30 and I was planning on practicing in the room by myself but Brett was already there. He started watching me which made me nervous at first because I don't know him - I have only taken one of his classes and it was at least 6 months ago. I tend to get nervous in front of instructors I don't know because I want to do really well so they think I'm good. It's silly I know...the reason I am there is to learn from them & gain from their knowledge, not to try to impress them...but the feelings are still there. It's similar to how I was in school - always trying to be the best so the teacher would notice.
Anyway - after a few minutes I dropped "trying to look good" from my mind and started focus on what the instructor had to say. It finally clicked for me - I realized where I was blocked! I kept looking down at the ground because I felt like my arms were going to collapse and I was going to fall on my face...and that's what kept happening. Instead, when I lifted my gaze and looked up in front of me, my body followed and I was able to successfully shoot back and keep my body off the ground!!!
It makes sense to me because it's the same thing I have experienced in mountain biking. When you see a rock that you are afraid of running into...if you look directly at the rock and think to yourself "don't hit the rock, whatever you do don't hit the rock" you are inevitably going to run right into it. It's a little counter intuitive because you feel like you need to stare at it to make sure that you avoid it - but the opposite is true. If you look past the rock and keep your eyes where you want to go, your body will follow and you will successfully navigate around the rock.
Back to yoga...I was so excited when I finally got it!!! I did it a few more times to prove to myself that it wasn't a fluke, and then my arms were totally dead even before class started. Luckily it was a Hatha class instead of a Vinyasa class (where you have to use your arms more). Being tired didn't stop me though - during class I did a head stand! Even though I know I can do it on my own, I still get a little nervous trying it during class...but I did it anyway :) Each time it will get less scary and eventually it will be part of my routine.
Anyway - after a few minutes I dropped "trying to look good" from my mind and started focus on what the instructor had to say. It finally clicked for me - I realized where I was blocked! I kept looking down at the ground because I felt like my arms were going to collapse and I was going to fall on my face...and that's what kept happening. Instead, when I lifted my gaze and looked up in front of me, my body followed and I was able to successfully shoot back and keep my body off the ground!!!
It makes sense to me because it's the same thing I have experienced in mountain biking. When you see a rock that you are afraid of running into...if you look directly at the rock and think to yourself "don't hit the rock, whatever you do don't hit the rock" you are inevitably going to run right into it. It's a little counter intuitive because you feel like you need to stare at it to make sure that you avoid it - but the opposite is true. If you look past the rock and keep your eyes where you want to go, your body will follow and you will successfully navigate around the rock.
Back to yoga...I was so excited when I finally got it!!! I did it a few more times to prove to myself that it wasn't a fluke, and then my arms were totally dead even before class started. Luckily it was a Hatha class instead of a Vinyasa class (where you have to use your arms more). Being tired didn't stop me though - during class I did a head stand! Even though I know I can do it on my own, I still get a little nervous trying it during class...but I did it anyway :) Each time it will get less scary and eventually it will be part of my routine.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Confession
Okay I have a confession...I was supposed to start training for a half marathon at the same time this yoga challenge began...but I have not been running at all! I now only have 6 weeks left until the event on May 9th so I am starting my training today. The weather apparently didn't get the memo though because it's pouring rain! It was raining so hard this morning that I actually convinced my wonderful husband to drive me to work :)
In honor of the lovely Seattle weather I headed over to the gym during lunch and ran 3 miles on the treadmill. Two things: first, it's been so long since I've been to the gym that I am lucky that I even found it; and second let's be honest, by "run" I mean I did a combination of walking & jogging while trying not to pass out. I survived, but it was brutal - reality shock to admit how far I have to go in the next 6 weeks! I have to say though that as painful as it was to get through the 3 miles, I feel great now that I'm done so that's definitely encouraging. I'm going to start logging my miles on this blog so I have a place to keep myself accountable.
Alright, back to yoga. Yesterday I went to a new yoga class - on Sundays there is a "weekly workshop" that is focused on taking your postures deeper than in the regular classes. There were only four of us there so we each got to pick one thing we wanted to focus on during class. I of course chose crow shoot backs :) The instructor said she thinks it's just a mental block that is in my way because she said I have the strength to do it, I just need to believe that I can. I'm getting closer each day, and I feel like one day it's going to just click. Maybe that day will be today...I slept in this morning so I'm going to class after work so we'll see...
In honor of the lovely Seattle weather I headed over to the gym during lunch and ran 3 miles on the treadmill. Two things: first, it's been so long since I've been to the gym that I am lucky that I even found it; and second let's be honest, by "run" I mean I did a combination of walking & jogging while trying not to pass out. I survived, but it was brutal - reality shock to admit how far I have to go in the next 6 weeks! I have to say though that as painful as it was to get through the 3 miles, I feel great now that I'm done so that's definitely encouraging. I'm going to start logging my miles on this blog so I have a place to keep myself accountable.
Alright, back to yoga. Yesterday I went to a new yoga class - on Sundays there is a "weekly workshop" that is focused on taking your postures deeper than in the regular classes. There were only four of us there so we each got to pick one thing we wanted to focus on during class. I of course chose crow shoot backs :) The instructor said she thinks it's just a mental block that is in my way because she said I have the strength to do it, I just need to believe that I can. I'm getting closer each day, and I feel like one day it's going to just click. Maybe that day will be today...I slept in this morning so I'm going to class after work so we'll see...
Saturday, March 27, 2010
the power of other people's thoughts
This morning was the first time since I started the 60 day challenge that I didn't really want to go to class. I knew once I got there I would be glad I did, but I was having a hard time motivating myself. I was trying to figure out why today was different than the other days, and I realized it was partially because of a conversation I had yesterday when one of my friends came with me to class. She mentioned it had been a few years since she has regularly practiced yoga because she had gotten bored with the routine.
For some reason I internalized this and thought things like "hmm, I go every day - maybe I'll get bored. am I bored already? should I be doing something else? etc." Even though her comment had nothing to do with me, the power of her thoughts affected what I was thinking. I didn't realize this at the time - I just noticed it today when I was trying to figure out why I was not as excited about going to class as I normally am. It's silly though because her experience is completely separate from mine - so it was just funny to realize how it had influenced my thoughts.
Anyway - I went to class and of course was glad that I did. I was 90 min. Hatha with Diane and boy did she work us hard today! It felt really good. Before & after class I practied more Crow shoot backs - I'm improving, but still have a ways to go. It's funny because I feel like this is taking longer to learn than the headstand, which seems like it should be harder. Oh well...I'll get it eventually :)
For some reason I internalized this and thought things like "hmm, I go every day - maybe I'll get bored. am I bored already? should I be doing something else? etc." Even though her comment had nothing to do with me, the power of her thoughts affected what I was thinking. I didn't realize this at the time - I just noticed it today when I was trying to figure out why I was not as excited about going to class as I normally am. It's silly though because her experience is completely separate from mine - so it was just funny to realize how it had influenced my thoughts.
Anyway - I went to class and of course was glad that I did. I was 90 min. Hatha with Diane and boy did she work us hard today! It felt really good. Before & after class I practied more Crow shoot backs - I'm improving, but still have a ways to go. It's funny because I feel like this is taking longer to learn than the headstand, which seems like it should be harder. Oh well...I'll get it eventually :)
Friday, March 26, 2010
the power of thoughts
Okay so I'm going to show you my true inner hippy and talk about the power of thoughts and our innate ability to heal ourselves :) On Wednesday evening, I started feeling a cold coming on and by Thursday morning I couldn't breathe through my nose anymore. I got up in the morning and went to yoga thinking that it would help clear some toxins out of my body. I had a really great class and was able to breathe freely.
I then went to work, sat through a couple meetings and then started feeling really awful again. My sinuses were all blocked again which was making me lightheaded. I left for the day and came home to take a nap but I couldn't sleep because I couldn't breathe. I got up and did some meditation and then took a bath with some eucalyptus dead sea salts. I focused my thoughts on breathing and healing...I know, I know, it may sound a little kooky but honestly when I was finished I felt entirely different. I was able to breathe again and took a nice long nap.
Thursday evening my husband & I were supposed to go to a friend's house to watch the Husky basketball game, but I didn't feel like I should be around other people spreading my germs so we stayed home. It was really interesting, every time I would sit down my congestion would return, but when I stood up and moved around I could breathe more easily. So I spent most of the game pacing around the livingroom while my husband sat on the couch.
I also broke out my neti pot and used that in the morning & night - if you don't have a neti pot, you should seriously get one. My husband used to take Claritin every day for his allergies and after I got him a neti pot, he has completely quit using Claritin - it's amazing!
Anyway - today I went to the Restorative yoga class and the instructor, Jennifer, talked about how we get sick because we don't move our bodies the way they were intended to move. We spend so much of our time sitting at a desk at work, sitting on our couch at home, etc. that we are imparing our lymph system from doing its job. Even though I hadn't told her I was sick, I felt like she was speaking directly to me. It went right with what I had experienced of feeling sick when I was sitting and feeling better when I was moving.
All through class I focused my breathing on healing like I did yesterday - each time I inhaled I said to myself "breathe" and each time I exhaled I said "heal." When I got home I felt a hundred times better - I really feel like I healed myself after just a day of being sick. Call me a hippy if you want, but if it works it works!
I then went to work, sat through a couple meetings and then started feeling really awful again. My sinuses were all blocked again which was making me lightheaded. I left for the day and came home to take a nap but I couldn't sleep because I couldn't breathe. I got up and did some meditation and then took a bath with some eucalyptus dead sea salts. I focused my thoughts on breathing and healing...I know, I know, it may sound a little kooky but honestly when I was finished I felt entirely different. I was able to breathe again and took a nice long nap.
Thursday evening my husband & I were supposed to go to a friend's house to watch the Husky basketball game, but I didn't feel like I should be around other people spreading my germs so we stayed home. It was really interesting, every time I would sit down my congestion would return, but when I stood up and moved around I could breathe more easily. So I spent most of the game pacing around the livingroom while my husband sat on the couch.
I also broke out my neti pot and used that in the morning & night - if you don't have a neti pot, you should seriously get one. My husband used to take Claritin every day for his allergies and after I got him a neti pot, he has completely quit using Claritin - it's amazing!
Anyway - today I went to the Restorative yoga class and the instructor, Jennifer, talked about how we get sick because we don't move our bodies the way they were intended to move. We spend so much of our time sitting at a desk at work, sitting on our couch at home, etc. that we are imparing our lymph system from doing its job. Even though I hadn't told her I was sick, I felt like she was speaking directly to me. It went right with what I had experienced of feeling sick when I was sitting and feeling better when I was moving.
All through class I focused my breathing on healing like I did yesterday - each time I inhaled I said to myself "breathe" and each time I exhaled I said "heal." When I got home I felt a hundred times better - I really feel like I healed myself after just a day of being sick. Call me a hippy if you want, but if it works it works!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
different day, different body
It's really interesting how your body can feel different from day to day. Yesterday morning I went to a Hatha class and I was feeling very dizzy & light headed. It was frustrating because I really wanted to do my best in class, but I kept having to lay down on my mat. I'm not sure what was causing it - I could have been dehydrated, or it could have been from eating & drinking too much this weekend.
Whatever it was, it seems to have passed because this morning in class I felt back to my normal self. I guess it's just a good reminder that every day is different and just because you do yoga every day, doesn't mean that it gets easy. There will always be challenging days and there will always be something new to learn.
Today after class I asked the instructor, Sean, for tips on how to shoot back from Crow to Chaturanga. He had me practice trying to move one leg at a time. It was really hard - the first couple of tries, I wasn't able to do it but then it started clicking. I then tried to do both legs at the same time...hoping I would magically get it, but I didn't. I tried a few more times and then called it a day. Now I have a way to practice so I'll spend a few minutes each day and hopefully soon it will click.
Whatever it was, it seems to have passed because this morning in class I felt back to my normal self. I guess it's just a good reminder that every day is different and just because you do yoga every day, doesn't mean that it gets easy. There will always be challenging days and there will always be something new to learn.
Today after class I asked the instructor, Sean, for tips on how to shoot back from Crow to Chaturanga. He had me practice trying to move one leg at a time. It was really hard - the first couple of tries, I wasn't able to do it but then it started clicking. I then tried to do both legs at the same time...hoping I would magically get it, but I didn't. I tried a few more times and then called it a day. Now I have a way to practice so I'll spend a few minutes each day and hopefully soon it will click.
Monday, March 22, 2010
back to the heat
It was wonderful to be out of town, but I'm happy to be back home! Yesterday when we got back to town I went to Kathy's Vinyasa class. I don't get to her class very often because the times aren't the best for my schedule, but I always love it when I am able to go! Kathy & her husband, Gordy, own Urban Yoga Spa and they used to teach the class together but it became so popular that they had to split the class into two.
I had a little bit of a rough class because this weekend I ate & drank too much...which was fun, but it definitely took a toll on my body. I just took it easy and modified a lot of the poses - at least I was there and doing it. It felt really good to be back in the hot room after three days away. Ha ha, I remember how overwhelmed I was a year ago when I first started hot yoga...I never thought I would see the day when I would look forward to the heat. It takes a while to build up tolerance/endurance, but now that I'm used to it, I actually crave it!
The other thing I missed whie I was away was music. The stuido I went to didn't play any music during class and it felt like something was missing to me. At the end of Kathy's class she always plays the song "Imagine" while we are in Savasana (Corpse Pose) and everyone sings along. Don't laugh, I know it sounds cheesy but it's not. We're not talking Karaoke...just singing softly while lying down on our backs. It's beautiful - it seriously makes me tear up every time.
I've decided the next thing I want to learn how to do - shooting back from Crow to Chaturanga. Kathy was having us try it in class yesterday and I couldn't get my knees off my arms. Every time I tried, my arms would just buckle and I would fall over. I watched other people do it seemingly effortlessly while I felt like the fat kid trying to jump and not actually getting off the ground. I know I can do it - I just need to keep practicing.
This morning I came across this blog and really liked what it had to say about practice: "Crow brings us back to the child’s mind, the beginner’s attitude. ‘If at first you fail, try, try again.’ When kids are learning something new, they fall, the fumble, the look and feel awkward, but they keep trying, they keep experimenting. They enjoy the process of learning so much that once they master it, they want something more to reach for. This is what crow pose gives us. Access to the child’s mind and permission to be messy, sloppy, awkward, and fumbling."
I had a little bit of a rough class because this weekend I ate & drank too much...which was fun, but it definitely took a toll on my body. I just took it easy and modified a lot of the poses - at least I was there and doing it. It felt really good to be back in the hot room after three days away. Ha ha, I remember how overwhelmed I was a year ago when I first started hot yoga...I never thought I would see the day when I would look forward to the heat. It takes a while to build up tolerance/endurance, but now that I'm used to it, I actually crave it!
The other thing I missed whie I was away was music. The stuido I went to didn't play any music during class and it felt like something was missing to me. At the end of Kathy's class she always plays the song "Imagine" while we are in Savasana (Corpse Pose) and everyone sings along. Don't laugh, I know it sounds cheesy but it's not. We're not talking Karaoke...just singing softly while lying down on our backs. It's beautiful - it seriously makes me tear up every time.
I've decided the next thing I want to learn how to do - shooting back from Crow to Chaturanga. Kathy was having us try it in class yesterday and I couldn't get my knees off my arms. Every time I tried, my arms would just buckle and I would fall over. I watched other people do it seemingly effortlessly while I felt like the fat kid trying to jump and not actually getting off the ground. I know I can do it - I just need to keep practicing.
This morning I came across this blog and really liked what it had to say about practice: "Crow brings us back to the child’s mind, the beginner’s attitude. ‘If at first you fail, try, try again.’ When kids are learning something new, they fall, the fumble, the look and feel awkward, but they keep trying, they keep experimenting. They enjoy the process of learning so much that once they master it, they want something more to reach for. This is what crow pose gives us. Access to the child’s mind and permission to be messy, sloppy, awkward, and fumbling."
Sunday, March 21, 2010
San Fran
I had a fantastic trip to San Fran! My husband & I flew down Wednesday night and came home Sunday morning. The UW men's b-ball team was playing in the NCAA tournament in San Jose. We're big Husky fans...we have season tickets to the games, so we couldn't pass up the chance to take a little mini vacation!
We stayed with a friend in San Francisco and then took the train to San Jose for the games (it's about an hour away). Before we went, I looked online and found a yoga studio right by where we were staying and they had a special offer - your first class for $5, perfect! The studio was called Yoga Garden and they have a few different types of classes. I decided to take the Iyengar class because I had never done it before...actually I didn't even know what it was.
Luckily it was a small class (only three students) so we got a lot of personal attention. The main difference between Iyengar and what I am used to is that we used lots of props during class. There were blocks, straps, bolsters (kind of like wedge pillows), blankets, ropes hanging off the walls, chairs, a bar, etc. It was intense! In each pose, we used a prop to help get into proper allignment and go deeper into the poses. I had to check my ego at the door because I had always had a little bit of a negative mentality towards props...like you use them if you're not good enough/strong enough/flexible enough to do it on your own. Boy was I wrong! It was just as much work, if not more work, to use them. The next day I was sore in places I didn't know existed!
Friday I went to an Ashtanga class which basically seemed the same to me as Vinyasa - I'm not sure what the difference is. Again it was a small class, only two of us this time...so apparently people in San Fran like to sleep in. The room was not heated so that was interesting to see how much heat I generated on my own. During the first part of class my hands kept slipping on my mat (which I had borrowed from the studio). I was having a really difficult time staying in Downward Dog. Normally I have a Yogi Toes towel on top of my mat, so I figured that's why I was slipping. I struggled for the first 15 minutes of class and then finally said something to the teacher. She gave me a different mat which had a little more grip to it and that instantly fixed the problem. I wish I had just said something from the beginning rather than getting frustrated with myself. I just assumed the problem was me and I didn't want to admit that I was having trouble. Another lesson in checking my ego.
Saturday I was not able to attend a class at the studio because the classes start later on the weekends. I didn't have time to take a class before we needed to catch the train to San Jose, so I practiced on my own where we were staying. That was actually nice because I was able to do a lot of stretching. After two weeks of consecutive yoga, and two nights of sleeping on couches, I needed a good stretch.
Overall it was a wonderful trip - we got to see a bunch of friends, I tried two new kinds of yoga, and the Huskies won both their games and are headed to the Sweet Sixteen!
We stayed with a friend in San Francisco and then took the train to San Jose for the games (it's about an hour away). Before we went, I looked online and found a yoga studio right by where we were staying and they had a special offer - your first class for $5, perfect! The studio was called Yoga Garden and they have a few different types of classes. I decided to take the Iyengar class because I had never done it before...actually I didn't even know what it was.
Luckily it was a small class (only three students) so we got a lot of personal attention. The main difference between Iyengar and what I am used to is that we used lots of props during class. There were blocks, straps, bolsters (kind of like wedge pillows), blankets, ropes hanging off the walls, chairs, a bar, etc. It was intense! In each pose, we used a prop to help get into proper allignment and go deeper into the poses. I had to check my ego at the door because I had always had a little bit of a negative mentality towards props...like you use them if you're not good enough/strong enough/flexible enough to do it on your own. Boy was I wrong! It was just as much work, if not more work, to use them. The next day I was sore in places I didn't know existed!
Friday I went to an Ashtanga class which basically seemed the same to me as Vinyasa - I'm not sure what the difference is. Again it was a small class, only two of us this time...so apparently people in San Fran like to sleep in. The room was not heated so that was interesting to see how much heat I generated on my own. During the first part of class my hands kept slipping on my mat (which I had borrowed from the studio). I was having a really difficult time staying in Downward Dog. Normally I have a Yogi Toes towel on top of my mat, so I figured that's why I was slipping. I struggled for the first 15 minutes of class and then finally said something to the teacher. She gave me a different mat which had a little more grip to it and that instantly fixed the problem. I wish I had just said something from the beginning rather than getting frustrated with myself. I just assumed the problem was me and I didn't want to admit that I was having trouble. Another lesson in checking my ego.
Saturday I was not able to attend a class at the studio because the classes start later on the weekends. I didn't have time to take a class before we needed to catch the train to San Jose, so I practiced on my own where we were staying. That was actually nice because I was able to do a lot of stretching. After two weeks of consecutive yoga, and two nights of sleeping on couches, I needed a good stretch.
Overall it was a wonderful trip - we got to see a bunch of friends, I tried two new kinds of yoga, and the Huskies won both their games and are headed to the Sweet Sixteen!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
good news/bad news
First the bad news: I took my first fall out of headstand. I literally fell from straight up in the air to flat on my back. The good news: I took my first fall out of headstand. I got over the fear of falling because now I know it's no big deal. At first I thought "oh my gosh, how embarrassing! did anybody see that?" But then I just laughed at myself. Of course everyone saw, but who cares? It didn't hurt, nobody pointed and laughed, and it didn't freak me out and scare me from trying again. Now I feel a sense of safety that I'm going to be okay no matter what. Plus I realized my next step...learning how to gracefully exit from headstand :)
I wish I could say that the rest of class was insightful for me, but it wasn't. I was up late last night and debated on whether to go this morning. I really wanted to just stay in bed but I knew I didn't have time to go to class later today. Usually once I am there, I get into the groove and calm my mind - but today I just couldn't get my mind to shut off. Oh well - I still was there and did it, so day 10 is complete!
Tonight I'm flying to San Francisco and will be there through Sunday. I looked online and found a few yoga studios near where I am staying so I will try to go if the scheduling works out. We have tickets to the NCAA tourney in San Jose which is an hour train ride from our friend's apartment. I don't know if there will be time in the morning to get to class, shower, change, etc. before having to catch the train. If not, I will just practice on my own.
I wish I could say that the rest of class was insightful for me, but it wasn't. I was up late last night and debated on whether to go this morning. I really wanted to just stay in bed but I knew I didn't have time to go to class later today. Usually once I am there, I get into the groove and calm my mind - but today I just couldn't get my mind to shut off. Oh well - I still was there and did it, so day 10 is complete!
Tonight I'm flying to San Francisco and will be there through Sunday. I looked online and found a few yoga studios near where I am staying so I will try to go if the scheduling works out. We have tickets to the NCAA tourney in San Jose which is an hour train ride from our friend's apartment. I don't know if there will be time in the morning to get to class, shower, change, etc. before having to catch the train. If not, I will just practice on my own.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
What if?
Well I'm going to have to pick a new posture to learn because I did a headstand today!!! Woo hoo, I can't believe it!
I was practicing before class this morning and Jo was teaching again. I was showing her how I could lift one leg at a time, but couldn't lift them both at the same time yet. She said just to keep practicing and one day it would just click. She left the room and sat for a moment to think - what if today was the day? what if I just did it right now?
I immediately tried again and was able to lift both legs up at the same time. I still had my knees bent but they were above my hips. I got so excited that I didn't even try to straighten my legs, I just came out of the pose right away because I was in complete shock that I did it!
At this point I decided to move over next to the wall and try again so that I could use the wall to help figure out where vertical was. I got both legs all the way up straight! I did it two more times that way and then once away from the wall!!! This was all before class still, so I ran out front to tell Jo about it!
Then it was time for class - it was Hatha today. I was really excited to do Hatha because I had done 5 days of Vinyasa in a row. In Hatha you do the same set of poses in the same order every class. You do one pose at a time and hold it for 30-60 seconds. In Vinyasa, you flow from one pose to the next each time you inhale or exhale. Every class is different as there is no set order. One of my favorite things about Urban Yoga Spa is that they teach both styles so I have some variety from day to day.
During the first part of class it was really hard to focus because I was so excited about the headstand. I shifted my focus and started thinking "what if" again. What if I held this pose longer? What if I straightened my legs more? What if I balanced more steadily? That really helped me push myself and stay focused.
When we got to straddle forward fold, I thought "what if I went into headstand?" I hadn't tried it during class yet, and I was afraid that I would fall on the person next to me. I also had not tried headstand from straddle forward fold, I had only tried it from crow. But who cares? What if I just tried? So I did - and I did it! Without knocking over into anyone next to me I might add :)
After class I ran and got my phone and had Jo take a few pictures for me. They are kind of grainy because I don't have flash and it's a little dark in the room, but here they are:
Crow
Head down
Headstand!!!
I was practicing before class this morning and Jo was teaching again. I was showing her how I could lift one leg at a time, but couldn't lift them both at the same time yet. She said just to keep practicing and one day it would just click. She left the room and sat for a moment to think - what if today was the day? what if I just did it right now?
I immediately tried again and was able to lift both legs up at the same time. I still had my knees bent but they were above my hips. I got so excited that I didn't even try to straighten my legs, I just came out of the pose right away because I was in complete shock that I did it!
At this point I decided to move over next to the wall and try again so that I could use the wall to help figure out where vertical was. I got both legs all the way up straight! I did it two more times that way and then once away from the wall!!! This was all before class still, so I ran out front to tell Jo about it!
Then it was time for class - it was Hatha today. I was really excited to do Hatha because I had done 5 days of Vinyasa in a row. In Hatha you do the same set of poses in the same order every class. You do one pose at a time and hold it for 30-60 seconds. In Vinyasa, you flow from one pose to the next each time you inhale or exhale. Every class is different as there is no set order. One of my favorite things about Urban Yoga Spa is that they teach both styles so I have some variety from day to day.
During the first part of class it was really hard to focus because I was so excited about the headstand. I shifted my focus and started thinking "what if" again. What if I held this pose longer? What if I straightened my legs more? What if I balanced more steadily? That really helped me push myself and stay focused.
When we got to straddle forward fold, I thought "what if I went into headstand?" I hadn't tried it during class yet, and I was afraid that I would fall on the person next to me. I also had not tried headstand from straddle forward fold, I had only tried it from crow. But who cares? What if I just tried? So I did - and I did it! Without knocking over into anyone next to me I might add :)
After class I ran and got my phone and had Jo take a few pictures for me. They are kind of grainy because I don't have flash and it's a little dark in the room, but here they are:
Crow
Head down
Headstand!!!
Monday, March 15, 2010
learning to observe rather than judge
Yesterday marked day 7 of my 60 day challenge. I went to a 90 minute Vinyasa class and Jennifer was instructing. This was my first 90 minute class for the week - the rest of the classes have been 60 minutes.
We worked hard for the full time, but we also did a few minutes of meditating at the beginning and end of class. Jennifer talked about our ability, or rather inability, to sit still. Often times when we try to sit still we end up fidgeting, adjusting our clothes, adjusting our hair, redistributing our body to get more comfortable, etc. It's really hard to not move!
She challenged us to not judge ourselves for not sitting still, but to just observe our thought patterns and our behaviors. This was also hard! I immediately started critiquing myself - I'm not sitting straight enough, I'm not breathing deep enough, I'm thinking too much, etc.
The thing that stood out the most was not the thoughts themselves, but the negative association I had with them: I'm doing bad, I'm not doing it right, I'm not doing it as good as that person, etc. I was being really hard on myself and all we were doing was sitting! Once I realized that, I almost laughed at how ridiculous my thoughts were. It gave me a new perspective into acceptance of myself and experiencing a present moment. I can observe things as just the way they are - I don't need to analyze everything as good/bad/right/wrong every second of the day.
This morning in class Mandy was teaching and she read a quote from a book that went something like...'to forgive is to set a prisoner free and then to discover that the prisoner was yourself.' It resonated with me in sort of a loose interpretation by applying it to myself instead of others, but it seemed to fit with what I was thinking yesterday. Letting go of my self-judgment (or forgiving myself) is incredibly liberating (setting the prisoner/myself free).
After class I applied that to my headstand practice. Each attempt I made, I tried to just observe what happened rather than judge whether I was doing good/bad/right/wrong. If I fell down, it wasn't 'bad,' it just is what it is: a fall. It was really interesting - I actually felt more confident and in turn felt stronger and more balanced. I was able to lift one leg up into the air! I did it a couple times with each leg against the wall, and then I even did it away from the wall. I was amazed that a simple change in my thoughts had such a big impact on my results. Looking forward to learning more!
We worked hard for the full time, but we also did a few minutes of meditating at the beginning and end of class. Jennifer talked about our ability, or rather inability, to sit still. Often times when we try to sit still we end up fidgeting, adjusting our clothes, adjusting our hair, redistributing our body to get more comfortable, etc. It's really hard to not move!
She challenged us to not judge ourselves for not sitting still, but to just observe our thought patterns and our behaviors. This was also hard! I immediately started critiquing myself - I'm not sitting straight enough, I'm not breathing deep enough, I'm thinking too much, etc.
The thing that stood out the most was not the thoughts themselves, but the negative association I had with them: I'm doing bad, I'm not doing it right, I'm not doing it as good as that person, etc. I was being really hard on myself and all we were doing was sitting! Once I realized that, I almost laughed at how ridiculous my thoughts were. It gave me a new perspective into acceptance of myself and experiencing a present moment. I can observe things as just the way they are - I don't need to analyze everything as good/bad/right/wrong every second of the day.
This morning in class Mandy was teaching and she read a quote from a book that went something like...'to forgive is to set a prisoner free and then to discover that the prisoner was yourself.' It resonated with me in sort of a loose interpretation by applying it to myself instead of others, but it seemed to fit with what I was thinking yesterday. Letting go of my self-judgment (or forgiving myself) is incredibly liberating (setting the prisoner/myself free).
After class I applied that to my headstand practice. Each attempt I made, I tried to just observe what happened rather than judge whether I was doing good/bad/right/wrong. If I fell down, it wasn't 'bad,' it just is what it is: a fall. It was really interesting - I actually felt more confident and in turn felt stronger and more balanced. I was able to lift one leg up into the air! I did it a couple times with each leg against the wall, and then I even did it away from the wall. I was amazed that a simple change in my thoughts had such a big impact on my results. Looking forward to learning more!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Feel the burn
Yay, I made it to class! I didn't think I was going to because I was skiing in a race at Stevens Pass during the day. There is a sauna in my condo building so I was planning on doing yoga in there on my own in the evening. However, I got back to town just in time to make the last class of the day.
The ski race was called the Big Mountain Battle and it basically was a skiing scavenger hunt tracked with GPS. My friend, Kristen, and I did it last year and had a blast so we decided to do it again. They gave all the teams a map of the mountain and a list of various checkpoints you had to reach. Then it was up to you to decide what route you wanted to take to get there. Part of the challenge was having to hike to a few of the checkpoints while carrying your skis. Between the hiking and skiing non-stop for three hours, I was exhausted when we finished!
I then rushed back to town so I could make the last yoga class and I told myself "I've worked hard today already so I can take it easy during class today." Ha ha, just kidding...Jo was teaching again and someone requested that we work hard! I guess they missed my mental memo :)
Then I had a decision to make on whether to take it easy anyway, or to work hard. One of the things that is great about yoga is that every person can work as hard or easy as they choose. I definitely think it's important to listen to my body so I don't end up injuring myself, however I think we are all so much stronger and more capable than we think we are. The only way to really discover new limits is to keep going when we want to give up because right at the time when it gets challenging is where the real work begins. If we always back off when things get hard, we will stay right where we are at. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that - some people love staying in their comfort zone and they have no desire to branch out. That's just not the way I am - I get bored if I'm not continually learning.
I worked hard all through class and I was definitely feeling the burn in my legs! There were lots of times when I wanted to back off, but I managed to make it through. I also practiced my head stand prep again - I am now consistently putting my head to the ground from crow without having to touch my feet down. Now that I am feeling solid, the next step will be to start lifting my legs up.
The ski race was called the Big Mountain Battle and it basically was a skiing scavenger hunt tracked with GPS. My friend, Kristen, and I did it last year and had a blast so we decided to do it again. They gave all the teams a map of the mountain and a list of various checkpoints you had to reach. Then it was up to you to decide what route you wanted to take to get there. Part of the challenge was having to hike to a few of the checkpoints while carrying your skis. Between the hiking and skiing non-stop for three hours, I was exhausted when we finished!
I then rushed back to town so I could make the last yoga class and I told myself "I've worked hard today already so I can take it easy during class today." Ha ha, just kidding...Jo was teaching again and someone requested that we work hard! I guess they missed my mental memo :)
Then I had a decision to make on whether to take it easy anyway, or to work hard. One of the things that is great about yoga is that every person can work as hard or easy as they choose. I definitely think it's important to listen to my body so I don't end up injuring myself, however I think we are all so much stronger and more capable than we think we are. The only way to really discover new limits is to keep going when we want to give up because right at the time when it gets challenging is where the real work begins. If we always back off when things get hard, we will stay right where we are at. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that - some people love staying in their comfort zone and they have no desire to branch out. That's just not the way I am - I get bored if I'm not continually learning.
I worked hard all through class and I was definitely feeling the burn in my legs! There were lots of times when I wanted to back off, but I managed to make it through. I also practiced my head stand prep again - I am now consistently putting my head to the ground from crow without having to touch my feet down. Now that I am feeling solid, the next step will be to start lifting my legs up.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Taking baby steps
Yesterday afternoon I went to yoga a bit early so that I could chat with the instructor, Jo. I told Jo that I wanted to learn how to do a headstand and asked her advice on how to get started. She explained that there are two types of headstands: the traditional headstand, Salamba Sirsasana, and the tripod headstand. Salamba Sirsasana is a supported headstand in which your palms can be flat on the mat or cup your head, and your forearms are on the ground next to your head. You come into Salamba Sirsasana from Dolphin pose. In tripod headstand, your hands and your head form a triangle on the ground. You can come into tripod headstand from Crow pose, Bakasana, or from Straddle Forward Fold, Prasarita Padottanasana. I wasn't sure which one I wanted to learn, so I had her show them both to me. Jo said that one isn't necessarily easier than the other - it's different for every person so she advised to try them both and see if one felt more natural than the other.
I decided to start with Tripod headstand from Crow. The first step is being solid in Crow and then lowering your head to the mat without letting it thud. This was definitely scary - I felt like I was going to fall flat on my nose! I tried it a few times and keep wimping out by putting my feet down. Jo reassured me that I was on the right path - I just needed to be patient and keep practicing. During class I tried it a few more times and I started to become more comfortable until my arms got too tired. Then I reached a point where I knew I was done for the day and I just let it be. I didn't try to keep pushing myself - I acknowledged my work and then let it go. I didn't dwell on not being able to do it perfectly like I had hoped, but rather I smiled knowing that I was one baby step closer to achieving my goal.
This morning I went to class early again so that I could practice. Jo recommended using the wall initially for support so I tried that. It definitely helped put me at ease because I didn't feel like I was going to fall over. I successfully was able to lower my head to the ground from Crow without putting my feet down! Woo hoo!!! It was so rewarding to see that just the few minutes of practice I did yesterday translated into my body today. That boosted my confidence way up so while I was still feeling the adrenaline I moved away from the wall and did it on my own. Yay! Now I can't wait to go back and do more! I still have a long way to go until I will be in the full tripod headstand so I need to pace myself - it's hard for me to be patient. I'm always trying to get to the end goal as fast as I can so I have to remind myself to relax and enjoy the journey.
Lately I've been thinking a lot about how yoga translates to the rest of my life. Where else in my life do I need to be more patient and keep practicing? Where do I want to give up when things get challenging? Where do I avoid trying something new for fear of failing?
It's all about baby steps. I know I'm not going to visualize something and then have it pop into reality the next day. I listened to a recording by Brian Johnson of PhilosophersNotes.com this morning and he said if we "work diligently, patiently, persistently and playfully we are bound to be successful." I really like that :) The other thing he said is "99% is a bitch but 100% is a breeze." Basically, he was saying that if you commit 100% to a goal, it is actually easier than if you are less committed because you get rid of the internal debate. You no longer listen to the little voice in your head making excuses not to do something. I completely agree with this. When I tell people that I go to yoga every morning at 6 a.m. they think I'm crazy and say "oh I could never do that." I try to explain that it's easier to just go every day without thinking about it or debating it. If I just make that part of my daily routine, then it takes the struggle out of the equation.
I'm am now through day 5 of 60. Tomorrow I will be out of town for the day so I won't be able to attend class. However, I am still committed to doing an hour of yoga on my own when I get home.
I decided to start with Tripod headstand from Crow. The first step is being solid in Crow and then lowering your head to the mat without letting it thud. This was definitely scary - I felt like I was going to fall flat on my nose! I tried it a few times and keep wimping out by putting my feet down. Jo reassured me that I was on the right path - I just needed to be patient and keep practicing. During class I tried it a few more times and I started to become more comfortable until my arms got too tired. Then I reached a point where I knew I was done for the day and I just let it be. I didn't try to keep pushing myself - I acknowledged my work and then let it go. I didn't dwell on not being able to do it perfectly like I had hoped, but rather I smiled knowing that I was one baby step closer to achieving my goal.
This morning I went to class early again so that I could practice. Jo recommended using the wall initially for support so I tried that. It definitely helped put me at ease because I didn't feel like I was going to fall over. I successfully was able to lower my head to the ground from Crow without putting my feet down! Woo hoo!!! It was so rewarding to see that just the few minutes of practice I did yesterday translated into my body today. That boosted my confidence way up so while I was still feeling the adrenaline I moved away from the wall and did it on my own. Yay! Now I can't wait to go back and do more! I still have a long way to go until I will be in the full tripod headstand so I need to pace myself - it's hard for me to be patient. I'm always trying to get to the end goal as fast as I can so I have to remind myself to relax and enjoy the journey.
Lately I've been thinking a lot about how yoga translates to the rest of my life. Where else in my life do I need to be more patient and keep practicing? Where do I want to give up when things get challenging? Where do I avoid trying something new for fear of failing?
It's all about baby steps. I know I'm not going to visualize something and then have it pop into reality the next day. I listened to a recording by Brian Johnson of PhilosophersNotes.com this morning and he said if we "work diligently, patiently, persistently and playfully we are bound to be successful." I really like that :) The other thing he said is "99% is a bitch but 100% is a breeze." Basically, he was saying that if you commit 100% to a goal, it is actually easier than if you are less committed because you get rid of the internal debate. You no longer listen to the little voice in your head making excuses not to do something. I completely agree with this. When I tell people that I go to yoga every morning at 6 a.m. they think I'm crazy and say "oh I could never do that." I try to explain that it's easier to just go every day without thinking about it or debating it. If I just make that part of my daily routine, then it takes the struggle out of the equation.
I'm am now through day 5 of 60. Tomorrow I will be out of town for the day so I won't be able to attend class. However, I am still committed to doing an hour of yoga on my own when I get home.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
60 day yoga challenge
I signed up for the Girl Power Hour 60 day yoga challenge. GPH is a social networking group for women in Seattle that meets once a month to share ideas, build connections and make new friends. I just found out about GPH this week so I have not attended any of the events yet. However, I'm looking forward to meeting some new people and sharing this experience together! The group is committing to practicing yoga every day for 60 days. For the most part I will be attending classes at Urban Yoga Spa. However, there are a few days when I will be out of town so I will practice on my own on those days.
Today is day 4 of 60 and so far I am off to a great start. For the first three days I attended the 6 a.m. class. I know it sounds painfully early, but I find it easiest to attend the morning class so that I am done for the day before I have time to find any excuses for why I can't go. However, this morning I couldn't get my legs to drag me out of bed, so I will attend a class after work.
I have been practicing yoga for just over a year now. I typically go to class 3 or 4 days a week so I am interested to see how my body adjusts to going daily. I have been debating over whether to set any specific goals to achieve during the challenge - like learning to do a head stand. Part of me says that doing 60 days of yoga is enough of a challenge in itself, so I don't need to add more stress. The other part of me says that's just fear talking and making an excuse so I don't have to fail trying. I've always been a perfectionist - I don't like doing things that I'm not good at. While that may keep me safe from failing, it also limits my ability to succeed.
Alright, I've talked myself into it. I am going to learn how to do a head stand in the next 60 days! I know it's not going to be easy, but it's going to be so exciting when I finally do it. I remember when I first tried to do crow pose. I pretty much fell on my face and thought I would never get it. However after patiently practicing, I finally got it and it was the best feeling in the world. So I know that I can do this!
In my first 6 months of yoga, I saw rapid progression as I became stronger, increased my balance, flexibility and endurance. Over the next 6 months, I hit a plateau and I have remained in my comfort zone. In class, I know what I can do and what I can't do and I've been content to stay within that zone. However, yoga is a life-long practice. I know there is always someplace else my body can take me, so I intend to keep pushing my boundaries and discovering new potential.
Alright, so now that I've set my goal it's time to make a game plan. The first step is to make my intention known. This afternoon at class I will talk to the instructor and ask how I should start practicing. Then, each day before or after class, I will spend a few minutes practicing for head stand. Whew! I'm feeling lots of emotions right now - both nervous and excited. It's hard to sit still at my desk thinking about it - I just want to go now and start working!
The other thing I will be doing over the next 60 days is training for a half marathon that I will run on May 9th. This is my second time doing a half marathon - the first was in 2008. I was able to run about half of it, but then my knees started hurting which made me walk a larger portion than I would have liked. Since then I have been going to the chiropractor and I bought insoles for my shoes that seem to be helping my knees. I also think increasing my flexibility through yoga will have a positive impact on running.
So that's the plan...yoga, head stand, half marathon...it's going to be an interesting 60 days to say the least!
Today is day 4 of 60 and so far I am off to a great start. For the first three days I attended the 6 a.m. class. I know it sounds painfully early, but I find it easiest to attend the morning class so that I am done for the day before I have time to find any excuses for why I can't go. However, this morning I couldn't get my legs to drag me out of bed, so I will attend a class after work.
I have been practicing yoga for just over a year now. I typically go to class 3 or 4 days a week so I am interested to see how my body adjusts to going daily. I have been debating over whether to set any specific goals to achieve during the challenge - like learning to do a head stand. Part of me says that doing 60 days of yoga is enough of a challenge in itself, so I don't need to add more stress. The other part of me says that's just fear talking and making an excuse so I don't have to fail trying. I've always been a perfectionist - I don't like doing things that I'm not good at. While that may keep me safe from failing, it also limits my ability to succeed.
Alright, I've talked myself into it. I am going to learn how to do a head stand in the next 60 days! I know it's not going to be easy, but it's going to be so exciting when I finally do it. I remember when I first tried to do crow pose. I pretty much fell on my face and thought I would never get it. However after patiently practicing, I finally got it and it was the best feeling in the world. So I know that I can do this!
In my first 6 months of yoga, I saw rapid progression as I became stronger, increased my balance, flexibility and endurance. Over the next 6 months, I hit a plateau and I have remained in my comfort zone. In class, I know what I can do and what I can't do and I've been content to stay within that zone. However, yoga is a life-long practice. I know there is always someplace else my body can take me, so I intend to keep pushing my boundaries and discovering new potential.
Alright, so now that I've set my goal it's time to make a game plan. The first step is to make my intention known. This afternoon at class I will talk to the instructor and ask how I should start practicing. Then, each day before or after class, I will spend a few minutes practicing for head stand. Whew! I'm feeling lots of emotions right now - both nervous and excited. It's hard to sit still at my desk thinking about it - I just want to go now and start working!
The other thing I will be doing over the next 60 days is training for a half marathon that I will run on May 9th. This is my second time doing a half marathon - the first was in 2008. I was able to run about half of it, but then my knees started hurting which made me walk a larger portion than I would have liked. Since then I have been going to the chiropractor and I bought insoles for my shoes that seem to be helping my knees. I also think increasing my flexibility through yoga will have a positive impact on running.
So that's the plan...yoga, head stand, half marathon...it's going to be an interesting 60 days to say the least!
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