Day 24 - Morning yoga makes my energy levels go "POW"!

DAY 24 - June 2, 2011

Time to make up some of those missed classes. I actually got myself out of bed at 6am for the sunrise yoga class at Be. Monica Delgado Chaffee was standing in for the regular teacher and she was a delight. The sun was indeed shining in through the windows of the studio, making the name of the class quite accurate. In what seems like a past life, I used to row on a crew team. We would have 4am practices and, by some stroke of insanity or lapse in my normally lucid consciousness, these early morning trips on the river quickly became my favorite time of day. There is something great about mindful and deliberate movement in the morning. Yes, your hamstrings are too tight and you may have to stop mid-movement to wipe the remnant of sleep from your eyes, but it is easier to bring your focus back to yourself. The mind isn't racing from a day of emails and to do lists. I love taking advantage of this morning energy that is so peaceful, yet still softly humming, eager to burst into the full blown craziness of the day. And the best part - it wakes you up. I had more energy all day then I knew what to do with!

At night, I took Ame's vinyasa flow class at Back Bay Yoga. I am chronicling my yoga pose wishlist here on this blog and I am adding this to the list. Galavasana, as demonstrated by Luke Jordan:

Come on, that is just cool. Of course, I will have to continue this ongoing, strongly-worded discussion/battle I am having with gravity and my inability to overcome it.

By the end of my second class of the day I was feeling awesome. I know the guy behind me was feeling pretty good too, at least super relaxed. I was barely finished staggering with my neighbors and negotiating ideal hand placement in savasana before the rumblings of the nasal orchestral symphony began behind me. Yep, he was relaxed I'll tell ya. Always a compliment to have people completely conk out at the end of your class. Sheer exhaustion or utter bliss - who cares, he obviously needed a few extra minutes of shut eye.

Day 24 overall: Crazy amount of energy. The arm balance saga continues - I will keep lifting my butt to the ceiling, hoping one day my legs will decide to follow.

Day 9 - Perspective

DAY 9: May 18, 2011

As humans we spend far too much time on our feet and, who are we kidding, our arses. When I was a kid I would spend hours in my family's den flinging myself up into handstands against the brick fireplace, the couch and in the middle of the room. There was something about holding myself upside down that I just loved. Maybe it was the thrill of looking at the world from a different point of view, or maybe it was the buzz I got from all the extra blood flow to the brain. Who knows. All I know is that, as an adult, I never want to lose that feeling of playful exuberance I had when balancing on my palms as a kid, my legs wiggling free above me.

I get pumped when instructors incorporate arm balances into class. I am by no means a pro at these poses but it's fun to "make your hands your feet" every once in awhile. Last night, in Georgia's vinyasa flow class at BBY, we got to explore bakasana (crow pose) and tittibhasana (firefly pose) several times. Each time we would come to the pose, it was interesting to see how my perspective would change. When working arm balances, it's definitely a process. The first time you do it, you might try to muscle your way up. But then you realize that doesn't work out so well. So you listen to the instructions again. The next time you may actually take some of that advice and put it to practice. You lift your hips. Hmmm, interesting, that kinda made it easier. The following time you may go a bit further and lift your hips, AND engage your core muscles, AND lift your gaze slightly. Next thing you know you're having some serious hangtime. Ah, that thrill is back and I am having flashbacks of braces and awkward haircuts.

Changing your perspective every now and again is healthy and invigorating. Whether its physically changing the angle at which you are looking at something, taking the time to see a situation from both sides, or perhaps acquiring knowledge about something totally new to you. Whatever it is, be open.

Day 9 overall: I want Georgia's arms and if I need to do arm balances and a gazillion chaturangas everyday to achieve this, then so be it. Might have figured out a way to do bakasana and not have triceps that look like I'm a resident at a battered women's shelter (see Day 7). Flipping your life upside down can be a good thing!