Day 25 - Skip the oxygen bar and go to VDR

DAY 25 - June 3, 2011

If you have been following along, you are probably getting familiar with my regular routine. Friday = VDR. I have to admit that I was a bit star struck when I was setting up for class and I glanced around only to notice Sadie Nardini just a few mats away. If you are not aware of who Sadie is, she is kind of a big deal in the yoga world with her Core Strength Vinyasa classes. She has an extensive online presence ranging from free yoga YouTube clips to incredibly insightful & REAL articles on elephantjournal.com to daily facebook updates with tips and sequences. I have been following her for about a year now, ever since I took her workshop last Yoga Journal Conference in Boston, so I was a tad giddy when I saw her in person. Though I knew she was in town since I signed up for her workshop at Back Bay Yoga the next day (more about that later). But anywho, it was cool to have her in class.

As I have been practicing more regularly and getting more familiar with sequences & poses, I have been able to really focus on my breath work while moving through the flow. Vinyasa is all about linking movement to breath, a moving mediation. However, I know I am guilty of not always doing this. Rather than allowing my breath to lead me into the poses, I end up breathing as an after thought or out of necessity. This usually happens when most of my attention is focused on what the heck we are doing. Of course it is okay to get off track every now and again. The important thing is to reel it back in, slow down, reconnect. VDR has been a great class for me to practice flowing with my breath and last class I felt particularly more connected. The breath led the way and rest followed suit. I completely lost myself in the movement (and even forgot that Miss Nardini was doin' her thang just over yonder).

So forget about taking a trip to an oxygen bar and breath in all that good air that is already floating around you:

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Oxygen_Bar_interior,_showing_flavors.jpg)

Day 25 overall: The simplest moving meditations that are connected to the breath can change your mood and overall well-being. Stop holding your breath!

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 23 - Fighting gravity

DAY 23 - June 1, 2011

Wednesday night and I was off to Back Bay Yoga for vinyasa with Georgia. I dodged tornadoes, thunder storms, drunk Red Sox fans and PSYCHED UP Bruins fans to make my way downtown for class. The skies grumbled with heat and electricity as I rolled out my mat onto the hardwoods. We started out class on our backs, block between our thighs, knees over hips or legs straight up, pressing the block, legs squeezing towards one another. This may sound easy but go and try it. Hang out there for a few minutes. Hello abs. It's almost like Georgia read my last blog about her class when I may or may not have mentioned my "flubby abs". She definitely had us paying very close attention to our cores the whole class. Georgia, are you out there?

We practiced headstand prep and, again, no dice on lifting both feet off the ground at the same time. I'm working on it though. One of these days...

Another goal of mine, that I attempted in class tonight, is Eka Pada Koundinyasana (demonstrated by B.K.S. Iyengar):

I totally fail miserably everytime I try this. I'm convinced that gravity has a certain affinity for my bum. I will get this though, in due time my friends.

Day 23 overall: Fightin gravity with everything I got, but she is fighting back something fierce. Didn't let it get to me though. Great class and happy I didn't get sucked up into a tornado. If I have to go head to head with natural forces, I'd rather battle it out with gravity.

Day 22 - Studio hopping in my hood

DAY 22 - May 31, 2011

Another gorgeous day and I decided to walk to another yoga studio located just down the street from my house. I do realize how lucky I am to have such an abundance of beautiful yoga studios in close proximity to my house and work. This time I checked out a vinyasa class at Bow Street Yoga Studio with Christie Rosen. I have walked past this studio so many times before and I am glad I finally went in! Such a great space! The class was small (maybe 6 or 7 of us) but it suited my mood. Christie asked for our suggestions in the beginning of class and she took them to heart, changing up her sequence to meet the needs of those in the class. She offered plenty of variations so you were aware of all the options you had to alter your practice or if you were up for amping it up a bit!

My body felt really strong and my mind was calm. I can see the effects of my practice growing every single day and I am thrilled with the progress I have made thus far. The dedication is paying off and its exciting to know that it never has to end.

Day 22 overall: I love my practice more and more each day. The gratitude is overwhelming at times.

Day 21 - Figure Four for Happy Hips

DAY 21 - May 30, 2011

After playing hooky for two days in a row, I could not miss another day. I hit up a vinyasa class at Samara with Nicoline Valkenberg. Nicoline has a great presence, very sweet and calming. My legs and hips were tight from riding my bike 9.5 miles beforehand, so again, I found that pigeon pose was not my friend that day. She suggested I take an alternate stretch that takes some of the pressure off the hips and keeps the torque to a minimum. It's a figure four stretch on your back and you can check it out here:

http://media.onsugar.com/files/ons1/192/1922729/42_2009/4cbf3a4d825941c7_stretch.jpg

It's a great alternative for runners, bikers, or anyone with hip or knee troubles or tightness. It's great to have options and definitely do not feel bad if you aren't doing what everyone else is doing! Make sure it feels good for your body and you will be golden. :-)

Day 21 overall: Wow 3 weeks in! I think I need to throw some home practice into the mix.

Days 19 & 20 - Memorial Day Weekend

DAYS 19& 20 - May 28 & 29, 2011

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! This is the best weekend of the year. The summer officially starts (ok, maybe not officially but close enough), you can cook your grub on a grill, and the extended days lend to more play time outside. SO with that said - I could not physically get myself inside a studio to practice! oops! I shopped, biked, BBQed with friends. I watched a parade, went to the movies, watered the garden. I lived and loved every minute of it. I'll consider that yoga. But I guess to stay true to this challenge I will be making up 3 classes now!

Day 19 & 20 overall: The sunshine fed my soul and I ate it all up. Beautiful weekend.

Day 18 - VDR obsession

DAY 18 - May 27, 2011

I just cannot pass up Friday night Vinyasa with Deep Relaxation (aka VDR). The blend of vinyasa flow and restorative release is exactly what I need at the end of the week. It's also fun that I have a bunch of friends that come too! Friday night yoga party to kick the weekend off right. Definitely sets a nice tone for the upcoming days off. I can forget about the stress of work and ease into the slower pace of the weekend. It's just perfect.

Day 18 overall: My VDR obsession continues. No revelations - just straight up yoga yumminess.