30-day Journey, Days 23 to 28

Wow!  It's been another busy week with no time to actually type up my entries...not to worry, it's all written down and am just typing and editing into the blog.

Day 23 - March 2, 2010
Tried to leave work early to get a Moksha class in before teaching today, but that didn't work out.  So as soon as things slowed down at the office (around 3pm), I bolted out the door and headed straight for Soul Strength before my 5:15pm students start arriving.  Made it to the studio and did another 90-minute Powerflow podcast.  Can you believe I almost did a handstand today?  But after my little "crow falling flat on my face" incident, I decided to bypass going into a complete handstand without a spotter - probably a good decision.

I'm glad I was able to get a practice in before class because it was three back to back to back classes and I didn't get home until after 10pm!  It was a looooong day, plus I had to be up at 5:15am the next morning to teach a 75-minute Moksha class...phew!  Fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Day 24 - March 3, 2010
Today, I didn't get a chance to practice before teaching.  Luckily, only one student showed up to class - he's  regular - so we practiced together - I thought it might be kinda like a silent class, but with me giving minimal verbal cues as I practiced alongside him.

Verdict: It was a nice change.  We flowed together and held postures together.  BUT, I must admit though that it's not the same as being guided through a class or practicing alone, but having a "partner" to do a semi-home practice with tonight was a change.  It wasn't my best class ever, but it definitely gave me more food for thought about dedicating time for my OWN practice.  My intention was to practice with him, yet I was still teaching, so it really wasn't my own practice per-say.

Lesson: Make time for my OWN practice - be guided through a practice by someone else, or practice alone - in my own space, on my own time.

Day 25 - March 4, 2010
Thursdays sure are great days for me to make it to the Moksha studio to get my sweat on!  I sweat-ed it out to Natalie's 60-minute Moksha class and it felt great!  I'm so grateful that I discovered Moksha Yoga.  Every time I do a class in the hot studio, I feel so alive.  The heat definitely makes me happy and now that the sun is setting a little later, there is such a beautiful light in the studio during the 4pm classes that it really blisses me out.  Ahhhh....all warm and fuzzy from Moksha.  Moksha, Moksha, Moksha...thank you Ted and Jess for Moksha Yoga :)

Day 26 - March 5, 2010
Finally!  A powerflow class in the hot studio.  I left work early to head to the Moksha studio for Angela's 60-minute powerflow class.  Can I say that it was a kick-a$$ class?  I love powerflow, and I love powerflow in the hot studio even more!  Angela leads a strong class and I think that all the powerflow podcasts I've been doing over the last week or so have made me stronger.  During class today, I felt like I meditated through the class, from beginning to end I was in a trance-like state - i just flowed from one posture to another without much thought and was amazed at what my body was capable of doing.  I even did crow again....yes, I did crow again...well mostly - I got both feet up and then straight away hopped back into plank. I think I'm doing "chicken" instead of crow...must get the courage back to find my crow.

Oh, and this evening, I found out that I got into Baptiste Level 1 training - heading to the Catskills of NY June 5-12...w00T!

Day 27 - March 6, 2010
Today was a practice of listening and a practice of patience.  I met with my business partner today and we had some serious discussions about what our expectations are of each other and of the business.  Sometime, I feel like she doesn't listen to me, so I get defensive and stubborn.  Tonight, I listened to her without commenting....and by doing so, we found some middle ground.  Plus, I learned about some of her insecurities (she is such a confident woman that I didn't think she had any insecurities) and it made me realize that she's only human too.  No asana practice, but definitely a lot of lessons learned today.

Day 28 - March 7, 2010
Woke up early and headed to Soul Strength to practice before teaching this morning.  It's amazing what an early morning practice does for the soul.  It always makes me day a little happier and starts my day off in such a peaceful way.  Sometimes when I practice right before teaching, I don't always have time to do a long Savasana, but I love knowing that I got my practice in and I shared some loving intentions to the world before my day even begins.  Namaste.

There was a 3-hr yogaton at West Edmonton Mall today to benefit the Haiti Relief Fund, so I helped to adjust the participants.  Then there was a meditation at the end with 108 OM's...Wow!  It was such a blessing to be a part of such a beautiful gesture of offering peaceful and loving vibes to the people who need our help.

I can't believe there's only 2 more days of this challenge/journey...

30-Day Journey, Day 22

Hmmm....I'm starting to run out of things to say about my daily asana practice.  It always feels good to move through the asana. 

Actually, come to think of it, I was thinking earlier today that a daily practice is becoming somewhat of a habit now.  It often feels like something is missing if leave my practice until later on in the day.  I intend to continue practicing daily after this 30-day challenge/journey ends.  Amazing that it's day 22 for me already...guess that's what yoga is all about, eh?  One breath at a time, one day at a time...that mantra sure is resonating with me these days. 

30-Day Journey, Day 21

Practice today was meditative.  I flowed from one asana into another as if in a trance.  It was really weird because from the moment I began my first sun salutation to savasana, I felt fluid and free through out my entire practice.  When I was done with my practice, I felt so refreshed and light, but oddly enough, like I didn't even practice at all.  I've never felt this way after practice before - a feeling that I want to remember and take with me into all my other practices.  Not that I'm expecting to feel like this everytime I practice, but just to remember the feeling from today's practice and to take that sense of peace with me into all my other practices. 

And to top it all off...Team Canada won the men's gold medal hockey game today!  Go Canada Go!! 

30-Day Journey, Day 20

Not many thoughts about today's practice.  Pretty regular.  I breathed, I bended, I twisted, I folded, I savasana-ed (?). 

It was an average practice with no major feelings to it.  Guess that means it was a good practice.  A little ho-hum, but a good one because I think I'm learning to deal with my reactions to certain postures.  Not sure what else to say.  I could keep on typing to fill the void and make sure I get a full paragraph or two in, but I'm done.  It was a good yoga practice today.

30-Day Journey, Day 19

I got home from work famished.  I had some dinner and had every intention to do some yoga after dinner settled.  Guess what happened?  I fell asleep.  I slept and slept until morning.  Can't believe I missed doing yoga.  I must have been exhausted from this week and I guess my yoga for day 19 was to get some sleep, think about how much I have been over working myself, and try to find a little more balance in my life. 

30-Day Journey, Day 18 (Yoga Safari 4)

So guess what Day 18/Yoga Safari 4 is??  Podcast Powerflow with Kinndli :)

I was so excited when I got home, eager to start my class.  Got into child's pose and when we got up into downward dog, I REALLY had to pee!  OMG!  I couldn't even hold it...so I went to pee and resarted the class.

Much better start to class the second time around.  I haven't been able to get to a powerflow class at MYE in a long time, so it felt awesome to flow it out - Baptiste styles!  I breathed, flowed, held postures to their full extent...and I attempted getting all the way up in crow.  Well, I did it!  I made it up into crow with both feet up!  I was like, "look at me! look at me!" - I tipped my face up slightly and BOOM!  I fell flat on my chin...skidded a couple inches across my hardwood floor, skinned my chin, skinned my shoulder, rebruised my right knee (which, by the way is finally starting to heal from my fall a couple weeks ago).  But i did it!  I got up into crow!  woo hoo!  I made it through the rest of class without a hitch and savasana was sweet and relaxed.

One thing that i took away from this class that I am going to try next time I teach is guiding students to find Ujayi breath...in childs pose, she guided the class to inhale through the nose and exhale with a "haaa" sound through the mouth, then the guided the class to continue the "haaa" exhale, but this time through the nose and slightly constricting the back of the throat.  I thought that was a great tool. 

My question about which powerflow training to go to has been answered...I'm going to apply for Baptiste Level 1 teacher training in October.  So excited!

30-Day Journey, Day 17

I've been researching the pros and cons of Powerflow teacher training with various teachers...Baptiste, Absolute Yoga, Janet Stone, Shiva Rae.  So I ordered DVD's from Janet Stone and Shiva Rae.  Read and re-read Baptiste's and Absolute Yoga's websites.  Then all of a sudden, it struck me!  Podcast yoga classes! I went on iTunes and found than Kinndli has podcasts.  I remember really connecting with her when I took a class at Moksha Yoga North York a few years back.  So i played one of her 20-minute powerflow classes and wow! it's felt great to reconnect with her energy (eventhough it was on podcast).  I only had a half hour of time to practice, so I couldn't play another podcast to do a full class - too bad, because I felt very energized after the brief 20-minute flow. 

Floated about the rest of the evening.