99to1

Wow... what a completely different experience of practice Tuesday morning!
First of all practicing after a night shift. Finished at the clien't site by 07:00ish, back at hotel by around 07:50.
Got to practice by 08:00, that's within 10 minutes form when I'm typically leaving the studio.

This morning the studio was completely full, wall-to-wall yogis, and a line up to get in... at least 5 people standing with arms crossed apatiently waiting for assistance with drop backs. Even the outside doors to the studio were open, to release some of the heat and humidity from the nuclear-furnace parctice room. Most mornings at that time it is only starting to get busy... maybe.

After a 3 minute wait a spot openned up very close to where I've put my mat down most mornings, and I jumped on it.

Funny exercise between inner and out awareness. It was obvious that my experience of moving through the postures was going to be different, because of the room. No loli-gagging around, not "good mornings" no friendly smiles with neighbours...right to the postures. Was sweating during 1st surya namaskar. Full on sweat after 2nd A.

Several of Tarik's 2nd series students were his assistants this morning. The thin guy (westerner) I think his name is Mike, came by several times to offer adjustments. First one was Padangusthana, he applied his hands to my back, and I could sense his surprise of the amount of sweat covering my body by this early posture... with an exhale I said... "the towel's for you". "Ahh.. thanks he said", I could feel his relief.

Got some weight in my paschimatans. Body is more limber after being awake for 12 hours or so. So forehead had no trouble resting comfortably against knees/shins... with very deep breaths.

Tarik and the assistnats were very busy roaming the room going through what seems to be a very systematic method of adjusting. Once again it is my opinion that Tarik has really established a very beautiful mysore program here in Tokyo, these student are very lucky.

By the time I got to JanuB, there was some room at the back to do finishing. Off I went and had a great rest, as I did not have to rush off to work, as my work day had actually just ended.

Skipped Wednesday practice, as I was dead-tired, and sick. I've got a chest infection and cough. Rieko (still can't believe I haven't managed to write about my massage therapy session with her!!) found me some silver, and I'm feeling much better.

Anyhow, here at Tokyo Mysore, Wednesday tured out to be moon-day. So I was in sync with the day off.

Thursday (this) morning got a chance to practice in a nice hot full room again. One spot openned up right in the front near the tiny girl I've been calling Fashoinista, her yoga outfits are outrageous! Today Blue shorts with white polka-dots and yellow frill, with a top which more resembles lingere than yoga wear. (Only in Tokyo I say!!). I waited for her to finish Parsva Dhanurasana, before I did my floppy tiriangMPP, as I may hve crushed her if I didn't. Practice was really nice, lots of sweat (probably more than ever) and really good breathing despite the lungs being all bent out of shape.

Body is starting to feel strong and stable (from practice), despite also feeling kind of tired and run down. This will be my 8th weekend in Tokyo. Might get a chance to do Onsen on Saturday.

I have 2 more night shifts left, tonight and tomorrow. It's difficult eating dinner for breakfast.
Bob Dylan on the iPod, Not Dark Yet, from Time Out of Mind. It's playing as the sun quickly dips behind the western mountains. That album takes a beating, people seems to love to hate it, I like it.

Last practice at Mysore Tokyo this morning. Kinda sad, I'm going to misspracticing there, it's got a great vibe.

Got a quick chance to say goodbye to Tarik. A bitter sweet exchange because he seemed upset about a family matter. I wished him patience, perserverance, and a clear mind in dealing with the situation.

May all beings be free from sorrow and the causes of sorrow...
May all beings know happiness and the cause of happiness

Have done some asana twice since being back from Tokyo...
Sunday night did 5 surya namaskars, and draped my back over the ball and the blocks, and the railing. Lower back is out again, mild symptoms this time.

This morning back to the empty yoga studo at the gym, light morning, up to purvatanasana, and then therma-hydro therapy. Boy I've missed that!

Forgot to pack yoga clothes in my routine this morning, practiced in basic white bloomers! Perhaps I'll set a new trend, if people were watching...

Stats (no cyclo-computer):
About 25 minutes
About 4 kilometers
About time to be on the bike again!!

Yesterday's practice was same postures as Monday...
I guess it's taking me close to 40 minutes to get through to Purvatan. My breathing is nice and slow.

Slightly more extension in side version of UHPadnagusthan... slowly slowly...
And it was new moon... though today I'm honouring the moon... no practice.

Saw my father's initials yesterday on a license plate yesterday. I like that. Also the odometer today is reading a nice round 38383km.

I honoured the new moon 2 days in a row.

I have been telling a story which does make me sound a bit old, it starts like this...
So last Sunday I injured myself gardenning...
No joke. A spade is not as good a tool for cutting roots as would be... let's say clippers. The fleshy part of the hand/thumb is indeed a part of the body worth not putting through extreme impact, I will attest.

Doesn't Guruji say that Sundays, moon days, and Victoria/Patriots Day are no-practice days?
Yeah that's it...

Gilles is busy this week so he won't make it tonight or Thursday... it'll be the first Thursday session is a while... like maybe 10 weeks??

Last evening and this morning 2 very lite practices...
6 sunsals first 2 standing poses, and finishing. Bother sessions were within 12 hours of each other. One of the draw backs of alternating to night practice mid-week.

Really quite an odd sequence of dreams this morning...
Many different types of experiences landing (6 or 8??), either dropped from the air, or from some sort of gentle flying machine or other type of lofty structure... finally getting down to earth??
Always it was a very pleasant gentle landing. The last one co-incided with the alarm, eyes openned and I was really at ease.

Skipped a lite practice (and thermal-hydro therapy) at the gym this morning, as we'll be starting the Thursday evening (tonight) sessions again...

Speaking of asana... just found this (I'm including only an exerpt from his synopsis of the yoga sutras) on Godfrey Devereux's site (http://www.yogadarshana.com)