Tartan Yogi

I have been a bit lax in updating my blog and since other people have started to notice I thought I should make the effort! Have been having a manic couple of weeks so have only really managed a few practices, which I am quite frustrated about really, even though I am trying hard not to be so attached to my practice.

Last week I went to my Grandmother's funeral, so I didn't have the chance to practice much due to all the family related stuff. Ended up staying up late with my Dad watching bad films and then getting up early to spend time with Mum, so I think mostly I am just a bit sleep deprived. I had a work trip this week too, which hasn't helped much.

I have managed a couple of practices at home this week and planned to go to a Mysore tonight, but it was cancelled, I might go to the other yoga centre but to be honest I kind of want to just sleep for a million years. Maybe that is what my body needs. Although I do keep thinking of that thing that David Swenson says about never regretting practicing, but always regretting not practicing...

I also am going to gear up this weekend for my Matthew Sweeney morning Mysore workshop next week, that will be fun and I am really looking forward to concentrating on my practice for a whole week. That sounds quite selfish really, but need some time out from emotional traumas and I do see yoga as my time out.

I have been reading a lot of Zen books this week. Zen Bones has lots of great short stories revolving around the idea of living in the present moment, something which I really should apply more to yoga, to not get too attached when I don't 'get' a pose (such as the dreaded headstand!) there is a good linke here to a site with some examples: http://www.yakrider.com/Buddha/Zen_Stories/zen_stories.htm

You know, being a type A kind of person, I think Zen is the ultimate challenge - although I think it is for anyone regardless of their personality. I really do try to do everything all at once, maybe my practice for today should be not to practice and to give in to what my body is telling me and practice tomorrow once I am properly rested. Answers on a postcard on this question to me!

As I was walking to the workshop this morning at 5.30am, I thought I really must be going mental wandering round Edinburgh in the middle of the night to go to a yoga class! I got there a bit late, so must get up earlier tomorrow, they had just started so I got the good spot right in front of Matthew! I was thinking oh no as I put my mat down, as I did a strong practice yesterday and wanted to work myself into the week slowly...but instead of the Mysore style class I had been expecting we did an interesting sequence beginning with salutes to the moon, both a and b variations. We then did some of the usual standing postures, but with a down dog in between them. When we got to seated postures, we did an interesting sequence instead of a jump back, rather it was an almost halasana posture, then a backbend and then rocked back into sitting.

We did some good work on utkatasana and I even managed to get my head to the floor on the second series variant where you are holding your knees. I had a bit of bother getting back up again though - it was most ungainly, bit like standing up from a backbend! Then instead of doing inversions and standing, we did some leg up the wall poses to open our hips followed by relaxation in a reclining badakonasana.

At the end someone asked Matthew where the sequence had come from and it turns out it was something he had developed for his female students to do when they were menstruating, but that he had liked so much that he had started doing himself at least once a week. So we now have to decide if we want to learn this sequence or work on our self-practice. I really haven't decided yet. It would be nice to work on the new series, but I am just not sure. Maybe I will decide after some coffee...if I do take that option I might also go to a led class he is doing tomorrow night. Man, I am going to need to get some tiger balm to survive this week!

I had an interesting class yesterday too. It was with a teacher who I haven't seen for a while as she has been busy having a baby! He was the most angelic looking wee boy, very smiley and calm. Almost made me change my mind about children, which is saying something. Not that I don't like them, I just am not so sure about having them myself. That is a whole other discussion though. Anyway, we did a full primary series really quickly which was great, lots of good heat going. When we got to the dreaded headstands we did tripod headstands and weirdly I could do them! The teacher reccomended trying it for a while and then practicing the normal way, so I am going to do that to see if it helps my balance any.

Right, must do some work, see what going to yoga in the morning does for you! Makes you more awake than you know how to cope with, and all without a cup of coffee! Will report on day two of the workshop tomorrow, can't wait!

I still hadn't decided whether or not to do the moon or primary practice when I got to the yoga centre this morning, but decided on the spur of the moment to go for primary series practice so I can get some help working on Mari D and supta K and my old favorite, the headstand.

Typically there were only about 5 people doing primary series and the rest were doing the moon practice so I got lots of adjustments. Which is good, if it wasn't for the fact that I think my body is concentrating on trying to cope with the early mornings and my practice has gone a bit haywire! I did OK though, save forgetting a posture or two, losing Mari D and bottling out of properly trying a headstand! Must find a spot near a wall tomorrow so I can at least have a go without falling on someone.

There is a girl assisting Matthew and her adjustments are very good. She pointed out I am squint sometimes in poses, so I will have to watch that. Also she noticed that I go too low in my chatarungas, but boy is that a hard habit to break. I kept forgetting and then doing really horrid looking chatarungas as I tried to not come down so low. I will just have to keep at it.

I also did three good dropbacks, but my coming up from a backbend has also disappeared, so I worked on it a bit and will do some more tomorrow. I guess we will get a bit more instruction from Matthew once the other group have a better idea of the moon sequence he is teaching them.

Interestingly there was a guy practicing next to me who used to come to mysore classes all the time and I think he now practices at home after being to Mysore. He has a great practice and is really strong. Not that I am jealous or anything ;)

Am going to have a nice hot bath when I get home, did the trick last night too. I was in bed by 8.30, ashtangis are so rock n roll!

Weirdly I am starting to quite like getting up at 5am, although I don't think the husband appreciates me crashing around like an elephant in a bad mood and switching all the lights on when I can't find my socks. I made up for it last night by making him veggie burgers and garlic mushrooms for dinner so I think all is fogiven! Although he thinks I have gone mental getting up so early...

I was feeling yesterday's class in my hamstrings when I walked to the yoga centre, and was feeling a bit muscularly (if that is a word) tired and unbendy. But as soon as I got the sun als done I really started to enjoy the class.

Interestingly, there seemed to be about half of the students missing today, I wonder if some of them have decided early mornings really aren't for them! Understandable.

I got some great tips. Especially in the bujipidasana (must really learn to spell these asanas correctly!) forward fold. Rather than falling on your face while trying to do it (as is usual protocol for me), use a towel to fall onto and then move your feet back until you have the balance, then move them off the floor in their crossed position. Then you will get a better idea of the movement. I did still fall over, but at least I know I am getting there.

One of the things I have discovered this week is that some of the poses I have been struggling with for a while are due to the fact that I am approaching them all wrong. Backbending was amazing today, I had lost my standing up from a backbend and then Matthew pointed out I was bringing my head up way too soon without really using my thigh muscles to bring myself up. Hey presto, I managed to stand up.

Weirdly though, while I was doing my three urdhva danurasanas Matthew's assistant came up and started shoogling (that means wobbling for the non-Scottish!) my buttocks around! I think the jist was relax in that area, but it was slightly alarming. I suppose you get used to such things when you are a yogi though. I guess I wouldn't have found it so funny if my buttocks weren't so plentiful!

There were a couple of people doing the most amazing second series practices today. Had to work hard to not be too jealous.

And I am also a very bad lady as I missed out headstand. Am going to practice them at home tonight as penance. I wish I knew what it was about that pose that makes me hate it so!

I can't believe there is only one day left of the workshop, I am really starting to get into the swing of it. The numbers are dwindling as the week goes on though, I wonder if it will just be me tomorrow being adjusted on every posture!

I was feeling really, really stiff this morning. But you know, the sun salutations are an amazing thing as after I had done them I was fine. I think sometimes the only thing that makes my aching muscles feel better is doing more yoga, I wonder if that is because you heat the muscles up. And maybe they get stiff while I am sitting at my desk.

One of the things I have noticed this week, and I don't even know if it is related to yoga, but I have been really productive at work this week. Which is surprising given that I am so unused to getting up at 5am. Maybe it is all that oxygen getting into my brain early in the morning setting me up for the rest of the day. I really do think I will try to do more morning classes after this workshop is over. That is definitely my aim.

So anyway, practice was good. I didn't get any adjustments until Mari D and then I got help improving my bind, although my knee is a bit resistant on the right side so the lotus can be a bit of a challenge here because you end up being so squished up.

Then I practiced coming forward in bhujipindasana, which was much more coordinated than yesterday, not difficult considering I just fell over. I think I am going to add that in to my practice from now on until I get it. Also had a good adjustment in Supta K, I think I am pretty close to binding with the hands now, if only my arms were an inch longer, that would help greatly. I wonder if there is a yoga pose for arm lengthening...

Oh and backbends are now officially back, hoorah! I did three drop backs and coming back to standings. It is weird, but although my usual teachers have been telling the same thing as Matthew did, I suddenly seem to have got the fact that you need to really engage the thigh muscles and bring the head up last when coming back up. It felt amazing to be honest and I could have quite happily done more, but I had headstand to do so needed my arms to be working.

So I did a headstand (round of applause for me!). It was against a wall, but at least I did it. Must practice it at home tonight too as my arms were a bit wobbly. I practiced going up using the wall and then tried to balance without it, which was marginally sucessful.

Had a nice chat with the man who runs the centre when I came out. He was telling me about a Venkatesh workshop running for 2 weeks in April. Sounds like it will be intense! I would love to do it though. Not sure the husband will appreciate it though, he already thinks he is becoming a yoga widow, poor soul.

In other news, I got my Paul Grilley anatomy DVD yesterday, hoorah. I will watch some of it tonight and will report back.

Well, I made it to the last day of the workshop, yay me! I had a nice practice today, although was being a bit lazy because my muscles were objecting to being used. And my right knee is playing up again so only did a half version of Mari D. I had a nice badhakonasana adjustment and did some work on my bhujipindasana drop forwards too. And did a good three dropbacks and standing up from a backbend. And for good measure I tried doing a headstand without the wall, not hugely successfully, but it is the trying that counts on that one.

During relaxation, I was thinking about how weird it will be to not have to get up at 5 tomorrow morning! I think my body will appreciate the rest day tomorrow. And then I think my new vow is going to be to really stick to the traditional practice schedule, i.e. six days a week, Saturdays, moondays and ladies holiday off. I think this workshop really has kickstarted my resolve to not take so many rest days!

When I was leaving I had a nice chat with Matthew and a few other yoga bods. He is a really laid back kind of guy and I think he will be coming back next year, hoorah. Hey, maybe by then I won't be scared of headstands.

So things learned this week: I don't mind getting up at 5am, the husband minds me getting up at 5am quite a lot, how to do a better standing up from a backbend, that it really is best to practice in the traditional way, that I don't think I am quite ready for teacher training, that someone should invent a long t-shirt for tall people so you don't accidentally expose belly bits to visiting yoga teachers....

So am going to have a nice quiet night tonight and minght even stay up till (gasp) 10pm. And tomorrow will be a nice rest. I can't wait.

I woke up this morning and thought someone was playing a trick on me as the clock said it was time to get up, but it was really dark! Maybe I should stick to getting up at 5am so I don't notice these things.

Managed to practice on Saturday and yesterday, so have had eight practice days in a row. Although the Saturday and Sunday practices were not the full monty. Am off to mysore tonight though so will get in some more headstand practice. I did quite a lot of it yesterday while I was vegetating in front of the TV, a good practice tactic I think - and you can pretend you aren't really just sitting watching rubbish.

I watched about half of the Paul Grilley anatomy DVD over the weekend. It really is mind blowing. The section on proportion is interesting, about the way in which the proportion of people's bones can affect the way they do their yoga postures. Fascinating stuff. I had often wondered about that, but have been told by various teachers that it shouldn't make a difference, but it does.

I might talk to my teacher about the teacher training tonight. Am working up to it. I really do want to do it, but rather to deepen my own practice rather than teach. Am in two minds about it at the moment so maybe talking about it with someone who knows my practice will help. Mind you, I suppose there is no hurry really, I have the rest of my life to practice yoga!

Rather strangely I am going to the gym tonight. Am not quite sure how this state of affairs came to be, something to do with my sister and a good deal on a three month membership. Although to be honest I am going to a yoga class there. It will be interesting to see if I know the teacher and what style it is.

A change is as good as a rest you know and after having a fabulous mysore practice last night (yay Mari D is back for good likewise standing up from a backbend!) and it being my 9th practice day in a row I thought I would have a rest. By going to a yoga class. I know it makes no sense, but such is the world of ashtangis.

A great comment from Graeme this morning has made me wonder about doing teacher training purely for going deeper into my own practice. I think this is a valid thing to do. And also it won't be for another six months or so during which time I can really consolidate my existing practice (and work on the dreaded headstand). I think I will pluck up the courage to ask my teacher about it this week. (and good to know someone is reading this and enjoying it! Thanks Graeme ;)

The poor husband is becoming a yoga widow. If you look at yoga from an objective angle it can seem a bit mad to devote so much time to it. I wonder if doing the poses releases some sort of addictive neurotransmitter.

Have booked myself up on a yoga cleansing and diet workshop this Saturday, which should be interesting. Although ironically am off on a big night out with the husband and some friends on Saturday afterwards so will instantly have to forget all the information in order to eat crisps, drink some wine and go dancing. I don't think I will ever be a yoga purist, maybe part way as I am a vegetarian and practice all the time, but I do like a drop of the old vino collapso. And some scientific studies say wine is good for you. So there :-~

Well I went into the lions den last night, or the gym as some people call it. I had some time to kill before the yoga class so managed to do about an hour on the cardio machines. I even started to quite get into the zen repetitiveness of running on a treadmill. Although I think maybe that was just the novelty of it. I generally hate running as it seems to be fairly tough on my bad knee, but it wasn't too bad last night. Maybe the yoga has strengthened it up a bit.

Gym people are a strange lot though. No one talks to each other and they all stare at the floor as if being there is shameful. That is apart from the ones who are obviously in there all day, all lycra and thongs, who strut around wanting to be admired. And the personal trainers, all of whom seem to be quite short.

Anyway, sweeping generalisations aside, the yoga class was cancelled. I was most annoyed. However, they replaced it with something called Body Balance, which turned out to be a cross between Tai Chi and yoga, they even did sun salutations. The girl running the class had obviously been on a course that didn't really go into how you are supposed to do yoga postures properly, but it was quite interesting. It was a bit like a very watered down version of yoga with some weird sports stretches in between. I kept getting glared at during the sun sals too as I was doing them the ashtanga way, a very hard habit to break!

Basically it was for people who wanted to stretch, rather than do yoga. I overheard the teacher saying that she didn't know that much about yoga before the class, which is a bit worrying. I will appreciate my mysore class doubly tonight. And maybe when the proper yoga teacher is back it will be better. I will give it a second chance.

In other news, I have ordered the Ashtanga NY DVD, I can't wait to see it after reading about it so often in the last few months. My brother in law is a genius for making our DVD player multi regional!

Am finding it hard to be awake today. I think it must be the change into winter. It is now dark when I get up and dark when I walk home. Maybe I have a vitamin D defficiency. Could also be the reason I am drinking so much coffee at the moment too. Either that or I need to sleep, what a novel concept ;)

Had an interesting practice last night. I really didn't want to practice so had to practically frog march myself to the yoga centre. And it was tough going until I got to the Marichis. Marichi D was going nowhere, and then I decided to do it again on each side. And then I got a really strong adjustment from the teacher, so much so I almost had a full wrist bind. How mental when I usually can only just get my hands to grip at all. So I may try doing it twice on each side tonight too.

I aslo did about 8 assisted dropbacks, they really do give you a bolt of energy, I felt I could have done more. Probably just as well I didn't though as I am aching quite a lot today.

I am going to practice at home tonight, have a lot of dull housework to do as well so will get it done first so I can concentrate on practice without being distracted by the washing that needs to be done! Wouldn't life be so much better if a Wallace and Gromit machine to do housework could be invented. Some sort of mess hoover maybe...

Managed to go to bed at 8.30pm last night! Think it must have been that I haven't had a rest for a couple of weeks so I just slept and did no practice. Oh well. I am going to practice at home tonight and have a workshop tomorrow on yoga and diet, which should be interesting. I'm not sure how much asana we will do, but hopefully a good amount.

I try not to be too attached to practice, but I am. I guess I have to not mind too much when it doesn't happen for whatever reason. After all I have the whole rest of my life to do Mari D if I want to, now that would be a fun existence!

I went to a great workshop on Saturday, just a half day look at cleansing techniques. We did some good postures to help digestion and practiced nauli. I am definitely adding this to my getting up routine. We had a brief talk on raw food and cooking. A great way to spend a Saturday morning. Interestingly as I was chatting away in the break, someone managed to work out that I wrote this blog! Maybe it isn't that difficult, will have to be more discreet in future ;)

I am quite sad this week as one of the longer term teachers has left. I am sad I didn't get to say goodbye properly too as he isn't taking any classes this week and I thought he was. Oh well, the other teachers are good too so I will have to get used to them bit more.

I am suffering today though as on Saturday night I went out for a friend's birthday and had far too much wine (so much for the workshop on cleansing!). I did a lot of dancing too though so I wasn't too bad. I even made it to the gym yesterday to sweat some of the alcohol out of my system. I am going to practice at home tonight so I can recover properly, then it is full speed ahead to fit in as many practices as I can this month in readiness for David Swenson.

Am convinced I won't be able to do a headstand by then without the wall. Life is so cruel. I will just have to practice, practice, practice like the man says.