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March 31, 2008
Inner city
Sunday was such a nice day here it was nice to get out and about in the big city. Taking a walk around town it's great to find some of the little sanctuaries away from the hubbub of it all, atleast for a little while anyway.
A new outdoor studio???
Hidden away from the world
The house on the right's for sale as well!
Sometimes it's important to remember the path we've walked along to get to where we are...
Posted by graeme at 8:01 AM | Comments (0)
March 28, 2008
Me, myself and I
It's been a strange sort of a time for me following the change to the new flat. I've been feeling ever so topsy turvy recently and having a bit of a hard time with some of my thoughts and feelings. I nearly had a stand up fight with one of the 'Geniuses' at the Apple store the other day, then again yesterday when trying to get past someone in a busy shop. There's been a lot of pent up frustration, I think, coming out, and to be honest, it's been pretty ugly to look at and feel.
Though a lot of it's just stuff that's been boiling away for years just reaching the surface now and it's been another education to sit and recognise it all shift out and away. "It ain't mine". Well, okay, it certainly was, but hopefully not anymore.
Funnily enough some of the stuff I've been reading and listening to from a yoga background has been a tremendous help. The whole concept of how our mind labels everything, and makes things what they are (to us) as soon as we observe them, was a real eye opener for me. It's so well explained in Roche's book where it's real easy to understand. The example he uses is what I'd consider to be a pen (in the book the pens are bamboo), but a cow would see it as food. So what's the object's true nature?
It's been interesting to see me project my ideas out on to things and people and to realise, of course, I've been doing it all my life. Just this morning in fact, it was really good to let it go for a change and just let things be, though it's a good gentle reminder when the assistant says something along the lines of "right, let's get stuck in to this Mari-D". :>
Posted by graeme at 1:50 PM | Comments (0)
March 27, 2008
D'you need some water
The girl next to me in practice this morning, though she started after me, quickly caught up and was on to the next posture. I think it can get quite funny when you end up doing the same posture as the person next to you, it just feels a bit like synchronised swimming, something I used to see a lot of when I worked at the pool back in the day. I tend to take my time in postures, like to feel what's going on where today so to speak, and she was soon onto Garbled Pindasana as I came out of Kurmasana.
She turned to me with the water bottle and asked if I needed any. Hmnn. I guess she wouldn't know that I stop right before this posture but it was a nice jolt for my ego that quickly thought "hey, she thinks I do this one". Ha. Mind's a funny animal sometimes and what it latches on to. No, sorry, I stop here, I said. Still, it was a nice thought.
After class I got invited along for a post practice cup-of-something, which was nice too. I really miss the camaraderie of the centre in Glasgow where there's always someone around hanging out or going off somewhere looking for company. So it was nice this morning to sit in the post practice glow and listen to the girls doing their girl-talk thing. Except they were talking about computers. Yeah, go figure. It was such a lovely morning it would've been nice to have taken the morning mysore-style and sat for breakfast for a couple of hours putting the world to right.
Posted by graeme at 9:38 AM | Comments (2)
March 26, 2008
How many days?
It's a simple enough question. It's not that, though, it's the timing. If the girl who asked me that had delayed by about 20 seconds this morning, she'd have got a right eyeful.
Changing space can be as much a premium as finishing space when the place is busy, so you gotta be quick sometimes when someone steps out of one of the areas if you're waiting. I nipped into one just as the girl in the cubicle next to mine, apparently thinking that her friend was still in there, stuck her head in and asked her innocent little question.
"Oh my gosh", she said. Err, How many days to what? I asked, that sounds interesting.
"Oh I thought you were someone else."
We had a right good laugh about it as I would've been practically naked if she'd been any slower. She got all embarassed which was funny, especially when her friend came back and I explained she'd tried to get a free look.
Put a smile on all 3 of our faces.
Posted by graeme at 3:15 PM | Comments (0)
March 25, 2008
Dear Mom
I'm fine. I know I've been out of touch for a couple of days. I've moved in to a new flat where there's no internet and I've been away from work over the holiday weekend. The phone I was carrying around with me never rang so after a couple of weeks I decided there's no point in lugging it around everywhere with me. I'd also been getting calls for someone else and it turns out we both have the same mobile numbers. There's a new spin on things for you. Pay-as-someone-else-goes. Hmnnn, not so good. So I've let the phone charge down, and the pay as you go lapse.
Sorry if you've been concerned but really, I'm fine, I've just been hanging out in the flat doing some bits and bobs (ok, still working on that first million!) and getting to know the surrounding area. Oh, and I've been trying to stay warm too, it's been mighty cold down here of late.
Thanks for being concerned about me, it's always nice to feel loved.
Posted by graeme at 9:12 AM | Comments (0)
March 20, 2008
On day 462
It's been 462 days since I started really in earnest working towards a decent version of Marichyasana D. Last night in the switch class at the other shala, the regular teacher was a way a replaced with someone new. When we got through to the difficult stuff in the led practice I'd been feeling very open, and very at peace with myself during the practice up to that point.
I'd kinda taken a softly-softly approach in the morning Mysore, knowing this stuff was coming up later on. I hadn't been to the led class for 3 weeks as I'd had the flu then commitments last week, so was kinda keen to get back to the rhythm of a good counted class.
When I pulled my arm over the side of my knee, which is normally as far as I get, I felt a little give in my rib cage and before I knew it my arm had popped far enough in front of my knee that I could get it bound back round the other side, hand pointing almost 120 degrees further round than I'd ever managed it before. It was a bit of a shock, as this side has always been the stiffer side though I do admit it's also got the most give when it comes to twists. I really was a bit chuffed. I could just about get my finger tips to touch, all without any help whatsoever. Even managed it on the other side too!
So I guess the constant commitment to giving it a go, and the hours of help I've had from H and the other assistants in the morning, may actually be paying off. I don't see much progress in the mornings but I'm having some great kick-ass evening practices. It's probably got more to do with the change of food I'm eating now I'm away living on my own and not being tempted with the offer of roast potatoes and meat every other day.
Yippeeeeee!!!
Posted by graeme at 9:57 AM | Comments (0)
March 18, 2008
Topsy Turvey
I ended up going to an excellent handstand workshop at the end of the week. I'd been at the teacher training final wrap up most of the time so it was good to get some 'me' time and get back to the mat. I kinda thought the class wouldn't be that popular, handstands not being the easiest thing in the world to do, but as it turned out when I first turned up the class was sold out, all 35 places! I had to wait anxiously before the girl called me over to say she could squeeze me in, along with another 2 drop ins.
Class itself was amazing. I think the guy running it has some good, strong gymnastics behind him, he certainly looked like he could drop a triple-salco off the hoops to the floor. His instruction as we started the warm up was exceptionally clear, if a bit hurried, his tempo rising the further into it he went. As for the warm up itself.... Jeez, why is it that all the 'easy' classes (ok, the ones I think would be easy) turn out to be the hardest physically. The spiritual teacher's class was the same. It was bl&&dy hard going here too! Sun salutes were quite gentle, swapping the up/down dogs for cat curls, but there was loads of repetitions, and the lunges nearer the end were held for a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnng time.
Handstand prep itself consisted of quite a lot of shoulder and arm pit openers. Some fun partner work where you were held by the ankles then, when your partner dropped one of your legs, you had to try and not let the leg/foot drop too far. This focussed you on tightening up the legs to keep them solidly together. We then worked through kick-ups, tuck jumps and some more floor work before getting to practice openly on our own. There was a few fantastic gymnast types near the back holding perfectly straight handstands for ages. I have to say I was a bit envious. Certainly an enjoyable class. A great way to end a long weekend, though my sides were a bit sore after all the core strength work we did. Funny how when I went to class Monday morning going inverted was a bit of a problem. I'd have thought it would've had the opposite effect. Oh, well. Go figure.
Posted by graeme at 3:34 PM | Comments (0)
March 14, 2008
Week 1 down
It's been a great week. There's a bit of a release off my shoulders, I feel, and a relaxing into the new surroundings which is bringing a bit of a lift and a wee spring to my step. I've even started to sing in the kitchen back home, something I love doing but have just gotten out of the habit of doing I've been wandering for so long. I'm going to have to do something about the living room as it's an awful lot bigger than I thought it was so there's a bit of free space going. I did end up with my legs up the wall last night as I watched the end of a Brasilian movie - Lower City - that I'd started earlier in the week, oh, and running a workshop tutorial for one of the course students mid-week was great as there's was loads of space to set things up.
That reminds me. It's graduation weekend. Another 16 or so new yoga teachers about to be let loose on the world. What's going to happen when everyone that practices is a teacher?
Y'all have a great weekend.
Posted by graeme at 10:49 AM | Comments (0)
March 11, 2008
Hey, is that what I think it is?
Yes it is. A ruddy great big pool of water, or rather rain water, in the middle of my living room/bedroom/cupboard floor. I've been in the place less than 2 minutes and already the ceiling's falling around my ears! ha ha. It never rains but it pours. Good thing was that the owner's agent was coming round and I could leave it in his hands to sort out. Finally the drips stopped around 8pm last night and after a quick mop up with a towel it looks like there's not much damage, not that I can see beyond the light where the water's coming through.
Other than that, the move went really smoothly. I invested in a taxi to take my 4 big bags over from work so I could get it all over and done with in a oner. Best 10 quid I've spent in a long time. Getting bearings around somewhere new is always good fun, finding out where things are, how things all work, and thankfully, not many problems (other than the ceiling). As far as moves go, and I've had a few in the last couple of years, this was one of the easiest. Maybe I'm just getting used to it.
Cleaned all the stuff I'd brought across for cooking and eating with, worked out how to boost the heating and the water, and fired up the cooker and promptly split have my food over the top. Oh well. That's that christened! I'd found out earlier on I'm literally on top of the local delicatessen and across the road from the baker's shop. On the other side there's a wine shop, and if ever I manage to bring someone nice back here there's a salon and a fur coat shop if I'm feeling flash. Hey, you never know when that might come in handy.
The 50 minute treck to the studio is now no more than 20 minutes which gets me in 25 minutes earlier than normal just ducking in as the chant starts. It's a good thing too as the place was packed by 7.30am, people returning from Mysore and to see H now he's back too no doubt. The laugh on the way out was one of the girls suggested we practice at Piccaddilly Circus tomorrow as it might be a bit quieter. That'd be like practicing in Times Square.
Practice was good. H keeps nodding his approval as he digs me further into Mari-D which is a good thing. Today he kept his hand on my wrist as he helped me in to bind and got the arm really far in. Felt great. On the better side I think he half let me go, which I wasn't expecting and I half popped out of the posture. Something to look for tomorrow me thinks. It's wee stuff like this that makes it so appealing to going back the next day and the next day. The week's rest away from the place has done my enthusiasm some good!
Posted by graeme at 5:11 PM | Comments (1)
March 9, 2008
Free, at last
It's the sort of thing I wouldn't really have connected directly to my practice, but the last week, the sheer hell of it all, has taught me a good lesson the value of getting to my mat each an every morning.
Finally, though, it's all over and I can type now knowing that I won't have to travel back across town into what was quickly becoming a psychologically hostile environment for me to be in. I think it all came down to the washing powder.
Y'know it's one of these things. You either believe in your gut instincts or you don't. An for someone technical and rational like myself, it's been a constant struggle for me to tune in to my inner self, if you like, and really pay attention to what I feel about people rather than what I know about them, or can deduce from what I can see and hear.
I had a dodgy feeling about all of this right from the get-go. But, I justified it to myself that they were my concerns and that I could control them and be in charge of my feelings, not let things get to me, or pull me down. I guess over the course of 6-7 months I'm not as strong as I thought, and that even the slightest thing, niggling at me day after day, it's going to get to me in the end.
If it's too good to be true it usually is.
Yup, too true. It's funny the number of people I come across who are superficially generous, especially when it comes to money. The last couple of people I've all stayed with have all said that it's no problem to share stuff within the house, T.V. access, internet access, cleaning costs, washing materials, they've all said they'd be included in the rent, then, when things start to go south, it all gets cast up in my face. Suddenly they're no longer included.
Take this morning. I asked for my deposit back last night and was confronted with "What about my towels and sheets?". Err okay, I was planning on washing them before I left. That okay? Seemed so. Then, of course, when I went to load the machine this morning, the 'communal' detergent and softener, something I've bought plenty of as I know I'm constantly washing my yoga kit, isn't anywhere to be found.
Is there no more washing stuff?
"Yes there is, but that's mine. Your rent never covered the cost of your washing!"
Ok, if that's the way you want to play it. So I walked over to the shop to buy some more, yet when I came back to the house it's... "Oh, don't bother with that now. I don't want the towels and the sheets overloading the washer like that. I'll do it later".
Cheers.
Ok, so maybe I asked for it. I did borrow some softener to take with me. I'd just recently bought a new 5 litre bottle and I new I'd need some as soon as I got to the new place. I can only guess she saw the bottle I'd filled so wanted to make a point before I left. Jeez. There's people dying all over the planet and here I am arguing over some laundry softener. Anyway, like I say, it's all over with now. I physically wiped off all the bad energy (my self generated stuff too) as I walked out the door.
"Ain't mine no more".
So practice away from the mat this last week has been hard. I've not done a single sun salute for over a week, my body's finally recovered from the bunged up nose that's kept me awake most nights. I even managed 7.5 hours sleep last night which is probably more than I had in the proceeding 3 days. Good. Mentally though I've come to realize that the act of getting up there each day, facing the same hurdles, the same challenges, is character building, so when stuff like this little lot comes along, it's really only another case of "Ekam, one, inhale" to get through it. How hard can that be?
So I've got a new day to wake up to tomorrow. Start of the next phase of this thing called life. Now I've got a place of my own to look forward to, a fresh start, heck I even got my hair cut, I'm hoping things will be a bit easier for the coming summer months.
Still, I'm going to listen a bit more to that tummy rumble whenever it comes up again. I could do with avoiding this sort of grief for a while.
Posted by graeme at 12:57 PM | Comments (0)
March 5, 2008
Sh*t
Things aren't going so well.......
- at work the Customer's delayed any decision on future work with us, though they were supposed to decide in June last year so another couple of weeks doesn't really mean very much
- Human Remains department are taking forever to reply to the background checks for the flat, which would mean delayed entry and an extended stay back at the packpackers....
- My sore throat's not getting any better, and if anything I'm going slightly deaf.
- I'm rotating between getting 4 hours and 12 hours sleep a night
- The soon-to-be-ex-flatmate-yippee hasn't spoken to me for nearly a week now. You'd think she'd be happy now that the boyfriend's back on the scene again. Gawd.
- I haven't practiced for nearly an entire week though thankfully I've not much of an appetite.
- the latest from match.com show a big fat zero, nadda, zip of interest in anything I see
- the super cute girl I met last weekend emailed once but has since gone surprisingly quiet, though she did say she was going to be busy.... :<
- being without internet in the evening's driving me a bit stir crazy as there's loads of stuff I wanted to be getting on with. Still, I've nearly finished the book I'm reading
For sure there's a lot more things that could be worse than this little lot, but for now I've had my fill of it. I could do with a major dose of normality back in my life.
Posted by graeme at 4:57 PM | Comments (2)
March 2, 2008
Going electronic cold turkey
As part of the move out of the flat I'm going to leave my laptop in the office instead of taking it home. This means that from today I'll have no internet connection for me to get me evening 'fix' for all things digital. It'll also mean that the blog's going to go cold for a couple of days as I don't like updating when I'm at work (I know they're watching!). Life's going to be full of lugging books and clothes and stuff into the office as a temporary store so there's not really going to be much going on. Oh, and I've come down with another really sore throat, that'll be the third this year already. Air quality here's none like what it is in Scotland.
Anyway, I'll get back here whenever I can.
Now, where's that book I put down over 2 months ago?
Posted by graeme at 12:29 PM | Comments (0)