Self Practice

Well, my retreat ended yesterday afternoon. I am physically pretty blown out today as well as emotionally and mentally. This was the longest retreat I have done to date (the previous four retreats have been between 2-4 days long). This one was definitely the roughest one; quite a rollercoaster.

Its hard sometimes, dealing with two practices simultaneously (Zen Buddhism and Ashtanga). They are both so dynamic and powerful, demanding total absorption and attention. Although, I feel the heightened awareness and openness of both are complements to each other. From a physical standpoint this retreat was by far the easiest (even though it was the longest). Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga prepares the body quite well to handle the stress of sitting half lotus 9+ hours a day for days on end. From a mental standpoint, though, it is unclear to me if Nadi Shodana (2nd series of Ashtanga), specifically, and zazen are complements. Both stir up so much inside me and to deal with both simultaneously is a lot to handle.

I just took a break and went through the primary series as a way to ground myself back into my asana practice. So smooth. I really have a deep love and respect for the primary series and the way that the Ashtanga system in general is set up (insofar as one never completely drops the primary series from one's practice).

I took 8-10 breaths in all the asanas which was a nice way to practice. I'm so open right now in my hips and hamstrings. I was worried my hamstrings would be tight from so little stretching, but I am more open now than I was before the retreat. Also it helps that I practiced at noon, outside (~80 degrees). My external hip rotation is, as I expected, incredibly deep right now. Janu sirsasana C is coming so easily on the right side. The left side is still tight. Something needs to open up in there before I can really work that. I still feel like I am not getting a stretch in my hip, but rather I begin to feel it in my knee which means something needs to give way and open in my left hip before I can move forward in this asana (I will NOT push an asana that I am feeling in my knees, but will instead just wait until the hip rotation comes).

My upper body and back were feeling tight. In my experience though that will open back up very quickly (couple days of practice).

My upper body vinyasa stamina was also down, which again will come back to par fairly quickly (take maybe 3-4 days).

All in all nice to be back to my asana practice and in general sliding back into my normal life (carrying a strange presence with me though that may take a few days or weeks to really get into understanding).

Peace and Love,
Andy

Ah! Finally back to second series, after 8 (?) days or so of not doing it. So nice to be back to these very intense asanas.

Kapotasana felt so good today. For the first time I was able to go directly to the left heel grab instead of grabbing midfoot and walking up (I still can't quite get both heels without walking up one hand). But that's great - it feels like I get much deeper of a bend going directly to heels.

I also had a revelation in shalabhasana. That is to try to completely relax my butt and keep it from tensing up. It puts more work into the back but more than that it evenly spreads the work throughout the back and doesn't put in all in the lumbar area. Now I'm wondering if I should keep feet squeezed together (actively engaging the adductors) or experiment with widening them a bit (hip distance) and seeing how that affects the back. This is such a great back strengthener I am thinking about doing it twice in a row during my practice for a few weeks to build up some stability in my back.

Bakasana felt pretty hard this morning for some reason although the jumpback out of it was very light. I've just decentered myself from being able to firmly hold the bandhas during this asana and am doing too much work with shoulder/back muscles. Once I build up a little more strength in this A version I will add on B which will probably do a lot to retroactively help me find the bandhas better in A. It is a great feeling when you key into the bandhas for a specific asana and realize its profound effect in both the subtle and gross aspects of the body.

Backbending felt good today although my shoulders are still feeling a little weak so I did not push it and do any dropbacks, although I did 5 "hang-backs" for 8 breaths each. The last 2 or 3 were pretty deep; I was looking at the heels of my feet and breathing and my whole body was vibrating.

Peace and Love!
Andy

I practiced only second series this morning (up to ardha matsyendrasana). It is very interesting for me to do this practice as it is definitely not my normal practice (only having done this one other time). It reveals a lot about the second series asanas I don't feel when doing my normal practice. I think doing primary before second actually gets me too warm, open, and flexible, if thats possible. Poses like dhanurasana, kapotasana, supta vajrasana are hard to learn anything from when I'm as loose as a goose (as they say?).

Today for the first time I was able to grab both heels on the entry vinyasa into kapotasana. I realized that to do this I really had to crank the shoulder rotation rather than doing a minimal rotation and grabbing midfoot then walking hands up under tension of the midfoot bind. This way is SO much more fun and really feels like it works the thoracic more, which I desperately need. I did kapotasana again it felt so good.

It was hard not to be bummed about not being able to land Bakasana B (I tried 3 times then just did A version again). It is going to take me a little longer than I thought to learn how to do this (especially as I start trying it with the fatigue of having done primary before). However, I did feel pretty floaty doing it. I just lose the bandhas the second my knees hit my armpits. I think I just need to shift something in my mind and not think about "landing" this pose but rather putting the brakes on just before and pulling VERY hard with the bandhas to go into a hover. That's going to develop some strength probably! Bakasana A has gotten stronger again, though (I had recently lost some feeling in it). Every inhale in this asana I try to lift off a little weight - feels great.

I did lots and lots of backbends (12) and then tried chakra bandhasana. I'm not sure at all how to do this asana, I was just messing around because my back was so open. Here's what I did: went into sirsasana and dropped feet over, unbound hands, lifted head, then started walking feet in and pushing chest out. I filmed it so I could get an accurate visual check on how close my heels were. On my third attempt my heels were only about 2 inches away. I think I definitely have the flexibility to grab heels and then ankles in this asana I just need to understand how to move my body in it. I'll probably try this a couple times every practice after my UD's and "hang-backs." I'll let ya know when/if I get heels. Right now it is pretty intense, though, especially after so many other backbends.

So, it was definitely a nadi party today. Both were very excited with what was happening.

Peace and Love,
Andy

It seems like lately I'm spending the majority of my day in a backbend! Well....not really, but it DOES seem like its either backbending or resting from backbending. Ah....the joys of not working and having no responsibilities. I don't take it for granted as this situation will be gone to never return (was it ever here?).

Its a full moon tonight and I'm not sure if that corresponded with my practice feeling strong as it was or not but I did have a very powerful and smooth practice, for what its worth.

I had a bit of a duh moment regarding bringing feet through on jumpbacks. That is to really engage the hip flexors and bring the feet close to the torso. I had this action in my mind, of course, since it is necessary to execute in order not to drag the feet, but I think raising it to the conscious level is really going to help me develop the strength/stamina to be able to smoothly bring feet through EVERY time (not just on the first 2/3rds of the vinyasas). I'm also really putting some effort into trying to generate some lift once feet are brought through the arms in order to get the weight shift thing going so I can extend the feet back. I'm just not keying in on the muscle and bandha usage that I need to get this lift going. Also the breath needs to lengthen rather than being so sharp and short lived (how do I expect to float if I'm inhaling so fast? I don't know). This can be worked while also working smooth inhales in between navasanas, instead of sharply breathing up and down. I can aim to swing feet through and attempt some lift in between every navasana.

I finally landed bakasana B on my third try this morning. My mother was passing by and I asked her to watch me for inspiration. It worked - it was my best landing to date, I really slowed down through the last half of the movement and very carefully settled into arm pits. It was an awesome feeling!

I video taped my practice this morning and realized that things need to be tightened up a bit. I can definitely try to get into and out of asanas more in pace with one breath instead of sneaking in a breath (in mari D, bhuja, kurmasana, etc).

Here's a list of things I gleaned from watching the video of my practice that I want to work on:
- longer/deeper inhales and exhales
- stronger uddiyana, bring breath into chest
- dristi
- arm position in forward bends (binding wrists)
- lift higher on vinyasas
- stop fidgeting/spending uneccessary breaths getting into and out of asanas
- really work the updogs (thoracic)
- relax face muscles
- ground legs in forward bends (mula bandha)
- still unnecesary movements in navasana
- work on swinging through and lifting in between every navasana
- lift butt higher in bhuja-titti transition so as not to drag feet
- really go for floating into entry for bhuja and kurmasana
- more spinal curve in garbha p. so as to smooth the rolls
- deeper twist in pasasana
- neck alignment in dhanurasana
- less breaths "sneaked in" preparation during 2nd series backbends
- work kapo entry in one exhale
- ankles in kapo
- work shoulder alignment in kapo B
- straighten arms completely in bakasana
- float the bakasana exit

That might take awhile! Good thing I got the rest of my life.

Peace,
Andy

I feel like I'm learning to float...slowly, very, very slowly.

I guess there is no other way for my body to learn this type of movement other than slowly, patiently developing the strength and kinesthetic awareness that is needed. What is really helping me is to think about integrating all movements throughout the practice into one giant flow (instead of percieved blocks of postures).

Also bandhas. I'm discovering in the seated forward bends a deeper mula bandha than I had known before. This is helping a lot with grounding my legs and sit bones and helping me extend the spine toward the feet. I still don't understand the incorporation of mula bandha and the vinyasas. It seems the application of mula bandha only wants to pull me toward the ground rather than let me keep floating.

Kapotasana feels so good after 4 days in a row of practicing. I drop pretty quickly (still not in one smooth exhale!) and find heels with only a moment of hesitation. A weird thing if happening my arms are shaking/trembling (I guess with effort) while rotating them backwards for the grab. This is also happening a little with u. dhanurasana and I had went through a phase of trembling with uthpluthi. I guess its normal and is something that "works itself out" within a few weeks of practice.

I landed Bakasana B on the second try today! I think I'm figuring out the movement required to do a slow float toward armpits. It feels really good bandha wise to nail this and then really pull with muscles/bandhas to generate lift during the 5 breaths. I'm really tempted to try to press up into a handstand during either A or B. Maybe sometime soon just for fun! After reading an ezboard thread about Bakasana B I am convinced the best way for me to practice it is to float into it and not worry about jumping into a handstand and lowering. The former is developing a strength/awareness that I need later for tittibhasana and also to develop the floating entries to bhuja and kurmasana. The latter can be worked EVERY vinyasa during the jumpthrough so it seems kind of pointless to me to try for it given the special learning opportunity of Bakasana B.

Backbends were pretty gnarly as they have been all week. Something inside of me has clicked and I have really started throwing myself into them. There is so much to learn from them and so much to open physically, mentally, emotionally, and (I maybe hesitate to add) spiritually.

Peace and Love,
Andy

I decided to begin a daily pranayama practice. Its a pretty deep committment so I wanted to make sure I really had the drive and motivation to see it through. I already have a pretty intense asana routine so I was hesitant whether I needed to add pranayama now or not. But, my post-practice energy levels have stabilized (for now), and I probably won't be adding any poses that will really tax my strength levels for the coming few weeks. Its going to be a lot of hip opening, of course, with the eka padas, but I don't *think* that will plunge me back into the state of exhaustion I was in when I first started practicing second series (only about a month ago!).

Anyways, I am going to take it VERY slowly and build the retentions up from practically nothing. A lot of people wouldn't recommend starting a pranayama practice alone without the guidance of a teacher, but I feel a deep, deep pull towards understanding the breath. I see pranayama translated as "breath control" frequently. But, to me I am approaching it more as "breath understanding" or "energy awareness." Some very deep things are happening with my practice of Nadi Shodana and I think beginning a pranayama practice is the next step to understanding this practice. Paraphrasing a great taoist saying, "in the course of practice, knowledge is exchanged for understanding."

Right now I am going to do for a week or two (or until strong and comfortable) just the preliminary 10 minutes of ujjayi breathing (10 second inhales: 10 second exhales). Its amazing that already I have discovered that inhaling for 10 seconds is not that difficult given a sturdy seat, straight spine, and open chest. I think after a little while 15 second inhale/exhales will not be difficult (right now after a little experimentation I start straining after 12 seconds and by 14 I have "maxed" out). I will develop a strong 10 second inhale/exhale before progressing on to the retentions (which starts with holding breath outside body!).

Here are some notes that JMS on the ezboard posted. By the way anybody reading this that has any other notes on Ashtanga Pranayama and would like to share it with me PLEASE contact me.

"Terminology: puraka=inhalation; rechaka=exhalation; kumbhaka=retention.

Ujjayi Pranayama: 10-second inhalations and 10-second exhalations with no retention, focusing on mula bandha and uddiyana bandha and the movement of energy in sushumna nadi (five minutes).

Rechaka Kumbhaka: Three times, focusing on mula and uddiyana bandha, especially during the time of retention. Start with a short retention (five seconds) and gradually increase it.

Retention time should be gauged by the quality of the subsequent breath--if there is any grasping quality to the breath, the retention needs to be shorter.

Puraka Kumbhaka: Three times, adding jalandhara bandha during the time of retention. Again, start with a short retention (10 seconds) and gradually increase it, again carefully observing the subsequent breath for any signs of unsteadiness, and adjusting the retention time accordingly.

Puraka Kumbhaka and Rechaka Kumbhaka: Three times--once the two different types of retention are mastered separately, the next stage is to put them together so retention is done on both ends of the breath.

The traditional ratio for the retention times is 5:4, so if the inhale retention is held for 10 seconds, the exhale retention would be held for 8 seconds. Follow the same guidelines for determining a proper length of retention.

Nadi Shodana Pranayama: Alternate nostril sequence using retention after both inhalation and exhalation. The first inhalation is taken through both nostrils with the first exhalation made through the left nostril.

The first round of retentions begins by inhaling through the right nostril, then exhaling through the left, then inhaling through the left and exhaling through the right. This completes one round of four separate retentions.

Perform three rounds of this same sequence and finish with an inhale through the right without retention and an exhale through the left, again with no retention. Three rounds of this sequence entails 12 retentions in all. The traditional ration here is 1:1:1:1, that is, the length of inhalation, inhale retention, exhale, and exhale retention are all equal.

For this practice, the thumb of the right hand is used to close the right nostril and the ring finger is used to close the left. Ujjayi breathing is not done with this sequence, rather the breath is drawn in directly from the nostril. "

I still need to talk to someone about the pattern you use with rechaka/puraka kumbhaka. I'm hoping within a week or two when I'm ready to start on that the information will be provided for me.

Primary today was low intensity. I have had a very intense week of asana so I did not push myself overly hard and just made my way slowly through the series. I did a minimum of backbends, also, and finished with leisurely closing sequence and long savasana. I'm looking forward to my day of rest tomorrow, my shoulders, back, and core muscles are needing it (not to mention my brain!).

Peace and Love,
Andy

There's something special about the first day back to practice after taking a rest day. What strikes me as especially different is the vinyasa flow and rhythm. Things aren't better or worse, they are just different.

I struggled a little through my second series poses. I decided to start doing Laghuvajrasana by grabbing ankles instead of upper calves (as I had been taught at a local ashtanga class). This changes the pose quite a bit, of course. I was very happy that I could feel it much more in my quads rather than my back. I'm not really that desperately looking for more backbending in the practice past the updogs and urdhva dhanurasanas as I feel my back is open enough right now for the asanas I'm practicing. My weak links are my leg muscles and my shoulders so I am looking for anything that will strengthen and open them simultaneously. Well, ankle grabbing in laghu and heel grabbing in kapo satisfies this quad and shoulder search, respectively. Kapotasana was a little wonky today, though, and I didn't go directly for a heel grab. I think I probably could of I just spaced out while entering into it (yes dharana!).

And Bakasana B didn't go today after three attempts, though all attempts felt pretty light and *almost* there. I think I need to integrate some missing peice to the bakasana B puzzle before I can consistently do it. I am pretty sure its not a strength thing. Its probably dristi or some subtle bandha thing. I'll keep at it, its quite a fun asana to work on!

Backbending was voluminous but not very inspiring. I just went through my dozen backbends and folded into the security of paschimottanasana, thinking of nothing.

An update on pranayama practice: Its going quite well. After 3 days of just practicing the 10sec:10sec ujjayi pranayama I decided to start the first pranayama of the Ashtanga sequence (rechaka kumbhaka). My ratio was 10:0:10:10 and it felt very natural and not forced at all. I would close my eyes during the retentions and try to confront mula/uddiyana bandha and become more and more familiar with this "mindspace." I'm really trying to understand what is going on with pranayama...it is obviously very subtle and is going to take some time (to me this type of exploration is a joy). I imagine as I begin being able to hone in even stronger on mula and uddiyana bandha and add on the next couple sequences (puraka kumbhaka/puraka and rechaka kumbhaka) things get a little more intense. I feel like it has already affected my asana practice and my ability to hone in on the breath and bandhas during the practice of the postures (especially I see the ability for change in forward folding in regards to deeper breathing). I will remain open eyed and joyous during the exploration of this new terrain.

The Ashtanga practice is so dynamic (like everything, really). One would think that practicing the same asanas day in and day out would get tiresome due to the repetitive nature. It is quite the opposite actually. Every day of practice is a chance to discover something new, deeper, and more expansive (and inclusive).

I feel very fortunate to be able to practice this.

Love,
Andy

I find it very interesting how Ashtanga Yoga manifests itself simultaneously on a very subtle and very physical plane. There's the muscular load, the spinal flexibility, lactic acid, etc. Then there's the feeling of energetic fields interacting within the body. Are they separate? I don't think so, one is a reflection of the other.

Its become kind of a tradition for me to practice only second series on day two of my practice week (although I've only done it twice now). Its really fun for me to explore second series without the fatigue of having done first series, but at the same time really highlights how much I need first series still. A very strange thing happens to me on these days - my eyesight kind of "fuzzes" for an hour or two after practice. Right now my eyesight is still a little blurry (its always a bit blurry my eyesight is not very sharp!). But, its wild after coming out of savasana my eyes really have trouble focusing. I'm guessing its just something to do with all the backbending and not very much forward bending...

Bakasana B still didn't go today after three tries. I feel like I'm working myself up into bit of a frenzy about it so I am just going to back off any self induced pressure and just let things work themselves out. Its not worth getting worked up and stimulated because I feel like "I should be able to do this pose."

I decided to try to go for my ankles in a drop back today and was pretty surprised that I almost got them! I touched my heels which was cool. Need to do some thinking and figure out how to focus on strengthening my shoulders during the backbending sequence, because they are really my weak point in all things backbend related. Its both a physical and a mental thing, I think. As soon as I get into that position with my arms rotated back and under pressure, they just seem to lose all power and stability. Its really a pretty scary feeling to all of a sudden lose fine control of my limbs. I think emphasizing power in the urdhva dhanurasanas is in order and perhaps increasing the amount I am doing. I'm really NOT worried about spinal flexibility now and perhaps will just entirely focus on the UD's from the ground (which actually does provide a nice spinal bend, but primarily works my strength/flexibility in the shoulders).

Pranayama notes: I added on puraka kumbhaka onto rechaka kumbhaka. I think this is the best idea as they really complement each other. The traditional ratio is 5:4 (inhalation retention: exhalation retention) but to keep things simple I am doing 1:1 (10 sec inhale retention: 10 sec exhale retention). I will hold my ground here as the next step (combing puraka and rechaka kumbhaka) seems like quite a step up in intensity and one would really want some familiarity with the individual retentions before combing in one breath. Pranayama, like asana, I am so happy to be able to practice. I feel like all the hundreds of hours of sitting meditation I have been doing the last 6 months have been preparing me for both a pranayama and asana practice. It feels very natural to me to make this step now in my practice. It is so interesting to feel the energy going through my body (I feel it so far pretty uniformly in my torso and legs).

Peace,
Andy

Every once in awhile I have to step back and take a deep breath and acknowledge that my asana practice is not a linear process. I cannot expect to be "better" than I was yesterday for days and days in a row. I will say it is very satisfying to notice improvement in this practice, but I often get caught up in the process and become emotionally attached to my strength, stamina, and flexibility gains.

So, naturally, I have off days (or even weeks) from time to time. I feel tired, heavy, my muscles aren't responsive, my bandhas are sleepy, etc. I notice my happiness and equanimity is often attached to whether or not I had a "good" practice. Its been a hard pill for me to swallow in my asana practice and my meditation practice. A zen teacher once warned me of the "demon of joy" and the effects this type of attachment to joy and blissful feelings in one's meditation practice could bring about (that is, a straying off the path, a chasing of feelings, emotions, and mental states). I think the corrollary in asana practice is the demon of improvement.

For me personally, my asana practice is primarily done as a way to cultivate discipline and purify my body. Always returning to this point is similar to returning to the breath during the course of meditation. When one's attention and awareness stray onto errant thoughts, be they positive or negative, one simply redirects one's attention on what is central and meaningful in one's practice (life).

Peace,
Andy

Well, I was grasping at my ankles on monday and apparently (as far as I can tell) this is the cause of my shoulder flaring up again with some pain/instability. This started sometime after yesterday's practice (which as far as I remember was pretty normal, if not a little sluggish). I choose the words grasping in a nonphysical sense or I should say metaphysical sense. That is, my attempts to reach my ankles were an overstepping of my limits.

I've dealt on and off for the past couple years with the concept of self-violence in personal discipline and willpower. Its been good for me to think about remaining natural and nonviolent not only of course to others but also myself. This might at any point in my development mean to pull back, rest, and recuperate, rather than pushing forward with some sort of military-like, brutal will power. This kind of pushing has no place, for me personally, in my Yoga practice. It draws my energy away from where I am trying to place it.

So, today I did not do my regular practice. Instead I went for a run (haven't been running in so long!) and came back and did some core work and some leg stretching. It felt luxurious to do this kind of thing, but at the same time realized how weird it is to do asanas without vinyasa. I don't see how people do it regularly!

Once my shoulder is feeling better I plan to modify my backbending sequence to build, strengthen, and open my shoulders to be ready to eventually work towards grabbing ankles in drop back and work on Viparita Chakrasana, which seem to me how I want to focus my effort in backbending. My first step is to start working on handstands after doing Urdvha Dhanurasana. I feel like my back is plenty open but what I am lacking is the stability to support myself through the shoulder girdle inverted in deep backbends. I think this kind of strength will be able to be cultivated through working on handstands. Plus I figure it will help prepare me for pincha mayurasana coming up (which as I have posted before I am a bit anxious about starting since it is a pose that is VERY difficult for me).

Pranayama practice is going well. I can see how it is going to be a great thing for me to practice regularly. I still do not see clearly what exactly is going on in my body or mind. I am growing to love the feeling of the exhale retentions, the absolute stillness, as well as the expansiveness of inhale retentions. I am settled on working on the first two pranayamas (exhale retentions (15 seconds) and inhale retentions (20 seconds)), which eventually integrate into each other to be practiced together once the separate retentions have been "mastered" (whatever that means). So far the retentions and the pranayama practice itself have been relatively relaxed (as I have reported) besides a bit of muscular fatigue in my abdominal muscles.

Peace,
Andy

It has been a hard practice week for me. Everything has felt multiple times harder than normal, my shoulder has been hurting on and off both during practice and during the day. I am interested in how my mental and emotional stability is affected by my physical stability and the perceived quality of the practice from day to day.

I modified my regular practice again since my shoulder wouldn't take much today. I practiced up to navasana and then went to closing. It was touch and go for awhile there whether I would cry out in anger/self-pity, which looking back on it after an hour or so of distance seems kind of silly. But, at the same time the practice means a lot to me.

I think what is happening is the pranayama practice I am doing right before my asana practice is bringing up a lot of latent emotions/mental states I have regarding my practice. I am carrying around quite a lot of mental baggage in regards to what I think and feel about my practice. What it should be like. How things aren't good if I'm not feeling strong.

I don't want to come off as a whiner or a complainer, but at the same time I want to declare my weaknesses openly, honestly, and up front. The fact that Ashtanga Yoga crushes me physically, mentally, and emotionally from time to time is not a fault of either the practice or me as an individual. In fact, it is a reason that I chose as intense a practice as Ashtanga, and continue to try to practice it at an intensity suited to this type of transformation.

I am looking for change, for growth. At the same time, like in the midst of rechaka kumbhaka, I am aligning with the complete stillness and unity of reality. It has always been like this: quiet.

Love,
Andy

Pranayama! It could not come at a more appropriate time for me in my Yoga practice. It is helping me understand the purpose of my Yoga practice. Practicing asanas and pranayama is an exciting journey, as I have set out with a sense of Self-discovery. In not knowing exactly why (or leaving this question open-ended) I have allowed myself to exercise some old thoughts, prejudices, and ideas out of my system. Like sitting meditation, this practice resists definition. It is the Self. It is Life, the rippling of mind, time, and space.

Rechaka Kumbhaka: Emptiness. I feel a sense of non-abiding. Yet also there is a sense of immediateness and connectedness. There are no boundaries.

Puraka Kumbhaka: Form. The energy running through my body is tangibly present, pulsating even. It feels useful. As if, given the opportunity to learn, I could manipulate it to reach a great inner resevoir of strength.

I am backing away from my asana practice for a few days to let my body and mind heal. I will take my rest time actively (running, gently stretching, working on core muscles). I think this is not only a good idea physically, but also mentally. I start classes on tuesday and I need to be fresh and ready to dedicate myself to my studies. Also I am really looking forward to having access to the swimming pool on campus. I plan to build up to swimming a mile (32 laps of the 50m pool) regularly. I think this will be a great opportunity to build lean upper body mass as well as condition and regulate breathing/lung capacity and generally get myself back into cardiovascular shape. I will continue with my pranayama practice everyday (the first two sequences now take me 30 minutes to complete).

Peace,
Andy