It's Tuesday around 1030am and so far I have only left my place to walk the dog. It's a full moon so there is no mysore practice today.
Thank god it's a MOON DAY! I was actually disappointed a few days ago that I was going to miss a Mysore practice today, but the way I feel right now, I don't even know if I would have made it through a practice. Apparently neti pots and vitamin C don't cure all ills like I thought! Yesterday I had a little bit of a stuffy nose but this morning I woke up feeling like death. LOL. Fully stuffed up, and must have slept with my mouth open to breathe because when I woke up my throat was dry and sore. I woke up at 3am mind you, because someone called my phone! ARGH! I had trouble falling back asleep but managed to stay in bed until about 7am. I took a hot shower and made some peppermint green tea to help clear me up. I feel ok, not really sick or feverish, but I can't go more than a few minutes without a tissue. Blech. I guess when someone in the shala is sick, everyone gets sick! Sharath was and then a bunch of students, and now me. Ah well, I'm making use of my rest day and hoping to feel mostly better by tomorrow. I'm taking a few medicinal grade essential oils given to me by my essential oil "dealer" friend Theresa. One for breathing better and one called "on guard" to boost up my immunity. I'll let you know how it goes! They smell and taste great so I don't mind!
Yesterday was the first Mysore practice where I was allowed to do second series. So after I completed the primary series I did the first three postures that Sharath gave me last year. (Oh yeah, I had to start on the STAGE... oy. I got to go to the carpet around janu shirshasana, thank goodness. I can't help but feel on show up there) Then when I finished I went to my regular three backbends, and stood up to start my drop backs. Then Sharath yelled over to me from the other side of the room "Which ones you did?" I said up to shalabhasana. He said "Do bhekasana, danurasana and parsva danurasana, 3 more." I said "Right now?!" probably sounding like an idiot, but sometimes he tells you to do new poses starting next practice. He said "Yes." Ok so I took a vinyasa to get back down to the ground and did those three additional poses. I was kind of surprised. I guess it means he thinks I am ready for them, which is good, or maybe he was just feeling some full moon madness and giving out poses like candy?! LOL This sort of ruins my plan, of getting a new pose or two a week, and going home right before he gives me kapotasana. I really dislike that pose because of how painful my back feels afterwards. For a long time. I know I know, more bandhas, more leg strength, more chest and shoulders and less low back. But, that's easier to say than to do. I think my main problem is butt clenching. I start to go back and mentally coach myself, "strong legs! bandhas! soft glutes! don't squeeze! relax! good! breathe!" and then always as I get close to catching *BUTT SQUEEZE*! I can't not do it. Yet. Anyways, maybe I'll get to work on that here. Or maybe not. Maybe those three poses were my quota for the next 3 weeks. You never know what you're gonna get.
My neighbour Olivier and I were talking about that and he said Sharath won't give you kapotasana if you can't come up from laghu vajrasana so I immediately got the evil idea of just flopping around on the floor pretending I can't come up from that pose. LOL Don't worry, I won't actually do that!
Then of course I had to repeat my three backbends again. The girl assistant helped me with my assisted dropbacks again. Walking in to touch my heels doesn't feel like a big deal any more. I'm not quite sure what the next step is though. I think I'll ask her next time. A friend here, Susan, and I were talking about how good the assistants are right now. We really lucked in. We like them a lot.
I finished my closing postures at the back of the room and had a few minutes to lie down before chanting class began. I felt really teary eyed while I rested. At first I thought I was being happy and egotistical about getting three new poses, which would be stupid, but that wasn't it. Was my back sore? No not really. I think I just got cracked myself open a little bit by doing urdhva danurasana twice (6 times total) plus the three additional 2nd series backbends and all of the drop backs. Ah, the things that come up when the body opens up. I guess it was just tension or stuffed away emotions that needed releasing. A few little tears wiggled out. No biggie. It felt good actually. But it does make me feel self conscious a little bit, not that anyone else noticed. After a few minutes I got up and crawled to the changeroom, physically and emotionally spent, cleaned myself up, drank some water, ate a snack and came out ready for chanting class.
Later I also had Sanskrit class. While I was there Raaji decided to go into my luggage for the first time and eat some of my clothes. Not the t-shirts or pjs, but a silk scarf, a new dress and the sleeve of my only sweatshirt. DANGIT! I took the scarf and the dress to the tailor to see what they could do. Sigh. Doglife. I guess I will have to zip the suitcase from now on. Every day he learns something new!! We walked to the vet at 630pm to get his first round of shots, and it was a zoo there! A big queue of dogs and owners! It was only 5 or 10 minutes until I could see the Dr, who gave Raaji two shots, an immunization passport, and he asked a few questions about his health and habits. I asked if it was too soon to (and then I made a scissor snipping motion with my hand and a little double whistle 'woo woo'). He said "trim his nails?" and I laughed and said "No, neuter him" We both laughed. He said yes we could do it. I am undecided yet. He needs to have it done and I assume it is cheaper here than at home. Yes that's right, I am probably bringing Raaji home to Canada. I am looking into the details to see if it's feasible (shots, crate, flights, etc). Then I will make my final decision. He is a really really good dog and I don't want to see him get poor care or have to keep changing owners. If it is too difficult to bring him, then I will do my best to find him a happy permanent home here. The poor little muffin has two big lumps today where get got his shots yesterday. It doesn't seem to be bothering him though.
That's it for now. Tomorrow it's back to mysore style practice and hopefully my head and sinuses are a little more cleared up than today. Staying on the DL today. Soup and rest for me.
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| The full moon last night on my street as I was walking home |
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| Some beautiful artwork outside of someone's house, seen on my morning dog walk |
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| Little Raaji and his BIG shadow |
Thank god it's a MOON DAY! I was actually disappointed a few days ago that I was going to miss a Mysore practice today, but the way I feel right now, I don't even know if I would have made it through a practice. Apparently neti pots and vitamin C don't cure all ills like I thought! Yesterday I had a little bit of a stuffy nose but this morning I woke up feeling like death. LOL. Fully stuffed up, and must have slept with my mouth open to breathe because when I woke up my throat was dry and sore. I woke up at 3am mind you, because someone called my phone! ARGH! I had trouble falling back asleep but managed to stay in bed until about 7am. I took a hot shower and made some peppermint green tea to help clear me up. I feel ok, not really sick or feverish, but I can't go more than a few minutes without a tissue. Blech. I guess when someone in the shala is sick, everyone gets sick! Sharath was and then a bunch of students, and now me. Ah well, I'm making use of my rest day and hoping to feel mostly better by tomorrow. I'm taking a few medicinal grade essential oils given to me by my essential oil "dealer" friend Theresa. One for breathing better and one called "on guard" to boost up my immunity. I'll let you know how it goes! They smell and taste great so I don't mind!
Yesterday was the first Mysore practice where I was allowed to do second series. So after I completed the primary series I did the first three postures that Sharath gave me last year. (Oh yeah, I had to start on the STAGE... oy. I got to go to the carpet around janu shirshasana, thank goodness. I can't help but feel on show up there) Then when I finished I went to my regular three backbends, and stood up to start my drop backs. Then Sharath yelled over to me from the other side of the room "Which ones you did?" I said up to shalabhasana. He said "Do bhekasana, danurasana and parsva danurasana, 3 more." I said "Right now?!" probably sounding like an idiot, but sometimes he tells you to do new poses starting next practice. He said "Yes." Ok so I took a vinyasa to get back down to the ground and did those three additional poses. I was kind of surprised. I guess it means he thinks I am ready for them, which is good, or maybe he was just feeling some full moon madness and giving out poses like candy?! LOL This sort of ruins my plan, of getting a new pose or two a week, and going home right before he gives me kapotasana. I really dislike that pose because of how painful my back feels afterwards. For a long time. I know I know, more bandhas, more leg strength, more chest and shoulders and less low back. But, that's easier to say than to do. I think my main problem is butt clenching. I start to go back and mentally coach myself, "strong legs! bandhas! soft glutes! don't squeeze! relax! good! breathe!" and then always as I get close to catching *BUTT SQUEEZE*! I can't not do it. Yet. Anyways, maybe I'll get to work on that here. Or maybe not. Maybe those three poses were my quota for the next 3 weeks. You never know what you're gonna get.
My neighbour Olivier and I were talking about that and he said Sharath won't give you kapotasana if you can't come up from laghu vajrasana so I immediately got the evil idea of just flopping around on the floor pretending I can't come up from that pose. LOL Don't worry, I won't actually do that!
Then of course I had to repeat my three backbends again. The girl assistant helped me with my assisted dropbacks again. Walking in to touch my heels doesn't feel like a big deal any more. I'm not quite sure what the next step is though. I think I'll ask her next time. A friend here, Susan, and I were talking about how good the assistants are right now. We really lucked in. We like them a lot.
I finished my closing postures at the back of the room and had a few minutes to lie down before chanting class began. I felt really teary eyed while I rested. At first I thought I was being happy and egotistical about getting three new poses, which would be stupid, but that wasn't it. Was my back sore? No not really. I think I just got cracked myself open a little bit by doing urdhva danurasana twice (6 times total) plus the three additional 2nd series backbends and all of the drop backs. Ah, the things that come up when the body opens up. I guess it was just tension or stuffed away emotions that needed releasing. A few little tears wiggled out. No biggie. It felt good actually. But it does make me feel self conscious a little bit, not that anyone else noticed. After a few minutes I got up and crawled to the changeroom, physically and emotionally spent, cleaned myself up, drank some water, ate a snack and came out ready for chanting class.
Later I also had Sanskrit class. While I was there Raaji decided to go into my luggage for the first time and eat some of my clothes. Not the t-shirts or pjs, but a silk scarf, a new dress and the sleeve of my only sweatshirt. DANGIT! I took the scarf and the dress to the tailor to see what they could do. Sigh. Doglife. I guess I will have to zip the suitcase from now on. Every day he learns something new!! We walked to the vet at 630pm to get his first round of shots, and it was a zoo there! A big queue of dogs and owners! It was only 5 or 10 minutes until I could see the Dr, who gave Raaji two shots, an immunization passport, and he asked a few questions about his health and habits. I asked if it was too soon to (and then I made a scissor snipping motion with my hand and a little double whistle 'woo woo'). He said "trim his nails?" and I laughed and said "No, neuter him" We both laughed. He said yes we could do it. I am undecided yet. He needs to have it done and I assume it is cheaper here than at home. Yes that's right, I am probably bringing Raaji home to Canada. I am looking into the details to see if it's feasible (shots, crate, flights, etc). Then I will make my final decision. He is a really really good dog and I don't want to see him get poor care or have to keep changing owners. If it is too difficult to bring him, then I will do my best to find him a happy permanent home here. The poor little muffin has two big lumps today where get got his shots yesterday. It doesn't seem to be bothering him though.
That's it for now. Tomorrow it's back to mysore style practice and hopefully my head and sinuses are a little more cleared up than today. Staying on the DL today. Soup and rest for me.
YAY!!!! Keeping him!!! That's amazing. Keep us posted. Congrats on the new poses. :) Feel better!
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