You talking to me? You are the only one talking...

Day 16  l 84 days left
BYSC had the instructor with the headset so I left before the audio assault began and went to Yoga Health Center in San Carlos instead. I know I am supposed to be open. Maybe next year. This year I choose to be small minded about amplification. It's old Opera house training. If Kathleen Battle could get her voice over an entire orchestra and clearly magnificently up to the patrons in the balcony, anyone with a diaphram and decent lungs in small room should be able to do talk at a whisper and be heard. No one else is talking. Why do you think we can't hear you? You talking to me? You talking to me?  Bobby D. rescue me. 

 People at the San Carlos are nice. Some are chatty and too busy inside the studio, They leave bottles of smelly stuff and people get up in the beginning, middle or worst of all, at the final savasana and spray, spray spray agent orange all over the place with no concern for those who are meditating. You spraying at me?  You spraying at me?  Sometimes I leave the studio and take my final asanana in the lobby and lose the heat, but skip the smell.

 Not quite the same thing. Why cant people clean their matts at home? Why provide distractions inside a studio? The studio here is  very narrow. There was a big puddle of sweat on the floor when I am in, yuk.  Luckily  there  was no one in front of me so I could position myself in front of Lake Ewie.   I do like this studio.  It keeps the students on their matt and has them turn rather than straddle their matts. This is much more hygienic.  I am surprised at how many people leave their feet off their matt. The floors are not cleaned between classes and if you sweat, you should keep sweat,and your feet, on your towel and your matt.  This class was not as hot as I would have liked. Instructor turned off the heat before we hit the floor. I am old and crave the heat to move my weary joints.  Instructor was soft spoken, and gave great instructions.

Yoga Tip of the Day: Utrasana Camel's Pose. Why  they call this pose Camel I do not know. 

 A stretch of the front of the body. It can bring up dizziness, nausea is common and emotional feelings. Don't worry, just see it and let it go.   This pose is good for what ails you, flushes blood to the kidneys, stretches your front, which never gets stretched in the world of computers, driving and couch potatoing.  Start kneeling with your knees and feet 6 inches apart. Place your hands on your lower back, push your hips towards the mirror, past your knees. Elongate your spine and neck, allow your head to release all the way back so you see where the wall meets the floor. Drop your hands to heels,  one and a time and open your chest to the ceiling. Breath and stay here. 

International Womens Day

Attended the 2012 International Women' Day Summit And Awards Luncheon. Inspirational people doing amazing things. Its good to get in a roomful of amazing people from time to time and see what the clever people are wearing. Man of the year went to San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee. Best speaker was Zoe Dunning, Retired Navy Commander of DADT Fame - very funny.

9:30 BYSC Class was amplified so I left. What a waste of an hour, to and fro-ing.  As far as I can tell there is only one who uses the microphone and speakers to "shout" at quiet students in a completely silent room. 

Amplification in such small spaces is an overly aggressive  teaching tool. And it hurts the ears, its good to avoid as much artificial sound as possible -  no stereo, no ipod, no  ear buds, no concerts or shows with any amplification.   

 Maybe sabotage is in order.

Yoga tip of the day: Ardha-Khurmasana Half Tortoise pose   It takes a minute to get heels to hips and  the back straight. Stretch your spine from hips to fingertips. Keeps your palms strong, squeeze our arms to your head, forehead  then  pinkies fingers touch the floor.  Work your palms forward and your hips back. Keep your shoulders away from your ears. Don't round. Keep your back arms and chin straight. Childs pose on steriods.

glamour puss vs. glamour pussy

What a difference one letter can make.

I forgot I was a registered Republican until I received a letter today from Anthony W. Parker,  Treasurer of the Republican National Committee.  Some Republicans (not me), insist on inserting themselves where they just do not belong. Maybe the want to put the Pope up there, too. So many scary,wrinkly old white men, trying to control the gateway of life.   If you google Popes' vagina something comes up. Who knew?

Republicans believe in the right to life, up until you take your first breath.

           After that, you are fair game.

 No one shoot treat killing human beings as sport. How horrifying to pose with a dead person as if people are safari trophies.

  

Yoga Tip of the day: Supta-Vajrasana, fixed firm pose:  During the set up, it is most important to get your heels to touch your hips. This will keep your knees from twisting.  Trying to go past the set up, without correct alignment of hips knees and feet, may cause injury. 

 doing something I shouldnt in the dark

Day 7 l 93 classes to go

Late class.  8:15 pm!  I am usually asleep, or doing something I really shouldn't, by then. A nice way to end the day. BYSC. My main objection to this studio  is that is is a tad too dark,  Not as bad at night, as you dont crave the few silvery rays of natural light that make it 10 feet into the studio.  Lighting could be a tad brighter.  Ana's class.  She is a great teacher.  

I never met a locust and I  never hope to see one.  But I can tell you anyhow, I'd rather meet than be one. Locust pose is the one pose that still feels really bad. The dreaded floors series, designed for alien bodies, or if  these poses are for people, the next question becomes: where did I really come from? I can't get my hands flat on the floor, my wrist scream in pain. Yet from time to time, I can get both my legs way up, as long as I am not tired. It is easy, if you set up correctly and don't mind wrist pain,  form is everything and there is little mirror help from here on out. The locust pose improves the most with daily practice. During the floor series you can not see and copy the advanced students. Poses are shorter and you really work deep.


Yoga tip of the day: Salabhasana Locust pose.  Get your shoulders down,  really tighten your legs,  knees quads, abs and gluts,  tilt your pelvis, so it is easier to lock your knees and move the leg as one component.  Push down and forward on your arms and shoulders, at the same time use your back strength to lit your leg, up and back lifting in a straight line from the hip joint.   Make sure your quads abs, and gluts are fully engaged. Don't break your wrists.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Why?

Day  6 l  94 to go
I did Hatha yoga back in the 70's. When I was living on the farm I tried to maintain my practice from memory. Cobra  pose I practiced often as it was easy to remember. A cousin has photo of me giving yoga lessons to my young nephew outside on bright English August afternoon.

My lower back is probably the strongest part of my entire body.  Could be why.

Yoga tip of the day: Bhujangasana  Cobra pose. Lie on your stomach, arms relaxed at your sides.  Place the palms down on the floor, fingertips beneath your shoulders. Keep your arms close to your body.  Inhale as you start to slowly arch your back. Arch your neck back, look up and back wit hyour eyes. Open you chest with your lower back muscles.  Keep pelvis, quads tight, legs locked one solid structure from pelvis to the top of  the toes, flat on the floor. Lift your palms one inch of the floor. The cobra needs  no hands.  Use your lower spine muscles, not your arm strength,  to raise your self up and down like the Queen of de Nile.

Huffing Post

Day 85 l 15 to go

Friday, 9:30 am class

Huffing memory came back in class

as if peeled off the top layer of my brain.

The Olfactory hallucinations/memories floods make me think there is something crossing the blood brain barrier uninvited.

1978, asleep upstairs in my darling two story flat

awoken by odor. Confused. Is it the stove? Electrical fire? Went down stairs, to find housemate, an RN, head shoved into a paper bag, huffing away.

It's one thing to inflict brain damage on your own brain,

it's another thing all together to have it thrust upon you. ( in your sleep no less)

Must have been a lot of toxic soup to make it up the stairs, down the hall strong enough to wake me up.

I remember saying, "You can't do this and live here"

to a very confused (pathetic) face. Anger just cloaked on my practice today. Have no forgiveness for (this 32 years ago) huffing or this post.

Yoga tip of the day: Dandayama-Junishirasana, standing forehead to knee pose : Engage all of your limbs in the pose. If you cant reach under your feet qith both hands, don't let go of an arm to dangle lifelessly at your side, grab your knee with both hands so you can equally stretch your shoulders and arms. Breathing through your mouth will exhaust you. Keep your lips closed and breathe calmly, evenly, slowly through your nose.

Feel your body continuously stretching with each exhale, gently and equally.

Tuesday Afternoon

Day 82. l 18 to go

4:30 pm class.

Still not 100% well but definately not sicker.

Can not tell if sick is increasing fragrence sensitivities
or fragrances are making immune system fail.

I dream of large heppa air filters.

Yoga Tip of the day: Tree Stand. Rotate your leg as you lift it and push your knee as close the floor as possible. Concentrate on releasing your hip to lower your knee.

They Shoot Horses Don't They?

Day 68 l 32 to go.

I am tap dancing as fast as I can. Doing my best for everyone around me. Vitriol pushed back at me daily. Frustration over standard business practices and language is monumental. I should not take it personally, but it hurts when you put a little bit of your soul into creating a win-win for everyone and you get the evil eye for a thank you. Not, "thanks you so much, we love this experience, you were a great help. We definitely want you the be the godmother of our children." The love affair with my clients is decidedly a one-way affair. I should stop adopting each person I meet into my own private universal family. I am a sucker for humanity, that is my biggest flaw.

Tuesday's class day killer starts at 9:30am.
Tuesday I should be at work at 7:45 am
Not working Tuesdays is risking too much
And my dog is sick, Again.

Yoga tip of the day: Do all you can, while you can.

One day you cant.

The Iceman Cometh

When Dad turned 55, he morphed into a walking refrigerator. Strong healthy. Upper body a solid cement square. Trapped inside musculature. No flexibility.

We all turn into our parents, mine with perhaps a genetic disposition towards midget back and spine muscles? (Little people back and spine muscles?)

Today was a 6 am silent class. Someone entered the studio late during Half Moon Pose with Hands to Feet Pose. (Arda-Chandrasana with Pada-Hastasana,) An Arctic blast hit the back as fingers grabbed ankles. Not the exact moment one wants foot traffic behind them.

Got to play ball with a favorite dog for the last time Sunday.

We will maim her and lame her on Tuesday to take out cancer tumors.

Bend over. Grab your ankles. Kiss your ass good bye.

Yoga pose of the day hint: Janushirasana Paschimotthanasana. Paschimottana Flex the soles of your feet back so they are parallel to the front. This will gently stretch the hamstrings and flatten your legs onto the floor.