I'm trying to get back to a regular schedule...

...for my yoga. I've been practicing asanas less, but doing well with eating less and paying more attention in general. I've also been a bit calmer, too. I had to go to the stressed end of the spectrum before I got back to where I am now, though. I started having really bad stress headaches the week before I went to the yoga retreat - since I was trying to get everything done before leaving. My hamstrings, on the other hand, are much much better since I haven't been overstretching them. They get a little sore now, but I've got a lot more strength when doing postures like Warrior. I've decided to take every mainly-hamstring stretch that most people do and change it slightly so it stretches my groin muscles instead of just hamstrings. That balances my strength out a little better then accenting the hamstrings too much and not really working on the areas that are tighter.

I'm on a monday/friday/saturday schedule for the moment, if I can keep up with it. I also try to do bits here and here, but still not too much. Restraint also counts for asanas, too, I've figured out. It happens when it happens. :)

I'm pleased with my progress...

...in terms of restraint and in terms of groins/hip flexors. Cow's head pose isn't as difficult as it once was (althouth it's not as easy as it is for other people still...)

I'm still doing modifications and alternate poses so I don't injure my hamstrings even more. It's adding more diversity to my practice to where I don't need to go to as many different kinds of classes - since I'm working on my leg strength & groin flexibility within the class I can now go to 5 days a week.

It looks like I will be able to go to the yoga retreat - which is something I've always wanted to do (since I knew they existed). I'm excited to have time to just relax and work on yoga.

Favorite pose: Cow's head pose, for once. I wanted to stay in it for longer, even.

Least favorite pose: Headstand - since it wasn't as pleasant as it usually is - I was having trouble keeping my legs calm when kicking them up.

Don't know if I'll go tomorrow or not - although I'll probably not go to two hours' worth. Then again, I might, since I don't have Natha.

I'm back to mon/wed/fri for my one class...

...and I'm quite happy. I'm also hopefully going to the yoga retreat listed here - I'll find out sometime next week, I think, whether I can go for sure.

I've been reading those back issues of YJ that I've been stockpiling, and it never fails that they have an article that helps me think through something that's been on my mind in the recent past. I need to start writing in my paper journal so I can delve more instead of retelling the day's events or some odd thought I'd had.

Favorite pose: I liked ustrasana, or camel pose more than usual. Still didn't stay in it a very long time, but felt better while doing it than I have before.

Least favorite pose: utthita trikonasana, or extended triangle pose. Not that I usually particularly like it, I just didn't enjoy it more than I usually don't enjoy it.

I've been finding it harder and harder not to practice in a room with a finished wood floor (namely not carpet) with mirrors so I can see what my body looks like. I like working on balancing poses that way and also being able to check my form on poses where I can't just 'feel' it. I'm not sure what I think about my increasing-dependence on mirrors and hard floors...

I've been having fun...

...with headstands before & after class. I went to my usual class on thursday and did a couple of headstands before class, then had a good class as usual - we did some vinyasa flow yoga and that always is good for me - I don't like it as much if you ask me directly, but it challenges my legs in a good way without just stretching them out. This morning's class was also good - although I had an odd feeling at the end of class in my lower back - like something needed stretched. I did wind-relieving pose to relax my back a bit, then felt good enough to do a headstand. I've gotten a lot better at kicking my legs up so that I keep a fluidity in my movement instead of using the wall too much, too. I'm also experimenting with groin stretches while the class is doing hamstring stretches so that I'm not doing an easier modification, just a different one.

Thursday's class
Favorite pose: Legs-up-the-wall pose during the relaxation portion. I've become a fan of using a blanket under my head, a blanket on my feet, and a beanbag on my eyes. I then do plow over into child's pose to come out and rest after then inversion.

Least favorite pose: Half Lord of the Fishes pose, or Ardha Matsayendrasana It just didn't feel right today - I might have pushed myself into twisting too much, so I'll work on restraint there, too.

Today's class
Favorite pose: My new way of getting down out of Legs-up-the-wall pose - Plow into Child's pose.

Least Favorite pose: Bow pose, or Dhanurasana I barely even attempted it today, I just wasn't feeling it.

I'm looking forward to being able to go back to my classes on monday & wednesday in addition to friday and saturday - then I can do yoga 6 days a week - since I think I'll most likely take sunday off, or at least light if Natha wants to go to family yoga. After next monday, I can go back to that schedule.

There's the 90 minute class tomorrow - hopefully we'll work on headstands tomorrow, too!

I did a headstand after class today...

because I just felt like it. I need to go and work more on the headstand so I can get my equilibrium when I'm upside-down - I still do it up against a wall so I can balance.

Favorite pose: I finally gave in and used a wall to do Lord of the Dance pose, or Natarajasana, the one-armed version, of course, against a wall so I could get full extension of my leg that is behind me. I might start approaching this one like I approach headstand so that I can eventually balance but be able to fully extend my leg.

Least favorite pose: I've gotten to where anything that I stretch my hamstrings too much in I've got some distaste for - partially because I shouldn't do it fully, and partially because for some of the poses there isn't any alternative *but* to stretch hamstrings. I think I used to like the hamstring stretches so much because I could easily show off my flexibility with them. Now they're just like any other pose...

I think I'm going to keep doing Legs-up-the-wall pose instead of Savasana for the relaxation at the end of class - I feel better at the end, and it's better for my legs anyways. I think I'm going to be off until tuesday for yoga, but I'm not sure - it depends on when Natha goes to see his dad tomorrow. If it is, I might do some sun salutations tomorrow just to get something done...

I did better today...

...with not hyping the class up to be let down when it wasn't scrumdiddlyumptious. I had a really good time and left feeling a lot better than when I walked in - and I wasn't in a bad mood to begin with.

Favorite pose: Tree - I held it longer since I wasn't going to try a heel stretch since my hamstrings aren't completely better yet, but they're getting better. I also liked Pigeon, too.

Least favorite pose: Everything went pretty well today - so there wasn't anything in particular that I didn't enjoy. I did have a bit of an overall balance issue - so I fell over quite a bit trying to do the balance postures.

The 90 minute class is tomorrow - we'll see how that feels. :)

I was off until tuesday...

...and it felt 'wrong' to be doing yoga then, too. I haven't figured out if it's a function of the class or a function of my personal mood that day - it just didn't feel right. Sometimes certain postures don't feel good, sure, but this was just a dreadful feeling of sorts. I felt weird the rest of the day, too - I was in a sour mood all day, and kind of spiteful. I was better yesterday - although I didn't go to the 6am class. I've been tired lately and I'm not sure why - I don't know if it's physical or mental in nature even. I've got some possibilities, though.

Favorite pose : Legs-up-the-wall pose, with a scented beanbag on my eyes and a blanket folded up on my feet

Least favorite: everything else, especially the seated twists - they just bothered me.

I started reading about the doshas and balancing them - and did a little foray into what my predominant dosha is. I think I'm going to focus more on the imbalanced ones - I certainly can trace the days I'm off-kilter to three types which fall pretty much in line with the doshas. When I'm out-of-sorts I'll see if the asana and food prescriptions can help the day - even if it's placebo effect, if it helps me feel more balanced it's worthwhile.

I've been doing much better with restraint - especially in the shopping and eating arenas. Before it was always a struggle to restrain myself from doing something - to the point where I couldn't most of the time and would crumble under the pressure. Now that I'm just more mindful and thinking of what aspects of my life should contain more restraint the act itself has become easier overall. I'm eating only what I should, portion-wise, and if I do eat more, I make sure that I'm truly enjoying it and not just finishing the plate. Shopping is the same way - restraint doesn't mean you can't have anything, it just means that you think about it more before you consume something. I like the way this restraint thing is shaping up - I feel better and more balanced just in general.

I've got the friday/saturday/sunday trio of classes coming up - and I'm using restraint to become too excited about them - so I'm just letting them flow by and joining their flow for a bit, then going on with the rest of my day...