Bringing family to class

Friday at gentle class, we got to meet Angela's husband and some of her family who were visiting from Canada. She took it really easy on us, which Shawn was grateful for, thanks to the new tattoo on her chest.

Today in gentle with Zelinda, Shawn and I brought her sister Kristi and Kristi's two daughters. It was so much fun to introduce them tot he yoga room while they're here visiting. We had a great stretch, did a lot of neck and shoulder work, and the girls are excited to go back tomorrow.

Zelina also had a theme today, which was to spread happiness. I got a hug from Zelinda before we left the studio, and I got to pass that on at breakfast to Joy, one of our favorite ladies at the Cafe Java.

After that, we had a lazy day watching movies and playing with the bassets, so joy was pretty easy. It was a good day.

Lorna, Unplugged

This morning was class #7. Gentle at 9:15 with poor Zelinda, who could barely talk due to allergies. It hurt to hear, so it had to hurt her. :(

Still, I had Thoughts. Yes, with random capitalization.

I had thought, with the kind of pragmatic cynicism that only comes from being the member of a partnership who is used to hearing, "I have an idea," that the 40 day challenge would just be a huge thing. Like the kind of thing that hangs around your neck at a conference and holds your name tag. It's not heavy, but it interrupts everything you do. I thought that. I admit it. I have so much work to do I'm hysterical, we're taking a week out of town mid-challenge, and I was sure all I would get out of the challenge was sore muscles.

As evidenced by this blog, I have already learned better. But what I got out of today was the realization that, since I work from home, and all of my work involves being plugged in (even at the Target I can do marketing work on my iPhone), my daily yoga practice is the one hour a day I can completely unplug. No phone. No tablet or laptop by the bed. No Kindle, tempting me to do market research. (How cool is it that I get to read romances and call it market research, y'all?)

Yoga is totally me time. I think of yoga. I think of intent. Sometimes I might wander into karma thoughts. It's not always physically easy (pilates, anyone?) but it's something totally unrelated to everyday stress.

That's kind of made of awesome.

Later, y'all!

Lorna

Things you think you know that you don't

We went to the kick off party for the 40 Day Challenge at the Yoga Room in Round Rock yesterday. It was very neat to meet our fellow participants and get an idea of why everyone wanted to do the challenge.

I have admitted more than once that I do yoga because Shawn decided to do yoga. Otherwise I would still be on the stationary bike at the Y, or maybe rowing away on the rowing machine. (Not at the Austin Rowing Club. Don't get me started. That is not a calm or peaceful thought.) When Shawn decided to try yoga, she asked me to come along, and I did. I felt awful that first time, not being able to touch my toes or sit back in child's pose because I was too big to fit between my knees.

I got better.

So, I have to say I'm doing the challenge because Shawn is incapable of passing one up. I am still unlikely to go to yoga without Shawn. Not because I dislike it, or am uncomfortable, but because I am, at heart, too lazy to leave the house without someone to kick me.

I am the one who does yoga at home on her own, however, so I guess that means it's a part of me now.

Tonight we did the gentle class at 6:15 with Zelinda. This is where the things I think I know comes in. I said my shoulders and neck needed work. I had a dentist's appointment this morning, and I spent the whole time with my shoulders up around my ears. I thought sure it was my shoulders that needed a good tenderizing, but as practice went on the muscles along my spine got tighter and tighter, my lower back all but seizing up on my last seated forward fold. Then we went to the mat for a twist and a little beginner's bridge pose, and something in my back let loose.

It felt so good I almost cried.

Sometimes, even when you're trying to listen to your body you have no idea what's going on at the beginning. You have to make it a progression. A process.

That's a pretty cool thing to learn on the first day of challenge.

Night, y'all!

XXOO

Lorna