And…. we’re back!
The first 21 days of May were rough. It took me until May 22 to do my first full Mysore practice of the month?! Are you serious, Adam?
Yes. I am nearly positive my bookkeeping is accurate.
It was a needed break, clearly. Finishing up spring semester, I was dealing with a ton of stress. And, unlike past gaps in my yoga practice, I didn’t feel such a void, such a pervasive sense of lack. My practice was still with me even when I wasn’t practicing.
I would never leave you, friend. And the feeling is mutual, isn’t it? -hugs-
Seattle has me back on track.
I did put on a little flab. I am going to hit the practice hard this month; of that there’s no doubt. I’m ready. I put in five days of Mysore here in Seattle, or at least will by the time I hop on the plane tomorrow afternoon. Toss in four other days of an hour of yoga — two of which were quite strenous — and that’s nine practices, not shabby considering I also came down with a vicious cold in the beginning of the trip.
I’m also going to lift for these next three months. That will be logged in my journal for the month, this overview aside. Working out with Gil has become reliable, and we are feeding off each other. He’s ready for more, and I’m ready to cut some of this flab off. I want to bring definition to my chest, obliques and abs, to my upper body in general. My lower body is fantastic and I have no complaints with it.
We will be doing Strong Lifts and Olympic lifts.
As for yoga, the rough plan for the month is three days a week of Mysore, two to three days a week of a one hour personal practice, a slight modification of David Swenson’s 45-minute short form. (Instead of 3x Sun Salutations I do 5x. My breaths are long so in general my practice always leans a bit longer than typical.)
Monday, June 29:
I have not been proud of my personal practice recently, but not ashamed either.
Today: full Mysore.
Surya Namaskara A & B, 5x
Standing Sequence:
Padangusthasana, Padahastasana
Uttita Trikonasana, Parivritta Trikonasana
Utthita Parsvakonasana, Parivritta Parsvakonasana
Prasarita Padottanasana A, B, C, D
Parsvottanasana
Uttita Hasta Padangusthasana A, B, D
Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana
Utkatasana, Virabhadrasana A & B
Primary Series:
Dandasana, Paschimottanasana A, B, C
Purvottanasana, Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana, Trianga Mukhaipada Paschimottanasana
Janu Sirsasana A, B, C
Marichyasana A, B, C, D
Navasana (x5) (including handstands), Bhujapidasana
Kurmasana, Supta Kurmasana, Garbha Pindasana, Kukkutasana
Baddha Konasana A & B
Upavishta Konasana A & B, Supta Konasana, Supta Padangusthasana A & B
Ubhaya Padangusthasana, Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana
Setu Bandasana
Finishing Sequence:
Urdhva Dhanurasana x3; Paschimottanasana B (10 breaths)
Sarvangasana (10 breaths)
Halasana, Karnapindasana
Urdhva Padmasana, Pindasana
Matsyasana, Uttana Padasana
Sirsasana A (15 breaths), Sirsasana B (5 breaths)
Baddha Padmasana, Padmasana ,Tolasana (7 breaths)
Savasana
Lots of adjustments with Juliette!
Tomorrow: Iyengar in Chico.
Sunday, June 14:
90 percent of the Primary Series with Polina.
Terrible class. Very lazy teaching by her. She was not remotely sensitive to the pulse of the class. It was like a bootcamp. Complete joke. I’ll never go to her class again.
Learning about all the good Ashtanga studios in SoCal, from San Diego to Los Angeles.
Good practice but quite draining. I’m tired. Tomorrow: Mysore and lifting and running. Tuesday is a Moon Day, thankfully.
My body is becoming steel.
Saturday, June 13:
Missed three days this week.
Tuesday I did an hour. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: empty.
Saturday: 90 minutes at ATY.
Sunday: 90 minutes at ATY.
Monday: 2-hour Mysore at ATY.
Tuesday: Moon Day.
Monday, June 8:
I have been sparse in updating my yoga log! This must change!
Yoga practice has been excellent. On the first I practiced at Ashtanga Yoga Seattle, under Alex’s tutelage for a Mysore style class. Full practice! Hey, what do those look like again?
Surya Namaskara A & B, 5x
Standing Sequence:
Padangusthasana, Padahastasana
Uttita Trikonasana, Parivritta Trikonasana
Utthita Parsvakonasana, Parivritta Parsvakonasana
Prasarita Padottanasana A, B, C, D
Parsvottanasana
Uttita Hasta Padangusthasana A, B, D
Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana
Utkatasana, Virabhadrasana A & B
Primary Series:
Dandasana, Paschimottanasana A, B, C
Purvottanasana, Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana, Trianga Mukhaipada Paschimottanasana
Janu Sirsasana A, B, C
Marichyasana A, B, C, D
Navasana (x5) (including handstands), Bhujapidasana
Kurmasana, Supta Kurmasana, Garbha Pindasana, Kukkutasana
Baddha Konasana A & B
Upavishta Konasana A & B, Supta Konasana, Supta Padangusthasana A & B
Ubhaya Padangusthasana, Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana
Setu Bandasana
Finishing Sequence:
Urdhva Dhanurasana x3; Paschimottanasana B (10 breaths)
Sarvangasana (10 breaths)
Halasana, Karnapindasana
Urdhva Padmasana, Pindasana
Matsyasana, Uttana Padasana
Sirsasana A (15 breaths), Sirsasana B (5 breaths)
Baddha Padmasana, Padmasana ,Tolasana (7 breaths)
Savasana
Tuesday was a Moon day.
Wednesday was a Full Mysore practice back here in the Inland Empire / Los Angeles County, with Juliette.
Thursday: one-hour short form:
Surya Namaskara A & B, 5x
Standing Sequence:
Padangusthasana
Uttita Trikonasana
Utthita Parsvakonasana
Prasarita Padottanasana A, C
Uttita Hasta Padangusthasana A
Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana
Utkatasana, Virabhadrasana A & B
Primary Series:
Dandasana, Paschimottanasana A
Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana
Janu Sirsasana A
Marichyasana A, C
Navasana (x3) (not including handstands)
Baddha Konasana A & B
Upavishta Konasana A
Finishing Sequence:
Urdhva Dhanurasana x3; Paschimottanasana B (10 breaths)
Sarvangasana (10 breaths)
Halasana, Karnapindasana
Urdhva Padmasana, Pindasana
Matsyasana, Uttana Padasana
Sirsasana A (10 breaths), Sirsasana B (5 breaths)
Baddha Padmasana, Padmasana, Tolasana (5 breaths)
Savasana
Friday? Procrastination plus Trevor’s arrival meant only the Sun Salutations, x5 (A) and x3 (B).
Saturday: One hour modified short form.
Sunday: Rest.
Monday? Hey, that’s today! Complete Mysore with Juliette.
A bit of a rough start. Throat was bothersome. Ran into a brick all during Virabhadrasana A. Broke through it sometime during early Primary, like during Trianga Mukhaikapada. Finished strong. Slow but steady progress on the complete wraps in Marichyasana B, C and D.
Felt incredible afterwards!
Are you having fun yet? 