Fall Sadhana - 2015

During my morning sign in, I started off with the check marks to confirm my attendance and then reverted to little smiley faces, mobius loops, and flowers. To my delight, Jenelle, assigned the row just below me, started drawing stems on my flowers and a moon to the sun. It brings a morning smile and I look forward to seeing what she will do next. Wouldn't it be fun to have a full sign-in sheet like that, a joyful mess of scribbles. In some ways this is counter to the Iyengar sense of alignment and order, and non-attachment, but fun is fun.

November 21
Sadhana officially finished November 17, and I fully intended to sleep in until 6 a.m. before heading off to work. My body woke me up, at 4:45, and there was a 6 a.m. class, so off I went. And I was glad I did, as the class was restorative. Definitely needed! 


November 8

This Sunday morning an exquisite pranayama class. At the end the phrase, to be grateful for the energy that gives us life.  

Neron has taught in Marlene's absence the last couple of days and is a gifted teacher. The way he describes certain aspects of posture brings fresh awareness. Such as, in baddha konasa, pressing your feet together in namaste.

November 4

Lots of vigorous inversions for the past few days, coupled with twists. My favourites and my nemesis, paired.

November 2

Clocks went back this past weekend so it should have been easier waking up and climbing those stairs.

 

15 days into the 30 day fall sadhana at YCT. Half done.  November 2012 was my first session, and this is now my seventh. While doing this one I’ve also participated in an assessment and a workshop. So, about 30 hours of practice in the last 15 days. Why so obsessed with the numbers, dates, years? Trying to quantify and measure in an effort to assess progress, I guess. But what is progress?

 

I looked around the room this morning and could see I wasn’t the only one a bit tired, or the only one struggling with the full seated twist. Although there were others doing the seemingly impossible pose http://www.yogaoutlet.com/guides/how-to-do-bound-half-lord-of-the-fishes-pose-in-yoga http://www.yogasuthra.com/blog/2012/12/25/seated-twist-or-marichyasana/3marichyasana_iii_/  Twists energize some people but I find them exhausting and agitating. Someone said,  “There are no more tears left.” and another; “I’ve got news for you, there is no end to the tears.”  and another “This is going to be a fun week, I can tell.”

October 19- October 31

The first day of sadhana was also national election day and a Blue Jays play off. It seemed easier getting out of bed for the first week than I remembered. The second week a bit harder, but that may have also been the beer and wine tastings I was also enjoying.

Getting a much better understanding of the arms and legs as the 'organs of action' and a better awareness of how to use the limbs to get better access to the chest.