Still many questions

I had a good morning practice today. Yesterday I went to bed at 11 p.m., quite early for a friday night. I was alone, tired and had nothing to do, so I slept. This way I got more than nine hours of sleep and nevertheless could get up before 9 a.m. today. Yesterday I didn't practice, the more I enjoyed it today. I did full primary, no skippings and it was quite good. Actually the body was quite soft, at the end I couldn't even notice that it's a morning practice. Upavishta Konasana is getting better and I make very small progress with the Vinyasa out of Mari A. I can lift myself up but have no idea of bringing the head forward. Also I have no idea of bringing the feet through the arms in BujaPidasana and of coming up with straight legs in e.g. Ubaya Padangusthasana and so on. These are only a few of the points of which I have no idea. But it's ok, there's still much work to do.

On Thursday I had my first ballet class, it was fun. We also did many Yoga postures for warming up, of course they don't call it Yoga. Unfortunately I can't write more about it now, because I have to get ready, I'm going to the cinema with my boyfriend and some other friends. We're watching 'No country for old men', this year's Oscar movie, I'm curious.

During Breakfast

I have caught a cold but it could be worse. Practice helps I think, I always have the feeling that it frees the nose from the slime that's everywhere.
Actually I had a wonderful light and flowing practice yesterday, the body got quite soft during practice and Paschimottasana was much better than usual. And I managed to squeeze two more poses into my practice time slot.
Today's practice was of course different, it cannot be that good every day. But the sun is shining, this is also a good motivation for being happy.
Now that I've finished my banana-muesli I should go to work.

Lead Class

Just returned from the Ashtanga lead class in the university sports center, which started today. It was quite good. If you don't want to miss the feeling of practicing together with other people, this class is probably the best you can get in this town. It is in a huge sportshall and there were about 30 people in it. The atmosphere is kind of clinical, there are no joss sticks, no Shiva statues and so on. But it is very concentrated, you go there and you practice, nothing more nothing less. As the room is so huge it was very cold and I felt cold during the whole practice but nevertheless I sweated buckets - funny. Body was neither flexible nor stiff, perhaps normal? I easily found my flow though the poses were held not very long, only about 3 of my breaths, but I suppose my breaths are quite long. What really did me good was the comparison with the other Yogis. I know that it is stupid to compare oneself with anybody else but I guess everybody does. And since I'm comparing myself with Yogis much more advanced for 90% of the time (what makes me depressive sometimes), I think it is ok if I took the chance of comparing myself with less advanced Yogis today and this gave me some new motivation and energy.
And now I'm going to have a bath and afterwards some food, my stomach is already hanging between my knees :-)

Fingertips touched!

I had a good practice today, full primary series, I didn't skip anything. And the highlight was Marichyasana D: My fingertips touched when I tried to bind on the left side! I never managed to do this alone, today the first time! I once bound with the help of a teacher, but alone I never came close to that. On the right side I'm still far away from binding, but on the left side I think it will happen soon. The rest of the practice was good and it got better and better during practice. Now I'm doing a little bit of shopping.

Study Deja-vu

Right now I'm learning a lot of project-managment-stuff about which I'm going to take an exam tomorrow at work. It's horrible. I'm no longer used to sit down and learn things out of scripts and books, I thought this time is over. Additionally I'm sooo tired. Right now I'm really pitying all students on earth ... But there's no help, I want to pass the exam. But I think I'm going to skip some chapters and rely on my brains.
Yesterday's practice was very good, so much better than on monday. And the main difference between these two days was the attitude. Yesterday I felt motivated and full of energy, I enjoyed the practice. On monday it was the opposite, but ok, such is practicing Yoga.
Today I only did a few Surya Namaskaras. I slept longer because I already was tired yesterday and again got to bed late. Today I must go to bed earlier, otherwise I can forget this test.

Tests

No practice on the weekend, but very much sleep.
Today's practice was ok, but not good. I had problems with concentration and my body was stiff. Additionally I felt again a slight dragging pain at the left Tuber Ischiadicum. Will I ever get rid of this annoying problem? *sigh*
Perhaps I'm doing a few light practice sessions on the next days.
This week I'm attending a training at work, which has a test at the end. I don't think that it will be hard to pass it but because it would be so embarrassing to fail I'm going to sit down now and learn the stuff. Ugh, I'm feeling like I'm back at university.

Great Weekend Kickoff

Wow, what a great evening practice I just returned from. That was the highlight of the day!
I got to bed very late yesterday so I slept one hour longer than usual and didn't manage to do any Yoga this morning. Despite (or perhaps because of) getting up later I was so tired all the day, I could only start working after one cup of coffee and two cups of Darjeeling. Then I got to know that my boyfriend has invited his friends for a poker night and I thought, well tonight is my Yoga time.
But since I was so tired I didn't want to motivate myself for practice. So I went to the only Yoga shala in my town which offers Ashtanga classes. It was a lead class and it was so great. I enjoyed very much practicing together with other people after a long time of practicing alone. I managed to switch off my mind and to simply surrender to the flow of the practice. Body was warm and soft, I had the feeling of reaping the fruits that were sown in the hard stiff morning practices. How my body feels in the evening really is a pleasure in contrary to the mornings. But ok, this is part of the work. And now I feel still tired but also full of energy, balanced and happy!
What I noticed this evening: When I practice alone I'm obviously Miss Super-Slow. In this class we had 90 minutes and we practiced almost full primary, we only skipped Kurmasanas, Garbha Pindasana and Setu Bandasana. When I practice alone I need one hour until Purvottanasana plus Sirsasana and Lotus postures! This must change. My practice needs definitly more speed. Now I have to get out of my sweat-soaked Yoga shirt and take a shower. Nice weekend to everybody!

What to do?

Good practice this morning, I had a nice flow.
I don't know if I should apply for this Yoga Retreat at the North Sea in summer. Today I learned that there are only two places left, so I have to come to a decision quickly. I don't know if I should spend this week of holiday (which is very precious for a "normal" employee) with Yoga or with my boyfriend. Unfortunately the two possibilities are not compatible. Visiting the North Sea or some other place in which I would be a little bit more interested? I don't know. At the moment I tend towards Yoga weekend workshops instead of that retreat.

New Challenges

Today's morning practice was ok, standing sequence as usual. In these days it's not so much challenge to deal with the body but with the mind. Feelings of dissatisfaction, frustration etc. keep rising constantly during practice or after. I don't know what this means, I keep watching it. It's interesting to see how the challenges of practice change over time.
Yesterday I registered for two classes of the new university sports semester: one is Ashtanga primary series, the other one is ballet. I'm curious especially about ballet, it's something new. It's always exciting to start someting new. But I'm also looking forward to the Ashtanga class. It's a lead class and the guy who is leading it is not really a teacher, but I will enjoy the feeling of practicing together with many other people. It's starting in two weeks.
I also have a book recommendation for you: Yoga School Dropout by Lucy Edge. She tells about an extended travel to India where she has visited several Yoga schools, Ashrams, Gurus etc. while she is searching for a deeper meaning of her life. It's very interesting because you get to know much about different Yoga styles and their representatives and it's also funny, especially because she sometimes takes all the too spiritual, esoteric Yogis for a ride. I liked it. Particularly because I call myself a very down-to-earth Yogi, I think this is due to my quite analytic, rational mind. I have some difficulties with things that cannot be explained by reason. But I guess I also have to learn in this area.