Issues that I like

Knowing what the #1 priority is in one’s life helps a lot to get rather elegantly through the days. My #1 priority is my yoga practice. There is always something that gets on my nerves. There is always something that I like. It alters. It distracts. Many things are annoying, many things bring joy. So it goes all the time. It’s easy to be busy. So many things need to be done. Really?

I want to chose my issues, my focus. Today I fought to hold urdhva dhanurasana for 1 minute and 20 sec. I set the timer to one minute and twenty second because I need time to get into the pose. I want to make sure that I’m for a full 1 minute in that asana. It was hard. Finally I heard the peep of my multi timer. Done. Wow. It was doable. I felt exhausted. Tomorrow it will be easier, because I know it’s doable.

Early in the morning I practiced second series. My mind was concentrated on the activities I want to do - practicing asanas. I cut out all the chattiness of others and my own, too. If this is possible, if this happens, deep contentment arises.

After every intensive practice I feel ready again for all the entertainment called life. What annoyed me a day ago, is seen as entertainment. Everything is as it has to be.

My yoga practice guides me through my daily life. I cannot have a better guide.

What motivates to practice at home?

The practice this morning was so good, I cannot remember anymore of such a strong, focused and flexible practice. It’ worth to put in the daily effort. I felt so strong today. I did much more vinyasa than planned, because it was possible. Even urdhva dhanurasana was possible after all these forward bending asanas.

Nothing motivates more than a great practice.

Kino MacGregor wrote a blog post on home practice and what helped her to practice alone for more than 2 decades.

I’d like to add a few points that help me:

1. Setting a timer. With the timer I take away the pressure of accomplishing anything. To be on the mat for 90 minutes is enough is the intention. I never was in baby pose for 90 minutes, even though this would have been OK.

2. Taking pictures interrupts my practice, but it also motivates me. It’s something visible that I create. I see a result of my effort. I create a proof for myself, that work has been done.

3. Feeling part of a community is supportive. Sometimes I go through my Instagram account before practicing. It inspires me to see all these committed yogini.

4. I instruct my subconsciousness. When I go to bed I tell myself what I’ll do tomorrow morning. No thinking is necessary anymore the next morning. I have a fixed routine.

5. Lately I found out that the mantra ‘I can’ helps me a lot. Sometimes a practice seems so undoable, so exhausting. When I tell myself that ‘I can’, I usually can do it.

What’s your trick to practice at home?

Home practice

Yogis who practice at home usually need a certain amount of discipline to practice every day. Otherwise no practice would happen.

In addition it’s useful to have tools at hand that help to adjust oneself in order to avoid mistakes that might finally cause injuries. A correct execution of an asana has the best effect on the body. To take pictures and videos help a lot. Nothing improved my asanas more than seeing myself in a posture. No teacher can tell a student everything repeatedly. One must learn to correct oneself.

One can learn a lot from different yoga styles here. The Iyengar students take care of correct alignment. They use props that help. A couple of years ago I bought a yoga chair and a book on chair yoga that is used by Iyengar students. Today I experimented a bit. For some asanas the chair might be too high for me. Perhaps I need blocks in addition. I realized already that a chair can be very useful. I’ll go through the exercises one at a time.

This morning my yoga week started with second series. Focus was back bending. It was a struggle. I still lack a lot of strength.

No matter how difficult my practice seems to be, I’m able to concentrate on my practice for 90 minutes. I practice one asana after the other. I scarcely need breaks. When I take a short break I rest in baby pose, but I stay on the mat and I focus on the breath. This was not always so.

Students went to a yoga teacher in India in order to learn how to concentrate. They realized that they needed to concentrate when they wanted to pass exams. Concentration is a skill that one can learn via yoga.

My home practice has a clear beginning and a clear end. Within a given time frame I focus on my yoga practice. The practice starts when my timer keeps running. It’s finished when the mat stands in the corner and when I’m showered. This shower belongs to the practice. Then I’m ready for the day. I let go of judging what was. The joy that I had practice is dominating the discomfort that I might have felt during a stiff practice. I’m looking forward to the next practice with curiosity very soon.

Yesterday I bought a couple of magazines. One is called ‘Women’s health’. I read that if someone isn’t working on strength for one week she will lose 10% of her strength. For older people this might be even worse. The tip: Keep practicing.

Active relaxing

Today I slept a bit longer, I guess it was a bit before 7 am when I left the cosy bed. I had to get some vegetables. So I tried to be rather early at the grocery store in order not to meet too many people. More and more people wear masks here due to the corona virus even though it shall not be effective. It has rather psychological reason, I guess. It reminds everybody to keep distance to other people.

I’m not alone, but for me it’s easy to be alone at home. We shall still live in quarantine. Those who love books don’t feel so alone so quickly. Everybody has Internet connection these days. Yoga is time-consuming. I cook every day. The restaurants are still closed everywhere. Many deliver food. I take the opportunity and cook for lunch. Being a good chef is a great skill. Today we had CousCous. My meals are often culinary trips to different countries, even those I’ve not yet seen. Yesterday I cooked something Chinese inspired with eggplants and tofu. Today our meal was inspired by Arabic countries. For tomorrow I planned a Thai curry.

The above picture I took for the April challenge on Instagram curated by Carmen. I loved this imperfect picture better than the pose itself. It looks as if I fall out of the asana. The blurriness of the arm shows movement, dynamic.

It’s more likely that I get up before sunrise, when I get to bed early. Not every day one must see a movie on TV. My yoga mats are next to my desk, where I practice these days. My yoga practice is important, I want to be well-rested.

Lately someone of a Facebook group for Ashtanga home practitioners asked how we manage it to practice every day. This is sometimes easy and sometimes difficult. There are general tips, like practicing every day at the same time i.e.. What motivates someone is also rather personal. One must get to know oneself. I know that I like to take pictures. They motivate me to practice. It’s also inspiring to see all the yoginis on Instagram. Others can practice daily, so it seems to be doable for me, too. I know that I feel so much better after every yoga practice. I also know that often only the beginning is difficult.

Life needn’t aggravate when getting older, but one must do something for this. Muscles need training. In order to stay flexible one must stretch. It’s good to train the mind as well. Then one might have a chance to enjoy life for a very long time, because one is able to be active and independent from the support of others. My yoga practice helps me to achieve this. This is my conviction. I’m ready and I’m looking forward to tomorrow morning, when I’ll stand in front of the mat, ready for the first sun salutation.

Stay healthy. Breathe deeply. Enjoy what is. It’s much.

Prasarita padottanasana C

Lately I saw a video on Instagram. David Robson, an Ashtanga Yoga teacher pointed at a mistake many yogis do. In this video a student showed the wrong and correct hand and arm position in prasarita padottanasana C. I checked If I do the same mistake as well. Yep.

In 98 % I practice the version on the right side of the picture. That is I don’t turn around the palms.

When I practiced the version of the left side, it felt awkward. This is why I scarcely tried it. Now I know why. I turned my arms in the wrong direction. The correct version feels so much better.

Matthew Sweeney shows the version that is on the right side on the picture, but his palms touch each other and the hands touch the floor.

Kino MacGregor and Gregor Mahle show both versions in their books on the second Ashtanga Yoga series.

The shoulders experience a deep stretch but it feels as if I can work with the body and not against it.

If you don’t know if you turn around the arms in the right directions, check your elbows. They are totally straight when the pose is performed correctly. The elbows are slightly bend when the arms are not turned around correctly

Learning never stops.

Practice report:

This morning I practiced primary as close to the original series as possible. No extra asanas were planned. It was exhausting enough. Soon I omitted the vinyasa. I know that I need a break on Saturdays. A day off gives fresh motivation. The body and mind are relaxed. Every day is so different. Every practice is better than no practice. Only this one more practice this week, I tried to convince myself. The practice makes modest. One can never be sure what happens next on the mat. Sometimes it’s a fight, sometimes a piece of cake.

To get enough sleep is important. During these Corona times there is no night life either. Having a night life is overrated. In other words. These days I prefer the mornings, the calmness, being one of the first who gets up.

My multi timer:

Multi Timer

This is a screen shot of my multi timer that I recommended a few days ago. It allows to run different timer at the same time. There are alarms available that switch off automatically. So, when I’m in headstand there is no need to get out to switch off the alarm. Sometimes it’s possible to hold am asana longer. Why stop oneself. It’s possible to create different register with an own clock and different timers for different activities. I have a file for Yoga, one for photography and another one for chores. This multi timer is what I needed.

Now I’ll lean back, I’ll close my eyes. Sometimes doing nothing is the best I can do. Oh, there is this interesting book on the table on Robert Frank………’American witness’.

You cannot climb the same river twice.

Heraklit: You cannot climb the same river twice.

Every practice is a new adventure. Not one single practice equals another one. Every day is new. So many factors have an impact on the body and the mind. How well did I sleep? What have I eaten the last day? How were my dreams? Sometimes the body is flexible and the mind is focused, the other day it’s the opposite. What will be possible today, is a good question when starting with the sun salutations. The limits of the body move. Every practice has highlights and disappointments. They alter. Sometimes the mind likes to judge, sometimes the critical mind is sleeping. Sometimes I’m ambitious, sometimes I want to bring the practice behind me. Sometimes I’d like to stick to the original series, on other days I’m creative.

I’m most of the time enthusiastic when I manage to practice (before breakfast). Ninety minutes of yoga practice make a difference.

Many yoginis practice at home these days due to Corona virus. It’s totally different than going to classes. It’s possible to adjust the practice. On the other hand the energy of the other yoginis does not exist.

I like to use my timer to stay longer in asanas. This is not possible in classes. I love to do extra exercises to work effectively on certain asanas. Also this is not possible in classes

Decades ago I attended my first yoga class. The one thing the teacher recommended was to exercise also at home. The class with this teacher was offered once a week, which is not often. A home practice can always accompany yoga classes. A mixture of both seems to be very good. In the beginning one might have the wish to go more often to yoga classes. After years of practice the home practices might be more fulfilling.

We yoginis know how to make the best out of these times where we’re advised to stay at home. If not yet used to a home practice, we can start cultivating it any time.

No single yoga practice bored me. It’s an exciting journey.

It’s Eastern: We stay at home. Too many people are careless, some even insolent. I regretted that I haven’t done all my grocery shoppings yesterday. Today the shops are crowded. A woman pushed me away from the fridge. She showed a combination of aggression and carelessness. As said, a day before Easter is not the best day to go shopping. At home I washed my hands at once. Stay alert, take care.

A friend on Facebook described how the Corona virus knocked him down. He recovered, yet a full recovery can last 3 weeks. I hope that I can avoid getting ill.

Greetings from home to home……..

Too experienced to risk an injury

There is another yoga challenge by @cyogalife on Instagram. The April challenge is called #BackOnTrack. Carmen is a very advanced yogini. She practices yoga every day for 2 hours minimum. She is a teacher. Yoga is her life. It’s a very good idea to offer a challenge that speaks also to the advanced yoginis. I like challenges that deserve the name. She gives useful explanations. There are also alternate asanas that are easier to approach.

Nevertheless I know my body and its possibilities. Maybe that sometimes more is possible than I think, but often my insights meet reality. I prefer a slow approach to the asanas I want to learn. The asana yesterday was a back bending asana. Here we go. When I tried to bend the stretched leg, my muscles cramped. This is not a nice feeling. I found a back bending asana that was possible for me. Even the easier asana was not possible for me. These challenges are made to explore new positions, new approaches. It’s not about performing everything as it’s proposed. Every practice is about finding the limits of a given day. One can push oneself, but never too much.

Injuries are setbacks.

It’s getting warmer here in Germany. I get up early as I don’t want to miss the sun rise. Best time for a yoga practice is the early morning. I got used again to practice before breakfast. I don’t feel hungry at all. When I start with the sun salutations, I focus on my breath. Every day is a good day when I practiced.

Injuries happen easier after a break. A daily practice helps to avoid injuries. This is just a reminder.

Being overambitious can be a danger, too. Yoginis don’t lose their cool. 😎 Nothing must be proved. The journey itself is the fun.

After my so deserved breakfast I lied on my bed again and slept. At once.

No redundant movements

Tirieng mukha eka pada paschimottanasana

The next asana of primary is tirieng mukha eka pada paschimottanasana.

Usually I jump to a sitting position from downward facing dog with the bent leg already in the above position. Before getting into the pose I feel the impulse to adjust my calves. Yet this is not necessary. It’s a redundant movement that only distracts. Every movement, also the small ones need energy. Hundred small redundant movements add up. The energy is no more focused. There is a pause. The even breathing is interrupted.

There are a lot of such little movements. I name only a few here: adjusting the hair, looking around, pulling the clothes, scratching, checking the time, drinking water. For me my yoga practice teaches me to use up my energy wisely. Yoga is a concentration exercise. What needs to be done to get into a pose has to be done. This shall be done with the required energy, not slack and not too hard. Body tension is great. Movements that have no purpose are redundant. All these little extra activities exhaust in sum and make a practice longer than it must be. The practice looks tattered, unfocused.

Imagine a ballet dancer adjusting the clothes during a performance, or scratching the body.

The more professional someone is, the more focused she is on the necessities. This all comes with time and a lot exercise. But one must also realize these movements. They are often not conscious.

Lately we saw a politician who was blinking with the eyes all the time. I’m sure he was not conscious about this nervous tick. Filming might help to find these distractions of a untrained mind and body.

Another example is cooking. When I cook I search my spoon, my oven cloth, the knife a hundred times. My cooking activities are not streamlined. I feel like a beginner and that’s what I am. This is why cooking is sometimes so stressy. I guess I could do half of the movements I do if I were better organized. If every single movement were clearly defined my meals were ready to eat much faster. Every tool needs a place and there it should be found always. Before starting everything should be mise en place. And so on. I cook every day something new. In order to establish a routine one must repeat a meal, an exercise.

In all the cooking shows it can be seen very quickly if someone is a cook with good routines and a focused practice or not.

Back to the asana above: When I want to get out of the pose and when I lift the upper body therefore, I don’t through back the head. The neck keeps in line with the spine. It has no purpose to do this wild thing. I guess this used to be a yoga posture fashion to move the head backwards as much as possible.

No adjusting the calves tomorrow for me!!! It’s not necessary to follow each impulse.

Multi timer

Sirsasana variation

Finally I found this App called Multi timer.

I was looking for a timer that I hadn’t to switch off after having heard the alarm. Usually the alarm keeps peeping till I switch it off manually. Some pomodoro timer are so loud, that they are distracting.

In order to have an effect on the body one must hold asanas longer than 5 breaths. In some books it’s even recommended to hold sirsasana i.e. for 5 minutes or 10 minutes. At the end of an exhausting yoga practice I often wanted to bring sirsasana behind me. I had no strength anymore. The body started wobbling. Often I moved into that pose and thought: OK, you’re still able to balance. Enough. But it’s not enough. A timer should support my effort to hold sirsasana longer. But I also wanted to get out of the pose slowly. I wanted keep my legs straight and I wanted to stop for five breaths when they were parallel to the ceiling. That’s how sirsasana shall be done for Ashtangis.

Last year I went to the Sivananda yogis. They practice sirsasana at the beginning of the asanas series. They hold this pose rather long. Variations are practiced as well. Often I got out of the pose before the teacher told us to come down. Even though sirsasana was practiced in the beginning, I was wobbling after some time.

My goal was to hold sirsasana for 2 minutes, then 5 minutes. Then I wanted to do at least the Ashtanga variation (see picture) that follows after the classic sirsasana. The peeping alarm usually stopped me from practicing the variation. I had to switch off this intrusive noise.

Multi timer offers a lot of sounds as alarm. There are also alarms that switch off automatically. Wow. That’s what I was looking for.

In addition they record how often I used a timer. It’s possible to give each timer a name. This can give control on how often one practiced i.e., or how often one held urdhva dhanurasana for 1 minute.

When I practice at home I set one of the timer for 90 minutes. I don’t want to check the time during my practice. The timer gives me an orientation. When I set the timer in that App ‘multi timer’ I can see the App during that time. The phone doesn’t switch off. I can set another timer for 1 minute easily therefore. Multi timer has also the possibility to repeat a timer.

It’s so much easier to wait for an external clue than to count. Sometimes I breathe slower, sometimes faster. To have this timer tool is very useful.

This is unpaid advertising. I’m so enthusiastic about this multi timer. I had to share my discovery.

Dust clouds everywhere.

Dust clouds everywhere here. Who cares. I practiced Ashtanga yoga in the morning. My priorities shifted from doing chores to practicing yoga. It makes more sense for me. Even though both activities have something in common. If I don’t give any of these activities attention it gets worse and worse. The flat doesn’t clean itself. When I don’t practice yoga I become stiffer and weaker, every day a tiny bit.

I start with myself, the surroundings comes next.

I cooked. Today I prepared a risotto with broccoli, green peas and asparagus. In addition we had a green side salad. We feel well nourished.

The sun is shining. Of course we stay at home. Corona times force us, but it’s very doable.

Practice report:

This morning I focused on back bending again. Every day almost all back bending asanas feel a bit easier. I’m able to relax and to breathe.

I found a very good Timer App. I’ll write about it tomorrow. I was looking for such an App for a very long time. It’s so useful.

Saturday is relaxing day

Matsyendrasana variation

On Saturdays I don’t practice Astanga yoga. If I cannot stop myself practicing asanas, I practice other styles of yoga. This morning I did pranayama and headstand. To change the order of the asanas makes a huge difference. In Ashtanga yoga headstand is one of the last asanas. In Sivananda yoga it’s the first asana of the series that the yogis practice. The body is still fresh in the beginning. It was easy to hold this asana rather long. I set a timer. One minute was over before I wanted to get out of the pose. Nevertheless after 40 minutes I lost interest to keep practicing. Tomorrow my yoga week begins. This one day off is needed.

We stay at home. It’s best weather here. It’s weekend and everybody wants to enjoy this spring weather outside of the four own walls. But this is dangerous. The pandemic gets worse, so we all must take care. Everybody shall stay at home. One might regret if one becomes too careless.

Not being able to breathe anymore is a horror imagination. Thinking of the possible consequences that getting the Corona virus might cause, makes it easy to stay at home. In a big city one meets people. It’s not always possible to stay away 2 meters.

Like every day I also cooked today. It was delicious. What gets attention, has the possibility to grow. Restaurants are still closed.

I have so much to do here. So many books sleep on the shelves, now I’ve time to read. I blog more often. I read journals and magazines to be informed what’s going on in this world. I’m busy as usual. But I’ll take care that I have time for yoga. This is my priority.

Take care.

Gazing towards

The forth asana of the middle part of the Ashtanga primary series is ardha baddha padma paschimottanasana. There is a similar asana called ardha baddha padmottanasana. It’s part of the standing asanas. It has the same form, but it’s more demanding, because the asana is performed while standing. The challenge is to balance. The two poses feel so differently, that’s why I discovered the similarities rather late.

Ardha baddha padmottanasana was one of the asanas I thought I would never accomplish. It will never happen that I reach my big toe with my hands, I thought….till I found out that I can twist to reach the toe. When the hand hold the toe one can twist back. In the sitting version it’s easier to focus on stretching forward. Forward is my key word. In most of the forward bending asanas we move forward.

Every asana has a gazing point. Years ago I attended a workshop with Lino Miele. The gazing points were a topic. He emphasized that one is looking towards a gazing point not at a gazing point. The example was adho mukha svanasana (downward facing dog). The abdomen are supposed to be engaged. The gazing point is the navel. When the abdomen are engaged it’s never possible to see the navel. We gaze towards the navel.

Primary series consists mainly of forward bending asanas. Dristi is the big toe very often. It’s possible to look upwards or forwards with the eyes without moving the head. For me it doesn’t feel relaxed when I push the chin forward so that I can see the toe. I feel pressure in the neck when I do so. In the meantime I can put the chin on my shinbone, but this is not the main goal. The gazing point tells me in which direction I have to move, not downward to the leg, but forward. It doesn’t mean that I have to see the toe.

I checked the Bible. For me this is the book by Mr Sweeney. His neck is very curved. I prefer to keep the neck almost in line with the back. As always: experiment. Our bodies are so differently. When experimenting we get to know our own body and the asanas as well.

Practice report:

At 7 am I started with primary. It’s Friday today and no extra exercises were planned. Nevertheless it took me 100 minutes till I finished the series. I had to leave out a lot of vinyasa, because I’m not strong enough to do them. Three times I set my timer for a minute to stay longer in an asana. This is so useful. To stretch the body requires time and confidence. Repetitions and holding at least some of the poses for minimum 1 minute is effective stretching. One minute can be very long. It’s easier to have an external clue, when one minute is over in comparison to count the breaths. That’s why I set a timer.

This was my last Ashtanga practice for this week. My mantra in the beginning is ‘Yes, I can’. At the end I whisper ‘Thank you’.

Corona times:

Old people risk to die when they get the virus. Yesterday they showed old people in bed. They were without any strength. Even walking was too exhausting.

One must know that if elder people don’t exercise, they cannot keep the status quo. Inactive people at a certain age become weaker and weaker. This is why it is so important to do strength training when getting older. I’m convinced that life needn’t to aggravate with age, but one must do something for it. It’s more important than ever.

I have to persuade myself to do push ups. I prefer core training. Nevertheless to do strength training regularly is not easy. I bought apps already. Callisthenics speaks to me. Tomorrow is my yoga free day, what about some strength training exercises? I think this is a good idea.

Don’t get careless. Life is good. Times are dangerous.

Purvottanasana

Purvottanasana

Purvottanasana is a counter pose for paschimottanasana. To keep the body straight and to prevent the feet from moving apart from each other requires a certain strength. For me it’s not a back bending asana, it’s rather an asana that builds strength. Without engaging the core, one cannot keep the body straight i.e.

Before you keep reading, do yourself a favor and try a little exercise: Stand up and swing your arms around your body naturally. Don’t force anything, only move them from the front of the body to the back.

You’ll notice that the palms of the hands will show forward while you swing the arms backwards. The finger point backwards not forward. This makes it much easier to open the chest. The shoulders can move backwards easily as well. It feels awkward to point the fingers forward.

In Ashtanga yoga the fingers point to the feet in that pose. This is a burden for the shoulders. It makes it more difficult to lift up the upper body. The shoulder carry the weight of the body in a rather unnatural position. This prepares for injuries. Whatever one exercises on a daily basis or almost daily basis is worth to scrutinize.

About 2 years ago I had this back injury. Purvottanasana was no more possible for me after this sacroiliac joint injury to be more precise . I tried to find alternatives or variations for this asana and studied this pose in greater detail. The different hand position makes this pose safer for me. This pose feels much better when the fingers are posed like in the picture. Since I changed the hand position, this asana is possible again for me.

Btw, last year I practiced with the Sivananda yogis. The teacher corrected me at once when they saw my hand position that I usually practiced. I should pose the hands like on the picture above, they told me. That’s how I practice this asana at home these days.

Please experiment and tell me what feels better for you.

A new month - April

Paschimottanasana

Yesterday I reflected on the one and only habit I want to focus in April:

1. It’s getting up at 5 am. 2.

2. I want to practice yoga at 6:30.

My subconsciousness should support me that’s why I wrote down this goal in the evening. Today I woke up on time. I was tired but I left the cosy bed. It felt as if I got up in the middle of the night. One neighbor was up already. He sat in front of his PC. He seemed to be very busy. The curtains were open. He had switched on bright light.

I prepared a cup of coffee for myself and opened my mail box. I got an Email by a friend sent at 3:45 am. She gets to bed very early in the morning. She sent me a link on Corona and the consequences. When she gets to bed, I get up. We can live according to our own rhythm.

At 6 am it was still dark. I didn’t like to switch on a light. My E was still sleeping. I asked Siri: sun rise? The female machine voice answered: The sun rises at 6:51 am. My time to start practicing yoga is 6:30 am, 10 minutes before sun rise. Also today the sky became red. This is the reward when getting up early. To experience how the night fades away, and how the day begins is every day great to see. Exactly at this moment I start greeting the sun.

I don’t feel stiff that early, not stiffer than usual. But I feel weak. I’m not able to do all the vinyasa. I almost fall on the floor when I want to lower my body from chaturanga dandasana. There is a lot to do…..

Several times I a timer for 1 minute to hold asanas a bit longer than 5 breaths. I could even hold headstand for 1 minute. That’s a short time for this asana. I aim for 5 minutes.

I finished my yoga practice at 8:30. The entire day was still in front of me. After breakfast I cut the vegetables for lunch. Today I’ll prepare chickpeas with vegetables and rice. Garam masala will make an Indian meal out of it.

What else?

We shall get a tracking App in Germany, so that we can avoid people who are infected with the virus. This all shall be temporarily and voluntarily. I think I’ll use this App when available. The idea not being able to breathe anymore is a horrible thought. This can happen if one catches this corona virus. It’s easy to become careless, but the pandemic is still in the beginning.

Knowledge without action

leads to the sentence…. I should……I should have…..

Not applying insights leads to regrets.

I try to apply at least a few of my insights regarding my yoga practice.

• It’s best to practice before breakfast.

• In order to stretch effectively I hold the asanas longer than 5 breaths. 5 breaths is too short in order to see results. I set a timer. One minute I want to hold a forward bending asana, a twist, a back bending asana and an inversion (headstand). Repetitions are useful, too. What feels difficult feels easier when performing it more often.

• I need more strength. Strength training beside my yoga practice would be the best. If I don’t find a routine here, my knowledge remains nothing but words. To start modest could be a solution.

My new place where I practice yoga pleases me a lot. It’s cosy, I have a wall that I can use for back bending asanas. It’s difficult to take pictures there. A solution will be found.

We got so used already to the corona virus, isn’t t. In the beginning I listened to the news for hours. Twice a day is enough now for me. Not much changes. We all have still to take care. Stay at home is the message. Wash your hands. The task is to stay fit at home. My yoga practice helps. All restaurants are closed. I manage it to cook every day. Otherwise we must eat sandwiches all day, or Müsli. Everything gets easier and better with a daily practice. At the shop of my vegetable dealer opened a little catering shop. They prepare pizza, even vegan ones. From time to time when I’m very lazy this could be an alternative.

Daily routines don’t bore me. My yoga practice is interesting every single day. What is possible today, I wonder. I may start lame and lazy, I finish in best mood. This transformation pleases me. It’s a little miracle every day.

I like to see the sun rise. It’s for free. One must only get up early. The black cup of coffee in the morning that I sip at my desk while writing my journal is a daily joy.

These little joys are everywhere one must only find them. I stop from time to time and enjoy them consciously. It could all get worse. This is what the corona virus tells me. To know that I can breathe deeply is such a gift.

Enjoy what is. It’s a lot.

How to get ready for a yoga practice

Cleaning rituals belonged to the yoga practice of former yogis. Before practicing asanas, they cleaned the body profoundly. Only few yogis practice these rituals today before practice on a daily basis. Or does anybody clean the nose with water (jala neti) ? I don’t know of a yogi who gulps tissue to clean the stomach.

These days it’s also recommended to step on the mat with a clean body. What does this mean?

First I want to mention that our cleaning habits changed over the decades and they are different in different cultures. In our family we took a bath once a week on Friday 40 years ago. Otherwise we brushed our teeth in the morning and in the evening. We washed our face, perhaps we washed under the armpits. Few women shaved the hair under the armpits. That was it. Today we have different standards. I asked people of my age if it was the same in their families. It was.

These days being ready for a yoga practice means:

1. I think it’s important to have an empty bowl before practicing. It can become a habit to get to the toilet in the morning before practicing. The body loves habits and rhythm. Drinking water can help. A cup of coffee can also help to get into this habit. This is a tabu to talk about it. But it’s so important, it makes a difference. As a yogini I’m interested in the functioning of my body.

2. We might like to brush our teeth and to take a quick shower. This should be enough to feel clean and ready.

3. Once a week we might take care a bit more of our body. The nails need to get cut, i.e. Perhaps we want to bath to relax the muscles. Some people like to shave their bodies these days. Think of the feet?

To relfect on our cleaning habits makes sense. I write this post because many people bought a lot of toilet paper because of the corona crises and the fear of a lack of if. People bought 70 % more toilet paper than usual. Is this really necessary? It’s not. We cannot survive without water. We also need to eat. The body can be cleaned with water. In India almost no toilet paper exist. Water does the job. It’s so much better. I don’t understand why people bought that much toilet paper.

Hygiene is important especially during corona times. So wash your hands with soap when you return home. Put your hands away from your face.

Stay clean, but don’t overdo it. Don’t ruin the skin with too much soap.

We have summer time now, that is if I want to get up at 5 am, I have to get up one hour earlier. For me the first highlight of the day is when I observe how the sun rises. I can rely on it. Hello, I’m here again, it tells me. And I think, yep, I’m still here, too. Hello sun. I sip my black coffee, I write my journal and from time to time I look up to see how far the sun has wandered already. When I’m ready, that is when I brought my cleaning ritual behind me, I step on the mat.

It is possible to practice at night or in the afternoon. The best time is in the morning.

When I saw the sun rising, when I practiced yoga I had already an excellent beginning. I feel so strong that I think: Nothing can ruin my day now anymore.

Take care.

Stay healthy. Stay at home.

How to sleep well?

The better we sleep, the more awake we can be during the days. Most people remember sleepless nights. They are nightmares. There are these nights where we toss and turn because we chew on an issue. But also if life runs smoothly, sleep might vary.

There are circumstances we cannot change, some we can.

1. To go to bed every night at the same time helps a lot to fall asleep easily. Just wait. Don’t get impatient. Trust: sleep will come. Focus on the breathe. Imagine how your body gets heavier and heavier. To get up every morning at the same time is recommended as well. The body gets used to this rhythm and starts loving it. My experience is that when I established this habit, I got tired every night at the same time and I woke up at the same time even without an alarm clock.

2. Create an evening and a morning ritual. A few days back I was so busy all day, I sweated a lot. Before going to bed, I took a shower, a quick one, under 2 minutes. This made a difference. I felt clean and ready for the night. I slept very good. It felt so relaxing, that I want to get into this habit again. If someone has serious sleep issues a bath can be even better. Warm water is relaxing.

3. It’s better if the bedroom is dark. Once I read in one fo the novels by Charles Bukowski that he had a bedroom with dark blue walls. I understood at once why. Darkness creates a womb. We can feel safe. The walls of our bedroom are white. A lot of light can come in through the window. Any darkness could gulp the brightness. I consider to buy black bed linen. A few month back we were in a hotel in the countryside. The room was very dark. Outside was no light. If the mattress weren’t so bad, I would have had a most excellent night.

4. A mistake many people with a lousy sleep is that when they wake up, they look at the alarm clock to check how late or early it is. This makes the body and mind even more awake. Stay and keep breathing. When you wake up, find a relaxing body posture and pretend to sleep. Do nothing.

5. Don’t eat late at night. Don’t drink alcohol. I know countries where people eat even at 11pm. It’s OK for some time, if someone has sleeping issues, I recommend to have the last meal about 3 or 4 hours before going to bed.

6. Go out for a walk before going to bed. Exhaust your body.

7. Don't watch thrillers at night. Your subconscious might still fear to get killed. Create your own mental ‘falling asleep movie’. Imagine your ideal room and bed, imagine yourself feeling safe and tired. Let go. Sleep.

8. How is the body position? Is the cushion too high or too hard? How is the room temperature? Do you feel good in your pajamas? Improve what you can improve regarding your environment.

9. Falling asleep, sleeping and getting up on time is a skill that we can learn. To sleep is a need, but how we sleep is a skill. Trust that to sleep well is something everybody can learn or improve.

10. Don’t omit savasana after your yoga practice. I often do. Yet this asana is very important. Sometimes I think this is my most difficult asana. To set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes helps. One can learn to stop being busy, to stop worrying. It helps to stay relaxed no matter what. Feel the joy that arises when focusing on the breath. Learn to breathe deeply.

When we sleep well, we are more relaxed during the days. I’d say we’re even more optimistic. We can handle stress much better.

I write this post in the early morning, but I wish you a good night tonight and the nights that will come.

Sleep well.

It’s essential for a good live.

Corona times

A virus with the beautiful name Corona threatens us human beings. There are deaths already all over the globe. Super fast this little virus travelled around the globe and found victims everywhere. We’re connected through our breath.

In the meantime those who survived the virus can told us about the experience. Some had only a cold. Others couldn’t breathe anymore. This is a horror. One woman said: It’s as if you’re under water and you want to breathe……

We’re all asked to stay at home and not to meet friends also not at home. Many people can work from home. We yoginis can always practice at home. No need to leave the house. I love to hear that those who have a yoga studio offer now online classes via zoom. I’ll join one of the classes for sure.

In the meantime I get up early again. Early means 5 am. I so love to see the sun rising. All my neighbors seem to sleep as I cannot see a light in the windows in the building across the street. Slowly a tiny part of the sky becomes red, then yellow and bluish. It doesn’t last too long and another day has come. What a gift to live.

Since my husband is working from home I moved to another yoga place in our flat. Next to my desk I roll out my mat. It feels good to practice there. I’m not distracted. It’s calm there. I can concentrate on my breath. I don’t yet know how to take pictures there, a solution will come.

Sometimes I see children and I think they have no clue what’s going on right now. But that’s not true. A little boy lately told me something about a virus. That’s the reason why he had to play at home. He smiled and he obviously made the best out of the situation.

I always wanted to cook on a daily basis. Now I have to. Almost all the restaurants are closed. My E also needs something to eat for lunch. Me too.

To be alone with oneself can be very beautifully.

Stay healthy. Times are dangerous.

There is so much to do at home

It seems so unreal, but it’s real. This busy world must slow down. It’s good advise to stay at home, so that the corona virus cannot spread that fast.

There is so much to do at home.

Today I cleaned the kitchen and my desk. I should have taken a before - after picture.

I’ve a pile of books on my desk that I want to read.

The times invite us to meditate. Finally there is time to reflect on anything.

I work from home for a decade now. For me it’s perfect. Yet every change requires patience. The body and the mind have to adjust to the new situation.

I always try to make the best out of a situation. I cook daily for instance these days. This was always my goal, but I live in a big city with many opportunities to eat out. Often I ate lunch in one of the restaurants downtown or round the corner . Now I cook and I’m enjoying it. I love the process of preparing our meals and the meals, too.

Everything can be an opportunity for something new.

Stay healthy, my darlings. Enjoy the solitude. It won’t last forever.

It got calm here in Munich

How quickly everything can change!

Nobody can predict the future. One month ago this world looked totally differently.

In Germany we’re advised to stay at home due to the corona virus. Theaters, museums, bars are closed. Only grocery stores are open.

I feel as if I’m part of a SciFi.

The current events are a cut around the globe. Amazing how fast this corona virus could travel around the world. It shows that we’re all connected. One world, so to say.

Take care!!! Keep breathing deeply!! Stay curious. Be entertained.