Document and measure your practice.

The first step of anything someone wants to learn is to find out about the current ability. From there the student can move on. An analysis at first allows to create a plan. The next steps can be defined.

Sometimes the analysis can take rather long. If someone wants to have better eating habits the first step is to find out how someone is eating and what a person is eating. The more data one collects the more useful. This might last a week. Everything shall be documented. The first mistake often happens during this first documentation. Soon scientists found out that people didn’t write down every ‘tiny’ snack, not knowing that these snacks have often the most calories and sugar. An improvement was to take pictures of anything someone ate. This is a faster and a better method to get to true data.

If someone wants to learn English or any other language, usually she has to pass a test so that the school can find out the current level of the student. This is important to chose a class that fits.

It’s the same with yoga. To document the practice and to measure the progress is a huge support.

I use my multi timer to start my practice. After 2 hours the timer stops with a sound. If I practice shorter I can switch off the timer. The App creates a journal of my practices. It allows me to check how often I practiced and how long. If I practiced only once a week I couldn’t expect miracles. Rather the opposite. When I see that I practice 6 times a week I give myself an opportunity to grow. What was a disciplined behavior first becomes a habit over time. It’s motivating to see last accomplishments.

On one of the walls here I draw lines. It helps to see how deep I bent backwards when exercising kapotasana i.e. I always want to reach the last line. It gives me an orientation of what was possible already. I’m looking forward to draw the next line.

Without these orientation I’d feel lost.

Documentations help to adjust a plan. It helps to see these little accomplishments, that deserve to be celebrated.

This week I practiced already twice. Only four further practices are planned. This seems doable. I’m looking forward to my morning practice.

These are the advantages of a home practice. Not everybody can use a timer in a class. To draw lines on a wall is impossible in a yoga school.

Documenting and measuring are part of a wise strategy:

1. step: What is the status quo.

2. step: Defining a goal.

3. step: Creating many tiny steps how to get there.

4. step: Documenting the practice.

5. step. Planning the next reflection and adjusting the plan.

To give life a structure helps to get things done. Time doesn’t fade away without contents.

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……..

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.