At 5 am I switched off the alarm clock. It’s August and still easy to get up that early because it’s summer time. At 6 am we have bright day. Nothing was obviously so exciting that I got up. First opportunity for a great start was missed.
At 7 am I got up. Well-rested. But oh, how stiff I was and my back hurt. I must have had a bad position while sleeping. I took a shower. I could scarcely bend forward to dry my hair with the hair dryer. Slowly my body woke up and I could stretch my legs. My mood didn’t get better when I realized that I had gained 2 pounds (overnight - haha). Never ever I’ll buy white chocolate with a fluid mango filling. It’s devilish delicious and makes addicted at once.
I thought it would be a good idea to have a French breakfast. Down with this healthy breakfast consisting of fruit and soy yogurt, nuts and wrecked flaxseed. The thought became reality and a bit later we enjoyed black coffee with true French croissant. The walking to the bakery must have relaxed my back. Second opportunity missed, I thought. To practice yoga before breakfast usually makes every day special and awesome.
But what is such a soft croissant? It’s like nothing. It’s so fluffy in the mouth. I didn’t feel full and I stepped on the mat. I set my timer for 2 hours and started to practice. Firstly I was so weak, that I lied on my belly on the floor when I wanted to hold chaturanga dandasana. The second sun salutation was already better. My back was OK again. I had a most intensive practice. What a surprise. Never miss a practice, I swore.
Moods are not good decision maker. They come and go. Moods are moody. Today they bring enthusiasm, tomorrow laziness or desperation and then ambition again. I had some conversations lately with people who have well-groomed gardens with flowers and fruit, with vegetables and grass. These gardens are like a piece of earth from paradise. The owner told me, if you want to have a nice garden, because it’s so much more beautiful to enjoy a glass of beer there if it’s a beautiful place you have to put in the work.
I like it to be flexible and strong. Yet this means that I have to put time and effort into this goal. Every day.
If I hadn’t practiced today I would have missed something, I would have missed a joyful, intensiv, sweaty practice. Stiffness disappeared. I got stronger with every sun salutation. I was focused. An excellent day started a bit later as usual, a bit differently as usual. My yoga practice turned my day to something special. It grounded me.
On the picture is purvottanasana. The Ashtanga practitioner pose the hands with fingers pointing to the feet. When I was in Sivananda classes I got corrected at once. I should turn the hands so that the fingers would point at the opposite side. I think this variation feels better. But today I took a picture of the classic Asthanga version.
Some describe this asana as a back bending asana. For me it’s rather a counter asana to paschimottanasana, but a very challenging one. It requires a lot of strength to keep the feet together and to lift up the body. The Sivananda yogis practice variations that make the asana even more challenging. Buh.
