Shift in Perspective

Agreed to go to a yoga event (weeks ago) with Alison then realized, almost simultaneously, that I'd agreed to an event on my aunt Girt's birthday so I let my aunt know that I was up for doing something up until about 5:15 p.m. yesterday.

We had a birthday breakfast in Illinois then went back to my aunt's so that she could open her gifts. She was very pleased with the TV that she got. One of aunt's TVs is out of commission and the one in the living room was hanging on by a thread. I know enough about my aunt to know that she would not buy a TV unless it had completely stopped working. 

Can I now get a Fire Stick? was one of the first questions out of my aunt's mouth...

Around 5-ish, left for Forest Park where the St. Louis Science Center's Planetarium resides. The Planetarium served as our yoga studio for the night.

There was a star show before yoga. The organizer, Elle, asked everyone to refrain from using their phones because light takes away from the star show and, of course, the narrator had to ask a couple of times for people to turn off their devices.

I wasn't expecting it but we did yoga in the dark with the Planetarium stars above. It's kind of freeing in one way because people can't really see what you're doing. I was totally acting goofy and had to resist the urge to reach out and tickle Alison...

Even less light while practicing.

More goofiness ensued after yoga. Alison and I don't usually break into poses after events but with the Planetarium all lit up, it called to us and we had a magical play session. Guess that's what happens when you have a yoga buzz.

My Version of Triangle Pose

During practice I liked a lot of what Elle had to say but I was really moved when she said Your life is not a problem to be solved. While I know that life can be brutal, Elle's statement made me think from a different angle.

In honor of International Day of Yoga, I'm posting a video of kids trying yoga. Enjoy.

Turning Down Awesome

The Day Without Rain, Forest Park

Did something that I have not done in a long time -- the 6.29 mile trail around Forest Park. I walked it without much whimpering but later in the day I had challenges walking because my left calf muscle was very tight...

Today is International Day of Yoga and I wanted to mark the occasion. Joy posted on Facebook that she was having a free 11:00 a.m. class to celebrate the first IDY.

11:00 was perfect because it was raining and I could have slept forever. I was delighted and dismayed by the rain since there's been so much of it lately.

Had mixed emotions about yoga too. I've been sad and yoga usually makes me feel better but...

Cried my way through class. My intention was Rodney King-ish -- Can we all just get along?

At one point during class, Joy came over and wanted to adjust my strap -- one end was on the ball of my foot and the other was around my head. I can make that feel awesome for you she said but I turned Joy down because I knew that if she touched me I would lose it -- more than I'd already lost it.

A friend of Joy's who is a swami came for IDY and took over the final pose. Her guided relaxation/meditation was awesome. The oms, shantis and mantra heightened the experience and soon as I walked out of the studio, I started bawling...

I am so sad about the Charleston massacre and Charleston makes me think of my half-brother that got, for all intents and purposes, executed. Thinking of my half-brother makes me think of my father and on and on.

And I probably should not have listened to How Does A Hospice Nurse Work?, A Slate at Work podcast. Think I would like nurse Kathy Kuencer though. One of her answers: I am not in the business of judging.

Forest Park