New Plans

Christmas? At Trader Joe's

Went to restorative yoga on Friday and walked in as Liz explained to two newbies of the male persuasion what a restorative yoga class looked liked. Thought about Gingerzingi when Liz said "...It's not an active class."

Emailed Patti and Alison to let them know that I was on the bench for the rest of the year. Patti's response:

No Zumba? No climbing? How can that be Christmas?

I consoled myself by sniffing essental oil testers at Whole Paycheck. Seriously, Now's Cheer Up Buttercup! is delightful.

Went to get a massage and had the therapist concentrate on my quads, hamstrings and calf muscle of the tight knee leg and it helped...

Had planned to fix Singapore Noodles with Pan-Fried Tofu for Monday but found out that my brother and one of my nephews are coming to town so I'm not going to take up precious refrigerator real estate with a meal that, most likely, only I will eat. Time to draw up new plans...

Nixing Yoga, Not

Yes, yes...it's a Jamaica towel.

It was short fuse Friday for me and that was before I got to work.

Knew that I needed yoga but was tempted to go straight home after work. Nixing yoga was not very good self-care and I also thought of something that Rosie told me once when I said that I was crabby and, therefore, going to yoga. That's what it's there for, she said.

And, so, I went to restorative yoga. Liz told us to start one way with two bolsters on the ground  -- if we were feeling over stimulated and to place a block underneath a bolster etc. if we were feeling depleting. I went with the set-up that would help with feelings of depletion and I definitely felt better after emerging from that pratice.

The babying paid off  because my ankle is better. I went swimming today and it felt so good but I stopped at 16 laps because I didn't want to push my luck.

Hopefully, luck will help me find my new glasses which I had up until abou 6:00 p.m...

Outside Of A Locked Yoga Studio

Went to FriYay! yoga with one of my colleagues. Also saw the first lady of the First Couple of Yoga.

My colleague kept on me to stay on task at work so that we could get to the class at a respectable time so I found it very funny that I got there way before she did.

While my colleague signed in, I got her mat and made a nest complete with a blanket and block and joked with her about all the things that I'd done while waiting on her.

The joint was packed again.

The payoff of a packed class is the yummy energy that's created. At the end of our practice, we sang OM three times then said shanti the same amount of times. The teacher, Liz, said that if anyone felt uncomfortable with the "chanting" that they could opt out.

The OM chorus is always interesting. You have people who hold the note for a short time and the ones who can really hold it which usually gives me goose bumps.

There are times when I wonder if I'm exaggerating the effects of yoga but since I've been going more often, I feel like I have a sparkle in my heart again. Feel like I should do yoga every day or at least every other day.

Unlike Gingerzingi, I haven't been listening to podcasts regularly since I usually listen to them while I'm walking and there hasn't been any walking going on but I did take time to listen to an On Being episode, A Wild Love For the World, featuring Joanna Macy. Love it when she said But this moment you're alive; so you can just dial up the magic at any time...

I need to hear sentiments like this one...

I also read a book on the books that will make you happier list. Sandra Tsing Loh had me cracking up when she wrote:

My sister is having yet another of her amazing Pema Chodron days.

And this is where I'm at in my life -- I think references to Chodron are funny. I also had to shake my head as I stood outside of a locked yoga studio with the teacher waiting on my colleague.