The Right Choice

Sculpture at Community Center

Between attending a workshop last weekend and preparing for traveling, there has been virtually no exercising going on in my neck of the woods except for walking through the airport.

I woke up around 5:45 a.m. STL time and I very seldom wake up that early and, if I do, I'm able to hunker down for a second session of sleep. Not today. Since I was up and alert, I did a self chakra connection hoping that would settle me down. Later on,  headed out for a 9 a.m. yoga class which definitely settled me down.

When I got to the community center, this woman was in the process of renewing her class card. The clerk asked if she could help me. I want to attend the yoga class, I tell her. You made the right choice, the class card woman said. The clerk told me that my new BFF would lead the way to the studio and she did. She also pointed out the yoga teacher and opened the closet that held mats, stability balls and resistance bands then flashed a really warm smile. I felt totally at home in a class 35 strong.

Fingernail Grooves in the Ceiling

Had ambivalence about a class being offered but signed up for it anyway. Attending class meant that I would miss Zumba, swimming and yoga and, you know, parts of the Slug Festival. Saturday's 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. session left me completely drained and whiny. I contemplated quitting and not showing up for the second part on Sunday but I don't like to give up. Plus, if the instructors-in-training could be present (on the sidelines) for observation purposes, who was I to throw in the towel?

The first item on today's agenda was self-care -- one hour and 15 beautiful minutes of it. We connected our chakras, did Tai Chi and yoga. I kind of groaned with longing at the mention of yoga.

As we stretched our sides, the teacher said that her yoga instructor likes to say Energetically, you're creating fingernail grooves in the ceiling.

Regarding chakras, I now see why we do so many spinal twists in yoga and why Sara Calabro thinks that Downward Facing Dog is so important.

During class, we had to break off into pairs a lot. At one point, I got paired with the sole massage therapist in class. Guess who got a totally awesome hand massage?