Month-End Review or Stuff My Yoga Teachers Say (Recap for National Yoga Month)

I'm not doing my usual month-end review but, for the record, I did exercise almost every day in September -- except for three Fridays because every 'Drea needs some rest.

It's the last day of National Yoga Month. I already miss outdoor yoga. Even though it can be an itchy affair, I'm going to miss the view of the grass during downward facing dog and I'm going to miss looking at the birds and sky during savasana et al.

I did make it to an outdoor yoga session on Sunday at a crystal festival. I told Alison, who accompanied me, that I would not have been at a crystal festival just a few years ago.

Saw the Buddhas (to the left) or, as Alison said, Buddhaville at the festival. At any rate, I want to pay homage to National Yoga Month. Initially, I wanted to do a savasana edition of Stuff My Yoga Teachers Say but more elements of the practice made it into this recap:


Dismiss your body from any responsibilities. Dismiss your mind from worry. Relax... Alison

Be still. Be at peace. Do nothing... Gloria

Imagine your face totally expressionless...Alison

The only thing moving is your breath...Rebecca

I'm going to slowly walk through relaxing. Kim W. (at the beginning of savasana)

If you're at your edge, you will suffer. Sheila before we entered a 10 breath count.

This is your relaxation pose. Sarah about Savasana

This is 100% your practice. Rebecca

If you're not using the breath, you're limiting the experience. Sheila

If you except the light, that means that you also except the shadow parts like "crabby me." Sheila

Notice what you notice. Elle (almost at the end of practice)

Midway Through

Vision in right eye was like a blurry kaleidoscope yesterday and that usually happens when I'm stressing.

I did energy work on myself and was surprised when I got quick results. Goodbye blurry vision but Good morning headache.

I don't like to take pills but finally gave in midday and it was a really good decision.

Another good decision was taking myself to Sheila's outdoor yoga class. I'm not totally crazy about the class but there are so many things that Sheila does that I am crazy about including how she started class with Qigong.

Also, I like the way that you're going to look people in the eye in Sheila's class or you're going to sit back-to-back or stand hip-to-hip. There are no strangers and midway through class, I can breathe without constrictions.

Protips from Sheila: If you were tight pants, don't. Free your belly. Also, you should really massage your belly every day...

Picked up magazines from the library and in the June 2014 issue of Consumer Reports there's an article called How To Live Well Into Your 80s and Beyond: Five Keys to a Long, Healthful Life:

2). Keeping Your Body Strong
One of the ongoing effects of aging is loss of muscle mass. If you don't do anything to fight it, you could find yourself unable to get out of an armchair or off the toilet one day. Aging also brings declines in aerobic capacity and flexibility...

Even though I get frustrated with the whole trying to lose weight thing, this article made me realize (again) that I am doing many things right.

I've been watching Alaska: The Last Frontier. Didn't like it at first but I'm really into it now. Standing in a river catching your own salmon then brining it -- that's badass. I was also impressed when the Kilcher clan took their heavy equipment, by barge, to build a sturdier cabin for the range rider so that bears wouldn't be able to easily get in. Their other task is to build a fence to prevent the cattle from wandering into more dangerous territory -- in two days.

Atz Lee is super tired as he works on the cabin but knows he has to get the job done so that they can leave at just the right time. Otherwise, the tide will be too low and the barge will get stuck. I just concentrate on one nail then the next then one board and...And, really, that's the way to approach most tasks.