Sealing the Back Foot

At the beginning of class, Gloria read an Irish blessing. What I remember: may your path be clear... Then Gloria said it's always good to get blessings and hugs. True. She also told us about a community garden that she contributes to and that the main gardener pointed out four-leaf clovers that come back every year. Most people don't see the four-leaves but they're there if you look for them, the gardeners concluded...

Gloria prompted us to prepare for practice by encouraging us to be present on our mats and in our lives and the latter really resonated.

When Gloria said to breathe like wind through an instrument, it helped me to breathe much better. 

We woke up our toes, ankles and feet with chair pose. In fact, we woke up a lot of body parts. It was good to be reminded to seal my back foot in Warrior I since it's a pose that I often struggle with.

As we stretched the hips, Gloria talked about connective tissue and how, if you hold the stretch, the body will have an Aha! Moment.

Right before savasana, Gloria invited us to trust the process of letting go and I let the concept roll around in my mind then latched onto it.

After savasana, Gloria said a mantra that she often says. Here's what popped out for me: you are cherished...you are loved...may you live in a strong body...

Window Shopping St. Patrick's Day Style

I don't consider myself an superfluous extravagant consumer but it's definitely hard at times. So much eye candy, so little...I'm constantly giving myself little lectures. For instance, I was in Big Lots about a week ago and I saw some sturdy Okabashi sandals for $5 dollars. Did I need them? No. Did I want them? Yes, I wanted them even though I had just bought a pair of flip flops to replace my last Okabashi sandals. I wanted them as back-up sandals. You never know when you'll need another pair, right?

I was watching The Ellen Show during lunch and she had some silly big hair contest. She gave the three contestants Specialized bikes. I want one of those bikes. I wonder if I were able to get on The Ellen Show if she'd give away bikes again...

If I had beaucoup money, I would spend it on flip flops and bicycles. Oh my.

Without further ado, here are some other things that I would get:











When I look at these items, I realize how few things I need to exercise and relax.

What do you purchase with your discretionary dollars?

Post Script: Just found out that Okabashi will accept old shoes for recycling. Sweet.

The Coolness

Me: Okay. I just checked. The run (St. Patrick's) is at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow and the parade is at noon...

Patti: Sunday at 10?

Me: Cool. I'll be there.

Patti: Cool… me too

As it turns out, the decision to go climbing on Sunday instead of Saturday was a good one. Daylight Saving Time worked in our favor since there was nary a creature stirring except for the Boy Scouts who were being taught on the upper level at Upper Limits.

We had our pick of routes and no waiting for the first hour and I was ready to climb since I hadn't been in a week. Well, kind of. I really enjoy rock climbing but sometimes I think, dang, when you get out of the 5.7 zone, those routes can be arduous. What did Eleanor Roosevelt say?

You must do the thing that you think you cannot do.

I'm sure that she wasn't talking about rock climbing but...

Today's route tally:

5.6, Truxton or Bust
5.8, Bright Idea
5.7, Gymnopaeda
5.8, Face Plant
5.7, Unnamed
5.8, Rainbow Bright
5.8, JW
5.9, One Liner (Attempted)
5.6, Unnamed (Ascended and Down Climbed 3x's)

The laps on the last route made a woman out of me and I don't think that I could have ascended another route even if I had wanted to.