I love yoga. I love stretching, I love breathing deeply, and I love the feeling of finding stillness within a vigorous, sweaty practice.
Do I love it enough to practice 30 times, in 30 days? Truthfully, I don't know if I love anything enough to be able to do it that often. As much as there are these parts of the practice that I love, things like utkatasana (chair pose), utthita hasta padangusthasana (standing forward fold) and being upside down are far more likely to fall into my 'it's not quite love' category.
When I began primary series this morning at 9:30, I did so with a certain sentiment of personal necessity. Last night (day 0, if you will), I did an ashtanga second series practice--my third in eight days. I was craving the forward bending postures of primary series.
So I did it.
After my second sun salutation B, as I watched a constant stream of sweat beads attack my mat, I slipped into panic mode. How the hell am I going to do this 30 times before February 13th? Here I am, dripping like a popsicle in global warming, feeling my breath trying to escape my attempts at deep "Ujayi" inhalations and exhalations, and I haven't even made it through the freaking sun salutations!
I acknowledged my panic, and was too agitated to do anything about it until I reached padanghustasana, the first standing pose. This forward bend is a favourite of mine, and as soon as I moved into it I felt my breath fall into place. The sweating slowed a bit, and I felt my facial muscles loosen. After five breaths, my hands slid under my feet for padahastasana and, well, you know the rest.
Within 30 minutes of beginning day 1, I survived my first 30-day challenge panic attack. This is going to be one interesting month.
Do I love it enough to practice 30 times, in 30 days? Truthfully, I don't know if I love anything enough to be able to do it that often. As much as there are these parts of the practice that I love, things like utkatasana (chair pose), utthita hasta padangusthasana (standing forward fold) and being upside down are far more likely to fall into my 'it's not quite love' category.
When I began primary series this morning at 9:30, I did so with a certain sentiment of personal necessity. Last night (day 0, if you will), I did an ashtanga second series practice--my third in eight days. I was craving the forward bending postures of primary series.
So I did it.
After my second sun salutation B, as I watched a constant stream of sweat beads attack my mat, I slipped into panic mode. How the hell am I going to do this 30 times before February 13th? Here I am, dripping like a popsicle in global warming, feeling my breath trying to escape my attempts at deep "Ujayi" inhalations and exhalations, and I haven't even made it through the freaking sun salutations!
I acknowledged my panic, and was too agitated to do anything about it until I reached padanghustasana, the first standing pose. This forward bend is a favourite of mine, and as soon as I moved into it I felt my breath fall into place. The sweating slowed a bit, and I felt my facial muscles loosen. After five breaths, my hands slid under my feet for padahastasana and, well, you know the rest.
Within 30 minutes of beginning day 1, I survived my first 30-day challenge panic attack. This is going to be one interesting month.
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