Happy Friday!

I am so happy it is Friday! :)
Because I am winding down from the week, I am tired and want to sleep in a little this weekend, tonight is mysore class...and I get 2 days off from work. So all this equals a happy Flo.

Last nigth was night. I headed home at 4:30 to pick up my husband and we then headed into Atlanta to go to Food For Thought at World Peace Cafe.
They have it every Thursday. When Denver was picking up our food the other night he noticed what the topic was and thought it would be interesting to go. The topic was "Staying Happy with Unhappy People"
It was a nice low-key event. $15 a person which includes an amazing meal after.
The discussion and guided meditation was very insighful and lead by a Senior Teacher that was very relatable and calming. I really enjoyed the meditation. Denver said he would fall in and out of it pretty quickly but he is going to work on his practice.
After we all gathered in the cafe over pots of tea and an amazing Peto pasta, soup and Denver had a full veggie sandwich. The teacher talked to each of us for a bit and invited us for Sunday Service. I think we might go.
We are still feeling our way through to see if this is something we want to continue with.
We shall see.

Tonight is Mysore practice. I have to admit I've done very little this week. Just fitting in the minimum of 10 sun salutations and the 3 closing postures. My only full practice this week was on Monday. So I am looking forward to tonight's practice and dreading it all at the same time. It will be nice though. I need to get better with keeping up my practice.
All is a work in progress.
Time to get some work done. So back to the grindstone.

Basketcase

We already have everything we need. There is no need for self-improvement. All these trips that we lay on ourselves- the heavy-duty fearing that we’re bad and hoping that we’re good, the identities that we so dearly cling to, the rage, the jealousy and the addictions of all kinds—never touch our basic wealth. They are like clouds that temporarily block the sun. But all the time our warmth and brilliance are right here. This is who we really are. We are one blink of an eye away from being fully awake. Looking at ourselves this way is very different from our usual habit. From this perspective we don’t need to change: you can feel as wretched as you like, and you’re still a good candidate for enlightenment. You can feel like the world’s most hopeless basket case, but that feeling is your wealth, not something to be thrown out or improved upon.--Pema Chodron

I really enjoyed reading this today. I could type out a book in regards to the fact that somedays I feel like that hopeless basket case, but it passes now. Before it would linger around like a cloud and would blurr my vision in daily life. I am so glad that cloud can be lifted so easily these days. For me it is a huge change and shift in my life that is wonderful.

I am also listening to my husbands book on CD (I finished Eat, Pray, Love and LOVED it)

He gave me the first book of Eight Steps to Happiness: The Buddhist Way of Loving Kindness

So far I am really enjoying it. I have an hour commute to work, from work and about a 45 min. commute to the yoga studio. I spend a lot of time in my VW...so It is a nice change of pace to listen to books on my drive.

This morning I did wake up with a major sinus headache--changes in the weather do this to me.

So I juiced Cucumbers, Celery, Kale & Apples. This is our standard juice. I need to change it up a bit.

Tonight is date night with my husband. I will fit in a light practice at home then hanging out with him :)

You know it one month until my 30th birthday. I've always enjoy celebrating my birthday. I have no clue why. It is a day with lots of history. I am trying 30 this year and very excited for it.

I am working out some details and I might go to Cirque du Soleil with my sister-in-law and husband the Sunday before my birthday and perhaps dinner too; I'd like to go to the World Peace Cafe. That would be a great day with family.

Some things on my wish list (because we always have wish lists huh?)

Lotus Seed Wrist Mala

Bodhi Seed mala

Laptop Lunch Kit -because I am always brown-bagging it to the office :)

New Jade Yoga Mat (mine is peeling)

Mexican Blanket for my home practice

Zafum Set for home meditation

Books, Books on CD, Yoga clothes or anything handmade :)

These are just wishes. I don't intend to get anything. Going to dinner and Cirque will be plenty.

Okay time to work!

A little yoga and a little relaxing

Yesterday was good. A busy busy day at work, headed to te yoga studio for Mysore. My practice was nice and sweaty and was exactly what I needed. I even got in one drop-back with the assistance of my teacher.
After class I grabbed dinner at whole foods and read in the lobby of the yoga studio while the basics class finished up. After that class I cleaned. However, for some reason the lotus frog fell off the back of the toliet in the bathroom into a ton of pieces. I had to text my teacher to tell her the frog met an untimely death...poor frog statue.

Today was a busy day at work. Just constant stream of work. All good stuff, just busy!
However I got home so late last night I didn't get enough sleep. So around 5:00 I cut out of work and headed home.
I did a light home practice. 5 Surya Namaskara A & 5 Surya Namaskara B then some of the standing and the final 3 poses.
I did try some backbends and a wide-legged dropback. However, it made me a little nauseous for some reason.
So, I ended with a short meditation and laid down for a few minutes. Not sure why I got nauseous. So Den & i just made dinner and I am feeling better!

Here are a few Pictures from before my practice. Of me & Chai.
I am off to read for a bit then going to bed early.

Weekends are for recovering!

Today I am feeling better. Slept in late and drank fresh juice. We juiced Watermelon and limes.
Then we went to the book store for a bit.
I picked up the Pocket by Pema Chodron. It is a pocket book to carry with me with a daily reading.

It is keeping my pocket version of the Yoga Sutras company in my purse. I typically read it during lunch time.
I also received the book I ordered on Amazon a few weeks ago:
Yoga and Vegetarianism: The path to Greater Health & Happiness



So after grabbing some books we came home and watched a movie we've had around for a bit. The movie was really good.
The Namesake.
After that I've been drinking lots of tea and feeling better. So I did a small home yoga practice.
Now we are just hanging out and reading.


Also Marney received the gift I made her. I sent her a yoga mat bag I made and a matching lavender eye pillow.
All out of fabric I received from Nicole.


Tomorrow is my long day! After work I am headed to the Yoga Studio for Mysore class. Then cleaning the studio after. I get home late on Mondays!

Quick Hello!

I've been ill. Fighting this cold. I think it is on its way out the door though.
Work has been...busy and I am a little burnt out. But will return Monday refreshed.
Doing little yoga at home, mainly restorative and lots of hip openers..
With a congested head it is hard to do a full practice.
Tomorrow I hope to make it to Led Primary class.
Today I cleaned around the house, got groceries and a bubble tea.
Now onto reading and hanging out.

Devotion

Goodness it is cold here! (I am sure my northen friends would disagree) But it is 20 degrees and windy. Luckily we have a nice warm fire going.
Lots going on, what else is new :)
I am listening to Eat, Pray & Love on CD during my 1 hour commute to and from work. My yoga teacher gave it to me to listen to. It is really good!
It really reminds me that I love to travel and hope to take that abroad some day.
So, Yoga related...
Monday night was Mysore class. After working a few hours at the office I changed and headed to the studio. The small mysore room was heated pretty quickly by our breath. It was cold and tiny flurries of snow (not enough to stick) were falling outside the fogged up windows while the 7 of us trugged through our Primary Series Practice. Well, I think one of the teachers was practicing her second series. However, I wasn't paying much attention. I believe I heard her talking about it after class.
My practice was...okay. I tried to stay focused on my mat. My body felt as if it was fighting against me. However, I made it through most of the primary series. I stopped just a few postures short of the entire series. Next week we are adding on another posture. In 3 weeks I should be proficient in the entire primary series.
After that nice sweaty practice a few of us mysore students headed to Whole Foods for dinner. While chatting over Tofu and juice I remembered that this practice is more to me than just asana. I was almost in tears when I finally went into Savasana last night. Mainly it was because I was so wrapped up in my practice and my obstacles. I actually thought for a moment "WHY do I do Asana?? It is so hard for my curvy body. I am not built for this. Perhaps if I loose a few more pounds it would be easier. But, how can I loose more weight. I eat pretty healthy." My thoughts went on and on. Finally I made it to Savasana and said to myself... no one cares what you look like in Yoga pants. No one cares you are curvy, why does it even bother me. Just let it go...
So I tried as hard I could to slip into Savasana. If only for a moment or two.

Then after exchanging emails with a dear friend & yogi today...she reminded me that Asana practice is an act of devotion to god. Whoever your god is. Buddha, Krishna, Jesus, Your own heart...it doesn't matter. As long as you do your asana as an offering to the higher power.
But Asana is more than just being bendy.
I have to continually remind myself of this. Over and over and over again. Even if I NEVER get my feet behind my head or if I always need help getting into headstand.
It doesn't matter in the end.
So...there is my mind letting loose on my keyboard.
Now time to hang out with my husband and stay warm by the fire.
I will check in a few more days.
Hug!

Dragging

I am so tired. So very tired and not really sure why my sleeping patterns have been screwy lately. Waking up 2-3 times throughout the night.
No fun!
I dragged my tired butt to Led Primary class this morning. I also dragged through my practice. I had a mental note: "You know it is going to be a long practice when your arms are already burning and exhausted by the 3 Sun Salutation" I literally thought this while doing my 3rd Sun Salutation: "So it is going to be one of those practices...it is going to take forever to get through this"
So apprently my body and my mind did not want to practice today. I must be fighting something because I had sweat so much my hair was soaking wet at the end. I know that sounds gross...but it is just a wonderful by-product of a great Ashtanga practice.
So, I obviously needed my practice today. I felt great after; but during my practice it took every ounce of energy to make it through each vinyasa between postures.
But, it was worth it.
After class I headed to Whole Foods to grab some stuff for lunch including a Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie! :)
Then headed home. My husband was working today (due to the freezing temps here many pipes had burst around Atlanta and he had to get his service people invovled)
So I had the house to myself for a bit. I gave Chai a bath, I also took a shower then made Vegan Mock Chicken Salad for our lunches on Monday...what else. I finished sewing a yoga mat bag and some more Lavender Eye Pillows.
Now, I am just relaxing and reading bits and pieces of the texts I need to read for the workshop in April.
Not much else!
I am going into work tomorrow. Just a short day from 9:00 to 4:00 then heading to Mysore class.

The weekends are too short!