The Yoga Diary of a Wimpy Mom
From wimpy mom to powerful yogi. This is my story......
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Jan. 22, 2013 - Update
Bare with me, I'm writing via my phone. So I just wanted to post a quick update. Aside from being sick, I have acquired a new injury. I've separated/dislocated my 9th rib at the CC junction (superior cartilage). I'm sad to say it but my practice has been put on hold for the next 6 weeks. Which I fully understand because even breathing is painful, let alone trying to bend. This injury is not related to my practice. In fact it happened at the most ridiculous time. I was shaving my legs!! Lol. Come to find out I have minimal space between my 11th rib and my hip bones. So here I was shaving my legs, bending from the mid section of my torso just to avoid smacking my face on the shower wall. In this position, my ribs compress on my hip bones, the further I bend to shave, the higher the pressure on my ribs until a ever so faint pop, followed by intense pain, and a unfamiliar lump sticking out. There isn't much that can be done at this point, just time to heal and avoid any risk of further injury. As for my big hips, well that's one of the perks of being a mom. Unless they interfere with daily life, I doubt any corrective measure will be taken. Only time will tell. So from now on, I will not be shaving in the shower. It must of been that karmic debt I gained from eating BBQ ribs the night before. Well played karma, well played.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Jan. 16, 2013 - Yuck.
Caught a nasty bug. Sore throat, stuffy head, and just generally tired. I did manage to practice today. Been working on my ROM in my shoulders. Anyways I can't bring myself to type anymore, so I'm gonna get to bed. /pout
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Jan. 15, 2013 - Undivided Attention
I want to start off saying thank you
to everyone who gave me feedback about yesterdays post. The information gained
was up lifting and helped me open my eyes to the benefits of classes, different
styles of yoga, and teachers. While it will still take some more looking into
on my part. I agree with taking a general yoga class (other than Ashtanga) in
my local area. Diversity is always a good thing. I also have set my mind to
seeking out a Mysore class down the road. Even though other styles might not be
my prime choice, finding the right teacher who can guide me in the fundamentals
and show me proper technique is in my best interest. Last thing I want is
another injury.
So
what about today? The positive tone was set when I woke up to my email account
on my phone alerting me of new comments on my blog. After reading each of them,
it gave me that smile and edge I needed. It's funny how people you've never met
can have such an impact on our lives. So I took to my mat like a champion and
gave it my all.
I was in the mist of Navasana
when I hear my youngest son screaming "MOM" from the other
room. Followed by an even longer "MOMMMMMM". Around the 4th Navasana
the door to my yoga room flies open, sending the door into the wall, and me to
come off balance. I quickly turn around to see my son standing in the door way
holding a empty bowl. Before I could even get a word out he demands
"MORE" (orange slices, is what filled the bowl prior to me starting
my practice). All I could do was sigh, knowing it was going to be a long
morning. So I reached over and hit the pause button on my dvd player. I dashed
through the house like a mad woman. I'm running around the kitchen doing the
typical mommy check off list. More fruit slices, check. Blanket and pillow on
sofa, check. TV on and toys in reach, check. I grab my son and the fruit,
rushing into the living room. At this point I'm crossing my fingers that he
will remain happy and comfortable until I'm finished. All was looking good, so
I darted to my yoga room, heated back up my doing 4 Sun Salutations and
pressing play on my dvd. I get all the way to Supta Padangushtasana, when again
the door comes flying open, this time nearly missing my head by mere inches.
There he is AGAIN! Only now he is demanding "Drink". In my head I'm
thinking, "Drink?!? How could I of forgotten the (BLEEP) drink!". By
this point, I'm totally flustered. Knowing my son is never this demanding, the
only thing I can think of is he is getting upset about my lack of attention
towards him. Which I can understand because prior to my yoga journey, it was
him and I always snuggled up on the sofa each morning chilling out to cartoons.
I do try to make up for the lack of morning snuggles but I'm sure it's not the
same to him. We are both learning to accept this change in life.
So how does
one practice undisturbed in the mornings when there is little feet running
around the house? To be honest, I have no idea how I've made it work this far. It's
more like trial and error. Each day trying new things. Finding what works best
and how to balance the times it doesn't. Some days it even takes putting my
practice on hold until he is off to bed. The only thing I can do is sit back
and wait for the day he understands or reaches 18 and moves out. Whatever comes
first. ;)
Monday, January 14, 2013
Jan. 14, 2013- Torn
After
a very long and eye opening conversation with my friend today, I've come to
ponder the idea of taking a class or two. She helped me understand that while
my practice is good and I'm making the effort to apply all techniques that I
can, there are still some things I need help learning in the physical practice.
She gave me a ton of pointers on how to better my downward dog and other tips
on the beginner poses. Some days I wish I still lived close to her. While the
pointers on the phone are wonderful, I wish I had her close by to share this
with me. But she suggested I take a few classes. Even though I'm totally head over
heels with Ashtanga, in my local area yoga has not caught on like most
metropolitan areas. There is only one yoga studio in town and they don't offer
a style even close to my beloved Ashtanga. So what do I do? Do I take a class
in a style in I don't follow or agree with? I'm really torn about this because
I do need the extra help but at the same time I don't want to give up my spiritual
side of yoga. Last thing I want to do is walk in a class where a teacher is
yelling out "PLANK" "CHATURANGA" "PLANK"
"CHATURANGA".. in the words of my friend "If I wanted to do
push-ups, I'd go to boot camp!" .. But honestly she is right, that is not
my idea of yoga either. I'm debating taking a class in San Antonio where they
offer Ashtanga. However San Antonio is two hours away (right up the road in
Texas terms) and money is tight these days but even then do I go straight for a Mysore class or try a guided
primary or do I suck it up and go locally? So many questions, not enough answers. I know the practice is mine and I can make whatever I want out of it,
but tonight I'm left feeling lost, alone, and torn. =(
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Jan. 13, 2013- Feet on the ground
Another amazing practice this
morning. It did not start off that way though. It started off more like
"Do I gotta? I'm so soreeeeee" insert whiney voice. After about the
3rd Sun Salutation A, it went to more of
"OMG, Imma die if I do one more!", however, I kept pushing on.
Took a few extra breaths, cleared my mind of that nagging voice of pain, and
continued on queue with Kino's commands playing on my DVD. Talk about muscle
memory because at this point I wasn't even thinking anymore, more like just
flowing through the motions. It wasn't until the last S.S B, that I took
downward dog and briefly looked away from the tip of my nose. To my amazement, I
saw my heels on the floor. I was so taken back by this, that I lost all control
and literally came crashing down on my face. After a few moments of laughing at
myself for such a graceful exit to the posture. I was thrilled to note this
small change. So like any other woman, I grabbed my cell phone and immediately
sent a text to my friend, knowing she would be just as excited. She is the only
other person I know personally who practices yoga and often gives me the
encouragement when I don't think I can go any further. At this point, between
the laughter and noise from me jumping around like a school girl, my kids come
rushing in the room to see what was going on. I'm pretty sure they thought of
me as a raving lunatic because they just stood there and watched like a pair of
deer in head lights. After settling
down, my oldest son asks "what are you doing?" and out of my mouth
comes "my feet were on the floor!". Without missing a beat, he
replies, "well duh, your standing aren't you?" and walks out the
door. My youngest is completely confused by all of this and simply says "I
love you" in a concerned voice as he gently pats my back. Even though my
kids think I have gone mad, I quickly shoo my youngest out the door and took my
dvd back to the start menu. I couldn't help myself, I HAD to do it all over
again. After finishing the series and working my hardest, I find myself still
all smiles. Today truly gave the term "having my feet on the ground"
a new meaning.
I
wanted to end today with something cute I found online.......
"You
know you're a yogi mom,
when your toddler runs around chanting
"Om"
and you find
yourself calling out
"Down-dog!"
when you
need to wipe
his tushie
after he has used the potty."
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Jan. 12, 2013 - Lesson 2- Finding the Balance
So its Saturday which means a day of resting.
It just so happens to be on the back of a Moon Day. I woke up this morning and felt so stiff and
sore. I managed to drag myself from the warmth of my bed and sat quietly on my
mat. After a few moments of pure silence, I started reciting my prayers. I
would of loved to stay in that moment for a while longer, but with children
around on a non-school day things quickly turned to loud and chaotic. So giving
thanks for the knowledge and guidance I was given. I got up and started my pot
of coffee and just listened as my three year old and my ten year old started to
fight over the smallest things. With a quick intervention from mom they calmed
down and returned to getting along.
As I turned to walk away, I couldn't help
but note how everything in this world needs balance. From relationships to
daily life. As a mom, I find myself always trying to
balance everything. From household chores, to children fighting, to finding that
inner peace, I mean I even find myself balancing on my head. So with screaming hamstrings, I find that I even need to
balance my practice. Since I've started yoga, I find that mostly what I've been
working on is to elongate my hamstrings and open my hips. After two days of not
practicing and doing what my body has became use to, I'm stuck with soreness
and stiffness. Why? Even the internal body needs balance. Just like with our forward
bends, we back bend to counter that motion, bringing our body back into
balance. We practice and rest, bringing ... you guessed it... BALANCE. Even my
screaming hamstrings need balance; a concept I didn't even think about until
now. All this focus on my hammies and now I'm paying for it.. Say hello to my
new friend.. Icy Hot.
So
how do we balance our muscles when one seems to be the prime focus? Just like
all things in this world, even our muscles have an antagonist. If you don't use
the antagonistic muscle, your throwing your body out of order. Like in my case,
my hamstrings, what is the antagonistic muscle to them? The quadriceps. In yoga
we both elongate and strengthen our muscles. But what happens within the
muscles? We are really causing the fibers in our muscles to pull, thin, and
rebuild. Thus giving us strength and flexibility. So by focusing on the
protagonist, in my case the hamstrings, and almost ignoring the antagonist, the
quads, my hamstrings are elongating and my quads are constricting. This can be
very bad. By ignoring one or the other can lead to a very common injury, the ever so evil "pulled muscle". Pulled muscles are not fun, they are
extremely painful and take their time healing. So the best way to avoid
conflict is by targeting both the protagonist and antagonist. Bring balance
back into play.
Best
way method I've found for stiff, sore, tight hamstrings is what I call the
"Burning Squat". I'm pretty sure there might be a yoga pose for my
version of the burning squat but until I know the proper name for it, we'll
just call it that, Burning Squat. It's simple and allows the hamstring to relax
on its own by engaging the quads. I tend to use this on very sore days while
I'm watching TV (like today). Note: I'm not a teacher, nor am I responsible for any damages. If you try this, it is at your own risk! I'm just telling you what works for me. Begin by sitting down on a chair or the sofa with
legs hips distance apart and knees directly over the ankles forming a 90 degree
bend, fold forward with a straight back until your ribs are touching your
thighs, fingers touching the floor in line with your toes. The key to this is
the flat back and your ribs to remain in contact with your thighs. Now lift
your bottom off the chair or sofa, and lift your toes off the floor with your
weight in your heels. Maintain that flat back, coming up to your finger tips if
needed. Now remain here for a while. You should feel your quads begin to burn,
breath through it. I tend to take between 25-30 breaths here, or until my legs
begin to shake. Now your hamstrings might burn a little at first, that is okay
too. Once you've taken as many breaths as you can or can't stand the burning
anymore simply return your toes to the floor and sit back down on your sofa or
chair. I wouldn't remain seated for too long. It is best to get up and walk
around to judge if your hamstrings are still tight and sore. If they are,
simply repeat the burning squat until your hamstrings relax and release.
So
the lesson for today... No matter how focused you are, always bring yourself back
to balance.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Jan. 11, 2013- Getting to know Ashtanga
Its a Moon day, which means no physical practice. Which makes for a lengthy blog post.
I've had a few readers and friends
ask "What is Ashtanga?"or "What made you choose Ashtanga over
another type of yoga?".. I figured
I'd answer these to the best of my ability. Now do not get things twisted, I'm
not a pro-yogi or some master of what Ashtanga is. I'm a student of the
practice. So I'm only able to answer these questions from my own view point and
what I have learned. While there is a of Sanskrit in yoga, I will try to
include the translation to English also to the best of my ability. So let's
begin!
I
think it is best to get a grasp on what Yoga is first, in order to better
understand what Ashtanga is. So what is Yoga? More often than not, if you ask
someone that question they respond with "a form of exercise". They
are not fully wrong, nor are they completely right. They tend of have this
vision in their heads of a room full of sweaty people, twisting in to odd
shapes, for no reason but a tone body. I can't help but to giggle at that stereotype.
Yoga in the traditional sense is seen as upaya (path). Great, what does that
mean? A path to where? Let's go a little deeper. Yoga originated in India. Its
roots are deeply immersed in the Hindu religion. In fact yoga is spoken of in
some of the oldest scriptures in the world, the Vedas, or sacred texts of Hinduism. With that said, yoga is seen as a
path to Atman. The Vedanta explain Atman as the soul of men, and all souls are
a part of this infinite, almighty supreme singular spirit, or Universal Self.
Yogis are taught Nishkama Karma (to perform actions without personal gain, and
to offer all these actions to God). Patanjali (the founder of the science of
yoga) tells us that "yoga is the process of ending the definitions of the
field of consciousness" {- Patanjali Yoga Sutras i:2 }. Yoga gives us the
means to find our true nature and through the practice of yoga we can find the
Universal Self. That is my understanding of what yoga is. I'm sure there is
more to the meaning and the word. I am not Hindu, but I see yoga as a way to
find yourself by letting go of the "I" and "mine". It's
also a way find a higher power, no matter what higher power you believe in.
I'll give you a moment to process that all.
So
what is Ashtanga yoga? The word Ashtanga means eight limbs. These eight limbs
direct us to finding the Universal Self. I will not go into much details with
these but I just want to skim the surface so you understand them.
I
- The 5 Yamas- Or the Don'ts (Universal Morality)
Ahimsa
- Do not harm (Compassion for all living things)
Satya-
Do not lie (Commitment to truthfulness)
Asteya-
Do not steal
Brahmacharya-
Do not lose control of Vital (bodily) Fluids
(Mostly refers to romantic activity, to commit to one partner and use the
relationship to foster
our understanding of the highest truths, to avoid using this energy in any way
that may harm another.)
Aparigraha-
Do not be greedy
II-
The 5 Niyamas - Or the Do's (Personal Observances)
Shaucha
- Purity and cleanliness
Santosha-
Contentment
Tapas-
Austerity (Discipline)
Swadhyaya
- Self Study/ Study of scriptures
Ishwarapranidhana- Celebration of the spiritual (surrender to
god's will)
III
- Asana - Body postures (or physical practice)
IV-
Pranayama - Breath Control
V-
Pratyahara - Withdrawal of senses (reverting inward)
VI-
Dharana - Concentration (still mind)
VII-
Dhyana- Meditation (Devotion to the Divine)
VIII-
Samadhi - Union with the Divine (how a liberated soul can enjoy pure awareness
with its pure identity, or ecstasy.)
*It
is said that through Asana and Pranayama that Dharana can be reached. Once
Dharana is obtained, Dhyana and Samadhi can follow.
So
that is a little on the philosophy. So what about the physical practice of
Ashtanga?
The
physical practice of Asana includes an opening and ending Mantra, Vinyasa
(combining breath and movement), Rechaka (exhalation), Puraka (inhalation), Dhyana
(meditation), Drishti (gaze), and the bandhas (or body locks, such as sucking
in on the low belly, or called uddiyana bandha. There are three body locks; the
anus, the stomach, and the throat.)
Asana
is to be performed in doors, is what is known as a Shala. Practice is be held 6
days a week, except Saturdays, and it is vital to observe "Moon days"
or the new and full moons. On these days Asana should not be practiced due to
the higher risk of injury.
Surya
Namaskara, or sun salutations, must be preformed prior to the yoga asanas. It
is to attain the blessings of the Sun God, in order to live a healthy life. The
best time to do surya namaskara is at sun rise, so you may greet and rejoice in
the sun. Surya namaskara is also to awaken the inner fire, it helps bring the
heart rate up and the blood flow to the muscles. In Ashtanga we do a total of
10, five surya namaskara A and five surya namaskara B.
Once
Surya Namaskara is completed, we move on to the Primary Ashtanga Series, which
if I'm correct holds a total of 42 asanas, some having multiple variations.
Some people choose to learn only one asana at a time until it is mastered,
before moving on to the next. While some people follow all 42 asanas and
variations strung together. The choice is really up to the solo practitioner or
to the yoga instructor if you take classes. If you take classes there two types. A led
class where the teacher takes the whole room through the asanas strung
together, or a Mysore class. Mysore style comes from Sri K. Pattabhi Jois
(Guruji) where in the city of Mysore, India he taught a method from the usual modern
way. In a Mysore Class the class is not led as a whole, instead it focuses on a
one-on-one with the student and the teacher, where the teacher gives physical
adjustments and verbal commands. In Mysore style, students practice Asanas at
their own pace and skill level. The common chuckle most students get after attending
a Mysore Style class, is they are left saying "My Sore Body".
That
is about as much as I can sum up about Ashtanga right now. I know it was a lot
and I'm probably missing pieces and I may even have a few things wrong. But it
is truly my understanding of "What Ashtanga is". So if I'm wrong, I
look forward to anyone who can correct me or give me further knowledge.
As
for the last question, Why I chose Ashtanga? I can't really say, to be honest,
I think it chose me. I have always been told that if you are drawn to something
outside of your norm, it's because in a past life it was who you were. The only thing, I can really say about this
path of Ashtanga and myself , is I'm truly grateful for it. I find it
challenging and rewarding on so many levels.
Om Namah
Shivaya
I bow to
Shiva
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