#33 - Do Yoga Every Day for 14 Days

I started 2015 with some intentions: to be more present, to prioritize my appreciation of the beautiful place where I live, and to reconnect with myself.  Perfectly timed, Mosaic yoga studio, about which I had heard so many wonderful things and happens to be just two blocks from my home, offered a Groupon deal.  I purchased the Groupon, invited others to join me, and started a true yoga practice.  I practiced yoga every day for 7 days, alternating between classes at Mosaic and practicing at home with videos.  2015 had a very rough start, and taking the time to dive into the moment and into myself each day brought me to a place of healing and resilience instead of dwelling in hurt and frustration.

When I first started practicing yoga with Campus Recreation at Northeastern Illinois University, I enjoyed the practice but was inconsistent in my attendance.  After that I would drop in classes at various studios but never stuck to anything.  Ever those 7 days in a row in 2015, I have been attending yoga at Mosaic, particularly Kevin Freiberg's Tuesday 7:15pm class.  I attended at least 31 yoga classes at Mosaic in 2015 and have attended at least 16 more so far this year.  The best way I can describe my visits to that space is that it feels like a combination of exercise, therapy, and church.  It's good for my body and good for my soul.  While there are moments of struggle in each class, there are also moments of realization, of strength, of learning, of awareness, of forgiveness.  

Six weeks before my departure, I ran out of pre-paid classes and knew I could not afford to pay full price since I have yet to start my full-time job.  Again, Mosaic heard my call and offered a Memorial Day discount package.  I was skeptical I would use all 10 classes, but if I even went once a week, the price would be worth it.  To encourage myself to use even more of the classes, to max out my time at Mosaic, I decided to practice yoga every day for 14 days.  It turned out to be 15 days with 6 classes at Mosaic and the other 9 days at home.  I made it to Kevin's class 3 weeks in a row and added a few new classes.  I particularly enjoyed John's slow, meditative yoga, which sounds relaxing but was instead particularly challenging in its slowness.  I'm sad I won't make it to anymore of John's classes in the remainder of my time here, but I do plan to go to Kevin's class one last time.  It's important enough to me that I've refused to make social plans that evening, my last Tuesday in town, unless it's after class.

As I am leaving San Diego, I am very sad to be leaving Mosaic.  But, like I told Sophie, my time at Mosaic taught me what I need -- in yoga and in other aspects of my life -- and I'm hopeful I will find another space to continue my practice. 

Fail: #63 - Do a Yoga Handstand

Honestly, I wanted to do this one just because it looks cool.  I want to be one of those people doing yoga handstands in beautiful places in my profile pictures.  That is so lame.  And totally the wrong reason for practicing yoga.

However, part of me is just inspired by the beauty of the movement.  That part I can stay connected to.

In hopes of learning this skill, I have been continuing the yoga practice I started regularly in January as part of this list.  I also attended a Grace in Strength workshop at Mosaic (thank you again, Sophie & Kevin!), where I learned the fundamentals of learning to hand stand... and also that I am no where close.  Now that I am practicing it at home regularly, here are some dated reflections as I pursue this item.

Sunday, July 19
As of this moment, I am not confident that I will achieve this item this year.  I am confident I will do it someday, but I'm struggling with my hamstring flexibility and a very troublesome lower back.  I also need to build up some upper body strength, but I think the lack of flexibility will be more important than the strength.  I do plan to keep practicing walking up the wall to learn the feeling of my head tipping past my hands.

End of Year

My hand stand hops and wall practice sessions are getting better.  I think I'm getting stronger and am better understanding my own balance.  I'm so happy I'm making progress!

Fail: #64 - Hold a Crow's Pose for 1 Minute

Wednesday, July 1

I should have been posting about this one since January.  But I didn't.  So.

I have never been able to get the hang of crow's pose.  I waver for a quick moment and fall.  In January, I kicked off my year by doing 7 days of yoga in a row.  I focused my practice at home and at Mosaic.  I fell in love with Mosaic and continued to practice there once a week, missing occassional classes only for travel or work.  I had done yoga before, once semi-regularly in Chicago, but everywhere else I've practiced, it's felt like a group exercise class.  Mosaic makes it feel like self inquiry practice and an honoring of self and other.  Every time I go it feels like a combination of church, therapy, and exercise.  I'm in love with the practice and what it teaches me.

Back to this list item, I was making slight progress on my crow's pose, but it still wasn't sticking.  Then, I had been enjoying my yoga practice at Mosaic so much that I signed up for a Grace in Strength workshop with my two favorite yoga instructors, Sophie and Kevin.  (As I mentioned in my Yelp review of Mosaic, that probably isn't fair because once I was introduced to these two, I haven't given the other instructors a chance.  But, to their credit, I've actually stuck to regular yoga practice, so...)  We started with a warm up and then went into crow's pose.  With just a little extra instruction, particularly on my gaze, I could balance.  It was awesome.

I can how hold the pose for around 10 seconds, actually balancing, feeling my weight shift slightly in my fingers spread wide.  I'm now just building balance, strength, and greater knowledge of my own body to hold it longer.  60 seconds seems like a long time, but I feel confident I'll at least get close by the end of the year.

Saturday, July 25

Because of work and sailing lessons, I took 2 weeks off of yoga class and 3 weeks off of Kevin's Tuesday class.  I was so thrilled to be back this week.  I wasn't feeling well just before class and sat on my yoga mat having an internal battle about whether or not to stay.  I really wasn't feeling well.  What if I got sick during class?  But I had been looking forward to rejoining that class for 3 weeks!  And I want to be the kind of person who chooses to tough things out when I want them.  And I could always leave in the middle of class.  But that's bad etiquette.  Eventually I took so long to decide that class started.  The sick feeling passed within minutes and I had one of the best classes I have had in a long time.  The main reason I'm writing about it here is because I stuck my crow's pose for well over 10 seconds even though I was physically exhausted and sweating more than I had ever sweat in that class (due to the summer heat and the number of bodies in the room).  I was also grateful that after class, when I told Kevin about the stiffness in my traps, he gave me some great advice and resources to work on it on my own.  I heart Mosaic.  So much.

Sunday, August 2

On Tuesday I held my first side crow!  I could really only hold it on my right side, but I managed a little bit of time on my left.  I was super sweaty this week, so it was tough to keep from slipping.  I held my regular crow for probably 10 seconds or so.

Monday, August 10

When practicing at home, I must have held my crow for at least 15 seconds and felt strong.  Progress!

Monday, August 31

Lately I've been struggling because either I'm not warmed up enough to hold the pose or I'm so sweaty that I slip.  I'll have to figure that one out.

Thursday, September 10

I held my crow particularly long in Sophie's class today.

Summary

I didn't get anywhere close to 1 minute and now realize that's likely an unrealistic goal, but I'm glad I improved so much.