Day 14: garbagey mind

For some reason, maybe because I'd been feeling nauseous (again) earlier in the day, my mind was negative and full of garbage today in the first part of my practice. It was like that trash pool they get stuck in in Star Wars. I was also feeling tight in my hamstrings. My soreness and tightness has been all in my legs, while my arms and shoulders don't make a peep and my back just gets lighter and looser.

Anyway, first set of triangle, I felt a burst of optimism and this pretty much sustained me through the rest of my practice. :)

Didn't have to rest out poses. Fell out of Standing Bow Pulling plenty but overall practiced that one well. That last adjustment of REACHING, FORWARD, OUT of the SHOULDER socket in that pose makes such a huge difference in opening up the heart. And in Standing Forehead to Knee (the one where you pick up your knee) I straightened one leg second set, with encouragement from Camille. I think it was pretty straight, it was definitely straighter than I've gotten it in the past, very exciting. I would have looked into the mirror to the right to check the straightness but then I surely would have fallen right out. Camille indicated I was doing well in Half Moon and Half Locust. I am wary of taking too much pride in my practice--I still have so much to work on and want to cultivate humility--but it's nice to know I'm on the right track and she always follows up praise with an additional adjustment to work toward!

I confess I felt a bit bored at moments with the the series today. That's gotta be my garbage mind talking--it's not like I've mastered the series! I'm thinking maybe I'll take a power class next weekend. That would be two in one day. I also want to work two Bikram classes in one day into my sixty days here.

On the food front: I guess I haven't added enough food to my diet yet. When I look at today honestly, it is pretty much what I would normally eat. I am SO HUNGRY. I was hungry before class, I was hungry during class, and I was hungry after eating a sizable plate of cheese ravioli in pesto cream sauce at Toto's Italiano Ristorante (don't bother.) And I'm hungry now. One of my fellow practitioners after class suggested I have a protein snack every two hours, so I'll try that starting tomorrow. And I think I'll start having eggs at breakfast. But that will put the kibosh on eating brekky at work! I'm apprehensive about the food issue. I mean, how much do I need to eat now? Will I need even MORE food in my THIRD consecutive week of daily practice, and more the FIFTH?! For crying out little babies, HOW MUCH WILL I NEED TO EAT WHEN I'M DOING TWO CLASSES A DAY IN FLORIDA?!?!?!?!!

I got the agreement, ethical guidelines for teachers, and series script from the Barkan Method today. The more information I have, the more I know for sure that I'm in the right training program. The emphasis on ethics, the very REASONABLE legal agreement, the nurturing language. (Ie, I'm expected to know the points of the postures "in the language of [my] own heart.") It's on my frequency, and I can't wait to learn learn learn from Jimmy. I am looking forward to meeting with a woman on Friday who went through the Barkan training last year. I have lots of questions about what to pack. And where to eat cheap in Fort Lauderdale.

Because damn.

I got a bunch more yoga books in the mail today, and picked up one and started reading the introduction. (After dinner, while we were supposed to be cleaning the house since MSH's parents are coming this weekend. Instead, we sat on our hineys. Funny how that happens!) I loved just the introduction! So far, I love reading about yoga almost as much as I love doing it. And it's a good thing. I have two required texts, which I really must read prior to training, and five recommended texts (and another on the way.) And the Anatomy For Yoga DVD, which looks just yummy. No time this weekend, unfortunately...