My yoga practice--- Sunday practice

My favo tree in the Ickworth park

7th/ Dec

Hooray!, It was Sunday I was looking forward to, lovely Helen's Ashtanga yoga workshop. It was only a small group, it was 5 people including myself and Helen. She was a great teacher, and makes practise such a fun. To me, Ashtanga yoga practise can be really intimidating and regimental. I think that's one of reasons put me off getting into it for long time. 

I like how Helen correct postures and teach how to do breathing, I think more like her personality makes the practise less intimidating and less regimental. She did say in the beginning, it didn't matter not be able to get into asanas, it was a fun, not to suffer (something like that), basically, yoga is a fun, not pain. I liked that. That's exactly how I pursuit not only my yoga practise, also tai chi and qi gong. Andy (my friend also my teacher on tai chi & qi gong) always said: 'think something makes you smile" with eyes closed. That was how we begun our practise.   

Anyway, how many times, I almost giggled during our practise (I did giggle though). I really enjoyed it and made me want to do more and more. Savasana was really a treat, after all the hard work. When we got up, and opened our eyes, Helen asked me:

"How was it?"
"Actually I really liked it and really enjoyed it" I answered with big smile.

I thanked Helen before I left the studio. I do practise it at home with youtube video (Lesley Fightmaster and Nichi Green form Eckhart Yoga), but still not confident enough to attend classes. So, to me, workshops like these really help me. I did a few with Brenda (chillout yoga in Sudbury, Suffolk), that was good fun and all! I would love to attend more workshops, but my bank statements don't look very good, need to make more money!!!

When I was on my way home, I couldn't stop smiling, actually, I was smiling all day after that. 

My yoga practice--- Ashtanga yoga & Me

5/Dec

I've just been back from my Saturday morning class. As usual, it was lovely practise. I was talking to my yoga buddy, Vic, who put her mat next to me, (oh, she's such a lovely person!) started talking about ashtanga yoga. That was because there's ashtanga yoga workshop By lovely Helen Shepherd tomorrow morning,...( Which I've been really looking forward to...)

 Vic asked me about biding poses. For long time, I convinced myself reason why I couldn't do was due to my hyper-extended arms. For me, biding poses are killer, I still can't get into some of them. I told her; "my arms are not long enough to either bind or lift myself up." She smiled. "If I could cut off some of my tummy and stitched to my arms to extend, then I would be able to do them"

Then, Jacqui (our teacher) looked at us with big smile and explained that all our bodies were made to proportion. Helen is a tall lady, she's got long arms and long legs, she can easily lift herself up or bind her arms. Oh, I was a bit suspicious what Jacqui told me, I feel like my arms & legs are really short. To back up my theory, I usually shorten hems on my trousers (if I buy kids/cropped sometimes they are right length!).... But Jacqui comforted me with a few more explanation, so, I settled on "our bodies are proportioned."

So, that makes even harder now, in order to get into those poses, I need to work on my core even harder..... Am I not working hard enough???? 

Anyway, I told Vic, "It's all good fun anyway, I always smile to myself on yoga mat..." I even laugh at myself when I home practise alone. I either roll round or things I do, quite often...... funny.........(By the way, I realised recently I laugh/giggle a lot. apparently, a couple of our clients at work refer me as "the lady who laughs a lot" then my colleagues know who they are talking about...)

I was really in a cheerful mood after the practise this morning. On Savasana, it was like floating on Agen sea in Greece. Feeling the waves, pretty lights and colours, I even could hear sound of the water (it might be tinnitus on my left ear though) When the class was finished, it was crisp and beautiful morning with sun shine. 

Then I strolled back to home.