Category: Practice

routines of Tuesday morning

4/3/2018

Slept in late this morning, awaking at 650 am. I moved to a new place temporarily and am still getting used to my surroundings, having experienced interrupted sleep due to the strange temperatures, textures, and sounds. Plus, I’d stayed up later than usual watching a movie with the friend at whose house I’m crashing. After spending some time with his wife and their granddaughter I went and made my bed, performed my morning supplication, and sat in meditation for about 15 minutes. Then, I did my travel yoga practice with updated standing pose series (warrior 2 with chest opener, reverse warrior, ext. warrior variation, triangle, warrior 1 with eagle arms, twisting warrior) with a ½ salutation between the two sides. Usually, when staying with this friend, I abandon all routines, but this time I’m fighting the urge to stay on track and continue healing.

[ americanifesto / 場黑麥 / jpr / urbanartopia / whorphan ]

returning for Wotan

3/21/2018

The successes of yesterday have continued into today. I awoke early, made my bed, said my supplications, did all 12 steps of QIgong meditation, and then did most of the first half of the first course of Ana Forrest Daily Intensives. Sitting down to write, I noticed that Vishuddha was still hot and bright, even though I had tried working with and breathing intensely into it during my yoga practice. (Perhaps the reason it was so bright and hot is because I was working with it during practice.)

Encasing it in a box of loving swastikas changed things, as did a conscious effort to define the area of the 5th chakra and keep it from overwhelming (primarily the left-hand, rear quadrant of) the Anahata or 4th chakra. Since confining the Vishuddha the rate at which self-shaming and self-loathing thoughts occur has dropped considerably from a few every minute to one or two an hour. The intensity of the self-sabotage has changed as well, moving from mind-enveloping strength to easily ignored numbness.

Part of my shift in self-perception has been thanks to Chapter 8 from the Tao Te Ching (translation by Jonathan Star): The best way to life is to be like water For water benefits all things and goes against none of them It provides for all people and even cleanses those places a man is loath to go In this way it is just like Tao. This morning’s dreams included many people sitting around talking in a large wooden courtroom, with at least three of the persons present being closely watched over by uniformed guards (who were always positioned in such a way as to have their backs turned toward me).

[ americanifesto / 場黑麥 / jpr / urbanartopia / whorphan ]

on two day

9/24/2013

personal practice today was lesson 1 of Embodying Enoughness by @TurbodogYoga, Chicago. It was a powerful class, especially the guided meditation at the end; I regained an ally and a piece of my power down below. The transformation has begun; the chakras align. aho!

as autumn approaches...

9/19/2013

personal practice: Time of the West, by Turbo Dog - Chicago. my abs are ripped, & I felt an emotion for the first time in 30 years. aho!

on Valtamstag

9/18/2013

taught freestyle, Uddiyana forward bend into classical seated spinal twist, elbow to knee, frog lifting through, bridge, dolphin, dolphin on wall 1 leg up, 3-pose B-series with reverse warrior II, extended warrior variation, pyramid with Achilles tendon stretch, then archer warrior I, runner's stretch, and twisting lunge. warm-down was horse-stance with back traction then forward bend at wall. student struggles less; he is loosening, said that the poses are getting easier for him. huzzah! we've gone from concrete to hard clay in two and half months.
personal practice was a recording of Clear The Chakras, by Heidi Sormaz. 3rd & 2nd nodes opening slowly, lots of balancing on hands helped. I live!

another good day

9/16/2013

personal practice: Who's Got Your Back; Heidi Sormaz. New pose today: Unlocking The Shoulders. It worked! Student made an excellent dolphin.

on this free day

9/13/2013

personal practice: Just To Get Here, by Heidi Sormaz. after a week off, taught 1-hour class to private, shoulder-opening and lots of suns.

on this Thor's day

9/5/2013

personal practice today was Who's Got Your Back, by Heidi Sormaz. I reclaimed my spine this morning, if only briefly. aho, & mahalo!