Monday, August 22, 2011

Ashtanga yoga practice a day keeps the doctor away: day1

Since traveling 9000 miles in March to India to learn how to balance my doshas, I have struggled with my hot vinyasa addiction. As much as I love the fluidity, the heat and the fun atmosphere, my reality is that I need a cooler and calmer practice. This has been a hard pill to swallow.

As I avoid the steamy classes, my body feels parched and inflexible. I try to practice here and there but not nearly as much as I need.

No time to go to the studio today so I decided to take my practice into my own hands. I moved aside the furniture in my living room and rolled out my mat. All the familiar noises greeted me: dogs barking, kids chatting, TV on, phone ringing. I began to breathe, it all melted away. I began with my beloved surya namaskar A then B, slowly my creaking bones and joints loosened and reached toward their familiar suppleness. Then the standing series, still warming and insightful as far as how everything feels. By the end of the standing postures, I could feel a definite drop in my mental chatter and an increase in my body temperature.

Jumping into the first seated posture dandasana felt stiff and labored. By the last one I sailed through. Ahh I felt amazing. So my goal is to practice at home every day. I may still trot off to a vinyasa class from time to time but deep down I know what that does to my fiery Pitta body, and it is not worth it.