Saturday, November 2, 2013
Day 42: Nov. 2, 2013
Had lunch today with my Mom, we ate at India Palace (the last time we ate there together was the Saturday before I was let go of Juut; Sept. 28). It is one of our favorite places to dine. She had a lamb dish and I had a chicken korma. We went out so I could find a new pair of shoes to go with my work pants; I haven't purchased new work shoes in a few years so although it felt like a big gulp, it will be good to have them and they should last a while.
Got to hang out with Pippa tonight, watched a bit of a 1960s film A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. I was going to go over to Laura's for a game night, but I don't think that will work out after all with my need for sleep/relaxation before yoga tomorrow.
Today I did not complete my daily minimum (did not practice of sun salutations or meditation - yet, I still might meditate before sleeping). My body told me I needed to take a break today from the physical activity and I took it.
Daily Meal: Lunch with Mom around 3:30 p.m. Delightfully well-rounded and tasted delicious. We did not have any distractions, nor did either of us talk while we were eating. We remained seated and I can say for my part that I did not have more than two handfuls of food (the rest is in my fridge right now, waiting to be eaten tomorrow).
Daily Gratitude: I woke up well rested, the first time in weeks (I did not have any anxiety in my third chakra either)! I woke up initially at 6 a.m. I should have gotten up then but I talked myself into going back to sleep, then I stayed in bed until 9 a.m. Despite my sloth, I was happy to have a slow morning at home, sipping herbal tea while finishing Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown. I feel like today will be a productive day. Although I don't have the inclination to participate in the day-long master class (I had considered it earlier) I will be happy to be out in the sunlight today, taking it all in and not worrying about my weekend/month long unemployment/vacation coming to an end. I have been very blessed this month in connecting with others and being able to share my story. I hope that I have enriched the lives of others as much as they have touched mine. I am trying to share my gratitude as much as possible by increasing the amount of effort I put into meaningful connection, saying thank you and sending notes of thanks in the mail.
Got to hang out with Pippa tonight, watched a bit of a 1960s film A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. I was going to go over to Laura's for a game night, but I don't think that will work out after all with my need for sleep/relaxation before yoga tomorrow.
Today I did not complete my daily minimum (did not practice of sun salutations or meditation - yet, I still might meditate before sleeping). My body told me I needed to take a break today from the physical activity and I took it.
Daily Meal: Lunch with Mom around 3:30 p.m. Delightfully well-rounded and tasted delicious. We did not have any distractions, nor did either of us talk while we were eating. We remained seated and I can say for my part that I did not have more than two handfuls of food (the rest is in my fridge right now, waiting to be eaten tomorrow).
Daily Gratitude: I woke up well rested, the first time in weeks (I did not have any anxiety in my third chakra either)! I woke up initially at 6 a.m. I should have gotten up then but I talked myself into going back to sleep, then I stayed in bed until 9 a.m. Despite my sloth, I was happy to have a slow morning at home, sipping herbal tea while finishing Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown. I feel like today will be a productive day. Although I don't have the inclination to participate in the day-long master class (I had considered it earlier) I will be happy to be out in the sunlight today, taking it all in and not worrying about my weekend/month long unemployment/vacation coming to an end. I have been very blessed this month in connecting with others and being able to share my story. I hope that I have enriched the lives of others as much as they have touched mine. I am trying to share my gratitude as much as possible by increasing the amount of effort I put into meaningful connection, saying thank you and sending notes of thanks in the mail.
Day 41: Nov. 1, 2013
Well that was a weird meditation; I thought I would do it right away in the morning today and I ended up drifting off. I was not sleeping but I caught myself with random thoughts that were different from other days when all my brain wants to think of is "what to do next." I reeled myself in three or four times. Not bad by any means but not focused on my breath as I should have been. I did feel a lightness in my head though which was really nice in comparison to all of my other meditations which have been just so dense, full of demands.
I will be meeting Wynnie later on today for lunch and then Kara this evening to practice teaching. This morning I will spend some time reading and then maybe work on some flash cards. I decided to go out and buy some index cards and pens so that I can put these sequences down on cards and them put them in order. It will be similar to our manual but personalizing it with my verbiage I think will be helpful :)
Daily Practice: Met with Kara about 7 p.m. until 8:15 p.m. We took turns teaching the standing and balancing postures; did not practice the seated today. We found it helpful to compare notes/questions about inhales/exhales, twisting/pivoting feet and arms up to T.
Daily Meal: Had lunch with Wynnie. Enjoyed a walleye sandwich with sweet potato fries. It was good to catch up with her (she was one of my favorite guests at Juut and misses my presence there). We have a special connection; she feels that we have a past-life connection and that we are meant to help one another in this life. I don't disagree with her assertion, but I don't have any experience with past life regression. We enjoy talking about energy work and chakras. She is a great teacher and channels poetry. She is struggling with a potential move back to Oregon (not sure when to cut ties with friends/ how she will maintain relationships in MN).
Daily Meditation: In the morning, right away, mentioned above.^
Daily Gratitude: So thankful that I found a few pairs of work pants at The Limited; I had help from an associate named Patricia. She helped me find the right sizes and offered to pin my pants so I could have them hemmed. I brought these pants to a tailor in the mall, Barb, who did an excellent job. She was very efficient and made me try on each pair to ensure that they fit well. It's amazing how these new pants help me feel like I'm "ready to go" to work on Monday.
I will be meeting Wynnie later on today for lunch and then Kara this evening to practice teaching. This morning I will spend some time reading and then maybe work on some flash cards. I decided to go out and buy some index cards and pens so that I can put these sequences down on cards and them put them in order. It will be similar to our manual but personalizing it with my verbiage I think will be helpful :)
Daily Practice: Met with Kara about 7 p.m. until 8:15 p.m. We took turns teaching the standing and balancing postures; did not practice the seated today. We found it helpful to compare notes/questions about inhales/exhales, twisting/pivoting feet and arms up to T.
Daily Meal: Had lunch with Wynnie. Enjoyed a walleye sandwich with sweet potato fries. It was good to catch up with her (she was one of my favorite guests at Juut and misses my presence there). We have a special connection; she feels that we have a past-life connection and that we are meant to help one another in this life. I don't disagree with her assertion, but I don't have any experience with past life regression. We enjoy talking about energy work and chakras. She is a great teacher and channels poetry. She is struggling with a potential move back to Oregon (not sure when to cut ties with friends/ how she will maintain relationships in MN).
Daily Meditation: In the morning, right away, mentioned above.^
Daily Gratitude: So thankful that I found a few pairs of work pants at The Limited; I had help from an associate named Patricia. She helped me find the right sizes and offered to pin my pants so I could have them hemmed. I brought these pants to a tailor in the mall, Barb, who did an excellent job. She was very efficient and made me try on each pair to ensure that they fit well. It's amazing how these new pants help me feel like I'm "ready to go" to work on Monday.
Day 40: Oct. 31, 2013
Daily Practice: In the living room this morning from 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Did 5 Sun As, 5 Sun Bs, then went through all the standing, balancing and seated postures through Marichyasana. I did a couple of other stretches at the end and gave myself a short 2 minute savasana.
Daily Mediation: I sat for about 10 minutes this morning. Was interrupted in my meditation by a phone call and did not get back to it afterwards (I know I should have but I wanted to get on with my day). I usually use my cell phone's timer as my alert to come out of meditation but I forgot to put it on Airplane mode. Note to self to disable calls/texts so the only noise that emanates is the timer...
Daily Yoga Meal Record: I had a bowl of acorn squash soup and a serving of risotto with sweet potatoes, apples and kale from Good Earth. It was Andrew's day off of work and he texted me saying he would like to go out. It was around 3:30, so a late lunch. We had good conversation. Talked about cognizance/our first awareness of ourselves as children; not really sure what brought that up. We enjoyed a green tea together (Clouds and Mist blend) – he had a burger for lunch that had avocado, sprouts, tomato, an aioli sauce, lettuce and he nixed the gruyere cheese (dairy allergy). We took our time, did not over eat – I took home a large amount of risotto, it was a plentiful serving. There were no distractions and we did not talk while eating. I think it can be easier sometimes to enjoy a good meal with another person because when you're not rushed, you can take time to enjoy the beauty of the food and the conversation and not sacrifice/compromise one for the other.
Daily Gratitude: I am SO SO SO grateful today that I was issued an unemployment benefit check, I can be sure to pay my rent on time! I have been waiting about a month for approval and I am so grateful because this check will help me get by until I receive my first paycheck from my new job.
Daily Mediation: I sat for about 10 minutes this morning. Was interrupted in my meditation by a phone call and did not get back to it afterwards (I know I should have but I wanted to get on with my day). I usually use my cell phone's timer as my alert to come out of meditation but I forgot to put it on Airplane mode. Note to self to disable calls/texts so the only noise that emanates is the timer...
Daily Yoga Meal Record: I had a bowl of acorn squash soup and a serving of risotto with sweet potatoes, apples and kale from Good Earth. It was Andrew's day off of work and he texted me saying he would like to go out. It was around 3:30, so a late lunch. We had good conversation. Talked about cognizance/our first awareness of ourselves as children; not really sure what brought that up. We enjoyed a green tea together (Clouds and Mist blend) – he had a burger for lunch that had avocado, sprouts, tomato, an aioli sauce, lettuce and he nixed the gruyere cheese (dairy allergy). We took our time, did not over eat – I took home a large amount of risotto, it was a plentiful serving. There were no distractions and we did not talk while eating. I think it can be easier sometimes to enjoy a good meal with another person because when you're not rushed, you can take time to enjoy the beauty of the food and the conversation and not sacrifice/compromise one for the other.
Daily Gratitude: I am SO SO SO grateful today that I was issued an unemployment benefit check, I can be sure to pay my rent on time! I have been waiting about a month for approval and I am so grateful because this check will help me get by until I receive my first paycheck from my new job.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Day 39: Oct. 30, 2013
Went to Ted's 9:30 Hatha Class; first time in his class. He has a very light spirit, a lot of laughter about bodies not being perfect/trying things out to just see how your body feels in the pose. The students in the class all seemed to love his carefree approach. I did laugh a few times too, which was nice. Diane was in class today (she is someone I met the first week I started my training; I get the feeling that she is in every morning, I just happen to be going to a lot of evening classes so our paths haven't crossed).
After class, Aviel and I stayed in the studio so that I could practice teaching. Before we went through the postures we decided to meditate together (much more motivational than meditating alone at home). So we sat in the studio, lights dimmed for 20 minutes. There were a few times where I thought I heard another person breathing in the studio but I think it was just the heating/cooling system. My mind was very stubborn and wanted to have me prioritize a list of tasks. I had to keep putting that desire aside. Aviel had a very gentle timer that went off and did not cause me to have a heart attack, which was nice! He and I talked a little about our experience meditating, I told him about my restless mind and he said his was busy too.
We then took about an hour going through the standing, balancing and seated postures. We skipped Sun A and Sun B because we had done them together that day in Ted's class (and we both feel fairly confident with these sequences). From Padagustasana to Marichyasana. I had trouble hearing his breathing but I took the time to watching his chest/ribs expand and contract and counted to five several times. It was tricky trying to determine if these breaths were his natural pace or if he was breathing slowly to accommodate for my slow direction. I asked him afterwards and the thought that it was a good pace, a little slow but that he prefers working in a slower pace. He said I had a nice cadence and that I was permissive. Aviel has a limited range of motion in some poses and I wanted to be sure I was providing accommodation for his needs, especially in standing/balancing poses. It was helpful for me to observe him and learn from him what he is not capable of doing. He was not frustrated with my questions. I don't know how to be not overly concerned with how my directions impact a practitioner with limited motion abilities. Do I trust that they (newer students) will make modifications/adjustments as necessary without my verbal guidance if I am not aware of their limitation? Do I make an announcement before the class begins to clarify my needs as an instructor ("please communicate with me if you have any concerns or questions?") or do I trust that they will ask for help if they cannot come up with a modification on their own (I will of course list those that I know in an efficient manner, but if I don't know that they can't turn their neck or reach opposite elbows...)?
Daily Yoga Meal: Ate dinner with Amy. We made Annie's mac and cheese and had peas with it. Very starchy but it was a playful meal that harkened back to our childhood. We were kind of rushed in our eating as Amy needed to leave to get to her meditation practice. We did enjoy each other's company and pleasant conversation in between bites. We remained seated and did not have any external distractions (which was an oddity because usually at her apartment music is playing all the time). I would say my serving size was appropriate and that I did not over indulge.
Daily Gratitude: Happy I was able to meet up with Amy tonight; learned that her mom Ann is on her way to New Zealand, how fantastic to be retired and have friends abroad! It was a great evening of learning for me. Amy was willing to be my student today and I led her through 3 Sun As, 3 Sun Bs and then all the standing, balancing and seated postures through Marichyasana. She is working with chronic neck pain so I was sure to check in with her throughout practice (I know this would not be done in a larger class setting but since I met with Aviel earlier today, I learned to be a little more sensitive to restrictions students have; Amy couldn't lift her gaze in any revolved/twisted posture). She said I had a very calming presence and that the pacing was good for her, so that was reassuring. It was very evident working with her where my word choices/descriptions come into play (i.e. Prasarita Padottanasana C, when I told her to come to a T shape with her hand and then clasp her hands together, I forgot to mention "behind her back, below her hips" because she clasped her hands together above her head! This was a good learning experience for me, I laughed a little and asked to start that posture over again). All in all, a very rewarding experience. We shared dinner together afterwards and then she had to head out to a meditation session at Common Grounds Meditation Center. She invited me to come along but I felt pretty zonked at that point and kind of wanted to head home to sleep. It sounds like a great place to explore though and I do enjoy group meditation, so I might join her in the near future.
After class, Aviel and I stayed in the studio so that I could practice teaching. Before we went through the postures we decided to meditate together (much more motivational than meditating alone at home). So we sat in the studio, lights dimmed for 20 minutes. There were a few times where I thought I heard another person breathing in the studio but I think it was just the heating/cooling system. My mind was very stubborn and wanted to have me prioritize a list of tasks. I had to keep putting that desire aside. Aviel had a very gentle timer that went off and did not cause me to have a heart attack, which was nice! He and I talked a little about our experience meditating, I told him about my restless mind and he said his was busy too.
We then took about an hour going through the standing, balancing and seated postures. We skipped Sun A and Sun B because we had done them together that day in Ted's class (and we both feel fairly confident with these sequences). From Padagustasana to Marichyasana. I had trouble hearing his breathing but I took the time to watching his chest/ribs expand and contract and counted to five several times. It was tricky trying to determine if these breaths were his natural pace or if he was breathing slowly to accommodate for my slow direction. I asked him afterwards and the thought that it was a good pace, a little slow but that he prefers working in a slower pace. He said I had a nice cadence and that I was permissive. Aviel has a limited range of motion in some poses and I wanted to be sure I was providing accommodation for his needs, especially in standing/balancing poses. It was helpful for me to observe him and learn from him what he is not capable of doing. He was not frustrated with my questions. I don't know how to be not overly concerned with how my directions impact a practitioner with limited motion abilities. Do I trust that they (newer students) will make modifications/adjustments as necessary without my verbal guidance if I am not aware of their limitation? Do I make an announcement before the class begins to clarify my needs as an instructor ("please communicate with me if you have any concerns or questions?") or do I trust that they will ask for help if they cannot come up with a modification on their own (I will of course list those that I know in an efficient manner, but if I don't know that they can't turn their neck or reach opposite elbows...)?
Daily Yoga Meal: Ate dinner with Amy. We made Annie's mac and cheese and had peas with it. Very starchy but it was a playful meal that harkened back to our childhood. We were kind of rushed in our eating as Amy needed to leave to get to her meditation practice. We did enjoy each other's company and pleasant conversation in between bites. We remained seated and did not have any external distractions (which was an oddity because usually at her apartment music is playing all the time). I would say my serving size was appropriate and that I did not over indulge.
Daily Gratitude: Happy I was able to meet up with Amy tonight; learned that her mom Ann is on her way to New Zealand, how fantastic to be retired and have friends abroad! It was a great evening of learning for me. Amy was willing to be my student today and I led her through 3 Sun As, 3 Sun Bs and then all the standing, balancing and seated postures through Marichyasana. She is working with chronic neck pain so I was sure to check in with her throughout practice (I know this would not be done in a larger class setting but since I met with Aviel earlier today, I learned to be a little more sensitive to restrictions students have; Amy couldn't lift her gaze in any revolved/twisted posture). She said I had a very calming presence and that the pacing was good for her, so that was reassuring. It was very evident working with her where my word choices/descriptions come into play (i.e. Prasarita Padottanasana C, when I told her to come to a T shape with her hand and then clasp her hands together, I forgot to mention "behind her back, below her hips" because she clasped her hands together above her head! This was a good learning experience for me, I laughed a little and asked to start that posture over again). All in all, a very rewarding experience. We shared dinner together afterwards and then she had to head out to a meditation session at Common Grounds Meditation Center. She invited me to come along but I felt pretty zonked at that point and kind of wanted to head home to sleep. It sounds like a great place to explore though and I do enjoy group meditation, so I might join her in the near future.
Day 38: Oct. 29, 2013
I met up with Aviel today at the studio and we went over the standing, balancing and seated postures. We only spent an hour together today so I did not get a chance to do any teaching but I let him teach me, I figured I have this entire week at my disposal for practicing so I am not in any rush.
Feeling a little moody right now. Thinking it's just hormones. Of course perhaps I'm just feeling a little bit on edge because I am just sitting around. I should be happy to not have to focus on anything before I start work next week, but I feel like I still have unfinished business to attend to, like finding a spot for my 401k from Juut to roll-over to; get a temporary health care plan... call my Farmor.
Daily Practice: standing postures, balancing postures and seated postures with Aviel.
Daily Meditation: at home after practicing with Aviel; mid-afternoon, sat in the living room. Was a little distracted by the sound of sirens outside (two distinct times fire trucks roared by). Still fighting the desire to "get stuff done."
Daily Yoga Meal Record: I did not eat a lot of whole meals today... I definitely dropped the ball. With coffee in the morning I had a scone; then I went to yoga, then I came home and ate a piece of toast. I don't think I actually ate dinner – although I did eat a bowl of cereal a few hours before I went to sleep.
Daily Gratitude: Happy I was able to meet up with Chrissy and her son Harvey today. Had a latte, my first coffee since the end of September; it was quite a treat (and while I have removed caffeine from my diet, I did not notice any effects from introducing this into my diet today).
Feeling a little moody right now. Thinking it's just hormones. Of course perhaps I'm just feeling a little bit on edge because I am just sitting around. I should be happy to not have to focus on anything before I start work next week, but I feel like I still have unfinished business to attend to, like finding a spot for my 401k from Juut to roll-over to; get a temporary health care plan... call my Farmor.
Daily Practice: standing postures, balancing postures and seated postures with Aviel.
Daily Meditation: at home after practicing with Aviel; mid-afternoon, sat in the living room. Was a little distracted by the sound of sirens outside (two distinct times fire trucks roared by). Still fighting the desire to "get stuff done."
Daily Yoga Meal Record: I did not eat a lot of whole meals today... I definitely dropped the ball. With coffee in the morning I had a scone; then I went to yoga, then I came home and ate a piece of toast. I don't think I actually ate dinner – although I did eat a bowl of cereal a few hours before I went to sleep.
Daily Gratitude: Happy I was able to meet up with Chrissy and her son Harvey today. Had a latte, my first coffee since the end of September; it was quite a treat (and while I have removed caffeine from my diet, I did not notice any effects from introducing this into my diet today).
Day 37: Oct. 28, 2013
I stayed mainly inside today. I felt pretty lethargic. I did not do any yoga postures but I did sit in silent meditation for 20 minutes. I probably would have benefitted from a longer time but I was fighting the vice of anxiousness/need to get stuff done monster.
Daily Practice: n/a
Daily Meditation: 20 minutes in the late morning.
Daily Yoga Meal: Had chicken with broccoli, cauliflower and carrots; side of brown rice. Stopped half way through meal, had too much on my plate. Saved the rest for leftovers (half a chicken breast, 1/4 cup of brown rice; had eaten all the vegetables). No distractions. Minimal conversation. Ate with Andrew, it was his night off. He cooked dinner while I helped him winterize his windows.
Daily Gratitude: Glad I was not required to do much of anything today (other than drive to Hastings and fill out paperwork for the Union job which starts next Monday). Glad I was able to spend some time with Andrew this evening; enjoyed dinner together and watched two movies! We were both feeling pretty lazy and were just happy to enjoy one another's company.
Daily Practice: n/a
Daily Meditation: 20 minutes in the late morning.
Daily Yoga Meal: Had chicken with broccoli, cauliflower and carrots; side of brown rice. Stopped half way through meal, had too much on my plate. Saved the rest for leftovers (half a chicken breast, 1/4 cup of brown rice; had eaten all the vegetables). No distractions. Minimal conversation. Ate with Andrew, it was his night off. He cooked dinner while I helped him winterize his windows.
Daily Gratitude: Glad I was not required to do much of anything today (other than drive to Hastings and fill out paperwork for the Union job which starts next Monday). Glad I was able to spend some time with Andrew this evening; enjoyed dinner together and watched two movies! We were both feeling pretty lazy and were just happy to enjoy one another's company.
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