November's challenge is to meditate daily.
I thought of doing the day-by-day breakdown of how it felt... but, my God, that sounds boring doesn't it? Day 1, I sat quietly for ten minute. Day 2, I sat quietly for ten minutes.
And really, that's what it is. Sitting quietly. Focusing on my breath. Taking 10-20 minutes a day to calm myself, disengage from the frenzy of the outside world, and focus on being. Just being.
It's a lovely sentiment, but 12 days in, I'm not feeling particularly lovely. I've struggled decided how exactly to meditate. I've been dipping in and out of a 21-day series of guided meditation from Deepak Chopra. It's fine, but I'm never sure what to do with myself in the ten minutes that leads up to the meditation. I've had some luck with apps that play soothing music and quietly turn themselves off after 10 minutes.
I'm thinking perhaps I need more than 10 minutes to fully relax into the practice. Since I was able to find at least 15 minutes in my day to do yoga, I think I'll tweak the mediation to at least 15 minutes.
Namaste!
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Yoga Every Damn Day: A Retrospective
I did yoga every day for 31 days... pretty much.
Though there were a couple days I missed or didn't do enough yoga to meet my 15 minute rule, I'm still ruling this month a success! It's funny-- I had some goals and expectations going into it. I wanted to be able roll out a mat and effortlessly do 60 minutes of flow. That definitely didn't happen. I continued to struggle remembering poses, fighting through the boredom and keeping my attention on the mat. But I certainly improved, and got better at focusing on my breath.
My form on a few poses improved dramatically. Chaturangas, downward facing dogs, standing splits-- they're all more graceful, energetic and dynamic than they were before. Did I master the handstand? Nope. But do I feel more comfortable in my poses than I did a month ago? Definitely.
And of course, one cannot exercise consistently and not discuss the aesthetic results! My arms, guys. My arms! They look different! Slimmer, more defined, and HELLO! I have muscles.
So, that's the wrap up on a month of yoga! The main result-- I'm better at yoga! And best of all, I'm not sick of it. The first 10 days of November have been busy but I've worked in three yoga practices, and I'm looking forward to getting some more time on the mat.
Namaste.
Though there were a couple days I missed or didn't do enough yoga to meet my 15 minute rule, I'm still ruling this month a success! It's funny-- I had some goals and expectations going into it. I wanted to be able roll out a mat and effortlessly do 60 minutes of flow. That definitely didn't happen. I continued to struggle remembering poses, fighting through the boredom and keeping my attention on the mat. But I certainly improved, and got better at focusing on my breath.
My form on a few poses improved dramatically. Chaturangas, downward facing dogs, standing splits-- they're all more graceful, energetic and dynamic than they were before. Did I master the handstand? Nope. But do I feel more comfortable in my poses than I did a month ago? Definitely.
And of course, one cannot exercise consistently and not discuss the aesthetic results! My arms, guys. My arms! They look different! Slimmer, more defined, and HELLO! I have muscles.
So, that's the wrap up on a month of yoga! The main result-- I'm better at yoga! And best of all, I'm not sick of it. The first 10 days of November have been busy but I've worked in three yoga practices, and I'm looking forward to getting some more time on the mat.
Namaste.
Yoga Every Damn Day: Days 29-31
I have been neglecting the account of my challenges. Which make sense, since I've sort of been neglecting my challenges! But rather than dwell on that, I'll dive into the end of my yoga daily challenge.
Day 29
I went to a pal's house to watch the Giants play. They won the world series! It was a very good night, but you know how it goes... we drank beer, we ate pizza. When I got home, I was pretty exhausted. I climbed into bed and while Andrew brushed his teeth, I did some winding down stretches to ready myself for sleep. I do NOT give myself full marks for this day!
Day 30
Tonight is Book Club at a friend's house across town. Rather than let it be an excuse, I decide to arrive fashionably late and get in my yoga time. I do a thirty minute video with yoga celebrity Mandy Ingber. It's a good workout, but I find myself focusing on her personality, and thinking critically of the problem with wrapping up your practice in a single person. So much for staying in the moment!
Day 31
Halloween! There are a few parties we could go to, but Andrew and I are exhausted from our unexpected trip to Southern California. We decide to stick closer to home and head to the local bar around the corner. With easy plans in place, I feel good about going to a 5:45 yoga class. It's an awesome, sweaty practice, and the perfect way to end the month.
Day 29
I went to a pal's house to watch the Giants play. They won the world series! It was a very good night, but you know how it goes... we drank beer, we ate pizza. When I got home, I was pretty exhausted. I climbed into bed and while Andrew brushed his teeth, I did some winding down stretches to ready myself for sleep. I do NOT give myself full marks for this day!
Day 30
Tonight is Book Club at a friend's house across town. Rather than let it be an excuse, I decide to arrive fashionably late and get in my yoga time. I do a thirty minute video with yoga celebrity Mandy Ingber. It's a good workout, but I find myself focusing on her personality, and thinking critically of the problem with wrapping up your practice in a single person. So much for staying in the moment!
Day 31
Halloween! There are a few parties we could go to, but Andrew and I are exhausted from our unexpected trip to Southern California. We decide to stick closer to home and head to the local bar around the corner. With easy plans in place, I feel good about going to a 5:45 yoga class. It's an awesome, sweaty practice, and the perfect way to end the month.
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