Saturday, September 4, 2010

Days 34, 35, & 36: Struggling through ennui

The past three days, I really have not wanted to go to class. I have gone, but I have struggled with a sour feeling towards leaving the house. The classes themselves have been fine, but man, I just don't wanna goooooo some days. The interesting thing about this is that once I get to class, I'm mostly fine and focused. It's just that anxiety that builds pre-class that urges me to quit rearing its ugly head. I usually feel better after class, and it's better for me to go earlier so I get it out of the way and don't spend all day stressing about how I don't want to go.

I've been having a nice deal of improvement on the compression postures lately. My body has begun to grasp the concept of lengthening my spine with the help of my stomach contraction. I can now touch my head to my knee in standing separate leg head to knee pose! Okay, sometimes it's more like the bridge of my nose or part of my face, but mostly it's my forehead! It's still pretty awkward and I have to push my chest out of the way to the right spot, but it's getting better. I have to be careful to not let my shirt fall towards my nose and block my airway. That makes for gasping breathing, not slow and steady breathing.

In surprising news, I was able to lock my left leg in head to knee in the floor series. I could only hold it briefly, but I wasn't even expecting to get that far in the pose at all! My right leg is usually way ahead of the left, but in this pose I'm starting to feel my years-old right hamstring injury working its way out. In other hamstring news, my left hamstring is almost completely back to normal. I'm very grateful. The only pose I feel it in is standing separate leg stretching and I think this pose might have been where I hurt it. I think I need to focus simply on locking my knees for a while, and not pulling my head towards the ground.

I'm creeping up on 40 days, and that is exciting in itself. I know I'll be able to finish the challenge, and truth be told, I'm really looking forward to a day off. I'm thinking forward to post-challenge life and how my practice will continue after that. After the challenge, I'll be going to Boston for a couple weeks to visit my family because my sister is having a baby! In Boston, I'm going to set a 3-class a week rule. I must practice at least six times while I'm in the northeast. Then, I'm thinking I'll go back to my 5-class a week minimum with a 6 class a week preference. I'm getting a little ahead of myself, though, so time for this entry to end!

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