A dance partner

The room was packed. I was ONE foot from my neighbor... and I loved it. I don't know if the feeling was mutual but I really fed off her energy and had an amazing class. I hope she got something from me too.

With the seasonal temperature changing outside, the heat and humidity in the room is off. So it was a little cool in there today.

Good Class. My Janushirasana with Paschimotthanasana ( Head to Knee pose) was strong. I was able to flex my heal off the ground on both sides, elbows bent, forehead to knee, throat choked. I tapped into the way my body worked against itself- for itself- to compress.

I started to bend my elbows on the second set and left side of Dandayamana Janushirasana (Standing Head to Knee). Progress is a long time coming in that one. I am not confident that I will be able to repeat this step forward again so I will be happy with today.

Beauty!

Nourishment and Circulation

I share two yoga related subjects with you today.

First and foremost NOURISHMENT in the form of a recipe I found on my local Bikram Studio's blog.

A delicious but somewhat time consuming recipe of deliciousness from the Susan V at the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen. Please note that I doubled the dressing measurements once I realized how much salad I was actually making!

International Quinoa Salad:


Quinoa:

1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed very well
2 1/4 cups water
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)

Vegetables:

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 medium-large tomatoes, finely chopped
kernels of 2 ears of cooked corn (about 1 cup)
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced
2/3 cup parsley — minced
1/3 cup fresh mint — minced
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced (reserve a few slices for garnish)

Dressing:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (NOT lemon)
3 tablespoons vegetable broth or bean cooking liquid
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste (optional)
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper

To cook the quinoa in a pressure cooker, place it and the water, garlic, and salt in the cooker and lock the lid. Over high heat, bring to high pressure and cook for one minute. Remove from heat and allow the pressure to come down naturally. Fluff the quinoa and allow it to cool.

Combine all of the vegetables in a large bowl. Add the quinoa and mix well. Whisk the dressing ingredients together and pour over the salad. Mix well and refrigerate until chilled. Taste before serving, and add more lime juice as necessary (you want it to be tangy). Garnish with avocado slices and serve. Makes about 8 servings.

Now that you are well and fed, the second thing I want to talk about is CIRCULATION. Have you experienced increased tingling, decreased tingling, legs and arms falling asleep more often, ect. since you started your practice? I cannot help but wonder if the tingling I am experiencing is somehow connected to what I do in the hot room. During class, we routinely cut off circulation to different parts of our body in order to increase circulation to others.

Any insight?

I am still a student

Every once in a while, I stumble upon an idea that taps into this great energy. It goes something like this; positivity gives positivity in all rightness. It is an endless energy of circular proportions in my mind. I am reading a book on Ayurvedic Medicine, an introduction to. In my mind it is the concept of 'Pure Awareness'. It is how I rationalize my presence on this earth.

Regardless of whether or not you understand what I am trying to say above... here is a good point. We take much for granted. If I just stopped and said, 'My practice right now is all that I ever hoped it would be, and I am so grateful for it.' My life would be much more peaceful. My mind at rest. I guess in simple terms an appreciation of here and now is missing.

I want to stop grasping at the great energy of my ramblings in the first paragraph above, and just accept it's existence in my life.

"Many of us grew up with the belief that achieving success requires relentless hard work, grim determination and intense ambition. As a result, we may have struggled for years and even reached some of our goals but wound up feeling exhausted, our lives out of balance...such desperate striving isn’t necessary or even desirable. In the natural world, creation comes forth with ease. A seed doesn’t struggle to become a tree―it simply unfolds in grace." >- Deepak Chopra on the seven spiritual laws of success.

8PM class was humid. I am moving forward in my practice with deeper asanas and better control over the chaotic energies that I feel during the day. I had a different instructor today, he was just what I have been missing. He was hard on us and I needed it. He directed our focus as a class to set our pace/motivation during Pranayama Series and really tapped into our group energy to push and push and push. He reinforced a forgotten tip for Garurasana (Eagles Pose). Stick your butt out farther than you think you should while bringing your chest up to create the c-curve in your spine. On a separate note of progress, I lifted my left heal up with strength and flexibility to spare during Janushirasana with Paschimotthanasana (Head to Knee Pose).

I guess the themes of this post are two opposing energies. Hard-work versus acceptance. I am struggling with finding a happy median between the two.

Solid

My body is a bar. It is strong and solid. My body is a bar and my practice is elevated. I lay on it, and balance myself side to side.
I felt so strong today. For once I got through the spine strengthening series with 100% effort and felt like I had something to be proud of. Now I am sore. My back feels abused. I will go tomorrow.