Less than 2 hours

I'm fully dressed, ready to go out to go to R. and friends a block away.
Champagne to go is in the fridge.
2 hours can be very long.............

Less than 3 hours here

Our Indian friends are already through. Happy New Year.

It was absolutely quiet

It was time to meditate.
Everything is prepared for the dinner. So I sat down on my Indian blanket and meditated. The house where I live is deserted. Outside nothing happened, too. So I sat on my blanket and I experienced silence. Thoughts came up and passed by. After 10 min my meditation clock told me that it is over. I bowed forward. And also these moments are over already.

Music from the radio tells me that there is no time for sadness today. They play very rhytmic songs today. It's time to celebrate the last year. I love this day of the year. Still 5 hours and then 2008 is over. Oh, it's sooooooo exciting. :)

I love full vinyasas - primary today, my last practice this year

I like full vinyasas. Gravity helps me when I bow forward from standing position. It reminds me to bow forwards from the hips, to keep the back straight and to open the chest. To get back to the pose samasthiti once in a while allows me to stroll around a bit. I had music on today and made some breaks from time to time.

Marichyasana c and d: I wanted to catch the wrist today. I wouldn't have given up and I catched the wrist, despite the 2 extra pounds on my sweet belly.
Supta kurmasana: Put my legs behind my head, one after the other. It becomes easier as well. I must hold the leg, that's perhaps the next step to keep the leg behind the head without holding it.
Urdhva dhanurasana: like yesterday.

The focus of the primary series (beside the breath of course) and challenge for the next year still is: supta kurmasana, jumping through and back, tittibasana and urdhva dhanurasana.

This was my last practice this year and it was wonderful.

There is another gift that I make me this year: I will sit in silence for 10 minutes, just to enjoy to be on this earth, to enjoy simplicity.

That I burn some incense now, that I have put on my favourite jewellery, my toe rings from India does not contradict the last sentence.

As bf will arrive at 9 p.m. this evening, which is rather late, I fear that this won't be my last post today. I know him, he wanted to sleep long. Important is that he does not drive too fast. OMG how he likes to drive fast. We'll have time for my late Indian dinner from 9 through 11. At 11 p.m. we'll go round the corner to see some friends and to drink Champagne together and eat some "Krapfen" (a German cake). Food and beverages again, I know, I know.
But we will also look to the stars and the stars are for free for everybody.

A travelling guru

A guru is travelling and stops at a little island where 3 monks are living. When he passes by he hears that they recite a mantra totally wrong. He stops and teaches the monks the correct mantra. The monks thank him exuberantly.

Soon the guru went on with his trip. The ship was already on the sea, when he heard loud voices coming from the shore. He turned around and saw how the monks were walking on the water towards the ship: They shouted: "Guru, wait! We've forgotten the mantra!".

Freely translated by me: Out of the book: Da lacht der Erleuchtete by Eli Jaxon-Bear and Sabrina Lorenz.

Life is an onion

A spiritual seeker was determined to fathom the meaning of life. He took to a long and arduous trip to the Himalaya to find his guru. He crested mountains and crossed rapid rivers. Finally after great efforts and privations he found the guru, who lived in a cave of rocks.
"Oh guru", he said with his last strength, "tell me, what is the meaning of life?"
"Life is like an onion", answered the guru.
"Life is like an onion??????????" called out the man.
"Never mind", the guru waved aside," then it is not like an onion."

(Out of the book: Da lacht der Erleuchtete by Eli Jaxon-Bear and Sabrina Lorenz. I hope the joke is not lost through my translation)

The problems of others

Nobody wants to have the problems of others, of the neighbours, of colleagues, of the parents, of fellow blogger.
Isn't this a good reason to be happy with the own problems?
Or does anybody like to have my problems? Yes? Ahhhh, you don't know them.
I'm happy with my challenges, I don't want to have yours.

To sneak off - once a year

I already warned E. that also in 2009 I will sneak off for Mumbai for a while.
To leave everything behind for a while is great.

Mumbai for a fortnight, that's it. Tralali, it will happen, I only have to write it down often enough.

3 points...

... that make it easier to do a daily Ashanga practice.

1. To practice in the morning before breakfast, every day at the same place is a really a supportive habit. To step on the mat without much thinking, but to start practicing is just ideal.

2. A healthy lifestyle, with almost no alcoholic beverages and a vegan diet support the yoga immensly. For my joints it's essential nowadays. When thinner practice gets easier.

3. To have the possibility to practice once in a week in a group or to have once in a week a led class is unpayable. It always gives me a lot of motivation for my home practice.

Of couse there might be other important things that make it easier to practice daily like a warm climate, but these above mentioned 3 points came into my mind spontaneously, so they seem to be more important to me than other points.

I didn't like to be bored on the second last day 2008

Everything was done - the kitchen was clean, clothes were washed and irond, grocery shopping was done. I even practiced yoga. Then I felt bored. The weather didn't invite me to go out.
So, what to do?
I went to my bookshelf. I had read so many spiritual books in the last year and I was curious how I'd found some books that I've read earlier that year. The book by Albert Cohen "Heaven and earth" fell into my hand and I read a bit in it. I remember that I was fascinated when I read the book. But now I cannot believe anymore that a clear intention and a very strong wish is necessary to gain liberation. My newly gained knowledge more or less convinced me that not so much can be done. Our genes, our conditioning, other people, arbitrarily upcoming thoughts affect our life much more than our volition, our intention, our wishes. It's also difficult to take responsibilty. Who shall be responsible? Isn't it rather that life happens. Isn't the freeing aspect the one that makes us understand that we are not the doer.
I've read books by authors that have totally different views of liberation. Perhaps I read a bit too superficially this evening, and I misunderstood Cohen. But one thing disappeared very quickly: boredem.

This yoga practice will kill me one day - in 50 years or so

I practiced. It was in the afternoon when it was inevitable to do the back bending series. Oh, so good. The title is a bit misleading. After ushtrasana nothing was possible anymore, but till ushtrasana it was a great practice. My body felt rather flexible. Music in the background helped me, why not.

Urdhva dhanurasna: I got an encouraging email today from a woman I met in Gokulam. Go on with the pose she wrote me, it will come one day. I had the feeling that I progress, I'm still far away from dropping back on my own, but every progress pleases me. To bend backwards feels good, I really think I do something good for my body.
Ha, done. (And tomorrow I'll check my weight.)

A winter picture

Always distraction:
I just remember the name of this blog; it's about yoga, will get back to this topic

.....I overslept,but next year.......

I overslept, but next year, in 2009,
I will always get up on time,
I will practice 6 days a week without breaks,
I will never eat too much.
In 2009 I swear it, I will become a holy person, without flaws and laziness.

Just a joke.
(Of course I make New Year resolutions avoiding the words always and never, it is proved to be unrealistic.)

What else:
My first fiction that I will read in 2009 will be Harald Pinter's birthday party. Harald Pinter passed away a few days ago. I remembered that we read a short story by him when I was still in school. I loved it.

Listening to Ramesh Balsekar

I made me a fruit tea and switched on the DVD with Ramesh Balsekar.
He was filmed in his home in Mumbai during his daily morning lectures. The film was produced when Ramesh was in his late eighties. He is a very lively man. His concept is written in his books. The contents of the film are not sooooo new to me anymore as they are the same like in his books. To listen to him is another experience than to read books.
I've read his books, I've seen this DVD now, nevertheless to meet such a wise man in person could be something special.
I'm just trying to convince me that it is absolutely necessary to go to India again.
The DVD is a recommendation.

At home and at the station

At home in Hannover:

Me (nervously): E. PLEASE put down the newspaper. We must go now. You must drive me to the station NOW. I still have to buy my ticket to Munich. Please, let's move, I will miss the train otherwise.
He (continuing reading the tabloid press): Relax and all is coming.

I missed the train.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At the station:
One hour later the next train was driving to Munich. After a cup of coffee in one of the cafes at the station we went to the platform. We stood there waiting for the train.
E.: I'll do mathematics when I'll be at home again.
E. (after a while): I'll dedicate it to you.

(Couldn't resist laughing, it obviously needn't to be a yoga practice that one can dedicate to someone).

Last night here in the North

Now I do not feel cold anymore. I have 2 pairs of trousers on. The dinner also warmed me from inside.
I am busy thinking of my last days of this year:
On Monday I will do the usual tasks that need to be done after travelling: doing the laundry, grocery shopping.
On Tuesday I'd like to go to the shala to practice with fellow yogis and yoginis. It will be the last Mysore class that I will attend this year. Afterwards I will buy the ingredients for my Indian meal for our last day 2008. A lot of writing will happen. I like writing down my resolutions for the next year.
On Wednesday I will practice yoga the very last time of the year - alone this time. When E. will arrive from Hannover I will start preparing the dinner - a 3 course meal, Indian style.

2008 was a good year for me, very colorful.
2009 is like a white piece of paper. I neither know how I will earn money, nor do I know anything else.

Buh, a late practice

I got up late, I had a late breakfast. After chatting and laughing for a while with E.'s mother with E. and his brother I found my stomach empty enough to practice. It was warm in the living room and everybody wanted to do something alone. I rolled out my mat and practiced.

No, I didn't expect that sitting on the sofa and lying in bed makes my body flexible and strong. I was stiff today and I had to convince myself several times to go on. After ushtrasana I did urdhva dhanurasana and then the closing sequence. It's good that I practiced, every further day spent only on the sofa would aggravate the situation. Tomorrow I will sit for 5 hours in the train, there won't be time for a yoga practice. Today was an opportunity to interrupt the lazy lifestyle. I practiced, it's always worth doing it.
To be so disciplined to get up every day at 6 for a practice is really good. But who does it.

Now a little nap. To go out for a stroll could be another idea, but it's really cold here, freezing cold. Perhaps after the cofffee and cake I can convince E. to go out with me.

I sit again in the bed, ready for a nap. later we will have coffee and cake, and in the evening we will have something warm. Oh mei.

After midnight

I sit in the bed already. A soft blanket is over the bed to keep me warm, my PC is on my legs. It's so much fun to be online everywhere even in bed. E. and his brother are laughing in the other room, they are watching a comedy. I sit here, write my blog, repeat my vocabulary, check the news. That pleases me.

We met A. and U. our friends, Indian travellers

We met friends of E. this evening. During the years they also became my friends. It's U. and A.

When we arrived with the car they awaited us already in front of the door. We first went to the Christmas market in that little town. We had another glow wine there. Soon all our feet were cold and we headed for the Indian restaurant round the corner. They offered best vegetarian Indian food there. U. is now already 66 (really young at heart), he was one of the first who travelled to India decades ago. It was a time where everybody considered it rather exotic to travel to India. In the meantime his girlfriend was with him in India 5 times. India, travelling, food, were our topics.

After the dinner we went to the house of U. and A. . They wanted to offer us a Porto. We drank this delicious dark red Porto out of very old glasses, that U. inherited from his mother.

Finally we got some more presents. I must always think that it is a law that each vacuum will soon be filled again. The presents were great: an Indian sauce that I will use for my New Year dinner. And we got a trivet to put hot pots on it. Under the glass of this trivet are 4 little bowls to put something in it: sauces, decoration, rice or whatever. It looks really very nice. We had a present, too. A book on mushrooms. U. collects mushrooms in the forests.

It's late already.
My plan for tomorrow: an intensive yoga session with a deep breath. Everything else may others decide.

In the North of Germany

I arrived yesterday in Hannover. Before driving home to E's mother we (me and E., who had picked me up at the station on time) went downtown to have probably the last glow wine for this year. We stopped at a little tea salon. A rather old woman is the owner, but the service people are young beautiful students. The salon is almost always crowded, it's very comfortable there. It's a bit dark inside, but everywhere are candles. People sit on sofas.
At home I got even more presents. I learned that E. is not so happy with his socks. He wants knitted socks, too. I promised him to knit him socks. (But who knows when I will have finished them.)

Half an hour ago I woke up from a nap which should last half an hour but which lasted hours. E. must be somewhere in another room, probably sleeping, too. Or he and his brother are programming C++. that's possible, too. The only diligent person is his mother, who is cleaning and mending E.'s pair of trousers.

On Monday I will return to Munich by train. I don't want to stay till the 31st of December like E. It's too long for me and I don't want to have a hectic last day in the old year. I couldn't convince him to drive home on Monday. So it is. I also want to have a last practice on my best black yoga mat in a room with the right temperature.

I considered a yoga practice now, but it's a bit cold. I should ignore that it is cold. Always I'm complaining: it's cold. As if this is a reason not to practice.

Quick and sloppy in the living room

I practiced between breakfast and lunch. Quickly I went from one asana to the next. Forward bending today. It was soooooo nice to stretch my body.
It followed: relaxation on the sofa.
Time to pack my suitcase.

Time has come...

...where I wish to be alone again.
Everything is perfect, there is nothing to complain. I'm pampered. Nevertheless, I like to be alone. We are all gathered in the living room, which is rather tall, nevertheless I seem not to have a silent hour for myself. I withdraw while reading (hoping this is not too impolite).

Tomorrow I will take the train for Hannover. In the evening I will be there. I regret that I have taken my huge suitcase for the trip. The small one would have been enough. Now I have to carry this huge suitcase and in the train is scarcely room.

Oh, did I mention.....

.....I practiced yesterday before dinner. It was a good practice.
I learn that sometimes the body needs a break to relax and to recover. The performance after a break needn't to be bad only because of a break.

We are all up.
Today we'll have something light for lunch: apple rice. It's a layer rice, a layer apple with sugar and raisins, a layer rice and so on.

All the children (age 49 through 85) are happy

During the afternoon my father has touched the wrapped gifts to guess what it is. He was so curious. Finally the time came to unwrap the presents.

I got an envelop. My father has written a poem for me:
I translate:
We should build bridges,
from the earth to heaven,
so that the light of christmas
shall enlighten the darkness of our earth
to show us the path
to freedom and harmony

Merry Chrismas wish you
Your parents.

I turned the page and saw the cash: I shouted loudly: No, this is too much, this is too much.
They calmed me down.

In addition my mother gave me one of her silver necklace that she had bought for herself. It dangles now around my neck. It's so beautiful. I wanted to refuse to take it, but she insisted that I take it.

But also my bf surprised me very much. Sometimes I think he is so busy with his job that he doesn't see anything else. But obviously he must know that I like languages. A few years ago we had a huge spelling reform here in Germany. Since then also my German spelling is no more up to date. I got the latest "Duden" with all the new spellings in it. Bingo. I love it.

My mother liked the spices, my father the electronic picture frame. Everybody had something to play with. Everybody is happy. I called E. and his mother: There they are happy, too.
Sigh. Thank you.

Today is the "Holy evening".

The day is ritualized.
The highlight is the evening or early evening. During the day usually we do not eat (or better: we try not to eat) that much as we know that we will get more than enough for the big evening dinner: We have every year Sauerkraut with potatoes and sausages (for those who eat meat, I don't). Sauerkraut and potatoes with ketchup is fine for me. I really love it. This is the main course, of course there is a soup in the beginning. I could convince my mother that I do not need a soup, but my father wants a soup ("Leberklöschensuppe" like every year). He wants the classic order. And afterwards there is a dessert, later cookies and oranges are offered with glow wine. Nobody will go to bed with an empty stomach this evening.

What follows is the gift giving. By then it is about 7 or 8 p.m. The gifts are already in the living room. We usually personally hand over the present to the person the present is for. "Merry Christmas", we wish. Unwrapping follows. While everybody is unwrapping the own presents, everybody is also observing the others to see if the own given present was a good choice and to see what else was in the gift boxes.
Often a conversation about the gifts follow: What was a good idea, which present was wrapped most beautifully, and so on.
When my grandma was still among us, she used to return the present if she didn't like it. "You like it better than me", she used to say then. We all had fun about so much directness.

Then focus is again the cookies and the hot red wine or what else is on the table in the living room. When nobody has new impulses for the conversation, it's very likely that someone wants to watch TV. We don't sing or recite poems, we let others sing.

(And I promise next year I will focus again more on writing about yoga. The word "plan" is perhaps a bit better than promise as it is not so strong. Plans are made to see the difference to reality, but promises must be kept.)

I feel a bit cold

I put on my jacket. I'm trembling a bit. No, it's not cold here in the living room, but usually I make it very warm in my little flat in Munich in each and every room. My parents prefer it a bit cooler. Tomorrow they will heat more. That's good as I want to do yoga tomorrow in the morning. I also want to meditate, but not trembling and with cold hands.

It's evening here almost 11 p.m and I imagine myself in bed already with socks on, a blanket round my shoulders and a book on my lap. This has even a romantic touch and reminds me of the times where I read secretly till late at night. Reading was not forbidden, but to read till midnight or even longer was not appreciated when I was 10 or a bit older.

The animals are fed

The animals are full and quit.
One animal ate more as usual and is sleeping now.
One animal was cleaning the kitchen.
Another animal is on the road again and in the evening it will have found another feeding trough. Another animal is knitting.

Everywhere are candles. It seems to be Christmas time.

I am proactive, am I?

If they don't call me, I call them.
And now I know it. It's very likely that I get the job. They want me to talk to the tax office before the final decision to check my knowledge/experience or whatever. If the tax office has no objections, I can start the 12th of December. YepeeeeEEEEEE. So, this is now more than 50 % that I will work in a company where everything is either black or white. :)

My suitcase is packed

Soon we'll be on the road again.
Have I anything forgotten I ask myself. Probably not. I have a lot of books in my suitcase so that I won't be bored. But of course it is impolite to read the whole time. At night when everybody is sleeping I will read. Yoga clothes, my meditation blanket and watch are in my suitcase, too. The presents are in another bag.

This evening I must knit. My father is hankering for these self-made socks. He will be very disappointed when he won't get them.

I see already, I will be busy as usual.

"Come on....

.....let's have lunch outside." I finished my standing poses and then we left the house and headed for the Italian restaurant round the corner. We were the first guests and had a little chat with the service person and owner of the restaurant. She is originally from Roumania, is divorced and has a 11 year old daughter. She speaks 5 languages. The cook is her ex. So much information within a very short time.

My standing asanas before lunch were great. Now I can't go on with my full stomach.

My suitcase is already open, must put the essentials for a week in it.

There was a reason......

...why I wanted to stay at home on Monday morning. I expected a phone call. But nobody called me so far. I wanted to learn if the company wanted to have me as their accountant. It's eleven o'clock. My guts tell me, it's already a bit late for a yes. Yes come usually earlier than nos.

However the decision might be: It's not the end of the world.
(I only hope I get the yes or the no soon.)

My presents are wrapped - in green

My mother gets spices and mixtures of spices from our famous German cook Schubeck. The spices were a wish. In addition I found a parcel of chocolate, not ordinary chocolate of course. The black chocolate comes as long sticks with fillings like ginger in it. It comes with 3 little boxes with sauces. The chocolate sticks can be put into the sauces to have each time another taste experience. I hope she likes everything.
E.'s mother gets a nightdress. I found a beautiful one with long sleeves. She wants to feel warm at night. It's red. I think I buy a bit more couregeous colors than she would do for her. She is 85. But she likes my taste, so I am sure when it will fit she also likes it.
My father gets something for the PC, something to store datas. E. bought it. The socks are not yet finished. I'm awful. But I have still a few days to finish them, one and a half to be precise.
I think I should still buy some tea for E's brother, so that he has something to unwrap from me. Otherwise we say that the present that E. will give him is from us both.
My bf gets two books that he wished. And as a surprise he gets socks. Of course no ordinary socks. In a yoga shop I found socks with little rubber points on the sole. He can walk easily that way without sliding. He needs warm feet in winter. And we will write each others a few nice words. Last year I was too lazy to do it. This year he wanted to omit it. But I told him that I'd like it if he'd write me a few sentences. "Give me a card and I will write you something", he promised with a smile. This is the greatest gift for me: We both are not complicated. We do not think that when a present is not the right present that this has something to do with the feelings towards the other person. We do not overload the presents with feelings and interpretations.
I'm the one who gets the most: My new PC is great. I also will like the DVD by Ramesh S. Balsekar. I get another present which shall be a surprise. I am curious.
I hope very much that everybody will be happy, as this feeling is so much wished.

( I liked it to wrap all these presents and to spend time thinking of these persons, who accompany me for so long already on this earth.)

Stay alert

This was the message by Osho today. This simple sentence I want to remember during my Christmas trip: stay alert. I am sure that this will guarantee a good time. It will also guarantee that I do not eat too much of all this favourite food that will be offered. Always polite, pretending that I'm a bit suffering because I'm already so full I will say: Thank you, it was all so good, but I am full, soon I will burst.

E. needs my yoga place this morning. gggrrrrgggh. So I will have to practice on the soft carpet. No, it's not necessary that he drives to the company. At least he sits in janu sirsasana between all his papers. "Bow forward over your stretched leg." I told him yesterday. "I cannot." he replied. I know that this is true.

I am flexible. During the next week I will practice in living rooms. The conditions are not always optimal, who cares. I will do my thing, that's important, wherever.

My Ashtanga practice today

It was not in the early morning rather lunch time when I found myself on my mat.
Sunday is my back bending day.
It was a good day as my body was flexible. This does not mean that the practice was easy. I need patience for urdhva dhanurasana. Every day I have to convince me to do this pose. I progress, but slowly. Months ago I wasn't able to stretch my arms "in the morning". This I can do now. My breath is deeper as a few months ago. Despite this progress this pose is still a huge challenge. I will have to live with slow progress. My body never was very flexible. When it is flexible now it is because I worked with it- day after day.

The breath is my focus. Of course I appreciate it very much when I am able to do a pose "correctly", but more important is the breath for me. The breath was deep and even. So, in total I had a satisfying practice.

Time runs through my fingers

Time runs through my fingers. Feeling that nothing is done is there. But I bought wrapping paper, I even cooked a Thai curry and cleaned the kitchen afterwards. But so many things are still undone.
For now I close the curtain.

It's only 10 o'clock and I feel ready for the bed. To go to bed so early might facilitate it to get up early tomorrow. Perhaps. :)

To bow forward

Uttanasana.
To bow forward is a spiritual exercise.

It says: I am alive. That's something. It's a symbol for modesty.
What nonsense do I write: I am not modest at all.

But I bowed forward, uttanasna for quite a while was done and it was pure joy. Ahhhhh.

This and that

This morning at the bakery a client asked me if I wanted tea. She handed me a parcel of fruit tea. I thanked her. It was given to her, too, but she had too many teas at home, she told me. On my way home I thought that this woman was obviously better organised than me, as I have too many teas at home, too. No, I have not regretted to have taken the tea. I take it as a reminder to drink more tea.
Not enough with all the presents. E. wanted to give me another Christmas present this morning. So sweet. As if the PC wasn't enough. OK, I said, then I'd like to have the DVD by Ramesh S. Balsekar. He ordered it, even though he found the reviews not helpful. I think it makes sense to watch the DVD before going to India. I know, a DVD can never substitute a visit, it can be a preparation. A trip to Mumbai is on my goal list. I clearly see the contradiction. When my life is already predetermined it might be redundant to make goal lists to achieve. Nevertheless I think I will go on with the game "writing down my goals", even though deep inside I know if my goals become true or not is out of my own effort or control. It will happen or it won't happen. I am curious.

Back to what occupies me most and what is more important than another trip to India: My future job life. Money. In 2005 I founded a business which was more a skin than filled with real life. From time to time I could make some money as a freelancer, but not so much. Companies wanted to hire me as an employee and I always accepted this offer. Then my business was suffering. Now I am again at a crossroad. When I will get the job, I had the interview yesterday, I will work as a freelancer. This scares me. All the jobs as an employee didn't give me the safety I wanted to have. The promised safety never existed. In the last 10 years I had 6 different jobs. Life went on after each job. Till now I am not starving. I still have a life of a fastidious person. But the imagination that I will work totally free scares me. It would mean no 30 days of paid vacancies, no income in case of illness. I have to take care of my old pension on my own, which means that I have to earn much more money than an employee.

Despite the insecurities that a business means, to work for my own business is in my mind for a very long time. Not only because I never was hired for a long time, and I was fed up of often strange colleagues and bosses. I saw potential to work on my own. I got active in 2005, I didn't work during that time as I was preparing a test. I guess I read too many books on how to make a lot of money. All those who made a lot of money agree: It's almost not possible as an employee. But I also know that most of the SME's (small and medium-sized companies) have financial problems and the owner of them work like hell. I don't want to go into that trap to exploit myself even more than someone else could do. But I know that there are also potentials in having a business......The hope dies last obviously.
Jump and the net will appear once a reader commented.

Back down to earth: Money must come in for my sustenance as soon as possible as I want (and have) to stop living on my savings. They are thought for bad times or when I am really old (after 90).

What to do, what to do, this questions mortifies me. At the same time I know that I do not have to answer this question. Life will happen. I can relax. To know that I can relax and to relax are different things. In total I feel good. The tension that I feel from time to time, mixed with curiosity which changes sometimes to excitement are bearable and zest of life (ha, I remember my new vocabulary).

What's on my schedule today:
I have to do some shopping's: I need wrapping paper. Then I can wrap the presents.
Cleaning is on my schedule, too.
I will have to knit, I want to read.

And of course I will have time to do yoga. Enough, enough.

(Oh, such a long post - mind seems to be in trouble.)

I meditated

I meditated. I was glad that not only thoughts about the interview arose.
A dog appeared in my imagination, too. It came close to me, but as I had my eyes closed I couldn't see that it was a dangerous dog. It wasn't scared either, because I was so motionless. Mmmh, but how did I know that it was a dangerous dog? I saw it even I had my eyes closed. Everything is full of contradictions. Life can obviously not be explained. I remained quiet, because I meditated and then the dog disappeared. It came from the right side and it left the room on the left side. I am sure this has a meaning. So the dog was gone, what came next? Not so much, I sat and breathed. I seem to become relaxed again.

On giving good advice: All my good advices that I like to give for free are somehow redundant. Knowing that the script of our lives is already written, advices are for nothing. This fact makes it easier for me to listen. To listen is not so easy, because I always have ideas how to improve my life and those of the others. Seeing that it is impossible to influence the lives of others for the better by giving advice, because everything will happen anyway, I become a bit quieter. To listen is no more an effort, but happens effortless as if I listen to an interesting story. Nothing is expected from my side. Nice.

The vocabulary trainer

To learn vocabulary with my trainer at leo is an excellent way to distract me from almost everything. As soon as I've made the slightest mistake the vocabulary comes up again. I really have to concentrate.

And perhaps I have given them the correct CV, I think and hope so. I really don't know it. Fact is now it is too late, I can do nothing anymore and it's better to relax. Relax, relax, relax.

I celebrate already.......

I celebrate already with my favourite cake (Rosinenschnecke) and a black cup of coffee. It's perhaps a bit early. On Monday I will learn if I get the job or not. I am so optimistic. The accountant there will support me and the conversation with the boss was very positive, too. I like the office downtown (everything is black and white), I want to work there, I want, I want.....
Of course old fears (Will I be able to ....) arise. React to the moment and everything will be fine, I tell myself.

....and now the cake.
The job would be such a nice present for the new year.

(Oh damned, I just realized that I probably gave them an old CV, not updated yet. How can I make such an inexcusable mistake. Because of my cleaning and organizing activities the old CV came on top. Now I am nervous. Damned. As if life isn't excited already. Check everything 3 times, I tell myself so often, but this morning I only put the CV that was on top of the pile in the envelope without looking at it. Such a beginner mistake.)

It's cold so early in the morning

It's cold and dark here. I turned on both heaters. At 6 o'clock, perhaps a bit later I got up after another almost sleepless night. The cold shower and 2 cups of strong black coffee brought me into the here and now. Today is the interview. I am rather curious than excited. I am also relaxed regarding the outcome. Whatever it will be, it's OK.

But now I have to dress.

A good practice

I must admit, sometimes it's good for the body to have a day off. I shouldn't feel so bad when I do not have the mood to practice sometimes. It doesn't happen so often. Body was so flexible today after a day of relaxation. My body astonishes me from time to time.

Today was the focus on back bending, second series.
It was a good satisfying practice, nevertheless I'd like to write about my current challenges.

Pashasana: I did it twice, repetition is good. First I did it on my mat. Then I used the sofa for help. I leaned against it so that my feet could remain flat on the floor while I twisted the body. I couldn't fall back that way. The finger managed it to touch each other. To hook was not possible. This pose needs patience, I see.

Urdhva dhanurasana: I lifted myself up 3 times. The third time I walked my hands to the feet as much as I could with all my will power. When I remember well, it wasn't possible to keep the arms stretched then. I always try to remember to breathe deeply when I do this pose. I changed my effort when approaching urdhva dhanurasana (at least when I practice on my own), influenced by grimmly's post. It's important to have control over the movement, it's important to arch back more and more. To fall down uncontrolled is not the goal. I want to possess this pose. It shall become mine. I admit (It's the second time that I admit something) this pose frustrates me. To practice and to understand this pose is all I can do. I will go on, less and less impatient. Time will come when I finally can manage to drop down - controlled. Everything under control, I will think then.

At home I take breaks during my practice. I am often distracted, that's so. So I checked my emails during my practice. The interview tomorrow at 11 o'clock was moved to 9:30. That's fine for me. The earlier I have it behind me the better. I like to have a reason to get up early. It would be a job 3 times a week four hours each day. It would be a slow start back to the working life. Better than nothing.

Oh and now I will do pranayama and meditation. For a couple of days I haven't meditated and I miss it. Only sitting, not having to do anything, knowing that nothing must be accomplished is so good.

To start is the secret

To start is the secret, it can be anything. And so much is done already within a very short time. I ironed (a few clothes only as I have no piles now), the kitchen is clean, the washing machine is washing my clothes.
Then I bowed forward to pick a little piece of paper up from the floor. Oh, this little stretch was so good for the legs: Time for yoga. I'm hankering for it.

Yes, up.

At seven I got up. I am rather tired, because I couldn't fall asleep easily. I am up, that's good. I've a few hours only for me before my bf will come home again. He will continue the work that he started a few days ago. That's good. I'm optimistic that by the end of the year our home will be again in a decent state.

I feel not very motivated to do anything.
What shall I do, I wonder. What is most important? The socks of my father come into my mind. Perhaps I should go out for a walk only to get my circuitry running a bit faster. This gives power and the mood betters usually. I feel overwhelmed, but I don't know why. Step my step a lot can be done. This sentence just came into my mind and reminds me of former experiences. Often only to start is difficult. Once this little step is done, work or whatever has to be done can become even fun.

So and now I will go out for a little walk.

My list:
I need a new aku for my mobile phone.
I need a new lamp for the windowsill, too.
The letter to the tax office is important, it means money.
Laundry, ironing, cleaning, all these activities must go on, too.
I have to delete old files on my PCs.

This afternoon I will meet a friend. I'm looking forward to it.

Detachment versus liberation

Interesting, interesting.
I read about the distinction about detachment and liberation in the book by Richard Sylvester "The book of no one."

To be detached can be learned, it is more or less a technique. Often we forget about it especially when we get furious i.e. Nevertheless we can learn to be detached most of the time, or even always. Life becomes obviously less juicy then.

"Liberation is freedom from the sense of being a person who has a life to live but it is also the seeing that there is no person who makes free choices about anything." (Page 80, Richard Sylvester in "The book of no one")

I flied a second time

This time I flied from an overcrowded city. I found a Christmas present for E.'s mother. At least this. I mailed the book that I had sold via amazon. Also good. I didn't spend money on a scarf for me. Very good.

On my way home I stopped at a little cafe. It obviously needs renovation. See picture. But what is perfect. Oh, I like to be there, they even offer cappuccino with soy milk.
When I arrived at home E. asked me out for lunch. Good idea. The red wine and the penne al'arrabiata made me feel a lot better about almost everything - for a while.

It's late already. I know that I'm supposed to knit the socks for my father. It needs time to finish them.

Perhaps I should meditate between all the papers of E. As I have the eyes closed when I meditate, I shouldn't be bothered by it. :) I have a promise that this evening everything will be as it was 2 days ago. That would be great.

I flee

Bf is at home and he has started organizing his stuff. Our home looks as if a bomb has knocked in. All the empty places that I've created are full of papers, files, clothes.

I got up too late. This makes me nervous now, because I know there is still too much to do. Next Monday we will head for B. where my parents live. Only 5 days (3 days with open shops) are left.

Yesterday I realized that I need a new printer, because my new PC has a different interface and I cannot connect my printer to it. I have to buy Christmas presents. The lamp that is on the windowsill has to be replaced (I can't stand the defective contact anymore.) and and and...
I sold another book via amazon. That's the next activity. I will go to the post office and mail it, then I will be out of the house.
And when I come back, I hope that it looks a bit better here, but I fear this will remain a hope.

Mysore class this morning

It was helpful that I had an appointment with C. at the yoga shala. So I managed it to get up on time. It was seven when I was in my kitchen preparing a cup of coffee.

Next time it will be easier to go out of the house into the cold, because I know what I can expect. Mysore class at the Jivamukti studio was great. We were about 8 people, 1 man was among the women. One woman practiced third series, I thought I couldn't trust my eyes. One woman had a cheat sheet in front of her mat. I would call this a mixed class. I looked around a bit, I'm a curious person.

What was really great was that I had really enough room to spread my arms and I could profit from the energy of a committed group. I had placed my mat next to the heater. Somehow I must have feared that I could feel cold. Next time I know it better. I will place my mat a bit further away from the heater. The room had a very good temperature for Ashtanga yoga. It was warm inside.

Urdhva dhanurasana: J. helped me. She wanted me to come up on my own. So far I try to drop down. I think this should be easier, only fear of falling on the head holds me back. J. gave me time to try to come up on my own. I felt like a heavy wet sack. I couldn't move one inch. The hint I got was good: Shift your weight to the balls on your feet. J. told me that it was easy for her to bring me to a standing position. It sounded as if she wanted to tell me that I am no more so far away from coming up on my own. I don't feel that. I know that I do not weight much. I am busy with this pose, that's good. To come up is as important as it is drop down, I see.

Then chatting with C. in a nice cafe round the corner. The morning was spent very nicely that way.
For luncheon I met a former colleague. It was nice to meet her and to hear stories of a world I've already left behind me.

(Oh, my new laptop is great. I got my Christmas present already before Christmas. It's red, my new laptop. I think: Oh darling, such a nice gift and only for me. :)

Monday practices CAN be great

Practices like those of today keep me going. I know it was already late when I practiced, and the body is softer a bit later the day. I don't care. It was good today, I was focused, only a few times I needed a break. I did full vinyasas. Body was flexible.

Supta kurmasana: I tried to put my legs behind the head first, one after the other. It was rather easy today, but my legs don't remain there. I have to hold them. Then I crossed my legs in front of the head first, then I tried to hook the fingers, which was not possible. Then I only hooked the fingers and made the big toes touch. This was possible today. I played with this pose, I'm still looking for a perfect approach.

Urdhva dhanurasana: 3 times I lifted myself up, breathed deeply, remained as long as I could. 3 times I arched back as far as possible from standing position. My hand are too far away from the floor, my palms face the wall and not the floor. Perhaps a prayer will help. But I do not believe in prayers, so I will go on with doing it - again and again. The resistance to do this pose is no more so strong. This is a good sign.

Savasana: I was fluttered. Practice was rather long, the time said that it was already 3 o'clock. This made me a bit nervous. So many things still have to be done. For 5 min I remained in savasana.

Up too late

We couldn't fall asleep, E. and me. This morning I didn't hear the alarm clock and my bf switched it off before I could hear it. It's always him when I do not get up early in the morning. :)

But now I am up and I checked my calendar: At 6 p.m. I will meet B. at a Christmas market. Last week we both missed it. That's the only appointment, that I have today. Till then I want to be prolific. Life is not only fun, isn't it?

I need a plan, I need a plan.
There are my daily routines: journaling, yoga, meditation, going through my 309 new vocabulary.
And then: It would be good to go on with my decluttering and cleaning activities. 15 min in each room should be enough.
And then: Oh, I must contact the German tax office. They have changed a law and this means I will get money back. Hopefully, one never knows. To invest some time here makes sense.
And then: I shall see what comes to my mind.

"Darling????"

"Mmhhh."
"Can you imagine what can cause quite a stir in the brain of Ashtangis?"
"No."
"That'll be our topic this night, when we'll sit over a glass of red wine and spaghettis with capres and olives." (I know he'd prefer topics on mathematics.) We'll go to an Italian restaurant this evening.

The answer: generally spoken it is: Advantages and disadvantages of the lives of autodidacts. To be an autodidact does not mean to learn alone and only alone and to make a rule out of it, but autodidacts take responsibility of their own learning process. Yes, so it is.

I must admit, I am a bit of a lonely wolf, an autodidact very often.

(Oh for those who do not know what's going on, please go to grimmly's blog. Oh no, I cannot link to him, I need a teacher..........hahaha,.............................or perhaps I should try it on my own?????.........after the dinner.)

Count down 2008

Only 17 days and the year 2008 is over.
2008 was my first year of blogging from Jan through Dec.
What happened 2008 I wondered:
The first half was dominated by work. I liked it on the one hand, because it was a demanding job that I had. I learned a lot and the first time I really had nice and helpful colleagues. In total it was all a bit too much. I blame my long working hours for the chaos at home.
The second half of the year meant traveling: I was in France, Norway, India, Turkey. I'm sure I've forgotten a country. I took my holidays in the first part of the year, but believe me I don't know anymore, where we were. India was my highlight, not only because I travelled alone but because I focused on what I really like to do: yoga. I wanted to meet like-minded people and I met people from all over the world. That was really great.
In the last month of this year I do all this that I've neglected: my home and my friends here. Oh this keeps me busy, too.

Top priority for 2009 is to make money again. Another trip to Indian would be great, it will be Mumbai then. Will it happen that I can drop down and come up from UD? Life remains exciting. Time for a cup of tea.

Sunday - it's back bending day - second series

Usually on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday I do first series and on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday I do second series as far as I can. My moon day is when I am lazy, or when I am busy with other tasks that have to be done, too. Lately I had a few more moon days than I wished, but such is life.

Pashasana: Fingers touched today, my breath remained evenly. I'm unfortunately up on the balls of my feet when I do it alone. The pose is still volatile and sometimes my finger cannot touch which usually frustrates me a bit. One reason if I am able to do the pose or not is my weight. My weight is rather stable, but 2 pound up and down happens. The thinner the better is this pose or generally spoken all the twists. Only with the help of a teacher I can hook the fingers while I am on my flat feet.
This pose I was given in Mysore. Twice I got this pose, once from my teacher here in Munich and once in Mysore. Each time it was a nice ritual.

Krounchasana: I hold the wrist or is it more the hand that I hold. Sometimes the leg is stretched, often slightly bowed. For me it is important if my breath is even. I also want to keep my back straight - vertikal. This is more important to me than a stretched leg. I was given this pose from an authorized teacher and also the next pose.

Salabasana A and B: I like this pose even though it is rather demanding. Knees should remain together. This pose really builds back muscles that we all need.

From now on I discovered the world ahhh the poses on my own:
Bhekasana: My finger cannot touch the floor. I can breathe evenly in this pose and each time when I do this pose I have the feeling it becomes easier. I'm aware so that no injuries happen, I take care to feel the edges but I don't want to go too far.
Dhanurasana: I have done this pose a hundred times when I was still practicing at the Jivamukti studios. Why shall I not do it now only because I do Ashanga yoga? With each pose of the second series the back bending becomes deeper. There is a slow devolepment. When I do parsva dhanurasana I can keep my legs together if this might be a criteria to go on. Mine is if I can breathe evenly and I can.
Ushtrasana: This is the first pose of the second series where help comes from the earth. Gravity helps to go deep into this back bending. Usthrasana prepares me for urdhva dhanurasana. Sometimes I even repeat this pose.
Today I went on. I am able to go down into laghu vajrasana, very slowly I go down, but I cannot come up the same way. Only when I try it, it will perhaps happen some day.
Kapotasana: My approach to that pose is to lift my body up from lying position. If I will ever be able to do it perfectly I am not sure. Today I could walk my hands a bit closer to the feet and I consider this a great success. The breath is also here the most important thing.
Supta vajrasana: I sat down in lotus pose - left leg first (to train my body equally). As I have no help I only hold my toes and breathe. I don't go back.
After bakasana I was done. I did urdhva dhanurasana and then the closing sequence. Today was not the best day for this pose. I think it is because I haven't practiced yesterday. Urdhva dhanurasana is like a diva, this pose needs daily attention.

In total my heart beat rather fast today. I sweated. I am glad that I practiced. It's so good for me.

On traditions

On traditions: Traditions are not good per so. Only because something is done for decades it does not meant that it is good . I know a lot of traditions that are so cruel that I do not even want to mention it here. It makes sense to question traditions: Nowadays for instance we have different possibilities to learn, we can learn from a teacher, from a DVD, from a book. Why not appreciate this. It makes the world richer and not worse.

Generally I like people who have the courage to go further than the traditions allow it: Thanks to Krishnamacharya in this context who started teaching women. It was the tradition that only men were allowed to do asanas - yoga.

I will always admire those with the courage to do something differently, those who question redundant rules.

Baby steps in the right direction

Baby steps in the right direction. This is probably true for everything we want to accomplish. I read this hint from "The Organizer Ladies". But also Oliver Kahn, our soccer hero, wrote it in his book on success. If anything seems too difficult, break it down to smaller steps. That's the secret. If a small step still seems too difficult, make it even smaller.
That way I progressed in many areas in my life. My small home is so much better already. With baby steps I will go on. Sometimes I can leap ahead, then I enjoy this too.

And of course sometimes huge steps happen, then they are welcomed.

Time to let go of

2 pots, 1 plate, 1 bowl, a lot of storage boxes, white stuff to put under the plates (never used). 7 parcels of my incenses have to go, too. I have still more than enough.

It's marathon cleaning day again.
I progress.

The day

Just before I was going to leave my home I checked my emails and saw that I've sold another book. Quickly I printed out the shipping slip, put it with the book into an envelop. On my way to the theatre I could mail it.

Then I went to the theatres to see the latest Woody Allen movie "Vicky Christina Barcelona". Enjoy it, I told myself, time will change and then you cannot go to the theatre on a bright day anymore. Only about 5 people watched the movie. The room was almost empty. It was a good movie, I liked it, not his best one of Woody, but entertaining. He is such a creative man, not one movie is like the other, style, contents everything changes. Woody Allen seems to know the women, which played the major part of the piece.

Afterwards I stopped at an Arabic restaurant to have a falafel. I called E. to tell him where we can meet for a glow wine. As usual he was late, I didn't care as it is rather difficult to find a parking space downtown. While I was waiting, suddenly a young beautiful woman with a huge smile approached me. It was one of my former colleagues, who obviously was pleased to see me. "How was it in India?" she wanted to know and if I had a job already. That was really good at my last job: the colleagues. I will send her some pictures of India on Monday, the busiest day of the week. This will please her.

E. arrived and we had our glow wine outside, afterwards we walked through the bookstore (without buying anything) and then headed home.
Here I am again. I regret that I haven't practiced today. It seemed to be difficult for the time being. But tomorrow I will sweat on my mat again...........

The view out of my window - this morning

The world is white here. It started snowing already yesterday in the evening. At the opposite of the street is a cleaning and snow removing company. They start their work rather early, sometimes at 3 o'clock at night, but I don't hear it anymore. The advantage of having not a house there: nobody can look into my rooms.

Up too late. I prefer to sleep well than to have a sleepless night.

What comes to mind when I think of the day: Learning vocabulary, yoga, knitting (I have to finish the socks for my father, I started knitting them last year, it's really time to finish them.), and I want to see the latest Woody Allen movie today.

It's only clothes

It's only clothes I tell myself. The white jacket that I bought in the US and the pair of trousers that I bought in France are spoilt. Both were favourite clothes of mine. It remains to throw them away. Red wine leaves stains, I know this. I am furious. That was an expensive party.

What a most clumsy man was that. Accursed.

The Christmas party

It was in the beginning: I was sitting on a bar chair around a round table with some people. Then the man opposite to me, canted over his full glass of red wine. The red wine went on my white jacket and on my pair of trousers. It all happened so quickly that I couldn't move away. I felt wet then. I had to put off my warm jacket, because it was spoilt. The unlucky fellow apologized several times, but I didn't answer. I was angry. Such an awful mishap.

As I'm not a child of sadness, I forgot about it, clothes dried, and I talked with other people. Some knew that I was in India and wanted to know how it was. Oh, I like to talk about India. One of the men had google earth on his i-phone. We searched for Mysore and Gokulam. Ashtanga yoga was mentioned in Gokulam. This mobile phone also had another feature: It could recognize which music was playing. But after another hour the music was getting louder and louder. I had to shout in order to tell something and it was difficult to understand what people said. I wanted to go. I still need my ears. Here I am again. Clothes are in the washing machine. I hope I get them clean again.

Back to yoga

I made my body a gift. I practiced. It's easier to start with second series after a break of three days, as I only practice till ushtrasana. Oh, it was enough today. Till now I'm trembling slightly.

The intention today was to remain on my mat, to be focused and of course the breath was important. I didn't expect flexibility, but the body was softer than I thought. Even my fingers could touch when I did pashasana. The mental block to do urdhva dhanurasana is no more so strong. I did this pose. It was not possible to walk the hands to the feet. Once I went on the balls of my feet, but I couldn't walk the feet to the hands either. I arched back from standing position. You need to arch back 80 cm more, E. told me the last time when he saw me doing this pose. 80 cm, I wanted to scream, I know he is right. One day it can happen. I believe it, the hope dies last.

On my way from my mat to the bathroom, I threw away these noble handkerchiefs. We don't use them. Point. Bye-bye.

It's obviously an ongoing process

I bought a t-shirt and I got as a present a vase.
I deleted one of my blogs.
I bought a Japaneese knife to cut my vegetables.
I threw away table clothes. ...........

It's noble to have these handkerchiefs. I have them for men and women, 12 in total. We don't use them, but tissues. Sometimes I used a handkerchief to wave E. when he was going on a business trip, but he knows this show already. These handkerchiefs are so beautiful, that it is not so easy to let go. Fact is we don't use them, and decluttering has priority for now. I cannot sell everything.

Nothing moved so far

I'm up. Like yesterday I didn't hear the alarm clock. But I am up now and I can still be prolific.
When someone is waiting for something I usually give this activity priority. As soon as my hair is dry I will go to the post office to mail my two sold books.

Picture: These 2 soft toys will find a better place than to be bored behind my clothes. Also in Germany is poverty and we can give them to children. The other members of the soft toy family must travel too and they will find a new home in a room of a child. In total I have 11 animals. Two pieces I keep, I'm sad sometimes, too. But not now, now I am exasperated because I didn't get up earlier. I will get over it.

Today is another party. I am invited to the Christmas party of the company my bf is working for. At 6 p.m. I shall be there.

Yoga is on my schedule today after a break of 3 days.

Another book is sold

I printed the packing slip.
I wrote the address on the envelope and closed it.
Tomorrow I will take it to the post office.

My pile of books is getting smaller.

He promised it

I checked ebay today. Electronic typewriters are offered for 1 Euro, but nobody wants to buy it. R. also emailed me that even in Africa they don't need it. We are in the computer era, everywhere in the world.

Next to the door is my electronic typewriter now. E. promised me to take it to a garbage place, where they accept electronic garbage. Also this electronic machine is so heavy. I was really astonished when I lifted it up in the junk room. It made me laugh. For more than a decade I haven't used it, nevertheless it's not so easy to let go. It was expensive, it's almost new.Feelings are attached to it. But my bf promised me to throw it away tomorrow. And I am glad.

I just reflected what happened today as I'm not really satisfied. I was busy with the typewriter. OMG. Away with it. Nice was to meet C, and nice was the dinner with E.
I have a birthday present for my mother now, that means less burden for me. That was it.
What really makes me crazy is, that I havn't practiced yoga. Damned.

I want to meditate and this I will still do. I want to observe my thoughts and see how arbitrarily it is how they come into consciousness.

OK,

I just learned that I won't get the job I wanted to have.
I just learned that my E. invited me for dinner (Greece restaurant).

Till then I will smell my new spices: tondoori masala, thai curry hot, ginger, Persian rice spices.....

OK, I will go on, I have no choice...........

That's it

I came home from a shopping spree, opened my PC to check my emails: Another book is sold. That's how I like it. So must be my next job. I'm enjoying my life, and at the same time I make money. But the joy was soon clouded. The sold book is rather thick and I put it in an evelope that was too small. I realized this, after I had written the address on it. I had to take another envelope. But these are only mistakes that happen in the beginning.

To sell things online is surely something I am interested in.

So far I spent more money than I make. This should be the other way round. That's my collected knowledge as an accountant for 10 years.
When I should give my shopping activity a title, it would be: spices and chocolate.
Unbelievable what a furtune one can spend on this. At least I have two presents for my mother now.

To see C, to have luncheon at Zerwirk was great. Finally I have some time for friends.

Ten.....

......o'clock. I can hear the washing machine in the background. That's good, activities happened already, no, not in the early morning, but still in the morning and not after lunch.

I wanted to get up early (at 7 a.m.), but I didn't hear the alarm clock, my bf switched it off very quickly. His ears are better than mine. Good that I have someone to blame.

Now I sit here with my second cup of black coffee. Accursed, I think, it's late already.

What else has to go? I have 2 typewriters - a mechanical one and an electronic one. The mechanical one belonged once to my Grandma. She bought it after the war for her business - she produced socks. It was very modern at that time. Now I have it. It's difficult to let go of this old machine. But the electronic one that I bought for a furtune decades ago must go, I decided yesterday. I didn't use it for decades. PC's made them redundant. They can only be used to fill in forms, but to be realistic, I wouldn't use my typewriter when I should have to fill in a form. I'd do it handwritten. Can anybody need my typewriter, I wondered, this machine is like new. But I really don't know if someone can use it. Do they need electronic typewriters in Africa? In my boldest dreams I cannot imagine this. They want PC'S, too and printers. I should ask R.

Picture: The typewriter of my Grandma, now mine. It made me laugh when I lifted it up. It's so heavy, it's as heavy as 2 laptops. Yeah, my dear mechanic typewriter.

Lavish

I poured juniper into the hot water. I was lavish. It smelled so good in my bathroom and now after having opened the door, the smell is everywhere. Juniper is good for the muscles. I took a bath. Quitly I laid in the water, I didn't move for about 10 min. Then I usually have enough. I don't want to soak.

I feel empty, more should have happened today. But what? Step by step is the secret, I console myself.

And tomorrow:
In the morning I want to do yoga, I want to repeat my vocabulary, some grammer perhaps.
For luncheon I will meet C. in this great vegan restaurant Zerwirk. That's fun, she just returned from India.
I want to buy a Christmas present for my mother on my way home. It will be spices from the shop of one of our famous German chefs (no, I don't mention his name).

Lost in cosmos.
Time to meditate.
Picture: It's Christmas time here in the Western hemisphere.

I knew it, I know myself, I like to talk

R. is quick, within a few minutes I got a response to my Email. I was glad, I could take my goods to her. It's a burden for me to have the discarded things too long around me. Mind cannot stop thinking: But this red pair of trousers is still new and you like red. Do you really want to give away all these bowls, 5 pieces, and so on and so on. Now I am relieved. I gained room, I need room for new things to come. To let go of things is symbolic, it's also a mental exercise.

This afternoon I packed a bag and went to R., who lives round the corner in a very beautiful home. It was me, who couldn't stop talking, but I was also curious to learn something from her. We enjoyed it to exchange stories about our job lifes, about the current crises and so on. Oh, I was astonished to hear that there are people in Munich who start stocking their pantry because of the coming crises in 2009. Mmmmhh??????????

Now it's almost 5 p.m. Was this a succesful day, I wonder. Sometimes the steps that I'm able to do are small ones, it should be OK. Tomorrow I can go on with my life work with fresh energy and as E. will return late, I have still time for yoga. Yes, that's it, yoga, yoga, second series today. Now.

Depleted

I must stop now. I get rid of things and out of the blue new piles grow, i.e. these diaries from India. I've forgotten it, but there was a time where I wanted to sell diaries, too. I found them in the carton where the bags were. It seems endless, there is no quick success in sight.
What has happened so far, what could deplete me?
- I took a few bags to the shop.
- I discarded bowls, table clothes and clothes. These things are for R. to take them to Ghana. Everything is in best condition, otherwise I would throw it away.
It sounds as if I have done nothing, but it all took some time.

But now I am done. I must do anything else.

I should take a bath this evening in order to get rid of these bath oils. Hahahahaha.

On commission

I must follow the slightest impulse. Only 3 years I postponed to sell my bags and yoga blankets. So this morning I took inventory: I have 20 bags with the pepper motiv on it, 20 bags with the abstract pattern, 23 bags with different motives (the one with the women on it, I kept for myself). And I have these 24 little bags. As soon as I knew what I had I headed with some samples to the shop where the shop owner wanted to see my goods. He offered me to put the bags in the window on a commission base. It's OK.

Most shops will take goods on commission, I guess. They don't want to risk to loose money. I make experiences and this is important.

I will check now, where the flee markets are in Munich. Why not?
I will put an ad in a paper "Kurz und fündig" to sell my ski with ski shoes for self-collectors. I have ski for years, but I hate to be outside too long, when it is cold.

I must face it, perhaps no employer will hire me and then I have to stand again on my own feet.
One of my former colleagues used to say: those who can sell insurances can sell everything. And I sold incredible many insurances, I always got the bonus. I remember, I even sat under the Christmas tree on the 24th December because I still needed to sell an insurance to get that extra money. Whatever, money must come in.

This red velvet pair of trousers (I never wore it) and the top (I never wore it) will go to Ghana. I must contact R. today to give it to her.

What I learned about bags: There are summer bags and winter bags. People want an inside pocket for their mobile phones. "These bags have a great floor, so you can find everything at once," I told the owner, "one of these bags I'm using by myself." Our conversation was very friendly.

On food

"Do these grapes have stones?"
"Do these tangerines have stones?" That's what we want to know when we buy fruits. Preferably the fruit is without a stone, then nothing bothers the tongue, it's all soft and juicy.

But what does this mean? At one of the parties we talked about this. Some of the guests realized that there was no stone in the offered grapes. With the stone the grapes reproduce themselves. The grapes without a stone are raised. They became so weak through this artificial process that they are no more able to reproduce themselves. The nutritional value goes to zero then, but nothing bothers the tongue. What a success.

With my new knowledge I buy fruits with a stone, and I bite the stone.
I think this is rather interesting. It's also interesting how less we know about what we eat.

So busy

I paid my taxes and it hurt. OK, I know that it is good to pay taxes. It's worse not to have to pay taxes.
I gave one pile of 7 books away. I asked the owner of the shop if he liked to sell my bags and he wished to see them. That was the highlight of today, I started selling my goods. To have all the stuff here is dead capital.
I updated my calender, 2009 is coming.
I did errands.
I took my sold books to the post office and mailed them.

I, I, I, I also had a coffee in a coffee shop, where I wrote my journal.

I have still so many things to do.

Six vases are in my home. How many vases do I really need? Was there ever a situation where I got six bunches of flowers? Next year I will turn 50, but no, I won't get six bunches of flowers. I am taxing my brain. At least one vase has to go, I decided.
How many calender systems do I need? Do I really need another little booklet for my addresses?
Important is to find the addresses.

You see, the challenges of Western people are endless. It's easy to get lost in chaos.

We were good birthday guests

We ate and ate and ate,
we talked and talked and talked.

Uncle H. (E.'s uncle) told me some stories about the war, about his bondage in France. In 1949 he was set free after 5 years. He was catched already 1944. After the reunification (he used to live in the DDR and was not allowed to travel, like all citizens there) he returned to the village where he had to work during his last year of his bondage. The farmers there still knew him even though decades had passed and they were very pleased to meet him again. I was astonished. They even knew his name, they only spelt it French-like. "Voulez vous un vin rouge?" (Do you like a glass of red wine?) they asked him. I guess he liked.

It's always more interesting to listen to contemporary witnesses than to read second hand stories.

Many people were rather old at that party. Incontinence, surgeries, aching hips were topics, of course. Above 70 the main interests obviously change. It's health, health, health.


Picture: It is taken out of the window of the room, where the party took place.

Do we all have a double life?

Yesterday before we had to head for Munich we watched a documentary on bears in Alaska. During summer time these huge brown bears catch salmons and devour them. Seeing this I got so much appetite to eat salmons. The wish to eat salmons became stronger and stronger as longer as I watched these bears enjoying these salmons.
In the train I closed my eyes and imagined myself sitting at my kitchen table with salmon, horseradisch, French baguette and a black cup of coffee. Nobody needs to know about it, I thought. I can do it secretly.

When I woke up this morning a question was in my mind: Do I like to eat salmon today? The answer was "no".
(I am obviously a hardcore vegetarian.)

Amazon sales: That's how I like it. I go to a party, I sleep and while this happens I'm making money. 1 book and the DVD is sold already. Overnight I made almost 20 Euro. No, it's not a good hourly earnings. I have to go to the post office today, it will take one hour. But as I like to go downtown I don't mind. I also have to do some errands. So I am rather happy with my online activities.

What a great party

Am I glad that I went. I stayed much too long, that's for sure. One hour I wanted to stay, but I stayed till 11 p.m..
We were 11 people with different jobs, different ages (9 through over 60), and we came from different countries. R. had prepared a wonderful table with all the stuff we usually eat during Christmas time: oranges, nuts, raisins, Lebkuchen, red wine. Bread and a hot Italian mixture with vegetable and a lot of garlic was available, too. My bf was happy with only one good night kiss when I returned, so much garlic was in this sort of thick sauce.
Next to me sat a young man who just came back from India. It was a pilgrimage for him, he stayed in an Ashram there. Advaita was not a word I had translate for him.
We were a really lively round.

I got up at 4 a.m. Somehow I am awake. In 10 min I will have to wake up my bf and then we'll head to the north of Germany. Another birthday party is on the schedule. The birthday child turns 85.

I managed it to practice - it was already evening

I had to practice today, as I didn't like to have a break of 3 days. Tomorrow I will sit at 6:20 a.m. in the train to Göttingen, we'll be back after midnight. We are invited at a birthday party. There will be no time for a yoga practice.

I had to find the way to the mat today and so it also happened. I am very glad that I practiced. I even did full vinyasas most of the time.
Supta kurmasana I did twice and I could hook the fingers.
Urdhva dhanurasana I did it. Three times I lifted me up from the floor, three times I arched back from standing position.
These 2 poses and marichyasana c and d are the challenges of the first series.

Vinyasas - jumping through: It's coming.
What helps me:
- to go to the balls of the feet before jumping,
- to imagine to go to a handstand and to remain there with legs crossed. As soon as I think that I want to jump through the movement gets worse. To balance on the hands is a good goal.
- to look foward and not down
- not to give up
Nevertheless the foot is still grinding on the floor, I can hear it and I can feel it. Each time it's like a little shock and it exasperates me.

This evening I am invited to a Nikolaus party. I will go, E. will be busy at home. Most of the people I don't know, but that's why I am going. I am curious. I will stay an hour or so, to get up at 4 a.m. tomorrow is not so easy.

Away with it

Bye-bye to this old leather purse.
Bye-bye to this net that should be put on the ironing board to protect the clothes when ironing. I never used it.
Bye-bye to the little cushion, that should smell for lavender i.e. and that should be put between the clothes to shoo away moths. Usually I use little oil bottles.

10 different bath oils, 10 different parcels of incenses are still mine.
Yes, I have also gloves only for cycling. I do not ride my bicycle so often and when, I usually forget to use them. But they are so beautiful................
Of course we need these sunglasses that can be used to look at the sun when there is a solar eclipse. And this is for sure, the next solar eclipse will come.
Or did I made the mistake to ask my bf: "Keep it", he told me. "We can use it one day."

The cameras in our home

"You will never leave me," I told this morning to my bf, "you cannot even let go of this old analog camera."
The camera situation in our house:
We have 2 digital cameras. One is in my handbag, it is a little one, always available.
Then I have the big digital one, with this good lense, a birthday present from E..
Beside these 2 digital cameras, we have 2 (two) analog cameras with lenses and filters. This makes in total 4 cameras.

It was difficult to throw my analog one away, but it is done. My bf cannot let go of his old heavy camera. Once it cost 1000,-- Deutschmark. This camera was bought when we still had another currency. He wants to store it at his mother's house. It is not even a good analog camera, he himself was astonished how little it can do. I've never seen him using it.

It is difficult to let go, it is so important to learn this.

Anna's comment is so true: possessions can possess you.

My camera is gone now. E. is still in love with his.

The photo workshop

This morning I left the house and headed with my bf to a photo workshop. E. has invited me. And it was great. It was more about the technical aspects, but I see how important the technique can be in order to make high end pictures.
I am so motifated now to get to know my camera.
The appropiate books are on my shelf.

Regarding yoga: It was a moon day for me.

Good, that we Ashtangis don't give up so fast

11 books are for sale now (in total I can make 50 Euro, if I can sell everything, which is likely not the case)
5 books I will donate.
2 books I will give away for interested readers.

Amazon is a better marketplace for books than Ebay. This is my humble opinion. I only have to enter the ISBN-No and I have to make a choice of the condition of the book: new, used, but like new, used and so on. This is done very fast, no long descriptions are required.

Now I am curious if I can sell these discarded books.

Today I eat at home. I see how difficult it is to make money. Only in the evening I go out to meet a friend. It's P's and my yearly ritual to meet al least once at the Christmas market at the Rotkreuzplatz.

Finally I pulled myself together and got shocked

Finally I pulled myself together.
I wanted to sell my discarded books at amazon.
The first book I wanted to sell was offered more than 50 times, lowest price was 0,19 Euro.
I prefer to give it to a library or to throw it away.
To sell goods online means work, it means to pack the goods and to ship them. This takes time.

No then it is better to do anything else.

From one pose to the next, quick quick

I switched on the CD by Sharath this morning. Everything that helps me is allowed and welcome. Again I realized how fast one has to go from one pose to the next: Sharath gives you exactly one breath. This has advantages. There is no room for thinking like that:
Oh no, now parivritta trikonasana, I hope I will have enough balance today.
And now the hero pose, it wil be enough to hold it for 3 breaths only, I am already exhausted.
When practicing with the CD there is not much room for thinking, considering.
Pose after pose must be done.

Urdhva dhanurasana: What really helps me is that my arms got stronger. And my arms got stronger because I do all the vinyasas since my Indian trip, also between sides. The series demand strength and flexibility.

Practice, I told me, don't expect a break through. Go on. That's it. Even a bad practice is better than not to practice. The Ashtanga series teach me to be patient.

Photo workshop: I will go to a photo workshop soon. That's a highlight. Yepeeeee.

Let's get it over with!

Let's get it over with - I am speaking of my daily morning practice.

The CD by Sharath could help me, at least till the end of the standing poses.
Today is second series on the schedule, back bending.

Primary series in the evening

I practiced even though it was a late practice. The body is more flexible in the evening it is said. This was true for most poses, but not for the key poses, like supta kurmasana. I couldn't touch my fingers behind my back today. Not to think, but to go on and on and on seems to be the best advice.

Tomorrow I must go up on time: 7 o'clock. That's nothing. This must be doable. Once there was a time I got up at 5 every day............

What a waiter never should say

"Oh, you have eaten up everything!"
He could likewise say: "Oh, you are rather voracious."
With my sweetest smile I answered:" Yes, it was very good." I emphasized the word "very".
I was in a good mood, I was amused and I wasn't thrifty with the tip either. Thank God that I am slim, I thought.

I had lunch at the Anna-hotel. I had 2 courses that I both enjoyed. Obviously not only me realized this. This evening I will stay at home - twice a day eating in a restaurant is too much.

Tickets to Göttingen are bought, coffee, rum and bread, too.
I will look for a lamp tomorrow.
It's time to go through my vocabulary list.
And then??????? Let's see.

My tralali tralala list for today

To buy: coffee, rum, bread, (chocolate is still here), lamp, train tickets (on Sunday we are invited for a birthday party close to Göttingen)
At home: decluttering, cleaning, learning words, yoga, formulating an add for the SZ to get a job, working on the piles on my desk, sell my discarded books at amazon.
In the evening: I shall see if I will have time to join the veg group at Zerwirk. This is no duty. This is supposed to be fun.

Where to start???????

On stretching

Stretch because it feels good not to become flexible.
Don't bounce.
Start moderate, after 8 breaths in a pose go deeper, relax again and stay, breathe deeply and evenly.
Smile.
Enjoy.

We overslept

We overslept. The alarm clock sang it's song at 7 a.m.. Someone must have switched it off, I suspect my bf. At 9 I opened my eyes and it was bright day.
"What's the time?" I aseked E.
We both looked at the little black alarm clock at the windowsill.
"Nine." he answered with a low and calm voice.

We had a plan for this morning. We wanted to have breakfast outside at the Schmalznudel. Bummer! We had to postpone it to Friday. Bot on Friday we will get up on time. That's for sure.

Free style this evening

I started with a few surya namaskaras, only to get warm.
Pincha mayurasana followed. Oh, was this exhausting. My heart started beating. I had a good balance today, nevertheless I had not the courage to do this inversion in the middle of the room.
I even tried handstand and what a surprise, I could hold the pose for a few breaths without touching the wall. Being able to do hanumanasana is helpful. I should really integrate this forward split in my daily practice.

I had enough power and mental energy to do urdhva dhanurasana. Will this pose ever improve I wandered. Finally I came to the result: Practice and don't care about the result. The results will be seen or not, it doesn't matter, back bending feels good. This is amazing. It is difficult to start with these back bending poses, but afterwards I always have the feeling as if it was good for my back.

Short closing sequence and this was it.

Every thing needs a place

Every thing needs a place: books are supposed to be on the shelf, cosmetics in the bathroom, clothes in the wardrobe, papers in a file, cups in the cupboard.
Not so much things could be found that I could throw away. It is amazing how much dust behind the books can be. Another area of my bookshelf is clean now. I made two rows in that shelf, so that the books that were under my desk could wonder to that shelf. That way I could reduce the piles of books under my desk from 5 to 4. The 6th pile of books are books that I want to sell. This should be my next step.

On writing: Lately I read in books on writing. The first hint to improve a text is: Delete all the redundant words. Everything that is not necessary detetoriates a story, a post. I just deleted another sentence, sometimes more than a word has to go. What is correct for a story is also true for a home. Again I must mention it: Less is more.

Sleepless

Couldn't fall asleep and in the morning it was difficult to get up. Now it is already so late, 11 a.m. to be precise.
This is my morning blues.
My birthday party was in my mind yesterday night and this kept me awake. My birthday is next year, late spring time and I will turn 50. Everybody knows it that birthday parties must be planned very early. Is it really necessary that I let myself make stress because of any expectation from me and from others? It is not possible to please everybody.

(I need a piece of chocolate - I open the 6th door of my Christmas calender. As every year - the future is mine - I usually open more than one door every day, I crave too often for chocolate, I am impatient, I love chocolate, and it is a very special joy to break the rule to open only one door every day. It's such a sweet little sin, I cannot resist).

Christmas is not yet over. New Years Eve is after Christmas and before my birthday. And I cannot sleep because of my birthday. This is what I call perverted - self-made problems. Nasty people would say: "You need a stressy job." I don't think so.
I swear here and now to myself: no stress because of my birthday or a birthday party, either it is fun for me to plan it or I won't do it. Point. It is my birthday. And I am also a nobody (thanks God), why such a theatre because of nobody.

I must remember that I do not have to do anything. The Source has arranged everything for me already. If this is true, I really can lean back and I can be entertained whatever will happen.

Back to 2008. Back to the 2nd December. I will meet a friend early in the afternoon and I'm looking forward to it. I'm sure we will have one of my favourite topics: India. :)

That was it for today

I was out to buy food. I must have something to eat at home when hungry E. will come home after work.
Now I do not have to leave my home anymore. It's cold and rainy outside, it's best to sit inside a house. I must admit, it would be good to have a job now - this would save heating cost.
Who knows why it is good that I am at home for a while.
I am curious what will happen next.

I don't believe it

I had such a good practice - great. And it is not yet 2 o'clock p.m..
The body was open and transparent, not like during the last weeks where there was an uneasiness, but I couldn't say what it was. I could feel the edges today, of course, it is this sweet pain that tells me: be careful now. But this is something else than an undefinable pain.

I got stronger. Since India I do also vinyasas between sides and sometimes I do full vinyasas. Strength is important and I still have not enough, i.e. it is incredible difficult to do tittibasana after bujapidasana. Even more demanding it is to go from tittibasana to bekasana. I think it is a lack of strenght why this vinyasa is almost impossible. Strength and flexibility is important.

Supta kurmasana: I tried to put a leg behind the head. It was possible. Nevertheless the fingers could only touch today, I couldn't hook them when I did this pose.

Urdhva dhanurasana: I tried today to bow backwards with the feet much more far apart as usual. This might help to conquer the fear to drop back. The floor is closer to the hands when doing this. But today I was not ready to drop back on my own. The age, the age.

Radio was on. It helped me. The power of music helped me to go on. Why shall I not use a little helper from time to time.

It is amazing how a good practice makes the motivation soar.

Time to have breakfast. (This I shouldn't write, this ruins my reputation as an early riser. :))

What a succuss

I am up already and it is only 10 a.m. :)
Let's see what this day will bring. There exists no to do list. Nothing is really urgent.