Mysore class this morning

The Champagne from the night before was still in my blood, but I was in best mood. I didn't care that I wobbled when I did the standing poses. Forward bending was good, especially supta kurmasana (Ah, it's getting better, it's getting better I jubilated silently.)

I spend most of my time with my yoginis/yogis, I was happy that most of them had time to go for lunch afterwards with me. Ah a wonderful day. I took a nap when I arrived at home to be fit for the evening dinner at an Italian restaurant with E, G. his mother and my friend B (no yogini, not yet!).

Fiftyone today......

More than half a century on this beautiful earth with this amazing people. How great is this and I feel fantastic.
This morning I can go to a Mysore class. The day cannot begin better.......:)

I am in a hurry............

Done

Quickly, quickly I practiced today, primary. Body was bendy, it's the weather that helps to make the body soft.
So the weather is seductive........I must be outside today........
Time for skirts, sandals and t-shirts without sleeves has come........

(Champagne is in the fridge!)

Up, a bit too early

Home practice this morning, primary series.
It will become a hot day, hot hot hot......

A 35 year old white wine is in the fridge already. It's a Spätlese, a sweet wine. The 1st of May I will create a meal to it. I am challenged. It will probably be something spicy, Thai food. Spicy and sweet fits well. I will have to study my cooking books.

So and now I'll first write my morning pages.....:)

I gave everything

I pushed my hips forward as much as I could, I pressed the shinbones to the floor, the little toes should touch the floor, too. I walked the hands closer to the feet and again I engaged my muscles and pushed up the hips. Deep breathing. I worked on kapotasana with all my energy that was available.........the arms are supposed to be stretched, too and I pressed the hands that became paws into the floor......ahhhhhh.

Me afterwards to M: That was good, wasn't it. I exerted myself a lot.
He: Yeah, you must let go.

Me laughing inside.

Up, second series today

Oh, am I glad that I can go to a Mysore class this morning. No dawdling today. Second series is demanding, but my body gets used to these deep back bending asanas, these deep forward bending asanas, these demanding balancing asanas. Ah and a lot of strength is needed, too. The focus shall be the breath.........

It will be a busy day for me. First I go to the Mysore class. Then I'll meet G, E's mother and we'll have lunch together somewhere outside. Dinner will be at my home. I still have to buy some food.......(busy yes, but all activities are fun connected with a bit of commuting time)
It's sunny in Munich.......smiling.

At 4pm I was through

Ah, this was no more a morning practice. At 4pm I left the mat. Perhaps because it was so late when I practiced, the body was flexible. I had one highlight. I could hook the hands behind the back when I did tittibasana B. So far I used a strap. Yeah a breakthrough......
As recommended I tried to go from sirsasana to pincha mayurasana. I was close to a wall for support. I must still work on my strength and balance....:)
So and now I must go on with anything that has nothing to do with yoga......

I am dawdling

Ah, how lazy I am today.......
I want to accept this, because then it is more fun....:)

Too much is on my mind, I must write it down

Today: yoga home practice, must invite my 2 best friends for dinner for Friday (oh, I am late already), E's mother is coming this evening, E must forward the info when I want to meet her tomorrow. Buying enough food for Wednesday evening.
Tomorrow: Mysore class, meeting G for lunch downtown. Dinner at my home, must have enough food at home.
Thursday: Primary at home, this day is for myself!!!!! :)
Friday (birthday): Mysore class (tralali tralala), inviting the yogis/yoginis for lunch. Evening: dinner at an Italian restaurant.
Saturday: ???
Sunday: ???
Monday: another day only for myself.

I shouldn't get up earlier....

It was 7:30 already when I got up. It shouldn't be earlier, I thought. The entire day is still in front of me. Focus this morning will surely be my yoga practice, second series. I was stiff yesterday, and I know that this is not important, because there are always ups and downs. How will my body and my mind be today: reluctant, obeying, light, heavy???? I am curious. My journal writing comes first, then my yoga practice. I will start again with the CD by Sharath. It helps me to have an even beginning.......

The first asana of the middle part of the second series is pashasana. How can the first series help me to improve this pose.
- The ankle between upper foot and shine bone must be smaller. When I do down dog I step backwards with my feet. The verses come up and I try to bring them again to the floor.
- I intensify the twists of the first series. When I do parivrtta parsva konasana I add an exercise. I bind my hands behind my back. That way I give an adjustment to myself and it helps to twist more
- Pashasana is the asana that makes me feel every noodle that I've eaten. To stay slim is a preparation for this asana.
- To use the bandhas helps to have stability in that pose.
Much can be done to improve this pose. My feet are not yet flat on the floor, I use a folded blanket to give me support and not to roll backwards. Perhaps I should repeat this asana twice today.....

Yesterday I was prolific: I opened a facebook group "journal adventures". Shall it inspire others and myself to write and to improve writing. The link to this group can be found on the right side of this blog.

I didn't lose consciousness

I had to leave my home without having had a breakfast. Nothing was at home, I have planned not very well. I didn't feel hunger and I didn't lose consciousness. Perhaps I do not need to eat before practicing even though Mysore class starts at 9 and I get up at 6.
Stiff today or should I write: I was very stiff in the beginning. Only my finger tips could touch the floor when I did the first surya namaskara A, but at the end I was much more flexible than in the beginning. Yeah, this is the right attitude. I enjoyed Mysore class very much, I practiced second series today.
Yes, a revolution happened. I found an approach to mayurasana (my most difficult asana). I must take a picture of my progress......blocks help. I put my hands on a block, that way it is somehow easier to bring the body a bit in the wished position.....:)

Just do it, stood on the T-shirt of a yogini and what did I learn? She has a one-way-ticket to India........It's great, one must dare something. It's sad that she will leave us, but yeah, perhaps I will visit her in her Ashram in the north of India. I need more information........
Picture: looking at the third eye.

Action today, action

I feel a lot of energy......it's a day of action, I feel this.
Oh, a long, long list of activities that wait to be done is in my mind.
Mysore class first. What a perfect start in a fresh week........:)

A good preparation for the Mysore class tomorrow

My practice was a good preparation for the Mysore class tomorrow, when I will practice second series. I moved the body, it was not soooo strong and not soooo flexible, but the message has arrived: the yoga week has begun.
Like in life, there are always ups and downs, in the meantime I am rather unattached to it. I am always glad when I practiced and it is not always easy to begin.

Ah, time for a second breakfast now.

Yeah, to be up early is great

I can see already that it will become a fantastic sunny day.
First thing this morning was that I went to my balcony to admire my flowers. In full beauty they were there waiting for me. I need 10 more flowers. On Monday I'll probably finish my project. I've also seen a small table downtown, that I will buy. Ah, I will live on my balcony this summer.
My kitchen is clean, too. I had a good start.
I start this week with primary. To jump forward and backward will be a focus, it is still not as I like it would be. But before I do anything I need my second coffee......:)

I was not too lazy.....

...to prepare something to eat after our trip downtown. It's asparagus time. Next time I'd think of a dressing for the asparagus. I found it a bit dry. I have a schoko soy desert now. I am not a chef, but an amateur........

Joy and dirty hands......

Oh, I will sit often on my balcony this summer My planted flowers are a joy. The project is not yet finished, not in all flower boxes are flowers yet, but I will go on. It's beautiful to see these colorful nature......

The first flowers are planted

The first flowers are planted. Buh, it was heavy to carry the soil home. I put it on my head to carry it like the Indian women do it. I mean I weigh 47 kg and I carried 20 kg. I am not an ant. I need more soil and more flowers in order to be able to compete with my neighbours. Hahahahahaha. Oh, I had years here where my balcony was the most beautiful one. A first step in this direction was done today already. But now I have to clean my nails. Next time I put on my rubber gloves that I use when I clean the dishes. I am not a gardener, I have not inherited the green thumb from my mother.

Awareness, thoughts.......

"Calm the mind" is one of the goals some yogis/yoginis want to accomplish. But how to calm the mind? Practicing Ashtanga yoga we focus on the breath, dirsti, correct movement, this surely can calm the mind. The thinking mind becomes calmer due to the task to focus, concentrate on something.
But what happens off the mat? I think it is the nature of the mind to produce thoughts, this will go on and on, it's OK. To survive I also need the mind. Ramesh Balsekar distinguish between the working mind and the thinking mind. The working mind is needed to accomplish any task.
If the understanding is there, that thoughts (the thinking mind) are nothing else but thoughts, not reality, the interest and attachment in upcoming thoughts become less and less. It is seen that thoughts come and go and so on. The mind becomes calmer without any exercise.

If it is understood that we are not the doer, curiosity arises, what will come next. Awareness happens naturally, without the effort to exercise awareness.

Please, it might happen

I want to be able to connect my blog with amazon. It would be good if I could earn some money with writing, with reviews. I spent hours already with this, with no success, might the connection happen this weekend. Something must happen, this is a desperate outcry hahahahaha......:) (of course not! I observe and I am entertained!)

Saturday is my yoga free day

...and I am convinced nowadays that this day off won't make me stiff and weak. The body recovers during that day and motivation stays alive. It is as if the body has to digest the week, too. I was very committed during my practices in the last week. This is also something that comes with time: to be able to use more of the available energy. In the beginning I was only able to use 70%. Now it is more.

Sun is shining here. I will stroll to the vegan bakery in Schwabing "Fräulein Müller Brotzeitladen". They have cupcakes today. It's planned to cook today.

(Consciousness is all there is. We are not the doer!)

Blog titles came up, they are all forgotten

Blog titles came up during my practice (Mysore class), but this was it. Otherwise I was focused on my breath. Now I cannot remember one single blog title anymore.
I practiced slowly, ha this is a trick when I do not feel so fit and after the pasta and the two glasses of wine (I shared it with E, admitted) yesterday evening, I feared to have a sloppy and exhausting practice. This was not the case. My practice was very intensive today. Yes, great. Even M praised my back bending. But after urdhva dhanurasana I was no more able to hold my body with my arms in chaturanga dandasana, I had to put my body on the floor. I gave everything and this is always a good feeling when I have access to my energy resources and when I am even able to use it for something so beautiful like a first Ashtanga series.
Any insights that I got from today's practice are forgotten.
One thankful thought came up that I remember now: Asthanga yoga is 99% practice and 1 % philosophy. Am I glad that I do not have to listen to any life philosophy or listen to how I have to live my life. This is another reason why I prefer Ashtanga yoga to other yoga styles. I step on my mat and I breathe and move. The practice tells me so much, it is enough. Yes 1% theory, this is wonderful.....:), it's enough.

The earth awakes...

Yep! Hahahaha, yep, my new favourite word...........as someone who likes to write I should be able to know the trees by name. Oh, oh, oh.......perhaps I should start to get to know more flowers by name. It's easier as I can ask in the shop. It's time now to plant my balcony......

Spring time has many faces

The picture is taken in the park a few steps away from my villa motley. I look out of the window and the sun is shining already....oh.

Nature

Nature is so beautiful in spring. I strolled around yesterday and enjoyed all the trees that become lively again in spring time. Munich is a green city.

Close your eyes.....

M has always new ideas. Yesterday in the led class we practiced once surya namaskara B with closed eyes. It was a balancing exercise. It was difficult to keep the eyes closed, but I concentrated on it and was able not to open it. Another exercise was to remain in each pose of one of the surya namaskara Bs longer than only one breaths.
My back bending (urdhva dhanurasana) is deep in the evening. Ah, how flexible my back is, I think and forget for a while that it is different again in the morning. This morning i.e. I am sure my back bending won't be so deep.
I will go to a Mysore class this morning and with this class my yoga week is over.

When I returned home from led class I found E sitting on my yoga place. He wanted to eat out and so we went to "our" Italian restaurant round the corner. I ate too much and I am not so sure if the red wine was so good for my morning practice. Yep, a life lived 100% according to healthy rules is probably not possible and boring. We had a nice evening and this I will remember when I probably feel my stiff body today.....:)

Let your hair fly

My hairdresser said to me: Let your hair open.
I try, I try, even when it flies in my face all the time. Only when I do yoga I put it up.

Body and mind worked together

This was again an excellent home practice. Beginning and end was done with the CD by Sharath. If it helps, why not.
I had flow, also during the middle part I didn't make breaks. This made the body very flexible. I added hanumanasana (split pose) to open the hips. I repeated kurmasana and supta kurmasana, these poses need still special attention.
Tools to improve an asana: repetition, remaining longer in that pose, visualization, using props (blocks or straps), additional asanas, optimism and joy.

Important: I didn't omit the 10 min relaxation at the end! This is a difficult pose for me, but to be able to relax consciously is so important also for the life off the mat.

In 4 hours I the play starts from the beginning, I will go to a led class. This shall really be enough yoga for today.

Thursday

Thursday is the day where I practice twice a day (primary). In the morning I have my home practice and in the evening I go to a led class. This will help me to gain strength again. When I practice at home I add hanumanasna. This opens the hips and shall help me to improve the back bending asanas.

Yesterday I had a highlight that I forgot to mention: I managed it the first time to balance when I was in dwi pada sirsasana (both legs behind the head, sitting position). The trick is to stretch the legs upwards and to bring the head up, too. Inner muscles are engaged, too. Only to bring the second leg behind the head is the issue now. Am I glad that human beings have only 2 legs.

I will start my home practice again with the CD by Sharath: It helps me to have flow and to do the right vinyasa count. I enter with only one breath paravrtta parsva konasana. Without the CD I twist when the hand is already next to the feet. That way I can go deeper in this pose, but it is supposed to be in it with one breaths only. When I practice with the CD I hold the most difficult asanas of the standing poses longer: utthita hastaa padangusthasana, utthita parsvasahita and utthita eka padasana. At the least now I start sweating and cursing when I have no balance and when I wobble. Be generous with yourself, I think now. Also the hero poses are held longer when I practice with the CD. It is helpful.
For the closing sequence it is the same: the transition from one pose to the other has to be done faster, but the asanas are held longer. I love this CD.

The hairdresser has been in India a month ago

The hairdresser has been in India in Goa last March. He had drunk something out of a bottle and then he wanted to throw away the empty plastic bottle, but he couldn't find a garbage can. This made us laughing.

My yoga homework......

A recommendation by M, that I appreciate of course very much: I will exercise next time to go into headstand and then I will lift myself up into forearm stand (pincha mayurasnana). This is a preparation for karandavasana. It exercises balance this is for sure. I will try it, first against the wall, perhaps I am courageous enough to try it in the middle of the room.
I had an excellent practice today. Strength is coming back.........
And lunch with my yogis/yoginis afterwards was funny, we laughed a lot........
Ah, how I love to be here in Munich, having this excellent Mysore classes 3 times a week and a led class once with this wonderful yoga community. Ah. Life is good.

It's too long, my hair

I have an appointment at the hairdresser today. A man with blond curly hair will cut my blond straight hair.

Up, ....

...finally I slept, it was difficult to sleep yesterday evening. At 6am I woke up but remained in bed looking at my alarm clock. From time to time I closed my eyes and then I looked at my alarm clock again. At 7am I got up.
In an hour I will leave my home to go to a Mysore class. It is the last time of this week that I exercise second series. I am looking forward to it.
Ah my second cup of coffee is next to me.
I have an amount of work to do. Let's see what will happen. Today I don't make myself stress what I all have to accomplish. Being relaxed also off the mat is what I want today, smiling and knowing that this is out of my control, too.
And now I enjoy the second cup of coffee.

It was wished.........

Here is it: my vegan dinner this evening. I had olives as a starter and a vanilla soy pudding at the end and also dark chocolate with a filling. On the German sunflower bread is a vegan mushroom pastete and sweet mustard. I drank water to it. Afterwards I had a herbal tea......:)

I wanted to seperate the pictures from the postcards

I still have six boxes full of postcards, pictures and love letters, even though I space cleared a lot in those white boxes. Today I was able to discard most of the love letters, the postcards and pictures are seperated now. Many of these wonderful letters to me had to go......ah,.....I had to read a bit and I was entertained. My first friend had written: "I see now that you are not flawless,..............". It made me laugh. It's all past and in the meantime I am flawless.....hahahahahahahha. I created a vacuum, it can be filled with something new, new postcards i.e. (smiling).
Love letters still arrive me, I mean new ones, this is so much better.
After this space clearing activities I was so hungry.
And perhaps it was Tony Parsons who inspired me to arrive in the here and now again and to let go of old things.

Tony Parsons in "As it is", page 68: "When I have rediscovered who I am, however, there is no longer any question of relationships. In this open and welcoming presence there is no need for memory or repetition, comparison or expectation - no place for one part meeting another. There is no distance between the two and therefore nothing needs to relate.
All of our energy is merged into a continual freshness, and the celebration of simply "what is"."

Did I practice so sloppy during my trips

I lost flexibility and gained weight, hahahahaha. It is all still good, but 47 kg is better than 48 kg. And 46 kg is even better for me, but I love to eat so, 47 would be good. Pashasana is the pose that makes me want to have 1 kg less. I cursed "damned shit" when I rolled back. My fingers could scarcely hook, but I didn't give up. Finally I remained in that pose for 5 breaths. Sigh and relief.
Back bending, forward bending, twists, all was a bit less deep as usual. I had focus today, breaks were short. No way to come up from laghu vajrasana, I lost strength, too. But I am back. My practice was intensive. Kapotasana is weak, too, I couldn't reach the step on my wardrobe, impossible.
First I thought that I couldn't stand a lot of discomfort today, but the tolerance to feel the discomfort and to enjoy it (hahahahaha) improved with each asana.

Sharath's CD helped me to practice till the end of the standing sequence. I also used the CD for the closing sequence. This helps me to stay longer in headstand. Only utplutihi, the very last pose I couldn't hold for 10 breaths (I never can so far). I will work on that too.

I feel excellent n0w, I had an intensive practice, cursing from time to time is allowed. I didn't omit one single asana (not even the attempts to do mayurasana). I even did full vinyasa to gain strength again.......So I give me a breakfast now: banana with nuts and soy yogurt.

I wanted to be the first

...and I was the first to congratulate E to his birthday (52). Hahahahaha, I had forgotten that it is 1 hour earlier in Oxford, so I woke him up. But it is difficult not to wake him up as he loves to sleep very long. He is still stuck in Oxford, so we have to postpone our dinner à deux. We became old together already. Hahahahaha, but we don't feel old, especially me I feel very young.

I didn't sleep well last night, tossed and turned, finally I slept, woke up again, threw the cover away, because I felt too warm. Then I felt so uncovered and I slipped under the cover again. And again the same game. At 6 I didn't feel like getting up. It was still a decent time when I got up, it was before 8am.
Home practice today, I feel stiff. Sharath's CD will help me in the beginning. The breath shall usher me then through the second series. Bad practices are part of the game......:)

Stiff, weak and no balance

I was stiff, weak and I had no balance during the Mysore class today. I am relaxed. Now it can only get better again. I practiced while travelling, but Mysore classes are obviously more intensive. Why? I cannot take the long breaks between the asanas that I still take from time to time. I also get support and adjustments. The energy of the group helps me to stay focused. All this makes a difference. I struggled myself today through the asanas. And because I felt so weak I put extra effort into my worst pose: mayurasana. Oh, this was good that I worked on this pose.
Adjustments: When doing parsva dhanursana the leg and hip that is on the floor must be stretched forward. The knees are supposed together.
I will observe if I engage my leg muscles enough when I do the standing asanas. No way to come up from laghu vajrasana, the body didn't move at all once my head had touched the floor......:(
Tomorrow I practice again here in my rooms, which is good, too.
Practice and all is coming!

Arrived in the here and now...

Eyes are open. I feel full of energy. I simply need some time in the morning to get from sleeping to action. Might it be a prolific day for me......:)
Mysore class first. The breath is the focus when I exercise second series.

Up, but still so tired

I feel stiff and tired. The mind is empty. Some spiritual aspirants like to be permanent in that state (at least this is what I understood and read in some texts). I love my thoughts. Knowing that my thoughts are nothing else but thoughts and not reality keeps me entertained.

Stiff I feel, stiff. And today I want to practice second series.
I look out of the window, and it gives me hope that it will become a sunny day.....
I need another cup of coffee.........

Headstand at Karolinenplatz

Headstand at Karolinenplatz: This time it was not me who wanted to see the world from a different perspective. A yoga group exercised sirsasana on the grass at Karolinenplatz. The teacher showed what is possible to do when in that pose. She circled the legs, till the feet almost touched the floor, she went up again, spreaded the legs and again.
I observed the yoginis, even though next to my right side sat a man dressed with a skirt and with black stockings, his head was bold, shaved. He looked more like a man from Scotland (the skirt was grey and had no pattern), he didn't look like a gay man. But who knows. I have no clue. I sat there about 5 min till it started raining. The man on my left side said to me that I came at the wrong time. How right he was this man with his Apple (PC).
At home I am again. This was a very short Sunday excursion.....
Yeah headstand: I will circle my legs, too the next time, it looked good.

Done, my yoga week has begun

Oh, I had to convince myself at the end to go into urdhva dhanurasana. I would have missed something if I hadn't done it. It was much better than expected. I focus on the breath and I try bring the hips up. This is enough focus. Three times I tried to bring the hands closer to the feet. I pose the hands nowadays closer to the head when I press myself up. This makes it all a bit more demanding. Afterwards I am no more able to do a chaturanga dandasana. My body falls on the floor.
Ah, did I enjoy my practice? Yes, I did.

Picture: Down dog......feet are hip width apart not wider.

E is still stuck in Oxford due to the ash clouds over Europe. I am alone here. The sun is shining in Munich, I will go out for a walk.......:)

Up and relaxed

I am up and I enjoy the clean environment. Yesterday was marathon cleaning day. All my stuff has found a place again and it is clean here. Oh there is still a lot that has to go. My space clearing activities must go on, they probably never stop. Yesterday we talked about towels. I still have too many. What is too much has to go. I go in the right direction and this is what counts.
I am up early and today my yoga week starts: primary is on the schedule. I need some time to wake up. I right my journal first, when I'm finished with the three pages my body is ready. I will start with the CD by Sharath, this is so helpful. After the standing sequence I will switch it off, but I will do the closing sequence with the CD again as I have realized that I do it too quickly. The poses are held longer than 5 breaths only, especially sirsasana.

Picture: I will send it to my parents with the words: this t-shirt you have bought me as a birthday present......:)

Ha, I was shopping

Saturday, my yoga free day

No yoga today, my body gets a rest day. This does not mean that I do nothing at all. I will do a few sun salutations, so that I can sit easily in padmasana (lotus pose). The body needs to be soft when I want to sit. When the breath is so important it is worth to do pranayama and I want to sit 10 min.

A quote by Tony Parsons in "As it is", page 57 f: If I cease to label suffering as "bad" and "mind", and simply allow it as energy in a certain form, it can then begin to have its won flavor, which can take me deeply, into presence.

I am up early, I woke up without alarm clock, my black coffee is next to me. I am looking forward to the day. What will it bring? Cleaning is on the schedule. I appreciate a clean environment.......:)

I finished my yoga week with an excellent practice

Yes, it was fantastic today again, the Mysore class. I am glad to be at home again and I enjoy my routines.
Inspirations:
-Virabadhrasana A: it's important to open the upper chest. An exercise is to cross the hand behind the neck and to press the hands against it. It is also important to use the bandhas, it's a hip opening asana.
- The twists - marichyasana C and D: To press the bended leg against the arm helps to intensify the twist.

My new focus: I want to express joy when practicing, because this is what it is. The practice became easier, the face can reflect this. Nothing happens from alone, so I consciously relax my face also during the practice - again and again......

Another remark: It's possible to practice in a way (fast ie.) that the practice becomes exhausting. At the end the body feels relaxed, the energy is gone. But it is also possible to practice in a way that one feels refreshed at the end. Even and slow movements can do this.
I was again intrigued by my unconsciousness: I wanted to relax 10 min and exactly after 10 min I opened my eyes.......

Picture: halasana - the back is supposed to be straight, I think it is straight. The feet could be stretched a bit more. Pictures help so much.....

Tomorrow is my day off........

Mysore class this morning, I go

I have forgotten to mention something yesterday. Again I realized how important it is to have strong legs when practicing to engage the legs (not 100%). It gives balance when doing the standing poses and it protects from overstretching when doing the forward bending asanas.
I was happy to see my yoginis again and the other way round, ah it was a nice evening.
And now I will have a wonderful morning: I will go to a Mysore class this morning. This makes me smile. To practice with only a night between too practices is exhausting, but I do have energy, because I love to practice.
This is also what I have forgotten yesterday to write: to find joy in a daily practice is the goal. After years of practice the asanas became relaxing (many of them). It feels good to be in a pose. That's it. With time the practice becomes easier and more joyful.
Time flies.

Led class this evening

Yoga is controlling the body.

Yoga is controlling the breath.

Yoga is controlling the eye movement.

Yoga is controlling the mind.

And this is much more than doing asanas.

The question what is yoga came up during my practice.

Consciously I tried to match the breathing with the movements during the led class this evening. I was focused on my own practice and didn't look around secretly (at least not much!). We were so many students today, energy was in the room. I sweated. I hope I was not too aggressive towards myself. I shall see tomorrow if I am overstretched. Ah it was great. Tomorrow I'll go to a Mysore class again. Wow, how I love it..........:)

Shall this be enough now

It's 1:30pm now and at 5pm I will go to a led class. I need a break between two practices.
So I did the standing poses with the CD by Sharath and paschimottanasana. I had a very short closing sequence. My morning practice was so late because I was so absorbed with the PC and the blogger affiliates. Ah, nothing is done quickly. I am at home again I can get back to my morning routine as I want to have it and this is before breakfast when I practice at home. I eat a small breakfast when I go to a Mysore class.
To organise my day and to stick to my plans is the task now. By 12 o'clock I want to have done my yoga practice. It's a rough orientation!!!!
Time to move on. I need a shower.

Nothing is easy, nothing.

I want to become an amazon associate. I work hours on it already, hours........:)
Better to practice first. And it is lunch time already.......

I am smiling, I am at home again

No, I want coffee, I wait till the shops are open and then I buy a coffee and something to eat. To go out into the cold does not please me so much, but what has to be done must be done.....:)

Back home in my villa motley

The shower in the last hotel had more space than I have here when I shower in my bath tub. This will be my last act for today: a shower and then I will sleep. Tomorrow I will get up at six.

Yes, I arrived at home in Munich, in my villa motley: The water of the toilet does not stop running, it is a mess here, I have no coffee for tomorrow morning, neither anything to eat, but a few olives. I am happy to be at home again. Smiling.

E has to get up very early again, at 5am to be precise. He will travel to Oxford. Oh, to get up so early is not one of his favourite exercises. Oh, he is so diligent.

Virabhadrasana B

Hero poses.......for non-heroes. :)

Virabhadrasana A

Also a hero needs food from time to time........I am hungry again.......:)

Ah, till marichyasana C

I had to wait a bit till my breakfast was almost digested and then I stepped on my mat. Primary was on the schedule today. It was a sweaty practice till marichysana C. I had to stop then as I wanted to have a closing sequence and I still had to pack the suitcase. This is done now, too.
When travelling it is important to be flexible. Sometimes not enough time is available, sometimes I have to practice after breakfast. This is all good. This keeps also the mind flexible. Important for me is not to skip the practice and to find excuses not to practice. The task for the mind is to find room and time for this wonderful practice.

Now I sit here, I must wait till the conference is over. A shuttle will take us to the airport. It will be evening when I'll be back.

My last chair pose picture, promised

I shall pack my suitcase before my yoga practice. This is possible. I must digest my breakfast, it was too much. I loved the bread so much.

My last hours in that beatiful hotel in Barcelona

I am up and at 9am I will have breakfast. At 12 I will have to leave the room. This means I have half an hour for breakfast, half an hour for packing my suitcase and 2 hours for yoga. That's good. It shall be a small breakfast.
It was wonderful here, but to sleep at home again this night is good, too.
The room here are so good to take pictures. This was great yesterday.
In the evening the lights of the city could be seen again, what a beautiful view.
I am relaxed and full of energy.

This was it for today

The wolf in me wants to eat and to drink

Time flies, it is impossible. Next week I will practice seriously again. Laughing.

This was no practice, but a photo session

I wish I had so much room at home. I had to use the opportunity, the curtain in the back ground is great for the yoga pictures. So. I played and played and played and now I am hungry. Time to have lunch/dinner........:)

Laghu vajrasana

Up, up, up........:)

Ushtrasana

A nice pose and a good preparation for all the deeper back bendings.

Bhekasana

Ah the finger touch the floor, but this is not so important. To open the chest is the goal. And what do I see?????????

Shalabasana to build back muscles

...in case you have back pain......this is the pose for you.

It's a photo session

The curtain is too good in the background.

10 sec, this is not much time

I had to change the driste.......to look at the hand looks ugly.

Paravritta trikonasana

Oh, I am not sure if the hips are parallel.

Utthita trikonasana

Ok, time to stop playing, time to practice

The chair, the curtain and me

The chair, the curtain and me.
It's a love affair.

I stay at the hotel.

Sit proberly

Red barstools to sit and have a drink

It's fresh here today.
My breakfast is soon digested and then it is yoga time for me here. Yep.

To swim inside and outside the hotel

It is possible to swim outside the swimming hall. A bar is there, too. Everything is done here, too, to please the guests.

The hotel on the hill

I could take a bus downtown, but I am not sure if I will do this. I am not sure. It's difficult to make a decision. It is the last day here.

Up, I will stay at the hotel

It's wonderful here. I have no reason to go downtown. It's too far away. Breakfast first and then I will practice again here in that huge hotel room, second series, today. That's it. Body seems to be stiff. Oh.

Picture: an attempt to capture the view from here. It's Barcelona

It's Perrier

Water, ahhhh!!!!

Already a bit exhausted...

...from enjoying life as it is......:)