…and god bless mommy and daddy and sparky and
Brenna Francis, my substitute yoga teacher on Sundays because holy man! Sleeping in?? Sleeping in?? Yeah, one day a week of not having to get up at the ass-crack of dawn, especially after yesterday’s 8 mile run from hell in the cold and the headwind with the little blobs of…is that ice? falling from a gun metal sky.
A run where, when I got to the turnaround point at the boat launch and stood looking at the creepily turquoise water of Tioga Lake, all I could think about was how Virginia Woolf filled her pockets with rocks and walked into the river and kept walking until she was dead.
I thought of doing that, I really did, but running pants don’t have big enough pockets (design flaw), so I just turned around and fought the cold and my tightening hips and the mind-numbing boredom until I got back to the studio where I climbed the steps like a baby with a load in its diaper and wanted to cry, but didn’t.
So today it was especially wonderful not to have to wake up, but nestle ever more deeply into the soft downy warmness of my bed and the sweetness of my dreams.
And then the day unfurled in a rainbow of utter perfectness when the Sunday NY Times arrived via carrier pigeon and I actually got to curl up with its thousands of sections and eat it piece by piece until it was all gone and I was bloated and burping with intellectual stim.
And then I did a wash, and then I ate some lunch, and then I didn’t even take a shower but just went to yoga, just like everyone else goes to yoga in wrinkly pants and no mascara and I didn’t even have to think and just took my brainful of NY Times-ishness and dumped it onto my mat and let Brenna lead me into the yoga of sloth, each pose held for an eternity until it gave up its goods.
It was the perfect “Sunday of Sloth” practice. Everyone should give themselves a Day of Sloth practice once a week. Build it in. You need it. Especially after the week (day) you’ve had.
Am I right?
Inspiration Location 
Today I used the wall as my prop. I remember doing it in the studio once before and really liking it. So I did bridge, baddah konasana, and plow. I used the wall as my strap and did leg stretches and fooled around for awhile. I ended with a downward dog and a head stand with the wall as support.
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Kathleen:
Of course.
Your idea is right on the money.
We need a little down time every once in a while.
Otherwise, we feel like robots, not human beings.
Life should not be prescriptive. There should also be moments for spontaneous play and relaxation.
I think you are on the right track. At least once a week, don’t follow your daily routine. Sounds like a plan to me. And let your hair down. Your inner child will glow once you allow the real you to shine through and just follow your feelings.
Put on your dancing shoes and dance, every once in a while, like John Travolta during his youth.
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“Stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive, ah. ah. ah. stayin’ aliiiiive!”
You got it, Archan! (did you catch my finger pointing move??)
K.
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The whole NY Times in bed? How dreamy. How paradoxically stimulating. I hope you tipped the carrier pigeon well. (I don’t, however, envy yesterday’s run in the cold. I could feel your pain and suffering with the Virginia Woolf and soiled baby metaphors.)
Today, my friend, Srutih, invited me to be her guest at the 5pm yoga flow class she teaches every Sunday at the posh, swanky, hoity-toity Equinox Gym in Palo Alto, just down the street from Stanford University. Who am I to turn down an invitation for a free yoga class taught by a good friend, especially when I’ve been craving the “yoga class” experience?
Srutih herself confesses that a gym is definitely NOT the ideal environment for a class, but she does her best to create a safe, peaceful space. I knew when she started the class with, “Let’s stay active in our poses and not go on autopilot” that I was in the right place. We started with some pranayam and om’s, then did a few forward bends before moving into the principal vinyasa of forward bend, plank, chaturanga, up-dog, down-dog. It was so good to hear other people ujjayi breathing and pick up on their yoga energy! After several minutes of moving through the vinyasa and building heat, we added 3-legged dog and then moved into a few warrior vinyasas with the principal vinyasa in between as we switched sides. Ended with hip openers — not one, but TWO pigeons on each side, crow, fire log, then a luscious supta twist. She guided a much-needed savasana and brought us back with an Om.
Tomorrow I’ll likely be “paying for” getting so deep into the practice and pushing myself to redefine my edge (which is so much easier on a sweaty afternoon than a chilly morning). I can already feel all those chaturangas in my shoulders, but I feel good and strong, and it was a great way to cleanse the stressful afternoon I had had dealing with a tired and hungry 9-year old!
Eventually, I would love a sloth day. Today was not it. I’ll have to come back to PA — away from the “I’m hungry,” “What’s for dinner?” “Honey, did I tell you I have a meeting tonight” — for that. 🙂
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Jennifer,
I think you need to cultivate this friendship with Srutih! She sounds like a winner! I am really enjoying your practice–you are going deep girl! Ever think of adding “yoga teacher” to your naturopathy toolbox? You’d make a great one!
K.
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Day 19; April 19th … yoga tonight – 30 min., 9 to 9:30 pm, 1/2 of my Ben Harper Yoga Playlist music (the most mellow fare). I do need to flip-it-back again and get in the morning session (but it just didn’t happen this morn due to sinus headache & overall blecky feeling) … but, still, I’m very happy to make my 19th straight day … can’t wait for Day 20 tomorrow! Wooooo Hooooo. My pretty pink April yoga calendar, complete with daily reward stickers, is really filling up! To think, it looked so bare for awhile … now, it’s more full than not! Me too! 🙂
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