Saturday, October 31, 2009

Week one of HTTC done!!

Wow what a week! We were asked, in addition to our few hundred pages of reading, to practice asanas every day as well as to practice breathing exercises every day. We were also requested to find a space in our home dedicated to yoga. This part was easy for me as when we looked at our new house I already knew so I have a beautiful space in our front room with a fire place, candles, my statue of Ganesha and my big front window with our beautiful tree where I practice already.

The space was easy to achieve, I have that! The every day part I was a little afraid of. I am used to practicing about three times a week - which is sometimes a stretch with three children as well as the many part time evening jobs I have and the two small businesses that I am trying to start up. The every day practice was going to take some rearranging in my life to achieve so I had to do some major life re-evaluation to work it out. I have decided to post pone one of the small businesses until next year - it will always be there. I have also decided to quite one of my contracting jobs. Both of the decisions were difficult but necessary for me to focus fully on the teacher training as well as to move forward towards the next phase of this journey. Once I had made these decisions the rest followed.

The asana practice did happen every day. It was not always long nor was it always of the best quality given whatever what happening during the day and how many little people were crawling around me. But I did it. I rolled out my mat and lit my candles every day and practiced. I am very proud as I thought I would not be able to do it. My breathing exercises also happened every day and not always after my asana practice. Usually at night after putting the children to bed or after getting home from work. I would again, light my candles and pull out my zafu (meditation pillow) and breathe for 11 minutes.

I am amazed at the dedication that it took to do this. The first few days I felt as if ugh I have to practice now but by the end of the week I was much more positive, and admittedly a bit sore. I am also realizing the age of my body, I am not as bendy as I was ten years ago before having three children and a car accident and a knee injury and a back injury all of these issues that I am trying to break out of my mental and physical state! Cheers to more yoga and a better way of life.

Oh and I was also able to give up meat for an entire week. I am learning to cook more efficiently so that my husband still has his much loved and much needed meat protein while I enjoy a purely vegetarian diet. I am hoping that this lasts as I know I feel much better as a vegetarian I just find cooking as one with a meat loving husband can sometimes be a challenge. I am also in the process of cutting out dairy, this is mostly for my still breastfed daughter who is having some challenges that I think may be related - but that is for another blog.

Om Shanti,
Jenni

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