Sunday, February 14, 2010

Everything Is Happening So Fast!

Days THIRTY FIVE, THIRTY SIX, THIRTY SEVEN

First, Gung Hei Fat Choi!!!!  Happy Chinese New Year!!!  Welcome to the Year of the Tiger.  All these holidays have come together so nicely that the color red works for both the Chinese New Year and V-Day.  

So much is happening with our house purchasing process...negotiations happen quickly and lawyers want things now, now, now.  Our realtor works for us and moves quickly.  We have signed the contract and paid 50% of our downpayment.  Now the seller has to sign the contract.  It's time to find a mortgage!!  We are hoping to close and move to the new house by March 31.  March 31!  The reason why we want to do this is because my job is sending me to South Africa at the end of April for two weeks -- hooray!  But whoa, hello.  Lots to deal with in the next several weeks.  

I haven't had much time to blog and I'm trying to be good to myself and only do the best I can every day.  If I don't get to blog, then it's okay!  I do want to say that I miss you all.  I haven't had a chance to read everyone's blogs and if I do, I don't have time to leave a comment.  But I just want to let you know that I'm sending you all my positive energy for your practices and I know that I am receiving yours.  Doing this challenge at this very hectic time has made it easier knowing that an entire community is doing this with me.

#35, Friday 5:30pm with Corinne

A second straight day with Corinne, which is awesome!  Knee was clunky and it feels funny every time I go from bending it to straightening it.  I had planned to a double today -- one in the morning and one in the evening but it didn't happen.  I contemplated doing a back to back double in the evening but I just didn't feel like it.  My legs and my knees felt totally off and I just didn't feel like going for a second class even though I could've mustered the strength to do it.  Despite the instruction from Corinne yesterday, she said I still went too low today in triangle.  She also took the time to explain and demonstrate standing separate leg head to knee because apparently half the class's hips were out of alignment.  I know I have this problem...so I found it helpful to hear her say that it was important, as we came down that halfway down, the hip of the back leg has a tendency to want to open up.  We have to really make a concerted effort to keep that back hip forward by keeping the back leg engaged and locked, weight on the front foot.  Even though teachers are not supposed to demonstrate, I always find it helpful when some take a minute from class to do so.  I get so much out of it!

#36, Saturday, 10am with Caroline

"I like your ice."

"Excuse me?" I say.

"Your ice.  The ice in your water bottle.  I was staring at it longingly in class."

One of two very sweet guys at my neighborhood studio said this to me.  He just completed a thirty day challenge and decided to keep going!  His name is Anthony and it's been great fun seeing him every weekend.

First set of awkward was suprisingly okay and Caroline teasingly told me that I was such a faker.  I had told her before class about my knee pain that I've been experiencing this last week.  She was encouraging and said that as I go deeper in the poses in a challenge, I am starting to open up old injuries.  I told her how discouraged and unhealthy I felt and she told me that I was healthy.  It was nice to hear.  Well, by second set of awkward, my knee decided to scream.  It was awful.  Caroline told me to back off after she saw me grimace in pain.  She had a wonderful nugget of wisdom today.  She said, "In class, you should struggle in these poses but you shouldn't suffer."  I thought the distinction was important to remember especially as I deal with knee pain.

The soreness in my left knee continued and I really tried to figure out which poses may aggravate it.  I think triangle does and after paying attention today, I felt it after balancing stick!!  I must focus on keeping my left leg locked in this pose.   

In camel, in these last few classes, I feel like I am inches from seeing my feet.  I can see the middle of my mat.  So cool.  Every time I go into this posture, I'm excited to see how far back I can see. 

This morning before class, I woke up crying.  I had dreamt of my paternal grandfather.  He died when I was a child but he did visit us when I was very young.  It was so good to talk to him in my dream and find out more about his life.  And in my dream, my parents were talking to each other and good terms with each other.  I woke up sad that my dream wasn't real, that I didn't have a chance to get to know my grandfather, and that my parents have a very icy relationship.  I felt a big sense of loss and an appreciation for not taking life for granted.

#37, Sunday, 4:30 with Alina

Today at church is Worlwide Marriage Encounter so the couples at the 10am Mass got to renew their wedding vows.  The Husband and I decided to attend this Mass and when we renewed our vows, I was a mess.  I always get so emotional and The Husband lovingly calls me "a softie".  We don't celebrate Valentine's Day but it was wonderful to take a moment to re-commit ourselves to each other and to our marriage, recognizing God's presence in our relationship.

 New teacher Alina led a small class today.  There must've been 6 of us in class, I think.  Awkward was difficult today abut no pain!  I could do both sets.  Yay!!!  It did briefly spasm after eagle and it still felt tight at the beginning of half tortoise but straightened itself out.

Solid class and I focused on my locked out leg in balancing stick and triangle.  Wouldn't you know.  I focused on keeping the leg fully engaged and locked and I feel no soreness in the left knee

These last several classes, I've refrained from water in class.  I drink only after I set up to leave the room.  So awesome to find stillness throughout the entire class.  Not moving actually helps me calm my breathing faster rather than reaching for the water.  The progress I've been feeling in this challenge has been incredible.  My body is opening and releasing in wonderful ways.  It has definitely been a struggle these last few days.  Even though scheduling this challenge is getting harder, I know for certain that if it was not for this challenge, I would be far more stressed and high strung about this house buying process.  I am happy that these 90 minutes gives me a chance of to decompress and to take things one breath at a time. 

3 comments:

Elisa said...

Wow, South Africa for your job! How cool is that? I've wanted to visit there since I started reading JM Coetzee's novels. What rich history that country has.

So you got the water bottle envy! I had that for someone's bottle the other day. She had cut-up lemon chunks and ice in it. Lemon chunks! Why didn't I think of that??

bikramyogachick said...

Good luck on all of the house stuff! No worries if you can't blog/read blogs. You've got alot on your plate right now. Just take care of yourself and happy packing! :)
Oh, and I love that somebody was staring longingly at the ice in your bottle. I've done that myself....

ActionJoJo said...

@Yolk E -- At first, I thought he was saying, "I like your a$$." I had to do a double take.

Yes, South Africa! I'm very excited. I will be traveling throughout the country: Jo'burg, Durban, Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Stellebosh, and Kruger National Park. I am really looking forward to it. The country is complex and fascinating and I look forward to getting my own impressions using my anthropological lenses. Oooh...Coetzee, which novel do you recommend I read of his?

@BYC -- thanks hon. You know, your comment really was what gave me permission to just to be easy on myself. So thank you! It really helped me a lot.