Week 6:

·         Monday, 6.15pm class with Ciara.

·         Wednesday: first time teaching my friends Una and Seamus.  Neither had practised before.  General consensus was that complete beginners need more reassurance that they are doing things correctly / not incorrectly and that I should assume that everyone knows common gym postures like plank.

·         Sunday, 12.30-2.30 ashtanga workshop with Brian in the Elbow Room.  Great class, lots of twists and binds.  Still endeavouring to bring softness and grace to my practice and finding it more natural now.  Had a good chat with Brian and my friend Ruth, who is doing her training in the Elbow Room.  Very useful to have someone else doing the training elsewhere, we’re swapping information on forums and workshops and sharing our respective book collections.

Week 5:

·         Monday, 6.15pm class with Brian:  Freakish cold snap so we did some really good warming movements to start.  Make a mental note for the opening of my ‘Yoga at Work’ class this week.

Week 4

·         Tuesday 30 mins self practice. Try to bring attention to my practice

·         Wednesday read chapt 5&6 of the heart of yoga. Intrigued by the section on pranayama and recognise some of the effects of excessive apana in myself. Holding an inhale or exhale has always been a problem for me. Another symptom of my lack of easiness of which I a trying to be mindful.

·         Astanga yoga class run by a friend of a friend in Lj.  Not particularly challenging but as the instructor is newly qualified it offered a good opportunity to pick up some dos and donts.   Notes:

-          trikanasana introduced v early on in the practice ESP given evidently mixed ability of class.

-          no modifications offered even though one student was worki g with an injury (bandaged hand from a deep wound with a bread knife)

-          good preparatory breathing exercises if a little tedious.

·         Thursday: Pilates class to mix things up. Reminds me how tight my hamstrings are these days, note to self to look up strengthening exercises for quads and hamstrings when I get back to Dublin.

Week 3

·         Monday 6:30 class with Brian. Not very focused today

Week 2:

·         Went to Joe’s Level 2 class  in the Yoga Room on Wednesday evening.  Usually this style of class doesn’t appeal as it doesn’t feel dynamic or fast enough.  Today, I appreciated the graceful, relaxed manner of the practice.

March 2012

Week 1:

·         It took a couple of days after the first module to turn my attention back to practising.  In the mean time, I had been reading the Heart of Yoga and become aware of this concept of sthira and sukha.  I am constantly attracted to sthira aspect, becoming stronger and pushing myself further in poses.   I resolve to bring a greater sense of ease, gentleness and grace into my practice.

·         Did a few short sessions at home on my mat over the weekend, trying to hold this intention of ease and grace in my practice.