Replace dinner with yoga

Nearly 12 hours of work today.  Not much time left for yoga.

But after finishing work at 7.30pm tonight, I chose yoga over dinner.

Intention: to do at least 5 poses, holding each for 10 long breaths.

It was an easy goal and I had no particular poses in mind, but figured they’d be forward bends….a quiet internally-focussed forward bend practice to ease tension out of my body and mind and create an envelope of peace.  Sounded attractive.

Very different to my Wednesday practice.

A journal of my journeying tonight:

Supta Virasana over a bolster (10 breaths)

Forward Virasana (10 breaths) – Around the third breath I felt impatience arise.  This pose is easy, move on, I heard.  I stayed for 10 breaths.  Humility blossomed.

Prasaritta Padottanasana with hands behind my back in reverse Namaste (10 breaths).  Magic inversion, chest cavity relaxed.

Parighasana – sprung from nowhere, or somewhere deep in the archives - 5 breaths each side with upper arm vertical, fascinating, then 5 breaths each side again in an attempt at the full pose.  Barely able to bend over without some rotation of the hips.  Side stretch very satisfying.

Maha Mudra – full pose, all 3 bandhas fully engaged at the end of the inhalation and held strongly until the end of the exhale. 10 long, slow, Ujjiya breaths.

Paschimottanasana (10 breaths)

Supta Baddha Konasana (10 breaths)

Bhujangasana (5 breaths) moving into Upward Dog (5 breaths)

Ustrasana (10 breaths) interesting to hold it this long

Hanumanasana – 5 breaths each side

Supta Padangusthasana (10 breaths)

Jatara (forgotten the full name) 10 breaths each side.  This was the spinal twist my body needed to do tonight - deeply directed acupressure from inner lumbar to outer cervical area, much more effective than a seated twist.

Shoulderstand (10 breaths)

Halasana (10 breaths)

Then the long slow-motion descent out of Halasana which took 14 breaths.

Seated cross legged twist (10 breaths each side)

Seated cross legged forward bend (10 breaths)

The intention of doing at least 5 poses was far exceeded.  It helps to start with an easy goal.  This is like the bottom rungs of a ladder. I can then step onto the mat without expectations and let the creative force lead the practice along.  

Instead of Savasana, I set up for a supported Setu Bandha with a bolster down the length of my spine, feet on a high cushion and shoulders on the floor.  

Fell immediately into a deep unconscious sleep. 

Woke up 15 minutes later with Buffy asleep on my shins.

Earlier on in tonight’s practice I couldn’t resist taking a photo of her – she was doing her restorative inversions too.

Finished practice at 9.15pm.  Missing dinner is not an issue - my digestive system gets a rest - I miss dinner quite regularly, more often through complete physical exhaustion (from labouring work) than choice.

Replacing dinner with yoga was a deliberate choice, an act of loving renunciation.