Today is Day One of my 40 Day Yoga Challenge with Semperviva! I am excited to take on this challenge, which coincides nicely with the New Year. There is no better time to set a resolution, and gain momentum for staying on track!
This is my second 40 Day Yoga Challenge, so I know what to expect. For me, the challenge is less about yoga, and more about self-discipline. To accomplish this goal, I will need to prioritize my practice, and make choices to ensure that it happens. I will need to go to the studio, even on days when I am too busy or just don't feel like it. I will need to make healthy choices - with sleep, activities, and consumption - which will give me the time, space, and energy, to go forward with my challenge.
My sister Dana is doing the challenge at the same time, just as we did the last time around, in the Fall of 2012. It's nice to share the experience, so that we can motivate each other and share "yoga chat", about which classes and teachers we enjoy.
The yoga challenge will also be a vehicle for me to reach my other goals. I want to find more balance in my life. I want to work less, and have more time to play. I want to be healthy. I want to go to sleep, and start my day earlier, which means I need to go to bed earlier. And there are a whole bunch of other things that I want to accomplish. A daily yoga practice will help me to facilitate these over-arching goals.
For Day One, I went to a 6pm vinyasa flow class. The teacher's name was Carina, and this was the first time I've taken a class with her. Her knowledge and experience was apparent, and she had a strong voice. She taught a very traditional class, and encouraged us to adopt a regular practice of repetitive asanas, as a way to let go of the mind with yoga. She was one of those teachers who spoke in sanskrit, referring to yoga postures by their traditional name. She had a beautiful voice, and sang a sanskrit mantra a the start of class. I don't always buy into Western yoga teachers who go too far with the traditional ways (why not just speak in English?!), but she carried it off okay.
The class was good. Lots of sun salutations, and very good stretch of my side muscles and groin. I really needed that stretch too, as I just returned from a big three day ski trip.
For much of the class, my mind was preoccupied by a worry that I am carrying, and thoughts about grocery shopping and other mundane tasks. I was able to let that go eventually, more or less, and left the yoga studio feeling more relaxed.
I am now early to bed, to prepare for my big challenge tomorrow - 6:15am yoga!! This is a true challenge, as I am not the early bird type! Definitely feeling motivated though!
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