Pulp Fashion

Yoga practitioners these days can be pretty fashion forward.  Some of the more popular brands of yoga attire worn in the studios here these days are Nike, Adidas, Adidas by Stella McCartney, Zobha, and Lululemon Athletica to name a few. 

Some practitioners invest in these brands ('invest' is an apt word, seeing how expensive they can get!) purely because you really get a bang for your buck as they last for years in spite of daily wear and wash. 

Alas, some practitioners make each yoga class a 'fashion show' to show off the latest tank top with matching crop pants, water bottle, mat and bag.

Having said that, there are some practitioners who don't seem to give a hoot on what they wear to class, and turn up in shorts and a baggy t-shirt where 'all is revealed' in Downward Facing Dog!

The more I practise yoga, the more conscious I get about what I put on - comfort, fit & dry, value for money, and ease of movement when I twist and look at the world upside down without worrying that I'm flashing my 'girls' for the world to see...you get my drift.

So....
Do you feel like you get an extra 'ooomph' in your jump-backs when you're in designer threads? 
Or are you the t-shirt & shorts kind?

Do you wear the clothes, or do the clothes wear you?

108 Surya Namaskar

Yesterday was the last day of the Lunar New Year, and there was also a Full Moon.

My yoga buddy and I made a commitment to practise 108 rounds of Surya Namaskar at sunrise.  It started out slow... our hamstrings protested at each forward bend... our minds challenged our commitment.  It was an incredibly humid morning, and after the 8th round, we were sweating profusely.

Soon, without us realizing it, we were embodied in this humble yet energizing sequence.  Body, mind and breath were coordinated, each movement flowed with the breath.  As we brought our hands into Namaste, we acknowledged our hearts as the center point between heaven and earth, and as we bowed forward into Uttanasana, we rooted our hands and feet, honouring Mother Earth.

As I laid in Savasana, surrendering into the final asana for the morning, I said a silent 'thank you' for the simple morning commitment.  Walking out of the shala with the 'sun in my heart', I was eagerly looking forward to the next Moon Day. 
108 Surya Namaskar, here I come!

Bad Cat Day

What a disconcerting class I had this morning.

I was teaching a 90-minute vinyasa private class, when my student's neighbour's kittens came into the house (as the glass doors were open for ventilation).  Being the playful kitties they were, they started to weave in between us during Adho Mukha Svanasana, mimicking us in Bhujangasana (see pic of my student), and challenging us in a Cat Stretch.

It was cute at first, then it got downright annoying, especially when:

- one of them was mewing consistently (my student had a habit of feeding them, so this one was probably hungry)

- we couldn't shoo them out of the house and shut the glass doors (as it was humid, it would mean, we'd be cooking in our own sweat!)

- my student stroked and whispered to them during Paschimottanasana

- they got really disruptive during my demonstration of Sirsasana

I found myself getting more and more irritated by the kittens' presence, and tried to bring the class back to order; reminding myself and my practitioners to close the eyes while in Janu Sirsasana, and bring the awareness back to the breath, and the present moment (sans kittens!).

Later as I drove home, I found myself sneezing incessantly!  OMG, the kittens triggered my allergies.  Great way to start the week....not!!

As I got home, I rolled out my mat and laid down in Savasana, and meditated while lying down. I kept repeating my affirmation, "I am home...and this is where I am centered and at peace".  After a few deep breaths, I felt 'lighter', without the baggage of 'useless emotions', and ready to face the rest of Monday. 

A friend whom I shared this with told me, "Breathe. This is just one of 'those' frustrating days. But it's cool, because sometimes we all need days like these, to show us what calming means".

Sometimes, you need a wise friend to voice what you already know deep in your heart.
Om Shanti.