Decompressing the day.

After my professor filibusted about filibusters in Legislation today, I really needed some decompression. I signed up to sub a yoga class tonight a few weeks ago... thank goodness I did.

It was a beginner class. Beginners can go to any class at my studio, but the beginner level focuses on the basic poses and really coaches you through them. What a great piece to the first week of practice! It was great to reconnect to the poses and really see what I'm supposed to be doing with them. When doing my 20 minute practices at home this week, I sometimes wished I had the guidance I do when at the studio. By going to this class, I relearned some things I was doing wrong.

It was also a great reminder that I am by no means a yoga pro. My body has come a long way since starting yoga, but I have a loooooooong way to go. The practice is ever evolving, and I am grateful for that.

I missed my meditation this morning. Well, not entirely. I woke up a half-hour late, rushed around to get ready, and had about 4 minutes right before I left to get something in. We're supposed to do 5 minutes each morning and night this week. So, I stood there, in my jacket, holding my tea, closed my eyes, and focused on breathing.

Surprisingly, the three minutes I stood there was some of the best meditation I've had yet. I took all the stress of getting ready and left it there. I set an intention for the day. I let my shoulders relax. It was wonderful. I really enjoyed those three minutes, maybe more than any other today.

I also had the chance several times today to work on reactivity. I think I did okay with it. The emotion flared up, I felt it, dealt with it, dealt with it, dealt with it... and finally let it go. I get upset about really dumb things... like when to cross the street. That neeeeeeeeds to stop.

I may also have a caffeine problem. I didn't think I did, but it might be the answer to my headache issues. Investigating.

Tomorrow will be my rest day, I think. I've felt so off all week, it's probably important to let myself have the day tomorrow. Rest is good for the soul. :)

Headache.

I'm having a hard time taking my mind off of Haiti tonight. My "issues" seem so small compared to what the people there are undertaking at the moment. But for now... personal reflection.

The timing of this 40 day journey is perfect and awful, all at the same time. It began the day before the first day of the semester. Perfect because the workload isn't heavy in the beginning, it gives me a way to incorporate new habits early and simultaneously start anew. Awful because getting used to a new semester is always discombobulated, stressful and tiring, I don't have a set pattern to inject yoga practice in to, and I could use some time to settle in.

But life rarely lets you "settle in", right?

I'm basically whining. I've had these crazy headaches from lack of a sleep pattern, I suppose, for the past three days. They settle in around around 1:30 and kill my mood and certainly the rest of my day. I've been cutting out excesses in my diet, so I haven't let myself go grab the afternoon Starbucks I think will help (but I'm not a caffeine fiend, so this might be wishful thinking). I've tried caffeine free tea, yoga, rest... nothing kills it. I finally gave in with some ibuprofen (and ice cream!) today. But that's not what I want.

I know I've only been in school three days, but it feels like an eternity, and the new yoga-mediation schedule has been tough to get used to. Struggling through these headaches has made it even more difficult.

In good news, I had a really good, focused practice this morning and a good morning meditation. I had the chance to do this week's meditation questions last night. They pointed to different areas of my life and asked me how I felt about them. There are so many things that could really use some focus and attention. Each question brought up something different I would love to address. But I've gotta keep plugging away at the two areas I've chosen.

Did I mention that I randomly chose a journal for this journey that includes Bible verses at the bottom of each page? I just noticed it last night. Awareness and presence.