i appreciate you giving up the opportunity to be a real G by not moving through this post in silence and instead walking us through it. true boddhisatva behavior frfr
I think I would like to try this, with that in mind two questions:
Would the yoga part pose a risk of physio injury as well as just discomfort? When properly done of course, improper technique will make anything troublesome.
Secondly, does the time of day make or break this? I work four on and four off, and those four on I have to be up and leaving at six, to return home at seven or so. I'm guessing if I was to try the twice a day part then I'm getting up at five?
Yoga is very safe with good technique. Discomfort or mild, dull pain at first is normal. If you ever feel a sharp pain you need to step back. Just go hard enough that you're feeling a nice stretch every session but no harder.
The best time to meditate is when you feel most alert and best in a day. But anytime will work, as long as you are aren't struggling to stay awake. You need to be at least somewhat alert, but if you're alert it doesn't matter all that much.
Definitely try it! Physio injury risk should be very small unless you have improper technique as you mentioned or underlying issues or injuries and such.
Time of day doesn’t make or break. There are guiderails and suggestions of course, but they’re more about optimization as you go along and are able. But number one is to just do what you can sustainably do. If that’s twice a day great, if that’s twice a day at dawn and sundown cracked, if that’s once a day but you can sustain forever, that’s by far the best option!
Squeeze your head when you do the exhale. I'm assuming you know to do 4 second holds on each of your alternate (nostril) breaths. There's a space behind the bridge of the nose you'll want to learn to breathe into. Once it begins to open and collect, you'll feel it swirl. That's when you've got it. You'll get the wobble and the straw. When you get it, you'll know what I mean. It's very buzzy. Sweaty, too.
Thank you for this comment!! I think I might've felt a bit of this, at least the sweaty part is ringing some bells LOL. And the straw part. Gonna circle back to just pranayam for a few weeks or months to really give it the respect it deserves and build a better foundation--will keep an eye out for the wobbly buzzy straw!
I love this take on yoga. You are very good at capturing the actual reality of going through this spiritual journey in a really funny and relatable way. Thoroughly enjoyed, as always! Couple thoughts I had while reading...
I think the nasal congestion thing might be due to catecholamine and endorphin release. Sometimes stuffy noses aren't because of mucus, but blood pressure. Maybe the drop in blood pressure from exercising/stress relief is helping to clear your nose. :-) Not saying that's the reason but it could be!
My thoughts on pranayama and what helps me: Vibes, girl. Sometimes I need a lot of high-intensity asana for a long time to get enough endorphin release to relax enough to feel like I can breathe. Once I feel like I can breath, I can stop, do some breathing, and then really sync asana and prana together during practice. Sometimes I can sit first before asana and connect to my breathing right away. At some point in time, the line between asana and pranayama gets blurred, and that moment is so magical.
Lastly, regarding the very end and your next steps. And I say this with a lot of genuine love towards you, I think you're pretty hard on yourself. Some days your 100% will be another days 50%. Sometimes you only have 10%. Some days you're gonna be 150%. Yoga is always something worth doing imperfectly. I think yoga is meant to be practiced at the lowest of the lows and the highest of the highs, and any day that you show up on your mat and do the best you can with what you have is a good day. That, to me, is the most loving and kind thing you can do for yourself.
Last thing, I love what you said about your body creaking and cracking and being like "that wasn't me." I find myself constructing my mind as a steward for my body. My body says stuff, and it's my job to listen. Am I bad at it? Yea. Do I try? Yep.
Again, great post. Obviously I had a lot of thoughts about it. I'm looking forward to reading your review of your 9-day at-home retreat.
i appreciate you giving up the opportunity to be a real G by not moving through this post in silence and instead walking us through it. true boddhisatva behavior frfr
Not much to say, just another awesome post. Thank you.
I think I would like to try this, with that in mind two questions:
Would the yoga part pose a risk of physio injury as well as just discomfort? When properly done of course, improper technique will make anything troublesome.
Secondly, does the time of day make or break this? I work four on and four off, and those four on I have to be up and leaving at six, to return home at seven or so. I'm guessing if I was to try the twice a day part then I'm getting up at five?
Yoga is very safe with good technique. Discomfort or mild, dull pain at first is normal. If you ever feel a sharp pain you need to step back. Just go hard enough that you're feeling a nice stretch every session but no harder.
The best time to meditate is when you feel most alert and best in a day. But anytime will work, as long as you are aren't struggling to stay awake. You need to be at least somewhat alert, but if you're alert it doesn't matter all that much.
Definitely try it! Physio injury risk should be very small unless you have improper technique as you mentioned or underlying issues or injuries and such.
Time of day doesn’t make or break. There are guiderails and suggestions of course, but they’re more about optimization as you go along and are able. But number one is to just do what you can sustainably do. If that’s twice a day great, if that’s twice a day at dawn and sundown cracked, if that’s once a day but you can sustain forever, that’s by far the best option!
damn, now I have to do this. I've "tried" yoga loads but never with this level of commitment.
definitely give it a “try” ;) !! Super interested to hear how it goes for you if you run into a similar experience~
Squeeze your head when you do the exhale. I'm assuming you know to do 4 second holds on each of your alternate (nostril) breaths. There's a space behind the bridge of the nose you'll want to learn to breathe into. Once it begins to open and collect, you'll feel it swirl. That's when you've got it. You'll get the wobble and the straw. When you get it, you'll know what I mean. It's very buzzy. Sweaty, too.
Thank you for this comment!! I think I might've felt a bit of this, at least the sweaty part is ringing some bells LOL. And the straw part. Gonna circle back to just pranayam for a few weeks or months to really give it the respect it deserves and build a better foundation--will keep an eye out for the wobbly buzzy straw!
I love this take on yoga. You are very good at capturing the actual reality of going through this spiritual journey in a really funny and relatable way. Thoroughly enjoyed, as always! Couple thoughts I had while reading...
I think the nasal congestion thing might be due to catecholamine and endorphin release. Sometimes stuffy noses aren't because of mucus, but blood pressure. Maybe the drop in blood pressure from exercising/stress relief is helping to clear your nose. :-) Not saying that's the reason but it could be!
My thoughts on pranayama and what helps me: Vibes, girl. Sometimes I need a lot of high-intensity asana for a long time to get enough endorphin release to relax enough to feel like I can breathe. Once I feel like I can breath, I can stop, do some breathing, and then really sync asana and prana together during practice. Sometimes I can sit first before asana and connect to my breathing right away. At some point in time, the line between asana and pranayama gets blurred, and that moment is so magical.
Lastly, regarding the very end and your next steps. And I say this with a lot of genuine love towards you, I think you're pretty hard on yourself. Some days your 100% will be another days 50%. Sometimes you only have 10%. Some days you're gonna be 150%. Yoga is always something worth doing imperfectly. I think yoga is meant to be practiced at the lowest of the lows and the highest of the highs, and any day that you show up on your mat and do the best you can with what you have is a good day. That, to me, is the most loving and kind thing you can do for yourself.
Last thing, I love what you said about your body creaking and cracking and being like "that wasn't me." I find myself constructing my mind as a steward for my body. My body says stuff, and it's my job to listen. Am I bad at it? Yea. Do I try? Yep.
Again, great post. Obviously I had a lot of thoughts about it. I'm looking forward to reading your review of your 9-day at-home retreat.