Scattered Mind

I noticed that my home practice has been a little bit scattering. I used to practice with complete focus on my breathing, and which legs to cross behind and jump back, etc. But now my attention and focus are everywhere. I would even stop to check my phone! I do not know why this happens. The quality of my practice still is satisfactory, I feel like my urdvha Dhanurasana is improving day by day, but I feel like now it's more of a physical practice than also a mental one. It used to be totally emotional for me as well, and sometimes I could feel my mind tuning out to the rest of the world and concentrating only the sound of my breathing. I lost that...

 Improvements: WAY BETTER chaturranga, and to my pleasure utthita Hasta Padangustasana has improved SO MUCH, thanks to la ruga's teaching. I am able to bring my feet up to my nose at all three poses. It also feels easier to stand and balance.

My Mary D feels tighter on my right than my left. And my Urdvha Pindasana is also better... I can balance on my shoulders only now, but my arms are not straight yet.

Love the practice today nevertheless.

Strong Monday

Monday felt lethargic.

I contemplated whether to practice or not. Thinking of the Lolasanas and the jump backs and the Surya Namaskaras. I lolled around with my husband watching the television, all the while looking at the clock, knowing that if I'd started just now I'd be halfway done by now.

I started at 8, not too late, not too early either (of course, I would like to practice in the morning but...) While doing Surya B I told myself to do just 3 rounds of that but I could not afford to have halfway warmed up leg muscles. God only knows how tight my inner thighs are. This time my downward dog and chaturanggas were harder - I kept my awareness on them to see how I progressed. Sometimes I faltered and my Upward dog became just a push up. My elbows splayed to the sides sometimes. Still not strong enough.

Inner left knee still has remnants of the pain, but after some rotation (inner? external?) it dissipated. I found out that I enjoy putting my head down in Prasarita Padottasanas, eventhough my legs have to be seriously wide when I do them. Despite Utthita Hasta Padanghustasana being my least favorite asana to do my legs are stronger because of them everyday. My Ardha Baddha Padmottasana felt VERY stable, surprisingly. I was very pleased. It's hardly ever I feel secured and rooted to the ground with one leg in lotus!

My Bhujapidasana was more grounded, thanks to the arm strength. My Garbha Pindasana was rooky, my rolling not so high as before, more haphazard. Perhaps it reflects my state of mind? Urdvha Dhanurasana still hurts, but I managed. I was sad that I could never do Urdvha Padmasana ever... but I let it go. Practiced the Dolphin and headstand variations. Tolasana, of course, was amazing.

It was a good practice. Can't wait to do simple yoga tonight. On the menu: Camel, Half Moon, Side Plank, Lolasana.