Saro with lilacs

Now that the surgery is behind me, I’m stepping up my yoga practice. I was teaching last week and toward the end of class I started to get that blissed out, spacy, happy yoga feeling. I wasn’t even doing the practice. Just teaching and being present with the students. I realized that it has been some time since I felt so enlivened by my own practice at home. I do the practice, but I struggle with the lazy mind and it is difficult to find lightness and joy. In class, the group energy carries everyone along — it makes a world of difference.

Yesterday I practiced at home and set this intention: Be 100%. And it worked. I was present throughout the entire practice. I didn’t cheat or skip poses. The breath was strong, mind was focused, and the body just did the practice without fussing. Although I wasn’t able to go as deep in some poses as I could just a few weeks ago, I didn’t care. It felt like a strong, solid practice.

Today, I went to Led Primary class. It was my first Led Primary in probably a year. The intention I set: Don’t push too hard. At home, I need to do 100% to counter the tendency toward laziness. In class, I have to remind myself to be aware of my limits so I don’t get injured. Especially now, while I’m re-building my strength. Class was what I expected. Good. Already the shoulders are sore. The studio is beautiful (and donation-only). The instructor just returned from Mysore and was competent, knowledgeable and kind. I will go back next week.

The rest of the day was a bit of a standstill. Went out for lunch, took a nap, walked with the dog for an hour in the park. Fortunately, I spent the morning before class working on a project, otherwise I would feel like a certified yoga bum.

By the way, I still can’t get over the beautiful spring we’re having this year. Warm weather in April. And May. The blossoms on the trees are breathtaking. This is how it’s *supposed* to be. It feels strange. I keep telling John that we can’t plant anything outside yet; there might be another frost. But this might be for real. We are so lucky.