Friday

First thing as I go into practice, Volleyball Guy silently hands me an index card. On it, info about how Mysore practice will not be happening from July 3-11. We'll be back at it on the 12th.

What? No practice?! My mind was all busy trying to process this information as I unrolled my mat. No practice?! LOL! My mind is very used to Mysore practice at the studio on Monday/Wednesday/Friday. This new information was quite disconcerting. I had to figure out what the current date was, think about the fact that I'll miss a practice next Monday because I'm going with My Gift up to Flagstaff for her incoming freshman orientation. So when does the no-Mysore thing begin? What day does it end? Ah, such a busy mind! :-)

Of course, as soon as I started the suryas, things kind of relaxed. Geez, it's not like I'm gonna die without Mysore practice. I practice at home, no problem. Blah blah blah. I'm a creature of habit, I guess.

Practice was good, though the left hip/hamstring was pretty painful. I think, though, that I am just getting used to it. I expect it, and there it is. The only time it really messes with me is in upavishta konasana, when the crinky place makes me not able to get all the way down on one exhale. I have to kind of slowly work my way to the floor. All the other forward bends hurt, but in a way that I can just move through. Not so much the upavishta k.

Bhujapidasana has a new twist lately: I can descend slowly enough that I'm willing to attempt landing on something other than the top of my head. Apparently, though, my good intentions for extending my chin are a bit overly ambitious: I can land on my forehead gently, but I can't figure out how I would extend my neck the right way to actually get my chin out enough to land on it. Fine. I can wait for this to sort itself out. It wasn't very long ago that I was using a towel to try to cushion the blow to my head as I flipped over, so at this point, I can't complain.

What I also couldn't complain about was the music this morning. Usually Volleyball Guy plays chants at a low volume as we practice. Lots of Krishna Das, that sort of thing. On Fridays, though, at around 7 AM, he likes to put on some oldies, generally of the Motown variety, at a slightly higher volume. It's great fun: everyone in the shala gets very happy and it's just a cool Friday thing to do. Today, though, he started early, and he had some great songs: "San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair)," "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season)," "Aquarius ," "Everybody's Talkin'," "Joy to the World," "Stoned Love," "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head." Blast from the past! Everyone was very cheerful and seemed to enjoy the change.

I think I may try Saturday led tomorrow. Word is, the class has been less packed. I'd like to check in with the posse. Friday is music day, but Saturday is hang-out-afterwards-and-talk-to-each-other day. Don't want to miss that.