Recuperative Power of Lasagna

From the first breath, practice felt terrific. Why?

• Maybe I was more centered after yesterday's mindful home practice.
• Maybe the extensive email discussion I've been having with Crim Girl helped:

It's good to cultivate just being in the moment, and not thinking about how that particular moment relates to any other moment, like for example the last time you were in the same pose. (!)
--Crim Girl

• Maybe it was the lasagna The Cop made for dinner last night (he really believes that's the answer ;-)
• Maybe it was the doubt, finally just accepted for what it is.
• Maybe some of the alignment tips from Maehle's book.

Maybe. My number one choice, though, is Volleyball Guy's suggestion of more water and some salt. Yes, that's my final answer: Gatorade and potato chips. No matter what, though, it sure was sweet. I haven't been so free of pain for weeks.

As I was doing surya As, a new gal came in and Volleyball Guy gestured for her to put her mat down next to mine. She jumped right into the suryas. I was finishing up on my fifth and she just seemed to join right in, doing that last A with me and then following into the Bs. Uh oh, I thought, she's following my lead... Aw, I'm all connected here and mindful; don't make me self-conscious!

Okay, I put it down. Just carried on. Enjoyed feeling light and strong and pain-free. A few times she lagged a bit--getting binds, etc., and at first I wondered if I should just (haha, I hate to admit this) speed up and lose her, or whether I should pay attention to her and make sure I adjusted so she could keep up and get five proper breaths in each pose, etc. In the end, I just kind of winged it. If she was taking a while, I grabbed an extra breath or two, but it was pretty transparent in my mind.

So along we went. Through the series, through backbends, through closing. Savasana. As I got up to roll up my mat, she sat up and did a little namaste bow with the sweetest smile.

My Gift is sleeping in. Last few days of school and they're not doing much, so I told her to go in late. The Cop was just getting home when I got in from practice. He's off to bed, along with the dog. Last night, as he was getting ready to go to work, I heard him laughing. The dog sometimes falls asleep on her face, and her jowls are all crooked when she wakes up. I grabbed the camera and managed to get this: