2 hours Ashtanga yoga is enough.

I woke up at 5am. I had missed already sun rise. Soon I got up and at 9am I was on the mat. No discipline issues these days. It's also the weather that helps to be so consequent. When it's warm it's so much easier to bend.

Like yesterday I did a lot of back bending asanas. One day these asanas must improve only because I put so much time into learning them. It's not possible to realize progress on a daily basis.

After the leg behind head poses concentration faded. How do I realize this? I want to leave the mat, I dawdle, thinking starts becoming intrusive........I still added pincha mayurasana and mayurasana. Oh my, I'm so fearful. I don't know how to get away from the wall when I do pincha mayurasana. I must learn to fall, but this scares me so much.

Not all asanas were done, but it was enough practice. I finished it with the finishing sequence. At the end I lied on the floor to rest for 10 min. I showered. Now I want to meditate for 10 min and again almost 3 hours are dedicated to my yoga practice. I love it. It's pure luxury. What a time-consuming practice I have, oh my.

I eat light these days. On the picture is my salad of yesterday: 3 carrots, 1 apple, parsley and a dressing made of oil, citron, a bit of salt and a bit of Algave syrup.

Every Ashtanga yoga practice betters my day

Yesterday I practiced second series. I forgot bakasana, hahahaha.......but this is OK.

Today I practiced also second series with focus on back bending. After 2 hours my concentration faded away. Then I did the finishing sequence even though I was not through the entire series. I think my strategy is good. I do much more back bending asanas before kapotasana than intended. But this helps me to get deeper into kapotasana and more important I like to do it then because my back is so much more prepared for this deep back bending.

Yesterday I practiced 2 hours without breaks and today 2 hours 15. I measured the time, because most studios offer Ashtanga classes that last 90 min. If I want to focus on flow and primary series this might be enough time. Otherwise it's too short. I don't want to hurry when doing yoga.

One core asana of second series is pashasana........I spend some more time here, too. Main changes is that I don't roll back on my heels anymore. I start twisting with both feet flat on the floor. I rolled back now for 4 years with only tiny improvement. The new method to get into the pose seems to help me.

Motivation and ambition are back.

The weather also makes a difference. It's hot here now. The balcony doors were open when I practiced. It was wonderful. The heat makes me sweating. The body is so much softer.

Healthy eating is supportive. I enjoyed my salad.

I wish you energy that takes you to the mat.

In best mood......

Monday: Till the end of June is still the summer hole.....hahaha.....this means that M is still absent. Self-practice is offered and new Ashtanga studios came into being.

I want to strengthen my discipline. At home I can better work on my weak points. For the time being I think it helps me more to work on the asanas that are not so good than to whip myself through one or even one and a half series. I know many back bending asanas that prepare kapotasana. When I do them before this deep back bending it becomes easier. After 2 years I see no progress, this means something goes wrong, because I do progress in general.

My practice will be hard today, but perhaps one shouldn't write, say or even think this. Too many days off in a row. Performing the asanas better and better is a side product of daily practice. Focus shall be the breath today and not the performance of the asanas. It's my goal to stay on the mat. This betters the ability to concentrate.

Excuses why I had days off are numerous, reasons to get back to the daily practice are convincing.
When M will be back I want to be ready to work more intensively on third series. I'm motivated. Yep.

Time to practice.......

The analysis - the teeth and gum topic

By now my teeth got x-rayed as a first analysis. That's past and done by the money dentist.
Today the depth of my gum pockets were measured. The dental hygienist had an instrument that she led between gum and teeth, the measurement of the depth of the gum pockets happened electronically. At once the result was shown on a screen where one could see the teeth and then the result of the measurement. Critical depth were shown in red. Good parts were indicated in black. This is the latest standard was my feeling.

The analysis is the basis for a suggestion for a therapy. This is why it's so important. Of course one must be able to read the results.

The next 2 steps are clear now. The treatment is conservative.
1. At the end of June my 2 wisdom teeth get extracted. Wisdom teeth are considered as redundant and trouble makers. Mine never made troubles, but they are difficult to clean. Shall they go to nirvana. "Your body will thank you when they are out," the dentist told me. It can even be. The smaller the inflammation is, the better it is for my body.
2. At the end of July a profound cleaning is on the schedule. It will last 2 hours. This seems to me even more important.

What comes after that depends on how my body will react to that treatment.

I was glad to hear that I clean my teeth very well. After every meal I do the whole show. Sometimes I don't want to eat because afterwards I have to clean my teeth. Yet usually I eat and I brush my teeth. :)

I'm relieved.

My minimalistic days

One task must be done every day. This is the duty.
The rest is fun or because life flows so smoothly. Today it flows.
Yesterday I felt stuck as soon as  E's bicycle was at the bicycle doctor. I was not even in the mood to read. I was waiting for the evening party at a beer garden. The photographer "Der Stilpirat" made a tour through Germany to meet his followers. Almost 20 people joined and it was interesting to talk about photography with these people of all walks of life. Some focus on weddings and workshops, one woman loves to take pictures of newborn, 2 men had photography as a hobby and a contrast to the job. It's planned to meet again.
I called E when I left the beer garden. In the middle between beer garden and our home we met and on our common way home then we stopped at the Croatia restaurant to have a last drink. For me it was water. Non sparkling. It's enough when I'm sparkling and I had a lot to tell........this is an asset of myself that I love to talk. :)

The task today was to get the water tap repaired in the kitchen. It was dropping all the time. A plumber in the house means cleaning. Under the sink I removed the dust. My shelves for spices were the next spot that I cleaned. It had to be. A kitchen needs to be clean. I was not too lazy to put the carpet into the washing machine. Yep, there is still time to clean the floor.
Probably I've too much stuff. This makes cleaning difficult and time-consuming. Yet it can be done. No excuses. And discarding things, space clearing so to say is part of the game, too. Always.

In December we'll move out from here. But by then I cannot neglect our home. The thought came up already, but I discarded it.

A yogini loves a simple life.
At least the direction is clear.

A simple life creates time for asana practice.

Let's call it bhakti yoga

A friend from the US moved to India. Not a months there she cares and collects for the needy dogs. I donated and afterwards I felt so good. I always love to do something for the animals. It makes me happy when I can do it. Money can help.

It's a good habit to think what to give and who to give. It can serve as a motivation to get going with the own projects. And it helps others. It opens the heart, it makes sensitive.
Some might worry about nature.
Some like to help when there is flooding or another catastrophe. Not that I want you to look for misery in that world.
There are a lot of situations that require money: education for girls i.e.
Perhaps someone needs someone who can listen for a while......
Be creative.

It's good to give and it's good to take. It belongs together. One can cultivate both.

Bhakti yoga was my yoga today. Asanas will be practiced tomorrow again.

Back from a lovely trip

I knew that I wouldn't have time neither for yoga nor for being online during the last 3 days. Now I'm back and I have my pictures of this lovely weekend as souvenirs. One always needs a bit of luck and we had luck. The weather was excellent: sunshine all day long.

I checked my calender this morning. Several appointments are on the schedule: This week I'll meet photographers, I will get my nails done and finally my teeth treatment will start.

This week has a moto: back to a healthy life style. Less is more.