Slowly climbing back on the wagon

I have fallen off the yoga wagon. My last yoga post was Jan 2. Over a month and a half ago. True, there have been loads of items of note going on in my mama-life lately (no more diapers, night-weaning, banana eating...), but this is not a good sign for a blog called "Z's Yoga Mama". So what's been going on with my yoga practice? Well, let's take a look. Since New Year's Eve, I've been keeping track of my practice. I've created this handy-dandy chart* to better visualize the trends...

*Please note, the vertical axis on this chart is my best attempt to quantify my yoga practice. I'm aware that this chart is not really mathematically or quantitatively meaningful. 

Hmm... what are all those gaps about? Let me try to make it a little more clear...

To be totally clear, those sick arrows that keep getting bigger include the sickness level of the entire house (not just me). These arrows included fun events such as "Papa's Never-Ending Sore Throat", "Pinkeye Family Tour, 2011" (we were all cured quickly by breastmilk drops in the eyes, but it was still not fun), and "Mama's Dry Nighttime Cough That Woke the World". There were moments when I was actually feeling quite healthy, but would be completely sleep-deprived because Zora was not sleeping well at all, or way too busy keeping the household running because Alex was napping 20 hours a day. And then there's the motivation factor. With all of this going on, and with my yoga practice slowly spiraling down the toilet, it was so very difficult to even drag my tired, aching body onto my yoga mat.

But I really am trying to climb back on the wagon, and get my practice up and running again. Last week I hit another glitch when I started a mastitis episode (probably night-weaning related), but that quickly resolved with some rest and a homeopathic remedy.

This coming weekend, Alex and I will be alternating attendance to a yoga workshop with Richard Freeman (hosted by Troy Lucero), and I'm hoping this will be a spark to light the fire in my practice again.

One more day with Nancy...

My modified Savasana

On Friday we got to go once more to Nancy's. It was Alex's day to be "on deck" with Zora, so I could practice in peace. We knew it wouldn't quite work out like that, since I'm the one with the "bubba" (boobs). We set Zora up between us, and she spent much of the time playing with her toys--which she was really excited to show to Nancy and Casie! My practice went well, and I was able to do the entire primary series. I decided not to push it and not continue onto the intermediate series. Zora also spent some time working on her adjustments, which often included climbing on me. My favorite posture to be adjusted in is baddha konasana, and just as Nancy headed over to adjust me, Zora beat her to it and climbed on my back. Nancy ended up still adjusting me, through Zora, by pushing on Zora's back. It was pretty funny!

As a bonus, Nancy invited us to her house for breakfast after mysore class. It was really interesting talking with her about her own daughter's childhood growing up around Ashtanga yoga. Nancy also introduced us to tahini and apple butter together on a bagel--I highly recommend this combination!

I so wish that Zora could regularly come with us to mysore classes, but it's not likely to work out where we live. I have been inspired, however, to practice more at home, with Zora around. I will still practice outside of the home, so my practice can continue to progress (and I can get back into the intermediate series), but I really see the value for Zora and for me having yoga be something we share. Today I practiced alone (Alex was out doing errands) in our Maui apartment with Zora there.  She stood with me during the prayer, then she went off to play with her blocks and "mans" (her little people). At one point I asked her to come give me an adjustment in a posture. She said "I'm busy playin', mama. One minute!" After a few minutes, she came over and put her hands on me in prasarita padottanasana A. It felt really nice. I only got through the standing postures, but it felt so good to have that connection with Zora. My "home shala" in Seattle will be closed until New Year's Eve, so I will definitely have the opportunity to experiment with more of a home practice when we return from Maui--in two days :-(