Hmmmm, lets see if this double posts. I posted this the other day but today when I changed my template this post got lost.

I cannot figure out for the life of me why I totally abandoned this blog. Maybe it had to do with my Ashtanga practice falling out of active thinking? Or because it's a been a transition year for me? Or because I'm just lazy? Or all three.

In any case, my practice these days looks much different. Various injuries, tennis elbow in my left arm since Oct of 2003 and then a fairly sizeable Lupus flare and then tennis elbow in my right elbow since Dec 2004 has taken me out of Ashtanga slowly but surely. Also not being able to afford classes on a weekly basis doesn't help when you know danged well you need the influence.

My practice is much easier these days, physically. Toss down the mat when I feel like it rather than because I must do as perscribed. Much fewer demands on my body. More dristi in the freedom method of Erich Schiffmann. I'm still doing the more difficult poses (I mean difficult for me) I'm just not demanding that my body do what it's asked to do in a daily practice. Currently I have more internal explorations in my practice, sinking into, being there, not pushing.

That said, I'm also looking forward to slowly going back to Ashtanga. But I think (at least today) that the practice today is what will be primary and Ashtanga the secondary practice. I'll just have to tell Scott that forward movement into second series isn't a focus for me.

The 9 months off the shala schedule has done a world of good for me. Changing priorities, changing body, changing focus. Life is good, life is being where it is.

Now off to the mat, feeling the need to move this left shoulder.
xo