The path and the goal..

The path and the goal: I think they belong together. It's an endless path, that ends with the death. The path is not only plastered with seductions. From time to time we accomplish a goals, if we've defined some. It can be celebrated.
Each practice has mini goals for me. After each inhaling is a pause. After each exhaling is a little pause. There is no movement and no thought during this tiny pause. It's as if a mini-goal is achieved. It gives time to relax and to start afresh with either inhaling and lengthen the body or exhaling and letting go and going deeper into the body. This little pause, this little achievement can be seen outside. It gives the practice a clear structure, a rhythm.

Sometimes the movement (or path) from one pause to the next is long sometimes short. If it's short the movement is slow, if the movement is long, it must be done faster. The breath is even. It's not all porridge.

Kapotasana improved: Here is the history. I see that the elbows must come closer together.

Urdhva dhanurasana: At home I use a strap to keep the feet parallel. I thought I could bring the chest to the book shelf. I'm still far away from it. And I had a good day today. The feet must still be much closer to the hands. My picture tell me that I've still some body work to do till I'll be able to come up.

My practice was great. That's how it is. There will be always something to improve to learn. It's good to enjoy the mini goals.......the pauses between the inhaling and exhaling.
It's good to enjoy the path, the learning. It's an adventure.......surprises happen.......

PS: When an asana seems difficult, it's good to remember that it's of importance to create length (or room) first with the inhaling. This helps to get deeper into a pose no matter if it's a forward bending asana, a twist or a back bending.

10 people wanted......

Some of you might know it.
There is a book in the pipeline, a book about.......I hesitate to go on writing. First I thought it would be about staying or getting slim. This might attract a lot of people. But it 's more about living healthy, being slim and feeling beautiful is a side effect not the main goal. Does this topic interest you?

Why ever this book is not yet on the market, I don't know it.
I decided to  try a new approach.

My book will consist of 30 chapter (estimated and short ones), and it will consist of exercises.

If you're willing to read chapter by chapter during the next weeks and if you're willing to try the exercises and give me feed-back, write me an email:  sorry we're complete.
I'd appreciate:
- when you are patient to let develop the book.
- when you give me feed back on the chapters. I won't answer to the feed-back but of course reflect on it.

If this book will become a product and if you like it of course, you'll be mentioned in it.

In addition it would be good if you are on twitter. You can have a fantasy name there to stay anonymous. I'll give you a hash tag when a group of 10 people is formed and there you can exchange your experiences with the other readers. Nothing is more motivating than making changes in a group.

It's only open to 10 people: Please write to .................... if you're interested.
Thank you.

Next day:
We're 11 now, this is perfect. Thank you. The group is complete now....:) How wonderful.

Sunday, the yoga week begins......

It will be a led class that will entertain me today.............my yoga week begins on Sunday with a primary.

My body is an endless source of joy!

More I don't need to be happy. My body. And my mind.

Consciously I'll move my body through all the asanas of primary soon. I'll feel and I'll engage my muscles, others I'll relax consciously, I'll hear my breath, I'll keep my eyes stable to calm down my mind. Space, silence I'll feel and appreciate. I want to experience my limits and then I love to push them a bit. Being lively, feeling energy, being curious, I enjoy.

Enjoy your body, enjoy your mind. Consciously. It's a source of joy. It's for entertainment at it's best.

A perfect Sunday.

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What gets attention grows....

What gets attention grows. If we don't give attention to anything it fades or diminishes or we even lose it.

My latest example: The landlord was here. My old fears arose that I'd lose my flat. The reason why she wanted to see the flat were of course not to use the flat for herself. In Germany it's very difficult to get rid of a tenant like me who lives in this flat for more than 15 years. In Germany is census of population, not everybody is questioned, but my landlord. She had to answer if in her property is a shower or a bath tub and she didn't know. She came with her son and was impressed how well I'm organised. Ohhhhhhhh.

She got my rent every month and she didn't care for anything. She didn't even make the annual accounting of the additional charges of a flat (water, current, heating and so on). Usually I had to pay something more as estimated. She neglected her own accounting and lost a few hundred Euros that way. In 2004 was my last rise of the rent. I forgot this last rise. It added up to a 4 figure sum. She will get it of course, so is the law.  It's not really a problem.

What I wanted to point out is that this is again an example how we can make anything grow simply by giving attention. Not giving any attention to anything often means that this object fades or diminishes.

This is true for so many things. When I give attention to positive thoughts they grow. When I move my attention to the breath it deepens and so on.........

Focusing on what we want makes sense. Simply given attention can already make a difference.

Party time for me tonight. I'm invited. Everybody shall prepare something. I mixed a salad. The palate buds of  the guests will explode when they taste all the good stuff that I put into the bowl. Only best ingredients were used. Yep, so am I. Hahahaha.


Happy Saturday......

Flow

Concentration on the breath is what can create flow. It's the feeling that one wants to go on and on and on. Intensity is felt. My concentration improved for sure. I didn't interrupt my home practice for taking pictures of yoga poses for this reason.

Being able to focus on the breath for as long as I practice intensifies my practice, I sweat much more than I used to a few years ago. This cleanse the body I've heard and it's important part of the practice.

In the meantime I see that my ability to focus bears fruit also in my private life. Worries are seen as worries, nothing else. They are created by the mind and they disappear when the mind is able to focus on anthing else. It's a skill, practiced on the mat, but also useful in daily life.

Urdhva dhanurasana: I drop back from standing position into urdhva dhanurasana again. It scares me again, but I do it. Legs are closer together than a few years ago. When will it happen that I can stand up? I practice intensively, but I'm relaxed about the result. All yoginis know the saying: the path is the goal. But I think the path and the goal belong together and support each other.

Happy weekend.....

Ashtanga yoga a spiritual exercise?

Is practicing Ashtanga yoga a spiritual practice?
Or is it simply body work?

It depends:
When we observe our thoughts, when we practice consciously a practice can indeed become spiritual.
When we focus on the breath, and when we ignore other thoughts, Ashtanga yoga becomes a spiritual practice.

Spirtitual I think means exercising the spirit, being focused, being aware, finding a positive approach to the exercises, thinking positive.

This implies that each action, each activity can become spiritual if done with consciousness.

How do you exercise your mind? How do you bring spirit into your daily life?

Mysore class: I feel much stronger than some months earlier. I feel that my practice has still a lot potential. I finish my practice usual in samasthithi: Thank you, I say silently, thank you, thank you. I'm so happy that I can do this practice every morning.

Action now. The list is long. Shall my pomodoro timer structure my day: 25 min action, 5 min pause, 25 min work action, 15 min pause.......

Vinyasa, details are important

Jumping forward through the arms with crossed legs is possible without touching the floor, also for me.

For years now I try to jump forward without touching the floor. In vain.

I engaged the bandhas. I learned how to balance on my hands. I inhaled when I jumped. I looked forward. Again and again one foot touched slightly the mat.

Then I saw a youtube video by Kino MacGregor. One has to look closely, but this is the difference.
When I jumped through by now, my ankles were together. The one leg put some weight on the other leg. When I keep the ankles apart from each other, one leg after the other swings forward. It's easier to keep the calves close to the upper leg and voilà. 

This tiny difference makes a difference. Test it and give me feed back.

Brrrhhhhhh, I hope I could explain it clearly.....

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