Short practice to pop the bubble

Ever have a bubble in your throat? You know the desire to scream, bitch, cry, drop the diplomacy and just spill it sista! Yeah... that's pretty much my Thursday(s). The small gnawing behind my eyes that was just an annoyance on Monday has matured into what will be a  thumping menace by end of day Thursday. Aargh!
Relax. Friday is coming.
And the following morning flow helps pop the bubble and keep my filters somewhat intact.


1. Tadasana
2. Standing yoga mudra
3. Hands to floor - Forward fold
4. Tadasana
Repeat 3 x
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5. Tadasana
6. standing yoga mudra
7. hands to floor - forward fold
8. rag doll
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9. from rag doll spread feet a bit more than hip width apart
10. bend knees - hands on thighs - lengthen into a jackknife back
11. Standing cats & cows - 3- 5x
12. wide stance tadasana
13. drinking bird - legs straight, hinge forward into a flat back, arms beside hips*
14. rocking horse - deeply bend knees - lift body up - arms beside ears*
15. drinking bird
16. standing cats & cows 3 -5x
17. catcher's twist - hands to thighs, knees bent, long spine - twist through belly, chest to look over one shoulder, then the other.  - 3 - 5 x
18. Tadasana
______

19. Downward dog
20. Plank
21. Downward dog
Repeat 3 x holding each posture for 5 breaths.

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22. Downward dog
23. lift rt. leg, bend knee, stack rt hip on top of lft.
24. extend rt. leg up into 3 legged dog
25 ease onto lft. knee
25. modified side plank

26. Hands and knees
27. thread the needle
28. down dog
Repeat on other side

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29. From down dog - hero's posture
30. breath of fire - 2 minutes
31. sphinx - lion's breath
32. puppy stretch
33. cobra - lion's breath
34. puppy stretch
35. upward dog - lion's breath
36. crocodile - deep sigh
37. Downward dog
38. Cobblers pose w/twist.
39. Sitting meditation.

Breathe.

OM SHANTI

*This video demonstrates "drinking bird" and "rocking horse" and is also a sweet little flow.

To find balance

O.k. I must admit that walking the middle path can be quite frustrating at times. Most of the time. Pretty much all of the time.

The middle path is the one between your spirituality and the rest. It is the act of being "in the world but not with the world." It is the balancing act between the muggle world and the magical.

Of course the key is to meld the 2. To carry yourself strong and peacefully moving from the quiet wisdom of the center & speaking the truth of the greater Self.

But, truth be told, it is hard to hold the balance. It is hard to stay away from the drama of daily work life. And floating in yoga all day is just not in my cards at the present.  So... i must walk the middle path.

Lately this has been difficult to say the least. & i find that i have been experiencing  crazy new sensations. Panic attacks and gastrointestinal disturbances. Yeah. I'm laying it out here. These sensations are simply new & are usually most severe before and during my work day & then later in the evening before bed.  I have always been a go with the flow kind of person. Maybe too much flowing not enough standing up for myself? Or possibly the internal resistance to surrendering to the insane weirdness of the most modern day workplaces. I really don't know.

I do know this - my personal practice, no matter how minimal, is becoming more & more dear to me. The challenge, truthfully is finding the time & letting go of the idea that there is "not enough time."

Yesterday morning, the struggle to maintain my breath and calm the racing of my heart as i prepared for work helped me to step on my mat. My time? 10 maybe 15 minutes. My practice? A (for me on that day) short series of strong standing postures that helped me to ground and find my center. My meditation was a Qigong style qi  energy movement meditation.

Remember - practice safely & mindfully. And check with your doctor before venturing into any exercise program.

Hold each posture for about 7 - 10 breaths or whatever helps your mind to quiet.

tadasana (mountain)
vrksasana  (tree)
virabhadrasana 2 (warrior 2)
viparita virabhadrasana ( reverse warrior)
parsvottanasana ( pyramid pose)
virabhadrasana 1-( warrior 1)
prayer twist
crescent warrior
standing split
Tadasana (mountain)
Repeat on other side

Tadasana with arms overhead opening into a backbend.
rolling into a squat
sukhasana

meditation
Make the akash mudra.
Place left hand at the second chakra
Right hand chest level
Relax the eyes, settle into the breath
move the qi from the bottom hand to top and top hand to bottom.


Namaste