I am over 21 years abstinent from drugs and alcohol. I went to a lot of AA meetings. Every once in a while there was something heard, understood or discovered that made a big difference. Something that sticks.
One of the ideas that really stuck with me came from a woman going on a near rant, a diatribe concerning her frequent relapses. She truly was going on and on and it was well past time for her to give the floor to another member, and then she said something to the effect that she “has a powerful built in forgetter.” So powerful is her built in forgetter that when she strings together 6 months or 2 years of sobriety the built in forgetter rears its ugly head and she forgets that she is practicing abstinence and she takes a drink.
That phrase built in forgetter really stuck with me. In fact this morning I had to laugh at the power of my built in forgetter when I woke up and got dressed in street clothes and began my day. I had no joke forgotten about my now almost 30 year yoga practice. It had not entered my mind when choosing my clothing for the day. There I was all dressed, now drinking a cup of tea with plans to do some writing and some gardening. But first I was doing my new morning routine of looking at my phone on the http://worldometers.info to see the numbers going up.
We are living in crazy times.
My husband mentioned that maybe we should do some yoga. Maybe he was going to do some yoga. Oh right yoga. Yoga, that thing I have shaped my life around that has shaped my life around it for decades now. I had forgotten about it. Once reminded of this important, and huge part of my life, I began bargaining for maybe a noon time practice. Sometime later, anytime but not now. Right now I was drinking tea and looking at the Corona virus data.
Luckily husband said, “Well I am going to do 30 minutes of yoga.” He went up to our yoga area. Ok I would join him, but I was not going to risk putting on yoga clothes. The tiny thread of commitment to doing 30 minutes of yoga was so thin, so weak that I did not want to risk going past the yoga stairs all the way to the bedroom to change clothes. Too risky.
I headed straight up to the yoga area, set a timer for 30 minutes, and did not mess around with my usual stretching and fiddling. I got right into the Surynam As. Of course after just about 3 minutes I remembered all about my yoga and the wonderful journey I have been on with this yoga, and how important it is to me and that the linear charts and graphs can wait until after I have done my yoga. The timer goes off and my husband goes down to do his shelter in place work via phone and Skype and zoom. I do another 30 minutes of yoga and really get into the backbends and the whole closing series. I did a short and super sweet bit of pranayama that really was a game changer. For nearly that entire hour I was free of cancer and free of the worldwide pandemic.
I am right here right now saying WTF. How did I once again come so close to not doing yoga? WTF is going on with this Covid-19 staycation we are all on? I know I know not everyone is on the staycation. The healthcare and food store workers are risking it all on the front line of this upward running linear graph.
I have what I believe to be a solid daily practice. These past 2 weeks I can see that now that my yoga studio is shut down until who really knows when I am having to move heaven and earth every day to get on my yoga mat. I want to remind you all to also move heaven and earth and join me in spirit on your mat, anywhere and anytime. Send me a picture of your yoga situation. They always make me smile.
Some ways to combat a built in forgetter of your very own:
Write your practice down. Document to yourself that you do yoga. I find it really helps. Like getting to put a star on the chart when you make your bed, I am always so pleased to have a yoga practice to write down.
Stacy Ingam owner, director and head yogi of Ashtanga Yoga Raleigh is teaching a nearly full schedule on line. Use this valuable resource.
David Garrigues has a veritable treasure trove of resources on his website http://david garrigues.com
He is offering a 40% discount to any and all AYCD members past, present and maybe even future. Email me for the code to get the 40% discount. Remember that AYCD has a strong welcome back policy in place. https://ashtangayogaclubdurham.com/2013/08/08/welcome-back/, so even if I have not seen you from way before the pandemic, email me and I can hook you up with the discount code.
Nikos recommends the Yoga Sutras course as a great way to deepen your practice of yoga. https://davidgarrigues.com/shop/yoga-sutras-for-ashtanga-students
I recommend
the audio file of the speedy version of the primary series https://davidgarrigues.com/shop/speed-traditional-vinyasa-count-primary-series
the strength building coursehttps://davidgarrigues.com/shop/extract-strength-from-your-yoga-practice
ashtanga pranayama https://davidgarrigues.com/shop/a-guide-to-pranayama
Also for the month of April David is teaching an online Led Primary from 9-10:30am EST. Here is a link. https://davidgarrigues.com/events/online-friday-led-primary-april#sthash.jED7kZUi.dpbs
and of course his Asana Kitchens are all right there for the picking https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAbEn6a3p_uoDVLJ9TmepHw
oh and I almost forgot to include that Nikos and I are offering as a gift and a hello to all of you a led class every Saturday 9 AM EST on Instagram live on AYCDurham
xo
Ashtanga Yoga Club Durham 