YogaADay Catch Up Day

I started the YogaADay challenge about a week late, so I enlisted my husband to help me catch up on all the poses I needed to do.  It was a lot more fun than either of us expected, and more challenging than I thought. My knees are still pretty messed up, so getting into proper form was a bit challenging, but I liked that.  What was unexpected was figuring out the lighting, realizing that my t-shirt (which in my uber-fat mind was tight) was actually baggy and my yoga pants were unflattering, and dealing with my dog wanting to participate.

It was a good experience because looking at the pictures reminded me of a few things - first of all, I'm on a journey.  I am not where I want to be - another 50 lbs to go, but I am so far from where I started , 40 lbs heavier. I am constantly changing and what I think I look like and what I actually look like never seem to match up.  It's hard to keep high spirits and a good perspective when you're feeling slimmer than you've felt in years and then see a picture of you that shows off your belly (said in an Austin Powers Fat Bastard voice). But at the same time, it ain't as big as it used to be.

Second, it feels good to move! I did a little bed yoga today because I am still too sore to go to class. It's a good thing I did because it was probably the warm up I needed.

Third, I NEED to get back into the studio.  The pictures show me that my alignment isn't perfect but I'm okay with that. I want and need to go back so I can get to the place where I'm super comfortable doing them again.  I miss my yoga studio like crazy and didn't realize the full impact of it until looking at the pictures.

So all in all, so far it's been a positive experience.  I feel like it brings yoga into focus for me.   Between my meditation practice, bed yoga and getting my pictures up on Instagram today, I feel like I have explored a little bit of each of the eight limbs of yoga.

1. Yama :  Universal morality
2. Niyama :  Personal observances
3. Asanas :  Body postures
4. Pranayama :  Breathing exercises, and control of prana
5. Pratyahara :  Control of the senses
6. Dharana :  Concentration and cultivating inner perceptual awareness
7. Dhyana :  Devotion, Meditation on the Divine
8. Samadhi :  Union with the Divine

And in the process, I had a lot of fun. Here are some of the photos I took. 

shadows are fun.

I like big butts and I cannot lie!

this one might have come out okay

Feeling strong here.

This was okay. 

Totally an outtake - downward dog with  the dog .

upward dog with the dog trying to take me down

it was going well until the dog started licking my arm. it tickled.

for tomorrow