Grumblings ... (!)

Oh I don't feel so good, and I'm sick of it! Came back from a wonderful 5-day event with Maharaji at Amaroo about 10 days ago (bringing with me various overseas visitors!) and promptly got sick with an awful cold, and of course a cough! Dragged myself to the last choir practice of term (and for me it's the last until I return from overseas in November) - well, I couldn't miss it could I?! I hope I didn't spread my germs, but I may have ... sigh. My overseas guests departed on Wednesday and since then I have been hunkered down trying to rest and get better. I keep thinking I'm on the mend and then the next day I'm back where I was. At least the cough is a lot better now.

I went to a 10am yoga class on Sunday and managed to get through to navasana. Felt fairly good after that, but yesterday when the alarm went off I turned it off and went back to sleep! No 7am yoga for me then. So I was determined to go this morning. Alarm went off at 5.30, and then the next thing I knew it was 6am and I had to leave within 20 minutes if I was going! So I dragged myself out of bed, discovered my lower back was not feeling great but thought a shower would fix that. When I arrived at the shala I realised it hadn't fixed it, and I ended up having to do a very restricted practice. When I got to seated I talked to Christian about it. He told me to just concentrate on the breath, not worry about doing poses fully or binding, vinyasas or anything. And just do what felt good. So that's what I did and in fact it was really nice. I went from worrying about how far I could push myself before it started to hurt, to just enjoying the breath (!) and about 25% of forward bending!

But now I'm home again and definitely not feeling 100%. And it's actually really difficult trying to do the 'final preparations' for an overseas trip when I have umpteen things to do, but zero energy or enthusiasm to do any of them! It has even crossed my mind to wonder what would happen if I just cancelled it all! Of course I'm not going to do that (unless things go seriously awry!) but kind of shows the state of mind I'm in!! At least my first stop is Dena's workshop in Bali, so at worst I can just do the class and then collapse each day. I've done that before!! And of course, this is all 10 days away. I surely must be better by then ... !!!!!

(( fingers crossed! ))

In my sister's footsteps

Last week I started going to the 7am yoga class, instead of the 10am one. I had thought it would be too hard to get up early and drive to Byron to do this, but of course I was wrong! Or the benefits far outweigh any difficulties! It now feels like I have the whole day in front of me when I've finished, rather than half a day! I managed to go 3 times last week, and this week I'm going to try for four. As I couldn't come on Monday, that does mean I'll have to get up early 4 days in a row, but I shall see how I go!

It also makes me think that perhaps it wouldn't be impossible to go to one of Dena's month-long intensive workshops (that she runs here at various times of the year). I had thought I could never do that, but ... ! Of course they are booked up months in advance, but I'll see what I think in a while, and maybe sign up for one for next year.

And I am so enjoying the choir, and learning some music theory. My life is quite filled with yoga and music these days ... Funny that. My sister (who died many years ago) used to be really into classical music (piano and flute) before she moved onto computers in the early days. And now here am I. First of all I got into computers and software (quite a long time ago) and then the internet, and now music and singing!!

a cross-legged turtle(!)

Today at yoga Christian crossed my ankles in Supta Kurmasana ... that's a first! I've only recently started doing that pose again (one of the poses that was taken away from me in the past when I was sick, and somehow never found its way back!!) Still can't clasp my hands, but that will come ... :)

And it's funny - I got my hair coloured yesterday, and he (Christian) commented on it this morning! I laughed - he always notices when I've done that, unlike most men who are completely oblivious! Lucky I do it for my own benefit/enjoyment and not anyone else's ... :)

I've been going to the 10am class, but I'm going to try and go to the 7am class next week. If I got at 10am, it pretty much takes half a day and particularly if I want to go more than a couple of times a week (going to aim for 3!) it just makes it difficult to do other things that I want/need to do ... For a start, I'm going to Bali / UK / Europe in 2 months time and there's so much to organise before I go! I need someone to look after the pussycat/house, and so put an ad on a housesitting website a few days ago. I've now got about 25 responses to sift through!! I guess it's a pretty prime location though! 5 minutes walk to the beach, and half an hour from Byron Bay ... mmm I'd want to do it myself if I wasn't already living here ... did I say how lucky I am?  <grin>

I'm so looking forward to practicing with Dena in Bali. It's funny - I practice at her shala here, but have to go to Bali to get to do classes with her! (Note: I could of course book into one of the month-long intensives she runs here at certain times of the year, but truthfully I cannot see myself getting myself to her shala at 7am every morning for a month!)

OK - back to practicing the Agnus Dei from Faure's Requiem!

It's been a while!

... since I posted here! Don't know why but here I am back again ...:)  Yoga is good - though I did get a quite bad cold a few weeks ago (first one for years so I guess I shouldn't complain - too much anyway!) And I did have to pull my practice right back for a few days ... Christian told me to concentrate on the breath (which resonates in so many ways!) and not to worry too much about how far I could get in any asana ... I think I'm well on the mend again now, although I do have to admit that after having a day off practice yesterday, I felt incredibly stiff and slow this morning!

Choir and singing have been wonderful! A local friend, also in the choir, came back from overseas a few weeks ago and we have been practicing a bit together. And I'm really thrilled to hear that we're going to sing the Faure Requiem in a concert at the end of November. Have always wanted to sing that and now I'm going to!

Had a friend staying for a few days and managed to do a bit of driving around with her - here are some photos!



We went to a community arts market in the hills behind Byron - at The Channon, and on the way back we were driving along little country roads and passed this lovely old house. Stopped to take a photo and the owner plus small son appeared from another house nearby. He was using the old house to display furniture he made and gave us a tour!



Another day we went to the wonderful Murwillumbah Regional Art Gallery - where I always say this view is just as good as the works of art on display ... And below is a selfie taken by another friend who came to join us!

Punchy title goes here!

Didn't know if I was going to get to yoga class this morning ... My pussycat Miss Squiggle used to be really good at coming back inside when I called her, but - I think she's started exploring a bit further afield (over the fence into the next garden!) so maybe she's out of earshot. Giving her the benefit of the doubt here!! But I won't leave her outside when I'm out so had to wait till she came back. Luckily she reappeared just before the latest time I could leave ... And I'll have to bear this in mind in future!


Look at her - butter wouldn't melt in her mouth!!

Last time I went to class (earlier in the week) Jack had me trying out headstand (which I've never done). I said I wasn't sure I would be able to, even with help - still not enough strength. And I was right, but for now, as well as doing that 'dolphin' preparatory/strengthening pose I'm going to actually make steps towards - hmm, getting used to just the starting position. I actually had no idea that my head was supposed to be on/touching the ground (or my hands). So even that seems very weird and difficult! Oh well, baby steps (as usual!!)

Am finally getting it together to organise my trip to the UK/Europe later this year. I'm going to do one of Dena's Bali workshops on the way. Which always involves a bit of backtracking - flying to Singapore or Bangkok and then back to Bali - have no idea why but it's much more expensive to do it in a more direct fashion. Just have to doublecheck with my sister in London that the dates are ok with her and then I can finalise the booking!

Oh, and I'm still having a lovely time at choir / singing! And learning SO much that I never knew (or had completely forgotten) on the 'technical' / Music Theory 101 level!! Perhaps I should rephrase that as discovering how much I didn't know, but need to! It's just great!!!

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Singing again at last!

Last night I got to start going to choir practice at last! Oh yes, I did the audition 2-3 weeks ago and passed! Very relieved - and in fact, in the end I think it was really good for me to go through this experience. The actual audition was more like a singing lesson, and it was really good for me to be able to sing in front of a teacher, and not sort of freeze up or shrivel away! I'm much less scared about singing in front of people now. In fact, at choir practice last night Ian got me to sing the exercise we had been doing in pairs, by myself and I just did it. Didn't even think about it until someone commented about it afterwards ...

As the choir was putting on a concert a couple of weeks after the audition, we had agreed it was best to wait till after that before coming to choir practice. But I had a couple of lessons with Ian, and feel I am learning so much. Much more than I ever have in the past! Very happy about it all!

After a very busy couple of days this week I'm finally going to yoga class tomorrow morning. It's over a week since I've been - I think I was a bit sick last week or something. Definitely need and want to get on the mat in the Shala again!


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Marichyasana D and choirs!

Christian, one of the teachers at the Ashtanga Shala in Byron, gave me some help/advice in Marichyasana D yesterday, and I ended up with my fingers touching on one side ... Very amazing! Of course I can't do it on my own, but the advice/pointers he gave me certainly helped me today without assistance, and I begin to believe that I really will be able to do it one day! In fact he told me that after struggling to do it himself for 4 years, he finally decided he'd never be able to, relaxed and then was able to! Which was part of his advice - don't strain and struggle!

Ever since I moved down here I've been looking for a choir to join that sings classical choral music. It's been hard - all I could find were gospel-type choirs. I did try one once, and they were nice but it's just not what I like singing in choirs. But then I discovered that a friend of mine sings in a classical choir ... The only drawback to me was the fact that you have to audition to join it! Which is something I've never had to do before ... All the choirs I've sung in were community / non-auditioning.

On top of this, I haven't really sung in a choir for a couple of years and don't feel very confident about my voice at the moment. So I found this online voice training course, and have been going through the exercises, and more importantly, doing the warmup voice exercises most days. Then I do something like sing through part of the Messiah alto choruses ... I've recorded me singing one of the choruses ("And the Glory of the Lord") a few times, and I can definitely see - no, hear! - the difference. The guy who runs this course (Eric Arceneaux) strongly emphasises the importance of doing voice exercises every day, and it seems he is right!

I've made contact with the choir conductor, and will probably go and do the audition on Friday! When I said I was somewhat nervous, his response was: "Don't worry about the audition. It is for me to find what you can do, not to give you a pass/ fail. We love people singing here."

So that was nice! Hopefully it won't be too onerous!


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