It was great

Today I could move into poses in a way which has not been possible for a very long time, almost over a year. Trikonasana was such a pose. I see this as a good sign. Perhaps my pain system has unlearned to produce pain out of fear.

Practicing asanas feels good. The inner organs get a massage. Doing inversions relieves the heart.

Lately I realized again how important it is to develop a 'I can' attitude. It's too easy to say I'm old now, it's too late. Injuries are an excuse, too. The consequences if one gives in to these lazy excuses are awful. Life becomes boring, life aggravates with every year. It can mean to schlepp oneself through decades. One gives up one dream after the other. The less challenged the body and the mind is, the less it's able to do.

A few days back I could even move my legs behind my head.
Today back bending felt excellent.

One must find out what works. This is very individual.

After the back bending asanas I wanted to release my back. Side splits work for me. I sit in front of our shelf to have resistance. When I move the body closer to the shelf the legs move apart from each other. As crazy as it is, this relaxes the back muscles. After this exercise I'm able to stand up absolutely pain free and fresh.

Amazing how good I feel. I feel so optimistic.

Tomorrow is Friday and I'll practice primary.

My new year starts today

It is difficult to practice when travelling. I'm prepared, that is my yoga mat travels always with me. But when the rooms are not warm enough, I don't want to stretch. These days I want to feel unobserved when I'm on the mat. I want to focus on my body without any distraction.

Last night I couldn't sleep. It was the early morning, when I finally slept. Of course I didn't get up at 6 am. I can also practice yoga in the afternoon. The body is more flexible later of the day. Shall the beginning of the year be soft.

It feels good to be at home again. Almost two days we were in the car and my lower back didn't complain. This is a good omen.

It's Thursday today and back bending is on the schedule.
I'm so motivated to practice as I know that the practice betters my life. I exercise to focus on the breath and not on the stories that the mind creates all day long. To stop thinking gives so much relief. To interrupt the stories that are created by the mind all day long need a break. Stories are nothing but stories. We confuse them with the truth.
To practice yoga, to breath, to gaze at my toes or at another point of my body, reminds me to bring the mind to the presence. All stories are fiction. They might bring joy or the opposite, but they are stories. To practice yoga reminds me of that fact.

Contentment can be found when breathing consciously. It can be found when everything is calm and peaceful.

2018 will be a back bending year

I went out to stroll around. The destination is often the wild lake that is very close. Three boys were there. I greeted them with a 'hello'. I asked them if they were up till midnight. Yes, they were, I looked into three pairs of sparkling eyes. We were up till 3 am, they explained. So much enthusiasm radiated from their words.  I remembered that I wanted to go to bed at 10 pm yesterday.
To stay up till after midnight costs nothing. I've forgotten how much joy it can bring.

This enthusiasm of these boys was so contagious. Don't forget to this feeling, I thought. After this encounter I searched  a tree for my first back bendings of the year 2018. Here we go.