Breathe and Zombies

The breath is very important in yoga.  I generally try to concentrate on breathing during the classes.  However there are times when I am panting like a beast of burden.  I know that you are supposed to breath through your nose in and out.  I never was very good at that, being more of a mouth breather.  Yet the strength of breath is in the awareness of it.  I have to admit I am learning to breath better, deeper, and more clearly.

Take the flow pattern from downward dog to plank to upward dog and back to downward dog.  Four breaths.  However the breaths are not when you get into the pose the breaths correspond to the moving stages of the poses. The breath belongs to the flowing movements. If I concentrate on the breath the movement gets the strength.  

So here is how it works.  You breath in during the transition to plank from downward dog.  Then you breath out when you are lowering into the floor.  You breath in during the upward movement to upward dog.  Then you finish it by breathing out on the movement to downward dog.  The day I connected the breath with this series of movement it became so much more clear and powerful.  

Day 23: I worked to connect the breath to the movements today.  I felt like I was getting some strength and focus back.  The instructors mention having a mantra to stay and keep yourself focused on your breathing, like breath in peace, breath out stress.  However one of the instructors a while back suggested using breathing in to the count of three and then out, counting backwards from four down to one.  This process makes you control your breath and focus.  I have found this very helpful because I am such a numbers person.

Day 24:  I can't believe I only have 6 days left.  I am less than a week away from making it to the goal of 30 days of consecutive hot yoga.  So far so good.   I continued to connect my breath with the movements today.  At times, when I would normally struggle with breath and start having fast short breaths, I tried to go back to my breath... in for three, breath out counting back from four.  It worked and I was able to gather strength from it.  Interesting....

So one very funny thing happened today.  I usually am one of the first ones out of the room because I want to get a shower right away and I usually have somewhere I have to be.  So I don't usually see what I saw today.  Today it took me a few minutes to gather my wits and start up and out of the class.  I witnessed these exhausted sweaty people all walking through the almost dark room towards a doorway out to the bright light.  People kind of stumbled on the sweat slick floor as they headed out walking cautiously.  It looked so much like every zombie movie I have ever seen or imagined.  It was like the night of the living dead leaving the yoga room.  I laughed to myself and zombie walked out to the showers.

I did my hot yoga in the morning and then came home and got ready for the party.  Today was also my son Joel's birthday party.  He regained his health just in time to have a fantastic birthday party at Chuck E Cheese. We pushed through the party with over 20 kids and went through over 900 tokens.  Wow.  What a time.  He was so happy.

I guess with 6 day left I am no longer by the way side.  My son is better, the party is done, and I can focus on the next task at hand.