Sleep is one of the five daily foundations of wholeness. (The other four : Movement, Food, Breath, Prayer -Meditation) How did you sleep? Do ypu have a preferred sleep position? How did you prepare for sleep last night? Did you sleep all night un-interrupted? Did you get enough sleep? These affect our morning and our entire day.
My routine these days is more determined to be in bed before 11:00 and earlier if possible. In that way I can drop off quickly. These days I sleep with one pillow under my head, on my left side, left elbow bending so my open left hand under the pillow cradles the skull. My knees bend. My right hand, again open palm, lies flat on the right side.
I have tried various positions, and at night while asleep I will roll. Some conditions require certain sleep positions. This is actually a topic that requires more time. To wake well is to have slept well. And what about those days when sleep is a problem? Yes, I have opened a big topic.
Let’s breathe and move.
The thumbnail photo each day takes a still shot from this sequence. Check it out.
What is needed for hand balances? How do they build? How do we enter and exit? Where is shtira?
Beginning again means asking familiar questions and looking for the answers in the posture, observing what doesn’t work, and what does. Learning twice, and twice again in Beginners Mind.
I recorded this last night because I must be on the road during our usual time. Here we observe three planes of functional spinal movement with breath. I invite you to recall warm-ups of this past week and to practice from whatever you can recall. If you cannot recall, then reboot yr favorite livestream recording and use that.
This week marks the start of a new endeavor at the SAMURAI INTI Martial Arts Studio in Frisco. I’ll be teaching i a group class there at Sendai Sebastian Mejias ‘ dojo on Monday and Wednesday mornings.
If you have any questions about payments, text Donna at 214-663-3991.
~Group class rate if you have joined the Locals online group at the FREE level: $30. Click here to pay: https://buy.stripe.com/cNi28qemN5q0bDldWzf3a0j
~Group class rate for Locals supporters at the $5-$14/month level: $20
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~Group class rate for Locals supporters at the $15-$59/month level: $15
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~Group class rate for Locals supporters at $60 and above: FREE
Although not a true morning wake up, the song remains the same.
Today’s practice is my first intentional movements with breath. Three planes, lymphatics, joints. That’s the way we address the experience written in our bodies like physical graffiti. Through our intentional breath and movement we recognize our state of being dazed and confused. We can move with grace through good times bad times. We awaken our bodies like houses of the holy. Not to say that our practice is a stairway to heaven, but we cannot hope to get clear and strong if we try to sneak in through the out door.
You don’t need to go down to the seaside, or over the hills and far away, or even to california. Practice wherever you are in the light.
And after practice? It’s a celebration day. Eat a Tangerine, I will listen LOUD to a British rock n roll band who made their fortune in the U.S. of A. I will boogie with Stu and my black dog. These are dancing days. Led Zep is dead, long live Led Zep....