Monday, August 31, 2009

First Practice - 31 August


The big plus about starting at 5 in the morning is doing the opening chant together with the rest. And it's nice to start the practice with most; though, I'm puzzled to find still more people coming in at 5.45am or later.

Practice was great, but my mind was all over the place. In downward dog, I was noticing the mosquitoes around me. Do I swat at them? What if Saraswathi notice me? I think I'll have to risk dengue, concentrate on the dristhis! When I reached the first balancing pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana), I noticed Saraswathi coming over to help. Please don't dance (wobble), just concentrate on dristhis and breathe deeply.

Other than my wandering thoughts, practice was really enjoyable. Got help with Marichyasana D - I was a bit stiff but Saraswathi managed to bind me on BOTH sides! Yay! And I've got Navasana. On my first day!

Went back to hotel after practice. But not before a coconut outside the shala. That's when you get to say hellos to other practitioners. Anyway, cleaned up when I got back and still have time to kill before breakfast begins at 8.30am. The early morning start and the adrenaline of being back at the shala must have taken its toll. I dozed off while waiting for breakfast and almost missed the breakfast window.

Felt great to have started. But have started to miss my family - so big shout out to Aggie, Ching Li and Ching Yan. Haha. You can now google your names on the internet.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad you got navasana and Saraswati remembers you. Hotel room looks small but functional. We have been thinking of you and chatted about you over jap dinner today at mizu. You got our order wrong - we order differently when you are not here - many little bits instead. We bought a couple of gadis manis t-shirts today at BV1 after dinner - Chingli's in brown/toffee, mine in blue. We played "rugby" in the pool and also catch - I am expending more energy than usual keeping them active and entertained, all of which is easy as they are really quite joyful albeit annoying at times (Chingli and CHingyan, I know you are reading this - muahahaha!). Your other half.

I miss you alot daddy.Mummy very rude.(Sometimes,Mua ha ha ha!)Write more about me,OK?I can't wait to see you again.Please do not get conned again.Your smelly T-shirt very stinky.I keep the green one,CY keeps the white one.Don't wanna go to school btomorrow.(Yes,I know I have to)Do you like India?We met up with Sophies mum today.Felt like crying when mummy & Sophies mum (A.K.A Florence)talked about Sophie.I miss you so................................................................................................................................................................much.I'm counting the days till you get back.Also "Happy Merdaka Day".Eating peanut butter and apples now.Yum Yum.I'll try to e-mail you more often.Sleeping with Mummy every single night.I love you very much.Your one and only favourite daughter(not favourite child or son)*Claire Ng Ching Li*.

Anonymous said...

So now we are long winded? Have a great practie tomorrow and concentrate, if you cannot ignore the mosquitoes, get some citronella oil and spray on your mat altho other practicioners will hate you. We miss you, the next two weeks will be different and try not to think about them as they will be a smidgin different altho we are prettu much doing as we normally do. Love you. Aggie

M_in_M said...

Hey. Glad Florence got her shop up and running. Is it a kiosk on the 1st floor?

Haha, Ching Li. You said you wanted a smelly T-shirt - so, I ran around in the green T-shirt before I left. And don't worry about me being conned - whenever someone strange approaches me, I just smile and walk on by. Oh, and school can be fun when you catch up with your friends.