Self-Practice Journal, Week 1

For one of my RYT classes this semester, I'm required to keep a weekly self-practice journal. This is for yoga practices I do on my own, not guided in a studio, gym, or via video. Each week I'll have a post that details at least three of my self-practices.

Week 1
Practice 1
Date: Friday, January 13 9:40p-9:55p
Intention: CALM MY BRAIN

Content: Meditation, Kneeling Moon Salutation
-Started seated on a bolster to find the breath
-Seated: neck rolls, shoulder rolls, bow and arrow (arms), gentle spinal twists
-Kneeling Prayer Pose // Anjali Mudra
-Kneeling Back Bend // Ardha Ustrasana
-Extended Child's Pose // Balasana
-Stationary Cat Pose // Marjaryasana
-Downward Dog // Adho Mukha Svanasana
-Stationary Cat Pose // Marjaryasana
-Extended Child's Pose // Balasana
-Kneeling Back Bend // Ardha Ustrasana
-Kneeling Prayer Pose // Anjali Mudra
-Supine Waterfall Pose // Viparita Karani
-Happy Baby Pose // Ananda Balasana
-Supine Bound Angle Pose // Supta Baddha Konasana
-Supine Spinal Twists
-Corpse Pose // Savasana

Reflection: I'd been stressed all day. My youngest was very needy, even when his sister came home from school and two playmates joined us. He just wanted me to watch everything he was doing and listen to everything he said... for 11 hours. I needed quality me-time at the end of the day, and also wanted to help put myself in a good state for going to bed. I've been having trouble falling asleep this week so I planned a Moon Salutation series to help calm my brain and my body.

I enjoyed moving and playing around with the poses. I didn't force myself to stick with the outline I designed, and I let my body move a little differently (like from Cat to Cow, or from Cat to lateral side bends) each time through the Moon Salutation.

The best part was Savasana. The clothes dryer was rhythmically circling in the room next to me so I let the thumps become part of the meditation. I imagined a heart beat, calming and strong and steady. With a towel over my eyes and warm slippers on my feet, I was so relaxed. All the stress of catering to the demands of my minions melted away and I wanted to roll over and go to sleep on my mat. I spent about five minutes in Savasana before coming to a comfortable seated pose and allowing for a few more deep breaths, concluding my practice.

Practice 2
Date: Friday, January 16 7:51p-8:22p
Intention: Relieve sore muscles from practice on 14th (21st Yoga)
Content: Meditation, Standing Moon Salutation
Seated Warm ups: warming breath, forward folds, bow and arrow, gathering the breath, cat-cow pose, leg extensions from hands and knees, downward facing dog.
Mountain Pose // Tadasana
Standing Half Moon Pose // Urdhva Hastasana
Goddess Pose // Utkata Konasana
Star Pose
Triangle Pose // Trikonasana
Pyramid Pose // Parsvottanasna
Low Lunge // Anjaneyasana
Side Lunge
Squat // Malasana
other side
Side Lunge
Low Lunge // Anjaneyasana
Pyramid Pose // Parsvottanasana
Triangle Pose // Trikonasana
Star Pose
Goddess Pose // Utkata Konasana
Standing Half Moon Pose // Urdhva Hastasana
Mountain Pose // Tadasana
Janu Shirshasana
Baddha Konasana
Supine Spinal Twist
Savasana
5-minute guided meditation (via YouTube)


Reflection: I've been sore since the Power class I took on the night of the 14th, and wanted a gentle flow with lots of deep poses. The lunges, Goddess Pose, Triangle and Pyramid all gave me a chance to release the tension in my hips and thighs I had a result of that Power class. I haven't done a lot of Moon Salutations before now, and I enjoy using them for a short but effective practice. I like the cyclic flow. Being really new to deliberate meditations (beyond a few minutes in Savasana), I was worried it'd be difficult to sit still and focus for five minutes, even following a guided meditation. I was surprised the five minutes FLEW by and it was over before I expected. I love the opportunity to breathe more intentionally and do remind myself I'm capable of overcoming trials, both big and small. And thanks to the deep stretches in my Moon Salutations, my hips were ready to sit in meditation without complaint.

Practice 3
Date: Wednesday, January 18, 8:55p-9:15p
Intention: Open the shoulders
Content: Forward Fold variations (knees bent, twists)
Plank // Chaturanga
Cobra // Bhajungasana 
Child's Pose // Balasana
Cat-Cow Pose // Marjaryasana
Downward Facing Dog // Adho Mukha Svanasana
Hero's Pose // Virasana
Child's Pose // Balasana
Repeat with deeper variations
Supine Bound Angle Pose // Baddha Konasana
Savasana
 
Reflection: My shoulders tend to draw forward so this practice was intended to open them. I focused on opening the chest, and using my back muscles deliberately. It was rewarding to go deeper into Hero's Pose after a couple of rounds, reclining slightly, stretching my quads and chest. I always enjoy a few moments to focus on my shoulders and encourage better posture.