London practice journal
Day 1. Friday (Arrived at 11am)
Took the train to the AirBnB. It’s a super small, but lovely room. It has that smell of European apartments. I’m in a twin room, there is a small shared kitchen and bathroom.
I explored a bit and ended up at a coffee shop called Notes in King’s Cross. I had delicious gigantic beans in tomato sauce on toast and a poached egg, with lemon verbena tea. So good!
Then I went to a small market and got coffee, milk and soup and headed back to the room. I felt like I was in college again! It was so small and cozy. I could use the kitchen but spent most of my time in the room. Tomorrow would be my first practice there. Led Primary with Hamish’s assistant, Louise Newton.
Day 2. Saturday
LED PRIMARY!
Got up around 6:30.Drank instant coffee and milk (my favorite here in Europe!)
Headed to the Dharma Shala. Went to a great Led Primary class with Louise.
Some notable things from her Led class…
- The chant sounds different, mainly the tune- which is making me want to revisit my Sanskrit notes and devote some time to making sure our pronunciation is correct. (Or as close to correct as I can be!)
- She was very gentle, and definitely advocates taking care of your body and not “forcing” poses especially on Led Primary day. This really hit home as it’s what we focus on, as well.
- She held headstand (Sirsasana) for 15 breaths and legs halfway down for 10 breaths. That felt different, but good.
Otherwise it was the same as ours, and most others around the world.
After practice, I got coffee at the shop near the studio/ by the train station which I went to last April on my first trip there. It felt nice, and familiar.
I had a hard time falling asleep this second night- I didn’t fall asleep until around 2 and got only 6 or so hours of sleep.
Day 3. Sunday
Day off practice.
I started the morning with some work.
Then I headed out to Marylebone (a cute little neighborhood recommended by Sema). I also decided to try not to use cellular service today! Which meant I needed to take time planning routes. It got a bit confusing when I first got off the train in Oxford Circle, but I am figuring it out.
First went to The Workshop coffee shop, but they did not have decaf teas (trying to cut back on caffeine today to hopefully sleep better!) and they didn’t have any open seats. I did find this cute cafe (The Scandi Cafe off the Oxford Circle stop, a bit farther than the Workshop) and it was perfect. They had many decaf teas and seating. No internet though.
From Scandi Cafe (which I would love to return to and try their food!) I went to acclaimed Daunt Books, a huge bookstore with an overlook. It had a ton of London books which I bookmarked for next time 🙂
Then I walked to my favorite- Ottolenghi in Marylebone.
I stopped at Oxfam (one of London’s many charity shops) and looked around.
It was getting cold and starting to get dark (at 3:30!) so I walked to the train. Also stopped in a couple of stores, including H&M. After that I went back around 4:30 and chilled in the room for the night. Read a bit.
Day 4.Monday
8-ish am. FIRST PRACTICE
The studio was as warm and cozy as I remembered. Before practicing I asked Hamish what he’d like me to practice. He thought for a second and said Half-Primary and Intermediate. “Half and Half,” he said. So I practiced half Primary and kept going until he stopped me. Which he never did. So I did half Primary and Full Intermediate.
Kapo was the first place I paused. He came over and I said this was one my old back didn’t like as much anymore. He said let’s see how it goes. He adjusted me- he had me flex my feet a bit (!!) and then drop back. He caught me and I put my hands on the ground. He told me to breathe. And then he moved my hands in a bit. Then breathe, then hands moved. One more time. Breathe, hands moved. I touched my left foot (and maybe my right?) and then lowered elbows. 5 breaths. Kapo B. 5 breaths. Then came up. Whew! Intense. I took a beat. Then prepped for Supta Vajarasana. He came and I bound. He asked if I could hold. I said I think so. I held. He told me to press my hands down like I was riding a motorcycle. I tried!
Rest of Intermediate was good. Then Eka Pada. He came over and I explained my hips. He knew the cause “labral tear.” Then he asked if it hurt. I said no. He brought my right knee behind my shoulder and asked if that was ok. It was. Then I tucked my head under and he said “there!” I folded forward he loosely held my leg. Second side I told him was easier. I did it and he saw it didn’t need an adjustment and walked elsewhere. He reminded me- go slowly so it doesn’t catch. Good advice. I kind of did Dwi Pada and Yoganidrasana.
I was prepping for Pincha and he thought I was on Karandavasana. I told him I could kind of come up but it was messy. He said it always was. I did Pincha. He came over for Karandavasana. He helped but I did a lot. I then did Mayurasana. and the rest of Intermediate. I struggled a bit holding the bind in Supta Urdvha Pada Vajrasana, as one does. He suggested I fold the straight leg before rolling up, he said “you do that and you can hold the bind,” and it helped a lot. Then backbends. I tried. I don’t think he saw, but I struggled coming up, really bent legs and kind of faltering. Did two tics. I didn’t even try tic toks because I didn’t want to fall on anyone. I will try later this week.
Walked back to Airbnb and showered and hydrated.
Went to meet my new friend, Vanessa, (a long-time student of Hamish’s who I met online) at a great vegan restaurant in Camden called Mildreds. When I met her we gave a great hug. She seemed very familiar. The conversation was great and we chatted for about 1.5 hours. We talked about practice with Hamish, our lives, our families and other odds and ends. She was lovely.
Then I walked her back to the train and explored Camden a bit. I went to a thrift store. Then Camden Market. Then I went to a chain coffee shop and worked for a bit.
Took the train back to my neighborhood and worked at an excellent café called Gail, right off the Euston stop. So many soups and salads and baked goods. I had tea and soup.
Came home and chilled, went online, ate a bit more, read.
Day 5. Tuesday
Second Mysore practice. I was in the front by the windows again.
Today I did all of intermediate. After Parsvottasana (the last fundamental pose) he came over and told me (gave me permission) to start Intermediate and said I could do Intermediate and part of Third (!!) It’s been years since I’ve done my full practice, including Third Series.
When it was time for Kapotasana he came and stood in front of me. I must have sighed because he looked down and me and said, “don’t fret.” He’s just so lovely! This second Kapotasana was difficult again. Yesterday I dropped back to the floor and walked in, and today he pulled me to my toes from the air. I did feel the sense of surrendering and it was nice to do so.
The rest of the practice was ok. I jammed my toe exiting Pincha (ouch!) and I think that threw me off for Karandavasana which wasn’t as smooth. And then I totally forgot Nakrasana. Backbends were ok but I struggled standing. I decided not to tic tocs again because I didn’t want to fall on anyone. and I was exhausted. I decided not to do any of Third Series.
When I left, I told him I was tired and that I forgot Nakrasana so I’d do Third tomorrow. He smiled and said ok.
The light in the bathroom. Shala with a sense of humor!
Day 6. Wednesday
Third Mysore practice.
The beginning of the practice felt nice. Then he came to adjust me in Kapo and it was so intense. I did grab my heel with my left hand and he said “you’ve been holding out on me.” (I hadn’t…)When I finished Intermediate I asked him what I should do regarding Third.
I told him I used to go through most of the arm balances (about 2/3 of the way through) but that it had been years (before the pandemic) since I had done any of that. He suggested I do the first 2 poses of Third. I thought that sounded great. I did Visvamitrasana and he came and helped me lift more. Then I did the vinyasa and did the second pose, Vasistasana (the name is often confused with the first pose). He helped correct my stance and suggested I step my foot more in front of my arm because it is easier to lift.
Backbends were fine. I did one tic toc. Then a tic and called it a day. Then assisted backbends. Love these!
After practice I headed home and was planning to go to the British Library per a friend’s suggestion. I had done deep backbends a few times and for some reason today I felt extremely emotional. So I rested and stayed in. And read and had soup and tea. I went to bed early.
Day 7. Thursday
Fourth Mysore practice
Today I felt pretty exhausted! I did Intermediate. He took it easy on me in Kapo. I think he had to, I wasn’t as bendy and told him my back was tired. I did the first two postures of Third. It is nice to build back the poses but I am not in any rush and this felt like a good place to be.
That was the last advanced practice of the trip. On Friday (still a Mysore day) everyone practices Primary.
Day 8. Friday (Primary)
I wanted to get up extra early and practice Primary with my friend Vanessa, who practices at 5am. (That’s midnight our time…) So I got up at 4:30! I practiced with her and then took a nap. I slept for an hour or so but tried to sleep more. I had a tattoo appointment at noon, so slept until 11.
Primary felt especially nice (and floaty!) after an exhausting week of Intermediate and Advanced. Hamish gave me a wonderful Supta Kurmasana adjustment and I think a week of actual leg-behind-the-head made a difference.
After practice I gave Vanessa a big hug and headed home to nap (she went to work!).
Around 11:30 I headed to the tattoo parlor. The people there were great and my artist, Elena totally saw my vision. She did a fantastic job interpreting what I wanted and drawing it. Afterward, I walked around a bit. I had planned to have my one drink (a martini) that day after the tattoo. I went to one of my favorite restaurants there Dishoom and had dinner and a martini. It was lovely. I got back to the room with the goal of staying up as late as I could and sleeping in late Saturday morning.
Day 9. Rest day. Fly home.
I was able to stay up until around 1 or 2 and slept in to 9:30 or so. I packed and headed to the airport.
It was such a beautiful trip and great to practice with Hamish and the Ashtanga Yoga London community. There is something extra special about that space. He is so knowledgable and kind and it comes through in his teaching. I cannot wait to come back.
hello, and welcome to my blog. here you will find random musings about all things yoga, food, music, and math. enjoy! 
cherryblossom 
