London 2024

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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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!

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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.

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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. 

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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. 

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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.

Practice.

It’s been so long since I’ve posted in this yoga blog.  It is fun to go back and read posts from when I first started practicing. Updates: We moved to Washington DC almost 3 years ago.  End of August will be 3 years.  It took me awhile to get into the Ashtanga scene- well to FIGURE out the Ashtanga scene here.  Since then I’ve discovered so many great places and met so many people on similar paths.  Some just beginning, and I think about myself back in the early 2000’s. Some seasoned practitioners.  All part of this amazing community.

I am finally beginning a sitting practice. I remember many starts and stops back in Chicago. But now it’s real. I’m taking a course (from afar) with Angela Jamison- Ann Arbor teacher who is quite incredible.  She is inspiring me to sit and helping me figure out exactly what it entails. We are actually wrapping up the Dharana course this week.

I’m still practicing the Third Series.  I have been given poses by a few teachers and am currently trying to find one that I can work with consistently.  I think it’s time for me to work with one teacher and be consistent.  I am practicing to Asta Vakrasana and am struggling with the arm balances. They really do take a lot out of you!

Kapotasana is still a work in progress. It has come and gone. Come and gone.  Right now I am working on opening my back and, safely, getting to where I was in Chicago.

I did an Intermediate Series Immersion with David Robson in Toronto last month. It was a week and I learned so much about the vinyasa counts. It was a great experience and I got to go with a friend of mine who is working to bring Ashtanga to her studio. So much exciting stuff happening there! More soon..

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Yoga and pregnancy

It’s been 16 months since my daughter was born.  It’s really amazing to witness and experience all the changes that happen to a body during pregnancy and childbirth.  My practice has really been a way for me to understand these changes, except them, and work with them. The next 3 posts will be about how my practice evolved and supported me during the 3 phases of pregnancy.  (Well, the phases as I see them.)  The first is pregnancy, itself. The second is labor and delivery and the third is post-partum.

This post will address practicing while pregnant.  I had been practicing second series when I got pregnant.  I had read all I could about practicing while pregnant, but there was not much about practicing second series while pregnant.  I found a teacher who had given birth to two beautiful children and had also been practicing second and, even advanced series. She helped me modify my practice as I got further and further along in my pregnancy.  At first, there wasn’t much to change.  My belly didn’t start growing much until the 5th month.  I did not modify much until the 6th month.  (I was still coming up from Karandavasana at 5 1/2 months.)  The first thing I had to really modify were the deep twists- Pasasana and Ardha Matsyendrasana. I was also advised to stop jumping back, but I still did, sometimes.  The next thing to modify were backbends.  Not all pregnant women need to do this, but I was starting to feel pain right below my navel. Almost like my muscles were separating. So I still practiced Ustrasana but stopped deep backbending- so no more Kapo or deep backbends at the end of practice.  After 6 months, I began to practice only first series. I was really nice to re-discover first series.  My hips started to open more and poses like Baddhakonasana and Supta Padangustasana were fantastic to practice. I also believe they helped me during labor and delivery but I will address that in the next post.  Stay tuned!

Updates

Wow, it’s bee such a long time since I’ve posted.  Mae has grown so much!  She’s amazing! Here are a few recent pictures.  If you want to read more about Mae, visit my baby blog.

It’s just been so much fun to have her.  And I am also getting to practice quite regularly.  I’ve finished the teacher training program at my studio (did the bulk of it while I was pregnant) and am currently assisting with the Mysore program.  I love adjusting and getting to know and understand people’s bodies.

As for my own practice, it’s come back pretty quickly.  I’m practicing all of second series again.  I am hoping to start to explore 3rd series when my teacher comes to give a workshop at our studio this October.  Or if not then, hopefully soon. I did manage to injure my right hamstring a few weeks ago.  I’m still practicing and it really only bothers me in the Sun Salutations. Surprisingly, it doesn’t really bother me in Eka Pada or Dwi Pada.  I think it’s that my leg is bent and the angle of my leg, and the fact that those poses are largely hip opening poses.  Well, time for bed.  Mae eats a few times a night still and I’d like to get up for practice tomorrow.  Good night!

Baby

Update- on April 7th, Mae Hee Rose was born. She weighed about 7.5 pounds and came to us via a beautiful, natural, water birth. I thank my yoga practice for the amazing labor/ delivery experience. I know that my practice helped the experience be what it was. If you are curious, see my baby blog for more details.

So, as you probably imagine, the pregnancy and birth experience changes one’s body quite substantially. I gave birth about 2 1/2 months ago and my practice is just beginning to be where I left off. I started practicing about 2 weeks after the baby was born. I started with first series and practiced that for about a month.  Then I added back some second series poses.  It’s surprising how quickly things come back.  Backbends were pretty quick.  Karandavasana was also pretty quick, which really surprised me. Right now, I’m practicing second series through Karandavasana, which is pretty much what I was practicing when I got pregnant.  I plan to stay here for awhile and just continue to strengthen the practice.

Here are a few pictures of the baby 🙂

update!

ok, so it’s been almost a year since i’ve posted? well, there are some updates. first of all, i’m pregnant! almost 7 months. needless to say, this has changed my practice. a lot. i practiced most of second series until around 5 1/2 months- with modifications, of course. for example, i had my knees apart and just bound around one leg in pasasana. i stopped mayurasana around 7 weeks. i started using blankets rolled up under my chest and hips for the prone poses. around 5 1/2 weeks i stopped coming up from karandavasana. too much crunching to come all the way down, and too much strain to come up. then at 6 months, i switched to primary series, which is what i’m doing now. with lots of modifications as well. legs apart in sun salutations. no parivritta trikonasana or legs apart in forward folds. i’m substituting parighasana for trianga mukaikapada paschimottanasana. I’m also twisting in the opposite direction on all twists.

other news- i started a yoga teacher prep program at my studio. it’s been fun and i have learned so much. i am currently assisting in a pre-natal class. this has helped me understand what to modify in my own practice.

all is coming

i love that phrase!  especially now, in the early weeks of spring. spring is a funny thing in chicago. march 20th- the first day.  probably in the 30’s or 40’s – very wintery.  a week later… hoping, hoping- ahh finally above 45 on a consistent basis.  then… a few 30+ degree days and a surprise snow storm.  another week… hovers just below 50- almost there.  another week- more consistent 50 degree days.  is it here to stay this time?   nope!  just kidding- more 40 degree days.  

this is the cycle i go through almost every year.  this week it’s hovering around 50.  i can’t complain, but i’m just so ready for warm weather and flowers.  

as i write this, i think about my practice.  a couple weeks ago i was finally coming up from karandavasana… as i keep a consistent practice, i’m feeling legs further down my back in dwi pada and i’m also feeling my back really start to open up in kapotasana.  practice is feeling great these days- focused… and the energy in the room has been amazing.  i’m considering starting to add back the rest of the 2nd series poses next week.  i’ll do a couple poses at a time.  very slowly- and being mindful of how each new pose affects the rest of my practice.  

all is coming…

non-attachment

practicing non-attachment is important for everyone but it happens to be one of the things i’ve been working on a lot in my practice.  for over a year i’ve been practicing all of second series.  i was starting to get greedy and lust after the 3rd series poses, but on one in my area is certified, so i would need to travel to explore some of these poses with a teacher.  there were, however things i still need to work on in my second series practice.  to name a few… get deeper in kapotasana, dwi pada, and come up (on my own) from karandavasana.  so…a couple weeks ago  i decided to pull back my practice and only practice through karandavasana until all three of those things were solid.

fast forward two weeks. i’ve been practicing more consistentaly- which seems to be key.  eka pada and dwi pada are getting deeper.  i’m finally almost coming up from karandavasana.  so i think i’ll keep it here for a couple more weeks before slowly adding in the last few poses.

after letting go, i’ve realized there is a peace and a contentment that came with it.  i feel my practice getting stronger.  my wrists hurt less.  i have fewer injuries in general.

on another note- i’ve really let my food nerdy-ness run too far.  the moment i thought i couldn’t own any more cookbooks- i pick up a few more!  i recently got a copy of padma lakshmi’s book, tangy, tart, hot and sweet.  i’m a huge top chef fan, but i didn’t necessarily have high hopes for the cookbook.  i ended up loving it.  there are such great flavors and unusual ingredients.  i have many rare ingredients in my kitchen but her book has introduced me to even more.  i’m going to start a food geek blog.  well, maybe i should just stick to this one – what makes me think i can handle two blogs when i haven’t been able to handle one.  so… in addition to talking about yoga, i’m going to devote this blog to food.  glorious food!  there are two food blogs that inspire me.  well, there are many, but two that inspire the way i want to write about food. one is 101 cookbooks.  i know it’s a very popular food blog. when the author realized she had more cookbooks than any one person should – sounds familiar- she decided to start a blog and cook through her cookbook collection.  the second blog that inspires the way i would like to write is alinea at home (same author who wrote french laundry at home).  the blog follows the author as she cooks through two of the most challenging cookbooks.  (i’ve been to alinea- once- and have yet to go to french laundry).  i love the way she talks about her experiences cooking the recipes.  i guess the blogs are similar- cooking through recipes- but one is much more technical.

so i will talk about my experiences with cookbooks i have- some easier recipes, some challenging (like my charlie trotter RAW).  most vegetarian- some fish. this summer i’m getting a weekly CSA box from the well-loved angelic organics farm and will discuss cooking with those ingredients.  i will also discuss interesting food i eat out in the chicago area, and geeky food facts i run across.  so… stay tuned!

happy valentine’s day

i’m slowly getting back into a daily (well pretty much) practice.  i practiced 5 times last week.  couldn’t get up to do it today because i was up late… however, i’m going to do school work and use it as a break later today.  my focus is deepening my practice.  someone once told me to explore the space between the poses.  i have to fight the urge to feel rushed- many mornings i get to the studio late and only have an hour to do my practice.  it takes me about 1:20 to do the entire 2nd series and finishing poses.  my wrist has also been hurting lately.  i know what causes it, but in the midst of the movements of tittibhasana, pincha M, karandavasana, mayurasana- it’s hard to think so closely about the alignment of my wrist. i usually come out of that sequence with a throbing wrist thinking i should have focused more on it.

i love love.  last night mia and i hosted a valentine’s day singles’ event.  there ended up being around 70 people there near the end.  i wonder if anyone hooked up.  hope so.  regardless, it was such a blast we’re going to do it again in a few months- once the weather warms up.  we held it in a cozy party room above a local bar.  there were so many great people there.  i’ve always enjoyed setting people up- so far, i have 2 successes- married with kids.  sometimes i feel like i’m channeling jane austen’s emma.

winter in chicago

the title pretty much says it all. commuting was not pleasant today. two trains and a half mile walk. but i shouldn’t complain because i spent some of the coldest, snowy-est, days yet on “la isla bonita” in san pedro. before i left, my doctor told me i was vitamin D deficient. i have thought about a lot of vitamins and minerals since i don’t eat meat, but vitamin D was not one of them. and apparently the way to get it is by being in the sun. no wonder- living in the midwest in the winter… so, while in belize i spent many hours soaking in all the vitamin D i could, while sipping pina coladas…

the whole trip seems like a dream now. travel is a funny thing. you can be sitting in a small island town, watching the sunset one night and back in the icy cold the next. worlds apart.

i didn’t practice today. i started feeling sniffle-y last night and decided to sleep in. tomorrow i may do second series instead of first.

so i’m still trying to figure out exactly what muscle to flex, or engage when coming up in karandavasana. getting down, ok- hard, but ok. getting up… yeah, no clue. i feel like i engage every muscle i have and… nothing. i’m going to try playing around with shifting my weight. in jump throughs/ jump backs and in mayurasana that was the key for me, shifting my weight. so i’m thinking it might be here, too.