My dirty little yoga secret is that I don't actually practice 6x per week. I only go to class on monday, wednesday, and friday. Sometimes I practice on saturday (!) if I skip a class during the week, or I'll practice on a moonday. Sometimes I'll skip class and not make it up at all. During my second yoga class ever, the teacher (who subsequently left the school and who I saw only that one class) told me two things: Trust the Practice, and Do Not Skip Days. Sorry, Patty!
Last Sunday I made a goal to attend yoga class every day this week as an experiment. I wanted to see if I could really wake up at 5:15 five days a week while also practicing kung fu, commuting via bicycle, and working 8-9 hours every day.
Turns out that it is possible, but not pleasant. I have been constantly exhausted this week, I was sick on thursday, I have had a bit of shoulder pain, and somehow my jaw got strained. I have been drinking tons of coffee and have been grouchy in the evenings. I consider these to be growing pains.
On the other hand, the yoga has been damn good. I still haven't made a ton of progress on marichyasana b but I finally managed to work out the jumpthroughs! They are still pretty shitty - my feet drag along the floor a lot and it feels like i'm jamming my legs through my arms rather than jumping through - but now I have a place to start and a clear path to progress. I spent a lot of time Tuesday night lying in bed visualizing the jumpthroughs and the very next day I achieved victory!
Larry Bird once said something really great about practicing shots in his mind, but I can't find the quote so who knows. I might be making it up.
I don't know if I'll try to go 5 for 5 next week, but I consider the experiment a success. The week has been a difficult road, but I think I learned something important about yoga and about myself - and I guess that is all that matters.
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