What are YOU doing for the next 30 days?

[Phocus]

I was inspired by Leo’s commitment to his spiritual journey to participate in a 30 day challenge of my own.  On May 1st, and every day since, I have been studying and practicing yoga.

What are all of you doing to break your routine and produce results towards your inner and outer goals during this time?

 

I have been doing stretching to properly  attain yogic poses, reading books about the premise and history of these traditions and their application and performing the techniques.

 

Day 1: after several hours of reading and basic practices I settled into a session of practicing the techniques.  My lower body is very tight and I was not able to properly sit in the recommended poses.  After some time fighting the positions I returned to a chair so that I could concentrate on the techniques.  During my 2nd technique I felt as though the world disappeared.  I felt a strong spinning sensation in a slowly moving plane.  This was extremely exciting but I tried my best to maintain my concentration but I just couldn’t stay focused.  I noticed it starting to fade so I focused back on my breath and discovered I could control it with the depth of my breathing.  Before long my time was over and I retreated to bed.

Day 2: I spent more time reading and learned another technique.  I am up to 3 now.  I started with trying different poses and I noticed a remarkable improvement in my  flexibility.  I could actually achieve one of the poses but it required some strain to maintain it so I decided to go back to the chair after another round of stretching.  I did not have the dramatic experience I did last time, but I was fine with that.  My focus was on a different technique.  It was a pleasant experience and I am looking forward to being able to hold the proper poses.

Day 3: Before bed I’d experienced some negative emotions during a conversation and I observed that I had a desire to sabatoge my practice, citing the negative as justification.  I didn’t attempt any new techniques, but this was a great opportunity to experience that there is no reason not to practice yoga.  It doesn’t “cost” anything.  It restores more energy than it requires.  It creates more stillness than it requires.  After warming up my hips, knees and ankles I was finally able to meditate briefly in a half lotus.  My right side is a bit tighter than my left.  I believe the physiological reason for this is a particular way I’ve always sat on the ground, leaning to one side.  After stretching and a few minutes of meditation I performed the techniques seated again.

Edited May 4, 2018 by Phocus

[zoey101]

I'm going to reconnect with myself and my family. We are going to Bok Tower (an amazing garden in Florida) this weekend. And hope to do more exploring of the world around us. 

So I guess travel would be my answer lol

[MiracleMan]

I'm doing a daily Vipassana routine, I'm doing some landscaping in my backyard, a little each day.  I'm taking the stairs everyday at work.  Soon I will be floating in a float tank everyday after work, I plan to do 30 days in a row.  I've got plans to start BJJ, but I gotta talk to my doctor to make sure I can safely do it (got a titanium plate in my neck).

[YaNanNallari]

Working on improving my energy and dealing with any emotional issues that come along the way. A lot of trial and error there so far, but not giving up seems to reward me. Balancing meditation and reading books from the book list mostly when I'm not studying for school.