Short practice

I always try to remind myself that a short practice is OK, but I rarely do a good one. Today I wasted a lot of time playing web Boggle. (No, I’m not giving the link. It’s bad.) The whole time I kept thinking, stop this now and practice yoga!

I had an 11:45 appointment. It takes at least 15 minutes to drive to town. It was 10:45. Not enough time for a ‘real’ practice.

Somehow I booted myself away from the desk and down to the mat. It’s hard for me to get up and down with the arthritis in my hands and arms, so I decided to punt the seated beginning part.

I stood in Tadasana (mountain), took several breaths, put my hands in prayer position, and chanted the invocation to Patanjali.

I did a few arm-strengthening physical therapy things next.

Then I did Trikonasana (triangle), Virabhadrasana II (warrior), Parsvakonasana (extended side angle), and Ardha Chandrasana (half moon) with my foot against the wall.

Then in Tadasana again, I put my hands in prayer position, bowed my head forward, and said the short prayer that my teacher Margaret used to say every time:
Bow head to heart.
Surrender ego to compassion.
Honor the divine within.

I bowed and was done. I was not late to my appointment.