Day 389: Sweat

Sweatier

Thank God for sweaty Ashtanga yoga at 7 in the morning. Thank God. My face may be drooping like a wet plastic bag tonight, but I'm glad I got up and went. It was beautiful to be out early. I miss (oh oh oh how I miss) those cold Austrian 5am starts; that blissful, peaceful, solo part of the day swinging my arms in the snowy car park before anyone else had shown themselves (I know there were other people up, but as long as I couldn't see them, I was happy). I loved drinking in those tasty morning prana vibes. There really is nothing quite like it. 

Not that I was up at five. I was awake far earlier, but not up. I twitched from three to five or so, did fitful snoozing until six and then focused refusal to get up until quarter past. I got to the yoga centre by seven. I was aiming for half past six. No biggie. It was the right time. 

We did the prayer just after I arrived. I'm glad I didn't know the words because tears came (quietly, a narrowing of the throat and a little bit of wet, not blubbery tears). God, I miss that too. I miss singing and praying and sitting with people in the morning and evening, and I so very much miss being part of something bigger and something spiritual. I'm part of The Hub and I value that. I'm part of the community of pond ladies and I'm glad for that too. Not quite like being part of a spiritual group, though. Not that anyone's better than anyone else - it's not about the quality of the people, but about how what we do together feels and why. 

Joey Miles

My teacher was good. Good, deep, physical adjustments. I've been spoiled, though. My first Mysore-style lessons were with this man, Joey Miles, one of this country's absolute top ashtanga teachers. I have never seen anyone so on it. He's adjusting one person, lying on top of them, barking very specific orders at people around the room - 'Lean forward, Andrew.', 'Emma, stretch your arms higher. Higher.', 'Good, Daniel, keep going.', 'Max, do that again, I'll come to you.'. And his adjustments are so comprehensive that you know how every bit of your body should feel, why you're doing each movement and the order of priority of the things to remember (breath, weight, drishti, sequence etc) so that if you're overloaded, you know what not to skip.

As good as this one. Not this one, obvs

Today, I met a brilliant baby. Eight months old. Determined to stand. Wriggly and laughy. I wasn't there to meet him (I didn't even know about him), but he was definitely the main  attraction. I could have stayed and played but I had work to finish. His parents were lovely too and they gave me lots and lots of ideas. 

Brighton Library doesn't have wifi. They give you a list of places that do. Right opposite the library is a Starbucks. Starbucks always has wifi, but that word does not appear on the list. I love Brighton. It says 'walk further; don't go there; they are not our kind'. How good is this: my brilliant friend Pudding, whose real name (Celine) is nearly always spelt wrong on her Starbucks cup, enjoyed very much giving her name as Überwhore recently. They spelt that right, but when her drink was ready, they chose to shout 'skinny latte' instead.

Double negative

It was from Starbucks that I spoke to Lilley (sorry Brighton, but I never have small cafe overstay guilt there, so I use them). Lilley pleased me greatly. Strident isn't the right word - she's softer than that - but direct and clear and asky, she is all of those things. I'm proud of her and I learn from her every time we speak. And thanks for a small exchange with Sandison. Always a joy, that creature. Always a pleasure. 

Thanks for more juicy work, Paloma, and Amy, for pulling out of your job on Thursday and calling me in to cover. And Neil, for suggesting another possible day on Wed 6th. I want to be doing proper go to work work three days a week now, and other work in between. Next week, we're on. This week maybe not, but one day is better than no days, and it's a well-paid day with a reasonable finish time. AND I wasn't expecting it. 

Time to give in to the droop and sleep like a job. With this under my pillow, so it might go in.