Summer Series First Third: Adventure

a little boy + miles of ocean and sand

Today marks the beginning of the 2nd third of my summer vacation sabbatical. A little swell of panic rises up in my throat when I think that it’s one third over, but then I give a little sigh because that means 2/3’s is left! It got me thinking, though, about breaking the summer up in thirds, rather than trying to make the summer into ONE BIG THING. Case and point, the first third of the summer was full of: ADVENTURE!

Not that the next third, or the third after that, won’t be full of adventure, but I noticed that my desire right after school got out was to PLAY! We took two vacations to the beach, which meant a lot of travel, a lot of routines being broken, and a lot of coffee. It was lovely and exhausting all at the same time. The tag-line “makin’ memories’ sticks with me from a conversation I had with my mom while sitting on a driftwood bench.

Even just writing about this summer’s thirds reminds me of a book group my mother-in-law went to, which broke life up into rough thirds. I guess because they were retirement age they were in their third third? But, I think, with the birth of Potamus our life switched from the first third ADVENTURE, to this new phase of figuring out and settling down and beginning to establish a tentative routine with some tentative stability. I mean, I’m hardly running off to India for a 6 month solo trip anymore. So I wonder, maybe if the 2nd third of the summer won’t be like that a little bit? I’ve noticed, even in this past week, now that daycare is back in swing and I’m starting yoga, that we’re getting into a comfortable (albeit slightly boring at times) routine with a nice ebb and flow. So maybe this 2nd third will be called ROUTINE, or RESTING, or HEALING? I won’t know how to really categorize it until it’s over, I suppose…

So, what would you title your summer so far?

Yoga with a toddler…

I thought it was funny that there were all these signs posted in the front and side of the yoga studio! Guess the restaurant next door REALLY doesn’t want people parking there…

This week I started some Hot Yoga classes. I was convinced with the 10 classes for $10 deal that the studio was offering, though the whole idea of hot yoga made me…nervous…to say the least. I used to joke that in India we didn’t call it hot yoga, we just called it yoga, because it was HOT already, but not because of some artificial heaters blowing air at us! Ha!

But, I am really pleased with how much I love this new yoga class. Maybe it’s because I haven’t really practiced much in the past 2 years, or the fact that the teacher is an awesome mix of zen and kick-butt-encourager, that I am pretty hooked. Sadly, after the 10 sessions I won’t be able to continue at this studio, but there is a Bikram studio about 10 blocks from my house, so I’ll probably do that one, even though I know that it’ll be even more different than I’m used to (only doing the same 26 poses every time), but I think I need something within a close distance to entice me…that I won’t be up for driving 30 minutes each way to workout!

I’ve noticed, though, just in this week, of going to a few classes, that I’ve already started doing some asanas at home when I get the chance. I’ve given up on the idea of having a flowing 90 minute home practice, but I can do a warrior or two in between poopy diapers! And today, Potamus thought my doing yoga was some GREAT ADVENTURE TO BE HAD! In downward dog he liked climbing over me, in sphinx pose he climbed on my back, and there I was…doing full locust, bow, and child’s pose…with a toddler on my back! I wish I would have gotten a picture of it! It felt good to incorporate Potamus into my budding yoga practice…hopefully one day maybe he’ll join in!

What’s your favorite style of yoga? How has your yoga practiced changed over the years?