"DES POWER", aka 'pack the house'

There is no more wonderful sight than a yoga studio packed to the gills (?) with happy, energetic, raring-to-learn yoga practitioners.  Add Desiree Rumbaugh to the mix and you have a party, albeit a party where you work while you play.

I taught yesterday morning (my students got a taste of hip openers, as well - see yesterday's post), then made my way to Kula for the morning session.  I arrived late.  The parking lot didn't look too bad, so I thought maybe not so many people today.  Wrong.  Almost as many, but there was space for one more mat and I was in - late, but in.  I learned one lesson of arriving late -- people are already comfortable with the partners they've been working with and don't (won't) change unless the instructor specifically says "find a new partner".  O.K. on the first time or two, because I was pretty cold and tight compared to them.  After that, I would just wander the room until I found someone to work with.

Break time (and lunch time).  Whole Foods, naturally.  Back to the studio to find an old friend with her new baby visiting with Desiree (!?!?)  Now I know more about where she's been!

The afternoon was great therapeutic stuff, which we got to see demonstrated then tried individually and with each other.  I was able to snag a partner from the start (lucky me -- it was Jose).  Desiree went through the body, from neck to knees.  The parts of most value for me personally?  Shoulders, upper back and wrists.  In fact, my upper back is talking to me right now about how I probably should do more of what we did yesterday.

Quickly drove home for some time with husband - dinner at home and attended the play "12 Angry Men".  Well acted, and nice to get out in public -- hard, tho, not to notice all the sloped shoulders, rounded backs, and forward thrusting necks.  What we do to ourselves (and, if everyone only realized that's not the way it has to be - I know of which I speak).

Back to the morning session today (10-1); luckily I go early to help sign people in (and find a place for my mat).  We did some challenging poses yesterday, yet she (Desiree) kept talking about kicking it up a notch today -- so, stay calm, focused & breathe (my mantra for the day).

Have a relaxing Sunday,