SUCH FUN!

Yesterday, I made the 40-minute drive in to Del Mar (this, my friends, is VERY good time; the traffic 'gods' were with me).  It's probably 40+ miles of 2-lane highway (some of it under construction, yet) and freeway driving from my home to Del Mar.  I love the studio, Yoga Del Mar, owned by Geri Portnoy, but it is a long drive and often fraught with traffic 'demons'; so, I don't make this drive often enough.

Why, then, yesterday?  Because Desiree Rumbaugh and Geri Portnoy scheduled a 2-hour practice for those of us 50-years-of-age or older.  They call the practice group "Wisdom Warriors", and the plan is for it to gather weekly at Yoga Del Mar on Wednesdays, 1-3 pm.  It will be co-taught by Desiree and Geri - a good thing, since Desiree is often traveling.

I left my house at noon, arrived at the studio 40 minutes later -- amazing!  (You have to live here to appreciate just how amazing.)  When I walked in, there were perhaps 20 women and 2 men in the room.  As the group gathered, mats shifted, until 40 (FORTY) 50+ year olds lined the walls ready to do yoga.  Geri and Desiree took position between our two rows of 20, and this first week Desiree led the practice, with Geri assisting.  We even enjoyed Andrew multi-tasking between practice, playing DJ, and assisting.

It's important for me to say that I was a bit nervous about this.  It has been a while since I have pushed myself.  It is so easy to walk out to our small studio, warm up, then do whatever I am planning for my Gentle or Basics classes.  I rarely think about urdhva dhanurasana and kicking up to a handstand -- well, let's just say, even when alone for me this is an embarrassing attempt.  My worry (nervousness) came from the fear that I have let myself travel the Gentle/Basic path for so long that I would not be able to keep up.

Wrong.

I did keep up.  I felt good through the entire 2 hours; could have gone on longer.  I still didn't kick up to handstand by myself, and I still didn't get my head off the floor in urdhva (a definite backslide), but everything else felt good, great even.  Small things please me. For example, just getting my leg on top of my shoulder and being able to squeeze in to the midline -- WOW!  Love that feeling.

We capped off the afternoon with a snack at a local market (Barney's).  And, we agreed this weekly practice is a VERY good idea.  Looking forward to next week.

Here's to doing yoga with friends. Hope you have a great Thursday,