The Weather Sure Is Nice...

(Couldn't find any good cartoons, so here's some pretty Japanese prints...)

Reading Reflection

We haven't been reading much over the past week. We finally finished up the Gita, and blogged about it last week. Aside from the second memoir, we don't really have any other big readings to focus on, from the looks of it. The couple of chapters talk about the three gunas more at length. Sattvic faith, rajasic faith, and tamasic faith, and how they are different form one another. Sattvic, of course, is considered the most pure, though according to Krishna everybody has their own faith and ways of displaying it.
He also, for some weird reason, lists the kinds of foods that the three types tend to prefer. The main reason behind this, I imagine, is the idea that we, as bodies holding and nurturing out souls, are supposed to take proper care of ourselves in every way, including food. Again, of course, the sattvic people are the only ones who nurture their bodies with the right kinds of foods.
I found it interesting that Krishna actually doesn't recommend renouncing yourself from the rest of the world and everyone you know and withdrawing out into the middle of nowhere. Krishna thinks that it is better for one to remain involved with and surrounded by life but remaining capable of staying above all bad desires and influences. I can see the sense in that. It shows a perspective that you might have a stronger and purer will if you can stay involved with your friends, family, and society but still remain pure and faithful to Krishna. I can see the sense and importance in wanting to remain involved with the world, and also in wanting to just distance yourself from temptations for a while (for some people, that might be necessary).

Class Reflection

I like that we've kind of got themes or plans set up now for each class,  though I still have a hard time remembering a good few the pose names, especially their sanskrit names. Last Tuesday's class was fun since we got to try and practice a bunch of different poses. I don't think I actually mind the handstand too much, it's just that I have problems getting myself upright into position.
I was really glad I was able to make my butt reach the ground between my legs on Tuesday as well, since I honestly didn't think I would be able to do it.
For some reason, lately, the top of my back or spine (particularly the right side, I guess) is starting to hurt, though usually it's only in the morning after I wake up. I'm not sure if I caused it or am still doing something to cause it, but I think it helps sometimes when I stretch it out a little and move it around. I'm feeling it right now, actually. Nothing else has been complaining, though! Yoga has actually made me feel a little better in general.
It's weird knowing we only have a few weeks of class left. This semester has gone by really fast...
I'm definitely going to keep up with yoga after this, since I like what it has done for me so far. Hopefully I can get a bolster sometime soon, too.

Outside of Class

Nothing too exciting or noteworthy is happening outside of class. Like I suspected the last blog or two, I haven't have nearly as much time as I usually do because of exams and essays, though there was one day this past weekend where I just took an entire day off from everything and relaxed. I slept in late, ate whatever I wanted, and actually took time in the late afternoon to do some yoga poses since I figured that day was as good as any.
I wasn't really sure what to do, so I just went with practicing some of the balance poses some more, the warrior poses, and than I watched the yin yoga video from earlier this semester. I liked it the first time, and I still liked it the second time. It's about an hour long and goes at a nice leisurely pace that I can easily keep up with. Some of the poses are a bit hard to hold and endure for several minutes, but it's still nice. I still find it interesting that the instructor tells people to roll over onto their left side and get up at the end, since that is the "yin" side, especially since I'm so used to always rolling over to my right.

Luckily I'm in between busy weeks right now so I'll have more time for other things like yoga practice. The weather has been really nice lately, too, so I've been able to go outside and enjoy myself more.