Bliss at Bliss

Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 6:00 AM are my set-aside mornings to practice at Bliss Yoga Shala and I look forward to my Ashtanga Flow w/Shri, the instructor. I don't consider my self an Ashtangi in the strictest sense because I embrace it all and am ALWAYS open to new styles and instructors. If anything, I am drawn to the teachers more than their styles--I bask in their inspirations, their love of the practice and their ability to guide. Shri is once such yogi.

This morning, because of my recent love of 'Wild Thing' and the courage to go for it, I arrived at the shala 10 minutes early so that I could warm my spine up and flow open...open-wide, heart to the sky and throat chakra spinning wildly, craving voice to birth the energy bubbling inside!

What an amazing way to start this class--I was already tingling inside, my heart was open, I was centered and at peace.

The flow began as it always does, with Surya Namaskar A, and I jumped in...heart first. Then head.

I was full of love and peace throughout the class, pampering a cranky hamstring on my right side didn't even quake my stillness, and my face reflected the serenity inside as I summoned my inner Buddha.

Then...Shri, in a successful effort to boldly distinguish between standing poses and floor poses, had us, from our last Warrior Flow, lie back in Supta Bhada Konasana (Supine Bound Angle) to...breathe and, while breathing, allow the body to open passively--simply THE BEST sort of melting open.

Ahh...

Then, supported bridge...ahhh, again.

Then, easy supine twist--JUST~WHAT~I~NEEDED.

During our practice of Yoga Nidra, I'm pretty sure I tip-toed into Samadhi but we all know how that works--once you stare it in the eyes, once you know it's there...it's gone.

I left there and headed into my day inspired, creative, open, charged with life, teeming with love and so very, very thankful for this time that I make for myself everyday.

It's not easy and it takes serious work and commitment on my part but what I receive in return restores me and prepares me to serve myself and others for another day.

It's all so, so good.

Namaste'