Sunday, February 6, 2011

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 9

Sunday, Feb 6, 2011 - Day 9
Remember that song, "It's just another manic Monday. Wish it was Sunday. That's my fun day. My I don't have to run day." That's how my Sunday was too. Even though I worked this morning (still coding the website), I didn't put any pressure on myself to accomplish anything in particular. Plus I did some fun stuff like talked to my sister on the phone and my Dad, his wife, my other sister and her partner on Skype. First time Skyping and it was pretty cool. Very Jetsons.

This afternoon my relaxation practice was all me. No other instructions, no music, no dog. Just me and my props. I did a bit of hanging out on my back-bender, little bit of Seal pose, Child's pose, supported side seated twist, and finally a supported side lying stretch. I don't have any images up for this one but I'll work on getting something up soon. Probably after this 40 day practice.

I was in blissville. I felt very relaxed the whole time. My mind did not ping out in all directions. Oddly, I had weird sensations of watching TV inside my head but I did not recognize the characters but I think I was one (or all) of them. But this did not detract from my relaxation. I think I was in that funny state between awake and asleep. It was kind of weird and kind of fun.

This evening I went to my Ayurveda class and we talked about the properties of food and how we can identify these properties so that we know what we are taking in as we eat a particular food. I am such a beginner at understanding this but it is super interesting. I would recommend taking an Ayurveda class if you get a chance.

Also, I am no longer puffy. I am now thinking I was all puffed up from pms and this was exacerbated by the acupuncture. My sister once told me that a person should never be needled before or during their period. Apparently this is a very sensitive time and can cause extreme reactions. Although I am no longer puffy (thank you!) I am still feeling sort of loose-jawed and at the same time a bit tense. I am afraid to shut my teeth together because I don't want to clench them. I have caught myself clenching my teeth 3 times now during my relaxation time. It feels good. I like the pressure. I think I need pressure therapy - like Temple Grandin's Cow Hugging Machine. I'm serious. Being smooshed feels good. Here's a picture of a hugging machine and a link to build your own: http://hugmachine.org/. I don't have one of these but I'm thinking they are pretty cool, right?