Crisis and catharsis...

Hello!

Saturn is passing through my 10th house 

- the work house - 

until 2017 and I'm strongly feeling the effects. 

Life at my current workplace is getting tougher and tougher, 

to the point that I've accumulated a lot of sick leaves already 

(because of physical and psychic exhaustion and debility) 

and even got to the point of wanting a different job 

and even applying for a different job. 

Saturn, you are causing trouble. 

But I guess that's what you do. 

I bow to you. I surrender. 

I am a humble woman. I need to earn money.

I need my job, and my company needs me. 

Please take away all my negativite thoughts about my current workplace. 

Let joy return to my everyday tasks. 

Life isn't always about running away from problems. 

Sometimes it means taking them and transforming them. 

Saturn, help me. 

Help me through this negative phase. 

Help me evolution. 

I know you're not essentially the "bad guy". 

You're here to make us stronger, stand taller. 

I WILL make it through this. 

My Yoga Diary - Continuing Yoga

I slipped back into bad habits...

... stopped my daily yoga after three weeks...

... now trying to get back!

Here's my second and third week

from my previous attempt:

Day 8: I practise around midday time, somewhere between waking up and brunch. Lots of yawning, feeling sleepy. Didn't notice my tiredness while I was sitting on the computer before. I am glad and grateful for the simple sequences. After yoga, I have a green smoothie and go back to bed for a nap. 

Days 9 - 13: I practice the "Lazy Dog" sequence without much news.

Day 14: I've postponed my practice until the evening today. I feel not very motivated and tired. So I stop the video after about ten minutes and then just do my two favorite postures on my own before shavasana. Notice a little pain in my leg at "Happy Baby". Defintely not my best day. 

Day 15: I get home really late and tired after a long hard day. No time or motivation for yoga. Just want to sleep. 

Day 16: I practise in the early evening hours. Not the best time, outside noises are disturbing. Also, my own perfectionsim is getting the better of me today. I feel disgusted at myself for my plumpness and because I still only do the "Lazy Dog" course, and even that I can't do perfectly. Ah, accepting oneself and one's own kleshas! It's not easy! Especially when you're a fat elephant like me!

Day 17: I have to take care when I'm on morning shift to not keep postponing my practice until I say "ah, it's too late now anyway"! I feel good today. It's easy to just "be there", in the movements. 

Day 18: Was looking forward to my practice today and enjoying it. I heard you should not shower right after yoga, so I shower just before and enjoy the refreshed feeling. By day 18, I know the course almost by heart and that is comforting. It's easy getting into the asanas, but also this course - the "Lazy Dog" - is "just right" for me, right now. Less shaky around the postures, feeling more confident. Slight pain in my leg, but not to let that bother me - it's habitual and will be gone again with time. 

Day 19: As I feel healthy and motivated and it's day 19, I want to do the "Good Dog" course instwead of "Lazy Dog". I can follow the course without major problems, but I make adaptations for my state of health, i.e. my leg that hurts. After Vrksasana, it hurts a lot - just can't put all my weight on that leg! I then go with less effort on the right leg and the rest of the course goes quite fine. 

Day 20: I go back to the "Lazy Dog" sequence for day 20. Feeling calm and confident with the familiar asanas. 

Day 21: Skipped

I then skipped because doctors found out the reason behind my chronic pain in the right leg - a herniated disc in my lower back pressures on the sciatic nerve. I then concluded to stop yoga for a while until I could be sure to not hurt my back more with any posture. 

That seems to be fine, though. Yoga should be rather helpful than giving me pain. So, with the thumbs up from my docs, I'll restart.  

My Yoga Diary - First week

Retaken soft yoga. 

Really veeery soft and calm. 

I'm doing the "Lazy Dog" sequence 

from the video DVD "Yoga macht fröhlich" (yoga makes you happy)

by Susanne Fröhlich and Gill Wagner. 

It's a beginner's video with very easy and simple postures. 

I'm not ready for more advanced postures yet, 

as I am still obese and my body calls for soft movement. 

But yoga does a lot of good, as you can read. 

My Yoga Diary

First week

Day I: Surprising how well and fit I feel. The soft movements do so much good. I am very calm and relaxed. 

Day II: I practise after a whole day of action. It's a bit troubling to put my mind at rest. Also I am having slight discomfort in my right leg (chronic pain issue). I find it harder than yesterday to concentrate and I feel like an absolute beginner getting into the postures. But I try to be positive about it and approach my yogic practice with a beginner's mind. In the end I am surprised when the guide already announces shavasana. Relieved and relaxed. 

Day III: I practise first thing in the morning, after waking up at 04:30 a.m. (my usual wake-up time during morning shifts; some part of my self doesn't seem to have comprehended that it's a festive in my country). I find it easy to get into the soft movements. It feels natural at this time of day. Very deep relaxation at shavasana, but not of the sleepy kind - I feel calm and refreshed to tackle a new day. 

Day IV: Again I practise early in the morning, however not as early as yesterday but around 07:30 a.m.. I was looking forward to my practice and it feels rewarding. The sequences are already familiar and feel natural. I find it easy to do them and so I concentrate on doing them more consciously and perfectly. I am getting better, getting more flexible, although of course I will have to live with my little "handicap" of the right leg being stiffer. I enjoy my practice, so much. Reaching shavasana, I get a pure, graceful feeling of bliss. 

I notice the positive effects of yoga during the day. I spend the day almost exempt from pain in my leg. And feel fitter. 

Day V: My monitor is not working, so I can't watch my video. But I do some postures that I already know by heart. Being my own guide today. I mostly do stretches for the leg. 

Day VI: Today I am grateful for the easiness of the video sequences. I feel a bit shaky around some postures. Some muscles are a bit sore. It's a bit harder to rise after shavasana. Feeling sleepy. 

Day VII: I practise early morning before breakfast, feeling slightly hungry. Also a bit tired. As yesterday, grateful for the easiness of the sequences. Will not do the more advanced videos so soon. I'm doing the absolute minimum today, and that's okay. Some muscles are still a bit sore, but I feel less shaky than yesterday. Rising from shavasana is easy. My favorite postures are the two just before shavasana, lying on my back - a "butterfly" variation and then the "Happy Baby" (ananda balasana). 

That was my first week (Saturday to Friday)!

I've already started into the next yoga week, 

will tell you about it in the next post. 

See you!

Magic Cleaning: Part 6 - All the other stuff

Well, so by now now I've sorted

clothes, 

bags and purses,

shoes, 

books, 

and documents. 

Now to all the other stuff. 

By now I've sorted CDs and DVDs, 

and also my accessoires. 

Still a lot of stuff left over though:

Electronics, 

houseware,

groceries, 

...

and a whole heap of other stuff, 

that has to do with my hobbies and interests. 

But I'm on a good way to lead my life in a simpler and better way now!

"Alles in Ordnung"!

Magic Cleaning: Part 5 - Documents

Of course I will not show my documents here. 

But I put them in order. 

My desk now

Magic Cleaning: Part 4 - Books

The known steps: 

Gather in one place...

... and feel. 

Do they make you happy?

Only those that spark joy (or you really need for study purposes), 

may stay. 

All these may enrich someone else's life soon:

Only these may stay

(plus some in my night drawer):

Next up:  Documents and papers!

#konmarimethod     #magiccleaning    #mariekondo

Magic Cleaning: Part 3 - Shoes

Step 1: Gather all your shoes   (yes, these ARE all my shoes!)

Step 2: Feel your shoes pair by pair. Do they make you happy?

My shoes that are to be thrown away

My shoes that are staying

(ball shoes are with my ball robe and festive clothing in the grandma shrine)