hatha yoga
Dear Ciara,
A pink sunrise. A willy-wagtail is chirping peacefully on the fence. I sit outside, taking it all in, an Italian coffee in my hand. The best way to start a morning. I can see that some of my tomatoes are finally starting to ripen. This will be the first tomato harvest for the year. They are a cherry variety with golden skin that I am eager to taste.
Yesterday was one of those days that felt so incredibly long. By the time my head hit the pillow, the morning’s events felt like days ago. I will try to sequence the day together in some logical fashion for you. Bear with me. I haven’t finished my morning coffee yet.
I’ve recently started attending a Hatha yoga class, so this is how I began my Saturday morning. After a quick coffee, I drove the short distance to the yoga studio, where I then attempted to contort my body into all sort of poses while practicing deep, controlled breathing. The studio is on the second storey of a tall building that overlooks a lush, green mountain. Yesterday, the fog was rolling down the side of it and drifting into the open room that we were practicing in. Between that and the drizzling rain, I felt very relaxed.
Here are some things I’ve learnt from my short time at yoga:
My fitness journey still has a long, long way to go. While I have been regularly attending the gym now for six months or so, I’ve always avoided things like flexibility and strengthening my core. Yoga requires me to address both weakness areas head-on. It is very challenging.
I am a very shallow breather. Opening up my diaphragm to breathe is something I struggle with, especially given that my sinuses are also dreadful. One of these days I will need to have surgery to fix my right nostril.
I am not as resilient as I think. At times, during my yoga practice, I find some of the poses very intense physically and emotionally. It requires all my mental fortitude to push my body the way I am required.
Following yoga, The Organist and I helped at the local Mother’s Day fête doing various jobs. We helped set up the plant stall, tied balloons to poles, and even worked at the barbeque. It felt good to give back to the community like that. Since moving here, I have felt like an actual part of my community for the first time in my life.
The day concluded with drinks with a friend at a venue between the mangroves. I had a gin cocktail that featured a sprig of rosemary and a few floating peppercorns. Delicious.
The song for today is:
Tropical Oceans – D.D Dumbo
I haven’t listened to D.D Dumbo in years but recently rediscovered his music. Apparently, he has disappeared from the music scene entirely. A shame, but I understand—I wouldn’t want fame and glory either. I’d rather keep to myself and spend time in the garden. There is beauty in a simple life, no?
Love,
The Gardener