A.M. Yoga

I do A.M. Yoga with Rodney Yee at anytime of the day, but, yes, preferably in the A.M. In the summer, I swim and walk, and, this summer, I also biked with a Saturday morning biking group. In spring, summer, and fall, I do a lot of walking. In the winter, I am, these days, stuck* with A.M. Yoga. (I used to swim in winter at an indoor pool that is now rubble, carted away or smoothed into a street on the university campus.)

*"Stuck" is, of course, exactly what I might fear, but more on that later. And I love my morning yoga, don't get me wrong. P.M. Yoga, with Patricia Walden, the lady on the cover of the VHS tape, is too strenuous for me. Downright dangerous, as I can't hold the pose and simultaneously look at her on the tape to make sure I am doing it correctly, so I might 1) not be and/or 2) fall over 3) get stuck in one of her entangled poses (not pictured).

Yes, I am still a beginner. But without "beginner's mind." Instead, "monkey mind" intrudes on the meditation part of A.M. Yoga some mornings. I fear not. I do the stretching and relaxation, become aware of the monkey, and go complete things on my to-do list.

But this year, I am happy to report, I can do this pose, the one shown on this DVD cover. I can do it quite handily, quite leggelly, and have not fallen over yet. But I can only do it on one side, the side required to plug in the Christmas tree, which I positioned in a corner, near an outlet, an outlet that is now blocked by the decorated tree. I left just enough space for me, or Rodney Yee, to get in there and plug in the extension cord, doing this. So far, I haven't gotten stuck in this position. But if I do, I'll be behind the lit Christmas tree, so hand me a book.

I often wear my hair this way, as well.