Tulips that came with the house

I didn’t make flash cards for a few things, and that oversight, unfortunately, paid off. I missed one of my two final oral quiz questions, the answer to which is the above.

Ah well, it gave me fine opportunity to do more investigation, as our introduction to pranayama (breathing techniques), aside from the familiar-to-Vinyasa Ujjayi, was brief and a little piecemeal. For the curious, here is a great story that covers Nadi Shodhana.

Serendipity: I got to practice some similar techniques, the very next day. As part of my teacher training (and out of my own curiosity), I needed to visit three yoga classes in other studios/yoga styles, and I had one left. The morning following our quiz, I went to a Kundalini yoga class, at a studio in my neighborhood. Yesterday’s class was heavier on pranayama and meditation than it normally was, at that studio, according to the instructor. The significance of doing this on Easter Sunday was intentional. Syncretism is.

My impression of the class, overall: the departure from aggressive Vinyasa asana, and the focus instead on seated breathing and meditation, as well as delicious, long savasana were refreshing and revitalizing. It had been a fairly long time since I’d attempted meditation, and I’d forgotten that it’s less about thinking and more about clearing the mind so that you can see.

What a great way start and celebrate a beautiful spring day! And, after a tough last week, it helped me feel pretty good about the fact that I’ll soon be a certified yoga teacher.

How the photo ties in: yellow is the color of the solar plexus chakra, which is called Manipura. Pranayama, like what I practiced yesterday, can help to balance this chakra, and help a person to feel energetic, intelligent, and confident.