Last night my roommate and I ventured out to have dinner at a restaurant suggested to us by several of our friends. We left early partly because we heard that quite the line can build up at this restaurant before it opens and partly because it was a beautiful evening and we wanted to walk around…
We still managed to get there rather early despite getting a bit lost and wandering into several stores to ask directions. There was no sign of a line yet so we decided to wander around the area. We’ve never been in the 10th arrondissement before and loved the cute streets and all of the little restaurants that looked cozy and delicious.
We headed back about 20 minutes before the restaurant opened at 8:00 to find that a line had started forming…always a good sign! Once it opened we sat out on the terrace, ordered our food (which you actually order by writing it down on a slip of paper yourself) and anxiously awaited our dinner…
Seriously. Delicious. My roommat ordered the Ban Hoy and I ordered the Curry Crevettes (Shrimp Curry) that was so flavorful and amazing. You can’t really go wrong with shrimp, tomatoes, coconut milk and cilantro. Ooh, and the rice. So good. The best part? It was only 13 euro! Mmmm. I love Paris. And so does my tummy.
This morning I woke up, ate some breakfast (oats with Bonne Maman and almond butter, if you must know), headed to a café to meet with my professor about an upcoming paper, and came back home to roll out my mat for a glorious one hour session.
I hadn’t practiced since Monday, mostly because I’d decided to be gentle with myself this week. I’ve been under the weather, and ahem, other things. I’ve really been into these Yoga Download recordings lately. The sequencing is great and challenging but really balanced. Plus I can just put my headphones in my ears and tuck my iPod into my sports bra and go to my “happy place.” This morning I did the one hour Power Vinyasa 4. Loved it. I usually tweak it a little to what I’m feeling at the time…like today for instance I skipped the scorpion updogs, and kicked up into handstand from standing splits. Nothin’ like a little modification.
How long did you practice yoga before starting the process of becoming a certified instructor?
I had only been practicing for about a year when I started my training. I was a little nervous about going through training since I was still fairly new to the practice, but I think it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Everything with the teacher training fell into place. I had to commute back and forth from school to get to the sessions every few weekends and it worked perfectly into my schedule. It just seemed like the right time to do it. I learned so much and met some amazing people that to this day are very close friends.
What do you consider to be one of the most challenging yoga poses (asanas)?
The ones where you have to sit still! I am really restless so restorative poses are difficult for me. I get fidgity in pigeon. And don’t even get me started on meditation. I’m not proud. This past year I spent a bit of time doing yin yoga and really love it. It’s really important to balance out your energetic yang practice with some yin…and I must constantly remind myself of this!
What is your favorite kind of yoga?
I love Ashtanga and Power and Vinyasa. Oooh, and then there’s Yin. Oh heck, I love it all. I do not, however, love Bikram yoga. It’s just not for me. Plus, I live in Florida…it’s hot enough already! I do hope to one day train with Shiva Rea – I love her style. It’s very fluid and almost dance like. Ooh, trance dance. Love that too. Seriously, I can’t choose!
Do you wear lululemon? Which clothing brands do you recommend for yoga?
I just recently bought my first pair of lululemon pants and I really like them! But I’m still partial to my plain ole’ Nike capris that I’ve had for years… Maybe more for sentimental value 🙂 I do really like Zobha though – their tops are great and fit really well. HardTail is fun too. Lately my favorite yoga outfit is this: Loose PJ pants, sports bra, target tank top. Works like a charm!
Oh, sidenote…I couldn’t live without my Manduka Black Mat. Love. Man, do I miss that mat. Sigh.
Is yoga the only form of exercise you participate in regularly to keep in shape?
I like to take walks and bike rides, but yep…yoga is pretty much it. I’ve actually been thinking about this a lot lately. I’ve realized as I’ve lived in Paris how much I relied on yoga for the physical benefits and that I was sort of missing the point. Yes, yoga is great to build strength and flexibility and these are important to stay healthy, but I don’t want that to be the reason I practice. I’ve realized how silly it is to search for a certain “shape,” and to use yoga to look a certain way. Truth is, yoga makes me feel good. I feel healthy and whole when I practice regularly, even just for 20 or 30 minutes a day. There are no rules and there’s no number of chaturangas or handstands you have to do everyday to be “a good yogi.” Just practice a little and do what feels good in your body. I’m getting a bit side tracked here, but I just wanted to throw that out there. Open-mouthed
What yoga videos would you recommend to a newbie?
Hmmm. Shiva has great videos out, and there’s also several great videos. They have tons of yoga videos from teachers all over the U.S., plus you get to watch the teacher in a live class which is great for beginners. I’m not too into yoga videos though…never have been. I don’t like to watch the screen and try to practice at the same time. But that’s just me!
It’s been strange living in Paris and not practicing like I used to. I can feel the subtle changes in my body, and honestly I’m not sure that I’m totally comfortable with it. But, I’ve come to realize that this is a “cycle” in my practice. I heard it explained like that once – that there are cycles in our practice in our lives…some are full of activity, and some are meant for rest. I feel like it’s important for me to put my energy into Paris right now, into getting the most out of this experience, and not into the physical aspects of my practice. My yoga is different right now, and that’s ok. Someone told me “your mat will always be there, but you won’t always be in Paris.” So wise Open-mouthed
Do you practice yoga? What’s your favorite style? And why do you come to your mat?
Have a great weekend!
Oh, and in case you missed it, here are some of my answers to the questions you asked last week! I’ll answer the rest through the Ask Me Anything form. Thanks for all of your great questions!
