After practicing with Dharma Mitra, I went to lunch. Still having a little time to kill before meeting my new yoga buddy, Lindsey at her home studio, Laughing Lotus, I accidentally happened upon a massage studio (right next to Laughing Lotus, although I had no idea where I was at the time). I dropped in for a one hour deep tissue massage. There is really nothing like a Chinese woman walking on your back. I thought maybe I should have had her do that BEFORE Dharma's Master class...then maybe I could have gotten into more of those bendy postures!
I arrived early at Laughing Lotus. I remember hearing about them many years ago when they were a few folks practicing on a rooftop in NYC. I had wanted to go then, but had never gotten the chance. As luck would have it, the studio was only four blocks from Dharma Yoga and Lindsey was taking Ali Cramer's 5:30 "Lotus Hour" class and had invited me to join her. My yoga week had been really great so far, but it was getting a little lonely. I was looking forward to practicing with someone that I actually knew.
Stunning artwork greets you as you enter Laughing Lotus and proceed down the hallway to the studio. Vibrant colors and a very artsy crowd awaited me as I walked in. Lindsey was right behind me and we chatted a bit while waiting for the yoga room to open. The room was full and Ali started class with a discussion about water, announcing that we would be doing a 2nd Chakra class. I thought to myself, "Thank God, I really need some hip openers after this long yoga week." It's amazing how you do always get what you need. And I loves me some 2nd chakra/water classes!
Ali spoke to us throughout the class about the energy of water - I often do this in my classes, but she had different things to say which was nice. We flowed and created strong wave-like movements in our body, sometimes holding more challenging asanas like Ardha Chandrasana, then once we were nice and sweaty diving into some deep hip openers.
I enjoyed the flow, the pace and the atmosphere at the studio and I really enjoyed having someone to practice with in the city. Laughing Lotus is definitely a great studio to go check out. It seems like they have interesting special classes and events, and hopefully I'll be able to make it to some in the future...hopefully with some more yoga buddies!
The class was a Lotus Hour, so it was only 60 minutes long, but that was ok. I had the massage therapist work deeply into my elbow and after class I was having a pretty intense feeling down my arm. I wasn't looking forward to the drive home in traffic, but I threw on some Tiger Balm on the muscles around my elbow and drove home inch by inch through the Holland tunnel and into NJ. By the time I got home, tremendous heat was radiating down my right arm so intensely I could no longer determine where it was originating.
Several weeks ago I noticed issues with my wrist. Then with all the yoga the past several weeks it seemed to move up into my elbow. Now I wasn't quite sure if it wasn't in my shoulder. I wondered if the sensations were energy trying to move out, or blocked energy with nowhere to go, or just overuse. I couldn't find a comfortable position to sleep in, but I was so exhausted from my day that I fell asleep.
I was so glad that I'd decided not to stay in the city and push myself with classes on Thursday. I decided to stay near home and check out some more local studios for Thursday. Did I take one class? Two? Or skip all together and just relax? Well, I decided that I would just figure it out in the morning, I had three different options...which way would it go? Only tomorrow will tell.
Namaste.
I arrived early at Laughing Lotus. I remember hearing about them many years ago when they were a few folks practicing on a rooftop in NYC. I had wanted to go then, but had never gotten the chance. As luck would have it, the studio was only four blocks from Dharma Yoga and Lindsey was taking Ali Cramer's 5:30 "Lotus Hour" class and had invited me to join her. My yoga week had been really great so far, but it was getting a little lonely. I was looking forward to practicing with someone that I actually knew.
Ali spoke to us throughout the class about the energy of water - I often do this in my classes, but she had different things to say which was nice. We flowed and created strong wave-like movements in our body, sometimes holding more challenging asanas like Ardha Chandrasana, then once we were nice and sweaty diving into some deep hip openers.
I enjoyed the flow, the pace and the atmosphere at the studio and I really enjoyed having someone to practice with in the city. Laughing Lotus is definitely a great studio to go check out. It seems like they have interesting special classes and events, and hopefully I'll be able to make it to some in the future...hopefully with some more yoga buddies!
The class was a Lotus Hour, so it was only 60 minutes long, but that was ok. I had the massage therapist work deeply into my elbow and after class I was having a pretty intense feeling down my arm. I wasn't looking forward to the drive home in traffic, but I threw on some Tiger Balm on the muscles around my elbow and drove home inch by inch through the Holland tunnel and into NJ. By the time I got home, tremendous heat was radiating down my right arm so intensely I could no longer determine where it was originating.
Several weeks ago I noticed issues with my wrist. Then with all the yoga the past several weeks it seemed to move up into my elbow. Now I wasn't quite sure if it wasn't in my shoulder. I wondered if the sensations were energy trying to move out, or blocked energy with nowhere to go, or just overuse. I couldn't find a comfortable position to sleep in, but I was so exhausted from my day that I fell asleep.
I was so glad that I'd decided not to stay in the city and push myself with classes on Thursday. I decided to stay near home and check out some more local studios for Thursday. Did I take one class? Two? Or skip all together and just relax? Well, I decided that I would just figure it out in the morning, I had three different options...which way would it go? Only tomorrow will tell.
Namaste.
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