Day 20: Updates on follow challengers

It's Friday, Day 20, and I'm rolling along nicely. Just 27 sun sals left for tonight, which I will do as soon as my dinner has digested. I've already started implementing some of the stuff Anita, my ayurveda teacher and mentor, suggested I do this week. My staff is on board for better organizing the studio and I'm planning out my practices and classes with more precision. No more mid-afternoon yoga, making to do lists, and more delegating. I'm off to a good start, so hopefully I will soon be able to establish a regular routine for eating and sleeping too.

Enough about me. I want to acknowledge and give some updates on some of my students and friends who have joined my 108 mission (and Canadian Institute for the Blind's Yoga Stretch Challenge) in their fabulously unique way.

Bossa and I have been doing yoga together twice a week for about four years and she is featured in today's video. She has started doing more yoga on her own in order to meet her goal of 108 sun salutations a week, but I think she might have to up it to 216, because we've been doing a lot of sun sals together lately. Bossa is also the inspiration for today's Belly Soothing Salute.

Craig, my charming boyfriend, has added roller blading to his daily goal of 108 push ups and today, he proclaimed that he would like to do sit ups as well. (He's all pumped up, because he got a great deal on new inline skates a couple of days ago.) Craig also joins me for the occasional yoga practice, as seen in last Sunday's video, and is now officially the photo editor and sometimes photographer of this project.

Mary Ann, my student of six years and teaching trainee, is also on Day 20 of her goal to complete 36 sun salutations a day. She's amazing: a committed yogini and soon to be a certified Eric Pearl Reconnective Healing therapist. Mary Ann is in the Laurentiens this weekend with my mom, who is leading a yoga retreat weekend for women over 35. (Did I tell you my mom is a yoga teacher too?)

Sarah is a creative writer and another longtime student of mine. She was inspired to join the CNIB campaign because her grandfather was visually impaired and very active in the CNIB. Her goal is to do two yoga classes a week and to build up her stamina to be able to hold the crow pose for one minute. I think Sarah also wants to work on her bridge pose, because she asked me to take this photo of her for her Stretch page and give her some coaching on it. (I suggested she practice this pose with a block in between her thighs and use a belt to keep them parallel, which will help her open her hip flexors and prevent lower back compression.)
View Sarah's CNIB fund-raising page.

Yves, an enthusiastic yoga student of about a year and a half, continues to achieve his weekly goal of 108 surya namaskar, although he is doing a lot of them on his own these days now that his dragon boat training has started.

A few other friends, students and Om West staff members-- Amber, Susan, Marianne and Cathy-- have joined my CNIB Yoga Stretch team, "Yasmin Yoga 108 x 108," but have yet to announce their goals. By the way, we are still recruiting team members. If you are interested, you can visit the Yasmin Yoga 108 x 108 team page and join or sponsor the cause!

Did I miss anyone?

Lynn, are you still doing 36 minutes of daily exercise?

Nathalie?

Surya Namaskar Recipe: Day 20 - The Belly Soothing Salute

This sun salutation is dedicated to Bossa, whose sore belly inspired us to invent a special surya namaskar to support and improve the digestive system. This salutation features three great poses for digestion: the squat, the wind releasing pose and child's pose. I recommend practicing this salute slowly and hold those three poses for at least five breaths each.

(FYI, after doing about of the Belly Soothing Salutes, Bossa said she felt much better.)

*And thanks to Kayla, my manager's 13-year-old daughter for being the photographer on today's shoot. :)