Power Flops and Coffee Shops

I decided to avoid the arctic wasteland that is the McGill Arts Library - thanks McGill, for renovating the heating and cooling system during the last weeks of the semester and exams - and have set up shop in a coffee shop. A masochistic measure, given that today marks the beginning of my coffee cleanse. I have been having some stomach problems lately, in the form of painful cramps whenever I eat anything, and so I figured that cutting coffee out (again - I had been abstaining since New Year, but my resolve collapsed after vacationing with my parents) could prove to be the solution.

In a true nod to an ironic God, I spilled boiling tea on my stomach this morning. It's blistered. So much for avoiding stomach pain...

After signing in at Moksha this morning, the instructor, Jason, informed me that tomorrow will be the last day for my 30-day pass. Which means that tomorrow marks the end of my 30-day challenge! So brace yourself for a post full of reflections. But not now. Instead I will regail you with my first Power Flow class. It was not as abysmal as I had expected. That said, some cruel fate had my mind and body crushed by some inexplicable hangover. I think I'm going to have to wade back into the world of alcohol a bit more slowly - two pints and I felt like death all morning! It's truly unfair. I think that, compounded with all the yoga sweating, my body is just really dehydrated. Anyhow, my hungover self was not a very impressive contributor to the PowerFlow class. That said, I would definitely be up for it in the future. It wasn't necessarily harder than any 90 minute Moksha class - just more flows and a more varied series of postures, which I love. Got to try my hand at crow pose. Which I can't do. Yet. I think the more challenging class will be a good addition though. Unlike a lot of people I know, particularly those who can only appreciate yoga when it is a challenging cardio and strength work out, I like a variety of classes, and find the long-hold Yin classes as satisfying as the more active Moksha classes. I kind of disdain the yoga snobbery of "I get too bored in those long holds!" That. Is. The. Point. Settle your mind and try to cultivate calm.

Ok, this has been a very indulgent break from marking. I am only half-way through my first essay of grading for the day - I am feeling the hurt of no coffee after a 7am yoga class, for sure. Best get my ass back at it though - I'm tired of this little brats e-mailing me asking when they will get their papers back.