Oops I did it again

It would appear that the universe is conspiring to see to it that I am not in the place where I think I am supposed to be at any given time.

First, there was the Kino incident. I took my nice scalding bath at noon, was in the car by 1:30, and I arrived at the CT Shala at 2, pleased that I had managed to not be late. I thought it a bit strange that there were so many shoes lined up at the door already. Even stranger that thirty students were sitting on their mats, watching as Kino paced stood in front speaking. They looked sweaty and tired. As I walked in and found a place, there was a bit of commotion.

Cut to me realizing that I am stark naked, with everyone pointing and staring. And then I woke up.

If only. No, it was no dream. The Kino Backbending Workshop was from noon UNTIL two. I don't know why I wrote it wrong in my planner. There are no accidents, so I imagine that I was feeling ambivalent about dealing with my backbends in an intense workshop and about having to see this incredibly beautiful, tiny, master yogini who can bend backwards and touch her feet with her head without having first broken a sweat. Yeah, I must have purposesly accidentally put the time down wrong in my Palm.

Still, I felt horrible. I felt embarassed and out of control. Yet I went home and had a wonderful practice. A really, really nice practice, after which I felt that wonderful high. No, I didn't experience Kundalini rising and lose consciousness like the fabulous Liz Gilbert. But my good mood lasted clear through this morning.

Which brings me to the Chinese Lantern Project Incident.

For weeks now, I have been planning on helping Adam's third grade class prepare for the Chinese Lunar Festival by helping out with their making of Chinese Lanterns today. It's been on my Palm for weeks, and I had recruited another mom to help me help out. Over the weekend, the other mom had a bad cold and told me that she wasn't sure if she would make it to school today. So, I scrambled to get backup moms, and by scrambling, I really mean that I sent out a mass email and got an overwhelmingly positive, helpful response. The universe seemed to be smiling upon me. In fact, it gets even better because last night, my original partner in Chinese Lanterning emailed me to tell me that she was feeling better and would see me. When, though, she asked?

9:10 a.m., I told her.

She wrote back: But the email from Mrs. C says that it's not until 9:50.

Sure enough, when I looked at the most recent email from the teacher, I saw that the time was listed as 9:50. And so, we showed up at 9:50.

"We're all finished," Mrs. C informed us when we arrived at the art room.

Heh?

It was 9:10 after all. I had it right. But my experience yesterday led me to distrust my penciling-in skills. And so, I just ASSUMED that the time that I had originally thought I had to be there was the wrong time. But it was right.

Mrs. C apologized and offered to have us help out next week, since they will still be working on the lanterns then. Oh boy! Just what I want to do! Miss ANOTHER shala practice to get ink on my hands.

At least I got a lot done between 9:10 and 9:50, as I sat in Cafe T and made my phone calls and did some paperwork.

Oh, and I forgot, there was also the Wanted By The Police incident. But that was already last week, and I really don't feel like talking about it. I'm not going to be arrested, it looks like. But I am going to have to pay for some damage to someone's wheel bed out of pocket. Dang. I seem to be having issues not only with being in the right place at the right time, but also with being in a place where one is responsible for heating one's own house and driving one's own self around.

It's been a tough week, and it's only Monday.

Tough week, nice practices though. A brilliant one this afternoon beginning at 3. I can now bind Pasasana on my own without the wall to guide my hands into the right place. At least sometimes I can. On the other hand, it occurred to me that I would be served just as well by practicing ONLY Primary. I have a looooooooooong way to go before all of Primary is as rote (read: meditative) to me as the first seven poses of Primary. Starting with the Marichis, my mind starts to spin, devising plans for being "ready" for the next pose and the next and the next. It's kind of the opposite of being present. No, actually, it IS the opposite of being present. Another year or two of ONLY Primary and I could probably really get to that "Paschimo through Janu C" point in Marichi A through Supta K. But adding the backbends means that I have to sort of work a little EASIER, rather than a little harder, in Primary because the harder I work in Primary, the more awful my Second Series backbending is.

As
Debpc once paraphrased to me from some teacher who inspired her, why not instead of working harder, work a little easier? It seems to apply here. But if it were just Primary all the time for me, it wouldn't. Which leads me to the conclusion that I am BETTER served by having to add those Second Series poses into my repertoire.

It forces me to work a little easier.

If you're still with me, go click on that "What Cocktail Are You" quiz. Caroline...it's REALLY fun and WAY more economical than a five grand chair.

YC