Learning and Sitting
I'm doing lots of learning and sitting this week.
We start our day at 7 am with a practice, then break for an hour for breakfast. Then, sitting still in a meeting room of a generic hotel from 9 am until 1230 pm, with a bit of a break twice. Lunch. Escape the confines of the meeting room, seek fresh air, some sunshine. Try to blow the cobwebs out of your brain and see something of the world around here. My best lunch so far: eating some cheese and a bagel in my room, then driving over to Madisonville to walk along the river. Discovered a maritime museum where they hold traditional boat building classes, watched some neighborhood kids playing soccer, looked at the houses and the sidewalks and the trees with moss hanging from the branches.
Then, back to sitting and learning. Already have used up one of my favorite rolling-ball marker-type pens and an entire notebook. That's in three days. In class until 5 pm, with breaks a bit. Then a practice from 5 or so until 6 pm. Except for yesterday, when we ran late and finished at 630. Most evenings, we've then been going out to eat. Very continental, but perhaps not the healthiest option after sitting all day. Last night, I ordered take-out from the Thai restaurant (thank you) in Covington, took time to read through my notes, and do my homework, which I only remembered when I went wandering down to the kitchen later in the evening to look for a tea bag, and ran into one of the women in the group.
Sat at my desk, listened to classical music, worked on devising a sequence of poses leading up to Navasana, an intense forward fold executed by leaning back on your tailbone and drawing both legs up in front of you. Also, counterposes to follow, which was the main subject of yesterday's studies. Did a rough draft, then went to borrow the book of poses from my teacher for more inspirastion. Another draft, then three efforts at recopying with correct spellings of Sanskrit names.
Awakened at 130 am. Thought it was 430 am. Then, turned the light on to rewrite my sequence. Executed it in neat little stick figures which I can illustrate when I get home. Scratched out a counterpose, and then called it a day and went back to sleep.
It's wonderful to be learning, to be reading (which I hardly have time for and have already lost and then found one of my textbooks), to be observing some truly gifted teachers, to be meeting my mentor for the next four years, or for life. It's challenging to sit still, to be confronted with so much that is new, to have so many personalities in one space. I'd tried yesterday to soften the intensity by working on my Swallowtail Shawl in the afternoon. But taking notes, discussion, and so much that is new is not a good mix with knitting of lace.
Yesterday I received a box with my bolero in it. Now that my husband has faxed the directions to me (thank you, Lakesha at the front desk, who yesterday provided me with a real mug for tea instead of a styrofoam cup, a listing of television stations, the area code for Covington, my wake-up calls at 545 am, and my fax), I might see if I can swing knitting and learning.
We start our day at 7 am with a practice, then break for an hour for breakfast. Then, sitting still in a meeting room of a generic hotel from 9 am until 1230 pm, with a bit of a break twice. Lunch. Escape the confines of the meeting room, seek fresh air, some sunshine. Try to blow the cobwebs out of your brain and see something of the world around here. My best lunch so far: eating some cheese and a bagel in my room, then driving over to Madisonville to walk along the river. Discovered a maritime museum where they hold traditional boat building classes, watched some neighborhood kids playing soccer, looked at the houses and the sidewalks and the trees with moss hanging from the branches.
Then, back to sitting and learning. Already have used up one of my favorite rolling-ball marker-type pens and an entire notebook. That's in three days. In class until 5 pm, with breaks a bit. Then a practice from 5 or so until 6 pm. Except for yesterday, when we ran late and finished at 630. Most evenings, we've then been going out to eat. Very continental, but perhaps not the healthiest option after sitting all day. Last night, I ordered take-out from the Thai restaurant (thank you) in Covington, took time to read through my notes, and do my homework, which I only remembered when I went wandering down to the kitchen later in the evening to look for a tea bag, and ran into one of the women in the group.
Sat at my desk, listened to classical music, worked on devising a sequence of poses leading up to Navasana, an intense forward fold executed by leaning back on your tailbone and drawing both legs up in front of you. Also, counterposes to follow, which was the main subject of yesterday's studies. Did a rough draft, then went to borrow the book of poses from my teacher for more inspirastion. Another draft, then three efforts at recopying with correct spellings of Sanskrit names.
Awakened at 130 am. Thought it was 430 am. Then, turned the light on to rewrite my sequence. Executed it in neat little stick figures which I can illustrate when I get home. Scratched out a counterpose, and then called it a day and went back to sleep.
It's wonderful to be learning, to be reading (which I hardly have time for and have already lost and then found one of my textbooks), to be observing some truly gifted teachers, to be meeting my mentor for the next four years, or for life. It's challenging to sit still, to be confronted with so much that is new, to have so many personalities in one space. I'd tried yesterday to soften the intensity by working on my Swallowtail Shawl in the afternoon. But taking notes, discussion, and so much that is new is not a good mix with knitting of lace.
Yesterday I received a box with my bolero in it. Now that my husband has faxed the directions to me (thank you, Lakesha at the front desk, who yesterday provided me with a real mug for tea instead of a styrofoam cup, a listing of television stations, the area code for Covington, my wake-up calls at 545 am, and my fax), I might see if I can swing knitting and learning.
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