1st June 2021 - hairdryer

June has begun with an overnight heatwave.

May was cold and wet. Lashing, driving rain on the windows and chill winds made it a good month for reading on the sofa with a hot water bottle and cup of tea.

Now it is 25 degrees and I feel like a tortoise emerging from hibernation.

I have been doing haphazard yoga when my body craves. But now feels like the time to start a daily practice.

My day is upside down so I missed the window of exercise enthusiasm that I usually have first thing in the morning. I practiced in the blazing midday sun on my exposed rooftop surrounded by the ventilation unit from the restaurant below. I felt white and soft and out of my element, like a grub that has been under a log for a while.

But once I got started immersed in the practice, I began to feel good. The routine is playful, freeing, and familiar. I enjoyed sweating and moving in the sunshine. Unfurling. Breathing consciously and clearly.

The more I practiced, the more I was in my body rather than my head. Thoughts came and went, and felt a bit less important than usual.

The strong wind was too warm to be refreshing. Like a hairdryer it buffeted my body, whipping loose strands of hair and drying sweat without cooling me. I was surprised that I enjoyed this oven as much as I did. I must be missing a fiery Tapas element in my life.

June Tapas: yoga every day & a few reflections here.