365 Days of Yoga, Day 9

It was 11pm before I realized I hadn't done any yoga.

Me: I haven't done any yoga today!

Paul: Oh no. You have to do it, right?

Me: I have to!

I'm going to be totally honest here and say...um...I'd had...well, I'd had a couple glasses of wine. Earlier in the evening. Several hours earlier. And also...um...I'd also had a little nip of brandy. Just prior to this conversation, so. I really...it wasn't that I was drunk or anything, I wasn't. Not even buzzed. I was just...well, I felt a little guilty, rolling out my mat at 11pm, knowing I had (gasp!) alcohol in my system. But a commitment is a commitment, damnit, and I was not going to let a little teensy bit of indiscretion get in my way. I'm not going to say I didn't feel guilty, though...I did.

Bad girl!

I sunk into childs pose. Oh my gosh, what am I doing. I'm sure I'm not supposed to be doing this. Why didn't I practice earlier? What kind of yogi am I...I shouldn't even be drinking. At all. Ever. Sure I've cut down. A lot. I mean...I used to drink a glass of wine every night and now...well, maybe it's once or twice a week. Sometimes less! Oh god, Lia, you can't just lie here. Get up. I got into Downdog. What am I doing? This is ridiculous. I did a slow, simple, vinyasa. Okay, I guess I'm doing this. Alright. So...then...I guess I just need to do this. Back into Downdog. Who says I can't still have a good practice? Who says I have to make myself feel bad about this? Another vinyasa. Hey, this is okay. This is my practice today. And it's okay. Back into Downdog. I'm doing it. I'm doing it, and this is today. And okay, maybe I don't feel so great about the wine and the brandy, but still, here I am. And this is what I'm dealing with today on the mat--vices. Today I bring my vices to the mat. Great big blissful forward bends. More and more and more. And then some alternate nostril breathing which, for the first time ever, made me feel as I think it is supposed to make me feel. Calm. Centered. Balanced.

Who says alcohol can't do you some good every once in awhile? Even if the good is just a clear physical reminder of why a clear body is better...