Dear Yoga Instructor,

You gently encouraged those of us in your class to pursue our “home practice.”

Certainly doing that could be expected to improve our asanas/positions, Or, in my case, make them less horrible.

Okay, maybe not every single one of them. Twists, leg stuff, stretching I don’t entirely suck at. One instructor was even movcd to say “you can sit” in a
laudatory tone. (All these years in front of a computer finally pay off!)

Something that requires strength, not so much. Anything that puts pressure on wrists that have typed too many words or a left knee that had a high-impact encounter with my air conditioner last year and I’m prone to whimpering.

Not exactly zen, I know.

So, yes, I have thought that home practice might help. I’ve even tried it. A few times.

The accompanying photos show my eye-view of what happens when I try. (And oh, yes, I do think she’s laughing at me in at least one of those pictures.)

Twisted roots with a collie standing over my head is the anti-zen. Breathing becomes harder when each inhale brings in tickling dog hair. Supported fish is not as relaxing when a long collie nose pokes are your side to see if you can be persuaded to play as long as you’re on the floor anyway.

So this is my excuse.

No, my dog did not eat my homework.

She does make a wreck of my home practice. It’s all that dog hair on the yoga mat.  Sometimes, with the dog attached.

Sincerely,

Your no-home-practicing student