Day 8: Dear Jana, I loved class today. You were great. Mucho love, Chris. Oh, and Bow.

I showed up at Open Door at my usual time, which is 1-2 minutes prior to class beginning. I would really like to be that person that arrives early. The dude who has 10 minutes to change, pick a good spot, relax and settle into the room. But I'm not. I bike like a maniac across town, a brisk 2.5 miles, coast on one foot up to the door, roll my bicicleta into the corner and start disrobing as I venture back to the men's changing room.

Today was the same, though instead of rushing around, Jana greeted me with a warm smile and the news that I was the only student today. Win! I really like a full class, but every now and again, it's wonderful for an accidental private lesson to pop up. And today was wonderful. Jana and I moved through the series differently, incorporating other poses, taking turns calling release and flowing sets together. It was a beautiful start to our day.

We both moved the heaters in close and did 3 sets of sun salutations to awaken the body. After the normal standing series, which included a bonus postures-revolve triangle-we moved to the floor. We flowed all the spine strengthening poses together, moved into one deep set of each of the remaining poses and we were left with enough time to practice two arm balances: scorpion and handstand. The variety in class was great, incorporating some muscle confusion with added postures. Arm balances are great. really. everyone should try them. especially scorpion. that pose is just fucking awesome. WIN.

Standing Bow:

 Favorite part of this photo? My peter pan shadow! What!? crazy. crazy awesome.
This is my most love-hate postures in class. On a great day, it's a pleasure holding this pose; kicking back with all my effort feels amazing. Other days, i just want to collapse. And that's just what progression means. It's not a straight comparison from day to day, but an accumulative action. Each day builds on new components. Each day is comprised of little moments, like my 30 seconds in bow, which change just as we do. So each day shouldn't be better, worse, or even the same; each day should be different.

Wins: Cooking, aromatic beans! (See recipe below), Jana's class, added poses, a badass scorpion, saving spider plants from the frost, giving, opening, changing, relaxing.

Aromatic Beans!
I buy dried beans in bulk, usually from the monster Whole Foods on Wade Ave. It's cheap, I can reuse plastic bags from around the house and I have enough mega-jars for them all to fit. The only difference is a little foresight.
Dried Beans need to soak overnight (or for a minimum of 4 hours) to plump up prior to cooking. The easiest thing to do is to pour 1/3 of the amount of beans (by eye) that you want to eat, soak them overnight, wake up to plump beans (triple the size!).
To cook:

• Pour beans into a large pot and cover generously (as in, completely cover with water, with an extra inch of that agua on top).
• Bring to a rapid boil and then lower the heat to medium, boiling still for about 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to a simmer (that's the low setting) and let them there beans slow cook for about 2 hours.
• After ze' beans have been cooking for about 30 minutes, add in your aromatics!
•  - several sprigs of thyme, parsley, rosemary, chives, or any other delicious herbs
•  - add one thickly sliced onion
•  - add a strip of Kombu (an edible kelp: KOMBU!), which helps tenderize yo' beans)
•  - add any other spices you may enjoy. I like tumeric and black pepper (which are superstars in keeping your body healthy, especially when used together. They love each other.)

Leave them alone for the remaining 1.5 hours.
Strain off the broth and reserve for some delicious, easy, homemade veggie broth. Pick out the stems from all those herbs. Enjoy delicious beans with brown ride, salad or straight up!