i went to a yoga thing over the last few days--it was supposed to be a 7-day conference/workshop,but du to many many things going on, many many of which are about as far from yoga as one could get (good training...), i only went to 4 of the 7 days. given how i have been feeling, this was just about right. thank you nana for all of your help, i know it was exhausting.

it was a terrific experience, as usual, and i learned a whole bunch, most notably, how to assist people in different postures. the most significant one for me was learning how to 'assist' or 'do' savasana for people. for those who don't know, savasana is 'corpse pose' in which you are lying flat on your back, in a state of relaxation. there's more, but that's the basic idea--it is done at the end of a practice in order to relax and absorb the effects of the pactice. anyway, if you have someone to assist you, relaxing is a lot easier, because it basically becomes a massage--not whole body, but feet, hands, neck, head, as well as pulling on the legs to lengthen out of the hips, adjusting shoulder blades, etc etc.

as we were learning this, it was very interesting and i enjoyed it, but it did not hit me until i arrived home and was puting ava to bed that this would be a very useful thing for her at night. so, i did it. not only did she fall asleep instantly (she did take the time to say "that feels really good" when i was pulling on her legs), but she did not squirm, fidget, start snapping -- which is her ants in the pants thing lately -- or even say a word other than the above commentary and a little giggle when i tried to pull on her toes. my gratitude to the universe was huge. i could not believe how she responded.