Monday, May 26, 2008

Day 263

Using the Sharath CD, I'm noticing that the holds on some poses are much, much longer. For example, in Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana, I've already noticed that I have more stability in the pose from just a few days practice of holding it longer. The same with headstand - I'm sweating by the time I've held it for 15 counts, plus 10 in half-bend.

Navasana is repeated five times and this is just too many times for me at the moment. So I'm taking it with baby-steps. First Navasana: my knees are bent, calves parallel to the floor. Second Navasana: raise the legs just a bit higher...and so on. Fifth Navasna: completely straight legs. I find that in Ashtanga, taking things in increments really works.

I was reading back in my archives from last year and noticed that when the Chaturangas were too much for me, I started doing them with my knees on the floor. When I could do all of them in this modified fashion, I upped the ante and did every other one with straight legs. Now, Chaturanga is easy for me because I've built the strength.

I believe this principle also applies to life: sometimes baby-steps are the best steps to take.

I had a good practice today. I was cold when I started and sun salutations didn't seem to do a lot to warm me up. But once I moved into the seated poses, I broke into a sweat. I'm finding a better breath-focus this week. Although it's hard to get on my mat - it takes some self-will, I'm finding practice very soothing once I get going.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

About Chaturanga: I'm pretty new to yoga and self-teaching at home with DVDs (though I'm hoping to be in a financial situation to afford classes soon), and during the sun salutation, I realised straight away that there was just no way I could get in to Chaturanga, let alone hold it.

So I did some researching, and started moving into plank position. I did that for about a week. Then I would do plank, followed by 'knees, chest, chin'. Then I added an extra plank position before moving back from upwards dog to downwards dog.

I noticed on the weekend that, as I move my body from plank to 'KCC', I am getting closer and closer to where I need to be for a full Chaturanga!

It's amazing the difference I see within just a little while. :)

It's reminded me to take these 'baby steps' with other postures too, like my backbends. I've been sort of throwing myself into them and coming/falling out of them sloppily. Now I'm working to build the strength so that I can move in and out of the asanas smoothly.