Astanga

The weather around here continues to defy logic. Today, it's rainy. It *poured* all night and off and on throughout the day, making a mockery of several little street festivals that I had hoped to attend. I managed to make it to one of them in the afternoon after the showers eased. And it was fun (and well-attended; I think the whole neighbourhood was out!), but I'm getting just a bit burnt out on street festivals.

Because my morning class was cancelled, I came to the house last night and stayed through the day (I'll head downtown tonight because I'm teaching a Sunday morning class). I lazed around for most of the morning, reading the new yoga anatomy book I bought last week. I took a nap and hit the mat soon after I woke.

I didn't think I would have a very good practice, given that I was a lazy lump for much of the day, but it was nice. I borrowed a beach towel to place over my old Maha mat as a substitute for my Mysore rug. Worked okay. At least I wasn't struggling to slide my heels forward in Kurmasana.

I've lost the bind in Marichyasana D and Supta Kurmasana was a struggle. I felt very nervous in Bhujapidasana. The 'accident' yesterday left me with a sore noggin and a bit of rugburn high up the bridge of my nose. My eyeglasses cover it up, but it now hurts to wear them.

Today was backbend photo day. I've never set up a backbend photo at the house before, so I had to shift my mat over to a wall. I did my backbend under lovely artwork!

Here is the State of the Backbend this week:

A quick comparion to last week...I think this reveals a slightly deeper backbend:



I haven't been doing as many hip openers this week - just pigeon. But I *have* been implementing a new strategy. I call it: "Life is a Backbend."

I'm on my computer a LOT and I tend to sit on the bed with my laptop, in a seated position that is the polar opposite of a backbend, upper and lower back curled, shoulders hunched forward. I do the same when reading (and I read a LOT).

New strategy: I've been moving to the floor and coming into a sphinx position when reading stuff online or reading a book. Periodically, I rest in Balasana to stretch my back muscles (they tend to get cranky after a while).

I like it. I find it keeps me from becoming foggy-headed. I didn't notice a huge difference in the feeling of my backbends this week, but in the photo it's looking deeper, so I'll carry on.