Plank Pose

I don't what region of Delusion-land I was inhabiting when I thought that June would be a 'less busy' month. In June, my regular sessions finish up and my summer sessions begin. A few of these classes overlap, which requires some fancy footwork and scheduling trickery (since I can't clone myself or be in two places at once). And there's a huge amount of administration involved in the summer classes.

On top of that, I'm suddenly biking *everywhere*. And then the weather decided to instantly be a kazillion degrees and humid. It's been an interesting week.

But there have been some adventures! Last Friday, I found myself in a most unexpected place: the local lumber yard. As I stood in the line-up to pay for a two metre long pine plank, I felt decidedly out of place in my yoga tank and shorts. I was sandwiched between the the contractors in their steel-toed-boots and the manly-house-holders purchasing home-improvement and yard supplies. I stuck out like a tall, skinny sore thumb.

I walked into the warehouse with my receipt feeling a bit nervous about the whole thing, feeling silly about buying one little plank. But a competent, generous employee in a dusty t-shirt and jeans treated me like his most important customer of the day. When I explained what I needed, he enthusiastically dug through piles of planks to locate the very best one. Then he used the finest saw in the house to reduce it down to eight 23cm blocks. He helped me find the right sandpaper and packed it all onto my bicycle. I made a new friend!

I spent the afternoon sanding edges and voila! I now have 8 half-blocks to aid in my 'learning-to-float project'. I could have ordered something online, but why would I want to do that when I could pay $12 and share the love? Two sets now live at the shala and I'm keeping one set at home for home-practice. Another set needs a bit of trimming with the special saw. It's a good opportunity to visit my new buddies at the lumber yard.

Practice has been touch-and-go. Sunday was a great practice. Nothing special about it, just a lot of fun. Monday was just 'okay.' Tuesday was one of those practices that physically hurt - and my body felt like lead. I didn't think I would make it through all the poses, but I did (but it was the quickest backbending and finishing sequence in history). I spent most of it wanting to cry. The morning was so bad that I came home and collapsed into a coma-like sleep for two hours. I'm sure this was part of the problem: I was running on six hours of sleep. Bad lady!

After the trauma of Tuesday, this morning's practice loomed, making me nervous. But it was good and I was relieved.

The other day, I was tryingtryingtrying to land Bakasana B and DT told me not to obsess over it. She patted me on the shouler reassuringly and said with certainty, "It will come when the float comes!" I imagined 'the float' sitting across the street at the Pie Shop, calmly enjoying an espresso, biding its time before deciding to join me on the mat. DT seems SO sure that 'the float' is on its way. I wish I would share her confidence. I *still* feel like my bum is made of lead.

Of course, after that Bakasana B talk, the pose mysteriously became easy. The past few days, I've been getting it on the first or second try.

Yoga works in mysterious ways.


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Stay

If I were to pick one word to describe yesterday's practice, it would be 'bendy'. Today's word: 'tired'. On Sundays, I start practice at 9:30 in the morning so I've had time to walk the dog, drink tea, and loll around a bit. Also, the shala was like an *oven* yesterday. It was awesome! This morning, I started at my usual time, 6 a.m., and it felt like every muscle in my body was aching a little bit. I didn't have a lot of stamina.

In my long-winded practice report on Saturday, I made a significant ommission. I forgot probably the most important part: Laghu Vajrasana. I've been Laghu Vajrasana-ing like crazy lately. Early last week, DT suggested that I come down and come up at least 5 times in a row. I've been doing that, then repeating until I can't do it anymore. So five 'chicken pecks' (As Owl likes to call them), then a short rest. And again. And again. I do about three sets of five. By that point, I'm so exhausted that I'm shaking a little bit, then I go on to do Kapotasana like a good little masochist.

Every practice is hard right now, but there's almost always an 'easter egg' hidden somewhere in that two-hour time frame. Yesterday, the egg was in Laghu. I had just finished going up and down and up and down for the kazillionth time (okay, the 9th), when DT stopped by said: "That's good! It's looking much better!" Somewhere in my fuzzed-out Laghu stupor, I acknowledged her, then continued chicken pecking.

It was a great moment, because DT almost never does that. If she observes that I'm getting the hang of something or a pose has reached a new level, she just gets busy making it harder for me.

Today's 'easter egg' was Bakasana B. I've been landing it fairly consistently on the third or fourth try. When I filmed it last Friday at home, I observed that when I jump into it, I always *have* it, but I don't *keep* it. Same thing happened today. I jumped into it, then popped my toes to the floor.

I've learned something important in hot yoga, from practising standing balances. In Bikrams, these balances are long holds and I realised that once I *have* the balance, I need to make a decision to *stay* for the duration.

In other words, I need to decide that I'm NOT going to fall out. No matter what, no matter how much I wobble or how silly I look.

So today I decided: no matter how ugly my Bakasana was, no matter how unstable I felt, I would jump into Bakasana and I would STAY. And I did. And I nailed it. Oh yeah, it was ugly, but I was there for five breaths and *that* part was beautiful!



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Astanga

Well, that was a perfectly awful day! Even the parts of the day that tried to be fabulous fell completely flat. I overslept, wasted the morning surfing around on the 'net (but finally extracted myself from the computer and went for a walk). I taught a noon class. In the afternoon, I broke my favourite bowl while brewing tea (thank goodness I didn't break the teapot too!). Taught another class. Dourly noted that the temperature, which was supposed to be a summery 25C was actually 15C (we're having a horribly cold summer here so far and I'm not happy about it). Spent much of the day indoors. It was cloudy. Grump!

I did the full Primary Series in the afternoon. I was very distracted for the full 90 minutes and my mind was churning. My body was stiff and my lower back was cranky. It was a bit better once I warmed up with the sun salutations, but nothing felt quite right. I did all the poses, just not very well. Not a great practice.

I'm taking my Sirsasana back to the wall, this time to work on alignment issues. I did a video of Sirsasana yesterday (which will not be posted here - the camera really *does* add 10 lbs! ug) and in viewing it, discovered that my legs are not straight. The problem is, I'm not coming into the pose fully, probably because I'm afraid of falling over backwards.

I experimented with the pose today using the wall. I kept moving my legs back, back, back (!) well past the midline toward the wall until my back actually started to arch. I discovered that I had to make an extraordinary effort in order to even touch my feet to the wall (I set up my hands about 10 cm from the wall). My fear of falling over is unfounded; I wasn't even close to falling over. I just need to build some confidence and I'll be fine.

I also photographed my Bakasana. Though it's not part of the Primary Series, I do it each day. Lately, I've noticed that I can come into the pose more comfortably (though I can't yet jump into it). I've been working on placing my knees behind my armpits (rather than balancing my shins on my triceps). In the photo, the pose actually looks great! My arms could be straighter and my knees could be further up towards my armpits, but I've made substantial progress.

Astanga

Last night, while I read a book and played my guitar, a thunderstorm raged outside (my balcony fun was cut short by the storm moving in - and it was a doozy). I love sitting by the window and watching a storm. I felt all warm and cozy and happy.

Then I watched junk T.V. - reruns of Law and Order - while surfing around on iTunes listening to sound clips. I'm such a music junkie. I need a bigger high drive. And unlimited funds :-)

This morning, I woke with the entire day stretching ahead of me like a open-skied vista and decided to allocate a large chunk of that time to my practice. I dug out my old Beryl Bender Birch 'Power Yoga' DVD and did the full Primary Series.

Fun!!!

It felt so good! it's funny how I never seem to hold the memory of how good the full Primary feels. I only seem to recall how difficult it can be. I had a wonderful, sweaty, vigourous practice and really surprised myself throughout. Vinyasa between each pose and each side of a pose didn't kill me. I can still do Garba Pindasana, though my hands aren't anywhere near my forehead as I roll. Alas, my bind is gone in Supta Kurmasana, but I easily came into and held Bakasana (Beryl slips it in after Ukatasana and the Warrior poses).

The biggest surprise was backbending. About once a week, I do a total 'play' practice with a lot of backbending and inversions (mostly handstand and headstand). As recent as last year, I remember really struggling with the backbending on this DVD. I never managed to make it through all three repetitions and I needed to rest in between each. Today, I held each Urdhva Dhanurasana for the duration, and only lowered my head to the floor in between. This is a *first*.

Really, I was flabbergasted. I really didn't think that my sporadic practice of Urdhva Dhanurasana/Ustrasana was doing me any good. I also wonder how much of this progress is due to my Yoga Streak (daily practice). Or perhaps mixing up styles of yoga has developed areas of my practice that might have been stagnating with Astanga alone.

Anyway, I felt like a million bucks at the end of my hour-and-a-half practice which, of course, means that I'm newly enthused about the Primary Series and determined to do the full series more often. We'll see how that plays out.

Hatha

This month, I seem to have settled into an alternating pattern of Hatha-Astanga-Hatha-Astanga. There's no rhyme or reason to the pattern, except I do it every day without fail.

My Hatha days are loose and unstructured and have taken on an atmosphere of fun. I'll try more challenging poses multiple times, challenge myself to hold them longer and longer or add my own playful variations. Astanga days are focused and flowing. The fun is in not needing to improvise - the sequence is laid out for me with soothing regularity.

Each practice nourishes me in a different way.

Today, I continued to play with balances. I experimented with looking back at my raised leg in Ardha Chandrasana to check the alignment, then looking back up at the ceiling. This work with standing balances has made Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana strong and stable on Astanga days.

I spent a lot of time on Bakasana today, experimenting with different ways of coming into the pose and trying to come into it in a deeper way. This means getting the knees into my armpit and balancing the knee tip into the very top of the tricep. Ouch. It also means straightening the arms. I managed to do these things, but not together and when I tried to jump my feet back to exit the pose, I fell over into a puddle of giggles. Fun!

Hatha

I haven't been to a Quaker Meeting in quite some time and really missed it. I'm often not around the neighbourhood on Sunday mornings, but I was this week so decided to take the opportunity.

Clearly, I need to beef up my meditation practice! I can remember Meetings that passed by so timelessly that the end of the hour came as a complete surprise to me. Not today. Today, I was a wreck.

I did manage to restrain my watch-glancing to every 15 minutes or so but the time just *dragged*. I needed to cough (even though I hadn't coughed all morning). I twitched. My legs ached, so I stretched them. The elder Friend next to me clearly hadn't eaten breakfast because his stomach rumbled and squeaked. Soon, my stomach was sounding off in sympathy. Someone down the row started snoring and I felt my head nodding.

But it was nice to be back, all the same. There is a genuine atmosphere of peace in that room and I carried it with me all day. And I went to Chippy's afterward for fish and chips ;-)

Practice today was 45 minutes of Hatha. I focused on some hip openers (Pigeon - I'm still working on Hanumasana) and fun balancing poses (Bakasana, Ardha Chandrasana, and big toe balance). I played a little game with myself where I counted how many seconds I could stay in a balance. I ended with some restorative yoga and Savasana.

Vinyasa

I fully intended to do the complete short form tonight, but when it became clear that I was running out of time, I veered off into hip-opener land. I practised my prep poses for Hanumasana and also goofed around with Bakasana.

The soreness in my armpit/siderib area is feeling much better and I'm feeling stronger in my modified jumpthroughs! I think I may have stumbled onto a technique that will help me build strength. Or it's just a wonderful coincidence...I'm never sure!

I'm off to the house for the weekend, returning to my humble abode sometime Monday.

Hatha

WoYoPracMo, Day 30.

The Rodney Yee tape can be done as two separate practices, but it doesn't feel like enough that way. I think doing both practices back-to-back would feel like a Rodney Overload. So today, I did the sun salutations and standing poses in full, then started the tape for Part II. It created a solid 45 minute practice and felt really good. I started my laundry before I started, moving it to the dryer at the half-way point. So I'm productive AND flexible. ;-)

I liked the second part of the practice a lot better than the first (although holding downward dog for 2 minutes yesterday was quite novel). I could do without the props in shoulderstand. Yeah, yeah, I know, I used to honestly believe my head would roll off if I wasn't using a blanket in that pose, but Astanga cured me of that. I like my shoulderstands bareback now.

Still, when Rodney asked me to get out my blanket and strap, I shrugged and said “Okay, dude. I'll play.” Honestly? The blanket just felt wrong. Wrong for my back, wrong for my neck. And the chair for Halasana was just annoying. But the strap really got me thinking. I liked how my arms were anchored in place, in the *right* place. So I may integrate that into my practice - time will tell.

I love all standing balances. Love doing them, love teaching them, so Ardha Chandrasana and Virabhadrasana III were a treat. Bakasana is the only pose I really remembered on this tape (from long, long ago, when I first tried it. I was living in the States, so it's definitely ancient history). I remember Bakasana because I couldn't do it. I couldn't even start to do it, or imagine doing it. So it was pretty wild to do Bakasana relatively easily, hold it with Rodney and release to child's pose with a sigh.

'Scales pose' with blocks: interesting and potentially useful for my Astanga practice. This was done with the feet tucked back, ankles crossed, instead of the feet crossed in front. Both versions would be helpful for jumpbacks.

Overall? Not bad! I would do this one again. It was sufficiently interesting and challenging.

When I finished, it looked like a hurricane had ripped through my apartment. Props everywhere = Iyengar.

Day 264

My practice routine has been a little bit dodgy these past few weeks, mainly because I don't seem to be getting up at 5 a.m. anymore - or feeling a burning need for yoga when I do. Instead, I've been eating a small breakfast (fibre & protein & veg juice; about 200 calories), going for a long walk and doing some work. These days, I often do my practice right before lunch (with the proverbial carrot dangling in front of me enticingly; I love lunch).

Today, I made it to the mat a bit earlier and had a good practice (the carrot this time was my mid-morning snack, a bowl of sliced grapefruit).

I know I keep saying that: “I had a good practice” But what does that mean exactly?

I think I've settled into another 'Groundhog Day' phase of my yoga practice, where every day feels pretty much the same. After the rush of little breakthroughs last week, I'm back into the routine of Just Doing It. Just Doing It feels might good! It's deeply satisfying to finally have a steady and consistent experience of the primary series that doesn't feel rushed or difficult or overwhelming.

At this point, I can *do* all the poses (even Setu Bandhasana, though I typically skip it, replace it with bridge). The vinyasa transitions are another story. I'm not sure I will ever do Chakrasana - for the same reason I skip Setu (I'm cautious of anything that will put a strain on my cervical spine).

I've taken a new approach to some of the other vinyasas - it's 'baby steps' again. Right now, after Bujipadasana and the Kurmasanas, I'm simply working on getting into Bakasana. At the moment, it's such a sloppy Bakasana that I can't jump back (properly set up, the jump-back is easy for me). So I'm just doing what I can, every day, without fail, figuring that in time, it will get easier (because it always seems to).

I reinserted handstands back into my practice in my favourite little interval: immediately before backbends. Works for me. Handstands are going well. No Chewbaka appearances lately.

Backbends: I'm still using the CD and Sharath counts sooooooo slooooooowly. Geez. My arms and my armpits hurt after the third backbend. This can only be good for me, right? I'm going to keep at it.

Day 260

This has been a breakthrough week of sorts. First, it was getting into Garba Pindasana without the Garba Juice (spray bottle) and add to that, rolling with my hands on my head. Whoa!

Beryl Bender Birch sneaks Bakasana into the Primary Series on her DVD, so I practice it somewhat regularly. This week, I managed to set up in that pose by bringing my knees into my armpits. I can come up higher than I did before (legs on triceps) *And* I now have a smooth, effortless jumpback into Chaturanga, which feels a bit like flying.

In my Wednesday evening Hatha class, I decided to teach Bujipadasana for fun. I did a demonstration of the pose first - and warned the class not to be alarmed when my forehead slammed into the floor (”Brain damage is part of the learning process - don't try this at home, kids!”). Imagine my surprise when, smoothly and with great control, I lowered my head to the floor. I was so surprised I nearly keeled over. When I admitted that this was a first, my students applauded! *blush*

Then I did it again this morning.

I also bound to wrist in Marichyasana D on both sides, easy as pie.

And my backbends feel significantly deeper this week.

All is coming, and sometimes it's coming all at once.

Day 226

My day off was rather busy, with the morning spent teaching and the afternoon spent catching up on work. I did find some time to browse at the St. Lawrence Market and take the dog for a long walk though. It was very pretty out - the entire weekend has been nice.

Late Saturday afternoon, I turned off the computer and put it away for almost 24 hours. On Sunday morning, I slept in. Sundays always feel like a fresh start to me for many things, including my practice. More than anything, I wanted to start out my practice for the week strong and focused. I was in the mood for a led class, for being in a room with other students. Often, I think it would be nice to go to a local shala on Sundays, but it's too cost-prohibitive for me. Being a full-time yoga teacher is abundantly fulfilling in many ways, but not financially; studio classes are a rare special treat for me.

Instead, I pulled out my old Power Yoga DVD. I haven't used it in months. It was amusing to observe how 'easy' and comfortable is has become. The DVD provides a real basis for comparison because I struggled with it for so long. Beryl Bender Birch teaches Bakasana in that DVD and I was surprised to discover that I could jump back from Bakasana. I felt very strong in the standing poses. Inversions were fabulous and I felt like a total rockstar during the three backbends (when I first started out, I couldn't do three, and I couldn't hold one backbend for five breaths).

The DVD also provided a bit of an ego-check: my jump backs are weak and sloppy. My jump throughs are okay, but not particularly strong. At this point in my practice, I'm struggling with the transitions. And breath. And bandhas.

I had a really good practice. I'm back in a headspace where I'm excited and eager for my practice again. And I'm feeling strong.

Day 147

I slept in this morning and went for a long walk with the dog instead of skating. Zamboni Guy does extra maintenance on Fridays, which takes more time, which means less ice time for me. So more and more often I'm opting out of going at all. I really miss my long walks in the park. Today, it was pleasant out temperature-wise and the path wasn't so icy.

Of course, this threw my entire schedule off and I ended up doing my practice in the evening. Once again, I found myself deeply connecting with my breath. This is so reassuring because after I had that upper respiratory infection a few weeks ago, I found it difficult to find my breath again.

I moved steadily through the series today, focused and not a lot of dawdling. After Bhujipadasana, I veered off on a tangent: Bakasana. I haven't done Bakasana since I stopped using the Beryl Bender Birch 'Power Yoga' DVD. On the DVD, she includes Bakasana in the Primary Series, even though it's not introduced in traditional Ashtanga Yoga until the Intermediate Series.

Bakasana has always been one of those poses that I can occasionally do, although very badly and wish I could do better.

Today, my Bakasana was unrecognisable! I should take a photo.

First of all, coming into it was smooth and uncomplicated. My knees were up near my shoulders and I was able to straighten my arms. And I just hung out there, clawing my fingers into the mat like my teacher always told me to do (but the advice never made sense to me at the time), perfectly stable and balanced.

It's mysterious...this is a pose that I haven't even been practising, yet here it is, improved.

It's like magic, except it isn't magic: I've worked hard to build strength and flexibility. This is the practice, working. This is the 'all' in “practice and all is coming.”

But I'm still amazed!

Day 62

Back to early morning practice after a 'yoga holiday' on Sunday. It felt good to absorb myself in practice after a night of unsettling dreams (unsettling, but informative - I think my subconscious is trying to tell me something).

I'm continuing to do a somewhat abbreviated practice that cuts out half of the Marichyasana and Janu Sirsasana variations. For some reason, an hour-and-a-half seems soooo much longer than an hour-and-fifteen-minutes at that time of morning.

Many of my postures are suffering because of joint stiffness and pain, but one pose that just seems to get better and better is Bakasana. Every morning, I fly in that pose!