Astanga

All week, I’ve been looking forward to the class with Teacher IM. In the morning, I took a hot bath and did Erich Schiffmann’s shoulder opener series while I drank my chai. I had plenty of time to loaf around - I didn’t want to feel rushed like I was last week. I arrived early and did a supine backbend over some blocks with a strap around my arms. Bliss!

I enjoyed the class! It’s such a relief to have a teacher’s eyes on my practice once a week. He picks things apart and puts them back together. This morning, he tried to tackle my arms in Adho Mukha Svanasana, but immediately backed off from that mission impossible: “Oh, you REALLY hyperextend. Go back as you were.” Yup! The expression “It is what it is” definitely applies to my arms in Downward Dog!

I got another great adjustment in Marichyasana C. I wish I had a better idea of what he does to me in that pose; it’s fantastic. It makes me feel like a spring that’s been wound up very snug. Then, ZING! Oh, to be a fly on the wall to see that!

I need a wider stance in Parivritta Trikonasana and I need to keep my hips square. Until I adjust to this change, I’ll need to come up onto my fingers to provide some height. In retrospect, I’m not sure if he meant keeping the hips square to the front of the mat, or the pelvis square to the floor. I’ll ask next week.

The class size was smaller this week so we covered more ground, including poses beyond half-Primary: Navasana, Upavista Konasana, Supta Konasana (I had the space to land it properly too!), Supta Padangushtasana, Ubhaya Padangushtasana, and Urdhva Mukha Pascimottanasana (Very nice adjustment on this pose; I understand it much better now). We also did the full shoulderstand series in closing, but no Sirsasana :-(

I had adequate time for experimentation in Urdhva Dhanurasana while the rest of the class did Bridge Pose. I worked on coming down to the crown of my head and walking the hands in (rinse, repeat). I think I did 5 backbends, though I didn’t hold all of them for a five breath count.

Teacher IM also gave me some advice and encouragement for my jump-backs. He says my lift-ups are very good. He suggested hugging the knees tighter to the chest, as if I was going to tuck the knees into the armpits and rounding my back a bit. This does give me more height.

My major hurdle with jump-backs at the moment is swinging the feet between my arms so I can shoot them back. Where does the strength for this come from? Bandhas? How? I DON'T GET IT! (but I’ll continue working diligently; ‘all is coming’).

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I have just one complaint about this morning’s class: I left the class with Orangutan Hair. I know, I know: It’s dire!


Since I was teaching a class right after, I brought my Orangutan Hair with me to class, to the sweet amusement of my students (and my own horror whenever I happen to glance in a mirror).

I’m not sure how to solve this dilemma, short of going back to the Grumpy Russian Guy and cutting it all off again. That’s probably what I’ll have to do. I definitely need tackle this before Kino’s workshop - it’s terrifying! I’ll scare all the other Ashtangis!

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An update on my Sanskrit/Devanagari studies:

I’m having so much fun! I’ve progressed into the long vowels now and I’m starting to practise writing the skaras in a little notebook. I feel like I’m about seven years old, practising my penmanship and it’s such a hoot!


Last night, I took out one of my Yoga books and started looking at the Devangari script, picking out familiar shapes in the words. I felt like a kindergartener looking through her big sister’s chapter books for the A, B, C’s. Reading is one of my great joys and was a hard-earned skill. This new project has unearthed sweet memories of learning to read as a child. It’s a joyful journey for me.

Astanga

It’s another beautiful day out - I’m starting to feel spoiled. March is usually such a horrible month here, but this is absolutely delightful!

Last night’s ice hockey game was very late. I almost skipped it, but since my teaching schedule is light, I booked time in the afternoon for a long nap and made the 9:30 game. I’m glad I did (even if it meant getting to bed after midnight). We won the game, 7-1. I like these easy games because I don’t have to work very hard - I just loaf around on the ice and enjoy...lol.

As is always the case after a hockey game, I was very stiff on the mat the next morning. My hamstrings and hips were particularly tight. I eased through it and vowed to just enjoy every pose. Silly but effective: Before each pose, I said out loud: “This is my FAVOURITE pose.” It worked! Every pose was my favourite today.

I did a bit of extracurricular backbending with my balance ball and the chair. I’m finding that the chair is an effective rehearsal for positioning my arms for dropbacks and a huge confidence booster. Starting with my hands at my chest, I ‘pretend’ to drop back, bringing my arms up and back to the wall. I worked on going up and down, matching my breath with the movement, like a vinyasa. Since breathing properly in backbending is sometimes an issue for me, this seems like a good pattern to establish.

After I finished, I packed up my Manduka and towels, even an eye pillow. Tomorrow is my fun day at the yoga studio with Teacher IM. I’m looking forward to the break in routine.

I’ve launched my Devanagari studies. Here are the short vowels, or ‘swaras’:

Five down, 36 to go.