Workshop

It’s Kino Weekend! It started last night with chanting and a demonstration (which I couldn’t attend because I was working at the soup kitchen) and continued with Mysore-style practice this morning (which I had to opt out of because I teach on Saturday mornings). But I did make it to the afternoon strength workshop.

I took copious notes during the workshop and I’ve transcribed these, trying to flesh them out with details and some context. I didn’t make any videos or take photographs during this first workshop.

From the opening remarks:

-Strength comes from Shraddha (Sanskrit for faith). Strength is a decision of the mind.
-The hips contain our centre of gravity so when we shift them radically in space, our balance is destablized and that’s where much of the fear comes from.
-You whole body is a network. There is a synergistic effect; the whole body *must* participate

Setting up the structure - building a strong plank

Come into Table Pose (on your hands and knees):

1) Wrists aligned under shoulders, wide fingers ‘clawing’ the floor (rooting down particularly through the mound of the index finger)
2) Creases of the elbows are angled at 45 degrees forward
3) Gaze is at the floor, chin moves away from the chest
4) Broaden the collarbones, pull the shoulders back (the shoulderblades move down the back)
5) Inhale, as you exhale pull the sternum up into the space between the shoulderblades
6) Inhale, as you exhale, pull the lower ribs down and together to close off that space (action of the serratus anterior muscles)
7) Engage Uddiyana Bandha
7) Tuck the tailbone. From this action, step the legs back one at a time to a plank position (you’ll feel a sense of lift through the length of the body)

(From here, we worked with partners. Once the ‘structure’ was set, we leaned onto our partner’s upper back (near the shoulderblades) to test the stability, both in Table Pose and Plank).

‘Up’ happens! (Jump back/through)

The first step is to build a foundation, a structure. Then you can move forward into that foundation and ‘up’ happens!

This is your mantra when moving your pelvis in space: I SEND MY PELVIS FORWARD (she repeated this again and again, and applied it to *everything*, even in some movement where it seemed counterintuitive).

The key to these exercises is taking it very slowly and ‘walking’ the feet in tiny tippy-toe baby-steps instead of actually jumping (even if you already can). The goal is to maintain the ‘structure’ created in Table Pose (above) and initiate movements of the pelvis from this base of strength.

Jumpthroughs:
1) Set up the structure (Table to Plank, as above)
2) Walk the feet forward, moving the pelvis forward until the feet bump up to the arms/hands
3) Wiggle the feet through (I found this was the most difficult part!)
4) LIFT, extend the legs forward
5) Lower down with control

Jumpbacks:
1) From Dandasana, bring the hands about one hand-length forward of the hips
2) Shift the weight forward and lift up. Send the pelvis forward, as in, sending the pelvis back and then UP in a circle (as if you would lift into a handstand)
3) Wiggle the feet back through the arms
4) Lift just one foot up (the other can remain on the floor), then bend the arms (as in Chaturanga)
5) Step the feet back one at a time, then straighten the arms

Jumping from Bakasana into Chaturanga: Same principles apply: I SEND MY PELVIS FORWARD. The pelvis moves up and forward (as if to lift into a handstand) but then shoot the feet back.

Sirsasana (Headstand): It was interesting to see Kino’s ‘mantra’ applied there. When I do the pose, I really do ‘send my pelvis forward’. This allows me to shift my centre of gravity towards the floor in front me and my legs float up smoothly. I apply the same technique to coming down. When I teach it, I encourage my students to work with gravity by moving the pelvis forward to offer a counter-weight to the legs, allowing the legs to lift (I guess my mantra is: “Gravity is your friend’. How Newtonian of me!).

Handstand: Same principle as headstand (but it’s SO much harder - at least for me!). Kino explained that it doesn’t matter if you can’t lift up into a handstand right away. Even if you ‘send the pelvis forward’ and keep hovering on your tippy-toes, you’re building the strength that will allow you to eventually lift up. Kino told us that this is what she did this for 5 years before she she was able to lift.

She’s not a fan of using a wall for handstands (or any balances) because the body begins to negotiate balance based on the wall and you can become dependent on it. (I can vouch for this from my experience with headstand). Instead, work in the middle of the room most of the time and perhaps try the support of the wall once a week.

Astanga

Today was yet another day of Extreme Astanga Reluctance, except this time it was paired with a distracted mind. Oooo! A deadly combination. So I sat on my mat and studied my fingernails while a fascinating flurry of thoughts swirled through my busy little brain.

I had a little break after the sun salutations to take a phone call and then I *finally* settled into my practice. Everything fell into place around Marichyasana A and I was flying. Full Primary today led by the Sharath CD, self-led finishing poses and this time, I managed to do Savasana!

The lift-ups are going well! I’ve added a sort of quasi-jumpthrough to my routine, lifting into Lolasana (this link has a wonderful video by Patrick Stewart with detailed instruction and a couple of different variations for the pose) and then extending my legs forward.

I’m feeling stronger every day and my feet now clear the mat every time. It’s probably time to lower the blocks again - except, the blocks are as low was they go. I did a quick web search for 2 inch cork yoga blocks, but didn’t find anything. It’s just as well. I *really* don’t need to feed my ‘block habit’. I already have quite a collection! :-D

I see two options:

1) Phone books. Our lobby is full of them because the new ones just came out and nobody wants them anymore because we all surf over to Canada411 when we need a phone number. But I could wrap two in duct tape to make them more solid, then use them as thin blocks.

or...

2) I could just raise the blocks up again and work on the jumping-my-feet-back part. This seems like the most logical solution. But once I get the jumpback, I’m still stuck with trying to do it from the floor.

For fun, I’ve been exploring the different site referrers in my access stats. Since many of you read regularly but don’t often comment, I’m starting a new feature to recognise readers who blogroll or link to me in some fashion...

Referrer Thursday

This week’s referrer (and also a Google Follower) is Lew over at the Pratyahara Blog

Lew started blogging in October of 2009 after her practice of the Astanga Intermediate Series was curtailed by a diagnosis of Graves Disease (reading the first post is a very worthwhile for getting her back story).

Lew has a gorgeous practice, cute dog pictures, an absolutely lovely Urdhva Dhanurasana (I'm JEALOUS!) and you can find posts with titles like this: ‘Fear and Loathing in Kapotansansa’.

Astanga is a challenging practice for someone who's perfectly healthy. I have heaps of respect for anyone who perseveres with their practice in the face of an illness.

Astanga

Half primary today. I didn't have a great practice and it wasn't a bad one either. I was a bit preoccupied through it all. I worked on lift-ups and jump throughs. I also worked on Hanumasana (splits) - it's been a while (yup, I've fallen off that wagon again, but I'm back on). Interestingly, I haven't lost any flexibility in splits but it's slow going.

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.

Vinyasa

Today, I discovered the secret of jump-throughs. I made this exciting discovery while teaching a kids' class and goofing around in sun salutations. Here's my epiphany: socks and a slidey floor. I probably did about 400 jump-throughs. I knew I was on the right track when I was getting 'ooo's' and 'ahhh's' from the kids and one child said with great excitement, “You're floating!”

Back at home, on my sticky yoga mat with bare feet, reality came in the form of stubbed toes, but I'm getting the idea and more importantly, I'm building strength. Hopping around the floor in my stockinged feet is way more fun than Uth Pluthi.

Today's practice was short and simple: Sun salutations and standing poses, probably about 20 minutes and very late at night - I had just returned from teaching three classes. I felt tired and run down. I was just happy to get it over with.

Day 15

Early, early practice this morning - I started at 6:45 after an hour-long walk. It's very cool out this morning and I had a lot of trouble building up heat. I managed to start sweating in Surya Namaskara B, but cooled off as I moved into standing poses. I think part of my problem is that I was not very focused on my Ujayi breath.

I was also very distracted this morning, took many potty breaks and skipped a few of the more difficult poses.

Jumpthroughs were not happening right away, but I got into them after awhile (then gave up completely about half-way through primary series).

Backbends were not happening at all. My back was so cranky, that I skipped a few poses that tend to aggravate it (Ubaya Padangusthasana).

I literally cheered when I finally got to Sirsasana - it felt like an inverted child's pose and half-bend is finally feeling stable to me.

When I have a 'bad' Sadhana like this, I have to remind myself that at least I'm on the mat, *doing* the practice. At least I didn't give up.

Day 14

I'm an astanga rebel: today is a 'moon day' when most Ashtangis traditionally take a day off of practice and I practised anyway! It was really good, though fairly unremarkable. I seem to be settling into some sort of comfort zone with the practice now - it feels challenging but welcoming to me.

Marichyasana A and B are both completely comfortable. Marichyasana C not so much, but it's coming along.

Jump throughs are fairly consistent, using the blocks on their second highest level. At one point, they were on the lowest level and I was having trouble so I switched them back.

My back was NOT open today and Urdhva Danurasana was really, really difficult.

Sirsasana was its usual bliss. I really, really don't need that wall. From now on, I'm going to pretend the wall isn't there and not rely on it at all (unless I crash into it on my way down). I think my goal for Sirsasana this summer is to be completely free-standing by the time I return to H's class in the fall.