A reminder that yoga is different than aerobics and is not just a physical practice.
The Diver caught me 'sleeping at the switch' the other morning when I was going through the prasarita padottanasana series. It was simple, straightforward stuff. It's what I do almost every practice when I do standing poses. But he noticed that I had messed up the arms-breath combo getting into C, which led to a general comment about taking my practice beyond the mechanical pose details. Legs, arms where they should be, yes. Breath, yes. I'm doing the pose, so I think. And I have done the transitions. 'But can move your body and breath with your prana?' He says he sees all this energy in my hands and lots going on in my head. 'But can you put it all together and flow from pose to pose?'
He asked me if I had heard his Popeye and spinach talk. Well, I hadn't but I knew exactly what he was saying. Here's one vid that I found. Check it out. The magic starts at 5:50.
Later in the day, his observation made me think about all the led classes I took when I first started doing yoga and I was repeating bits of instructions of my instructor's voice (not the Diver) stuck in my head like a broken record. I hope by now I've internalized the important technical details and have started to focus on my breath and intention.
10 comments:
you're so mechanical! I am queen of proper transitions and breathing, but of course you know this. too bad that i am almost old enough to be dead. why do you go to canadia so much?
It's a quick trip for me and I can go skiing. Weeee!
I don't think I've heard the Popeye and Spinach talk, although it sounds familiar (I've heard "move your leg back further ... more ... more" in lunges a lot). What is it?
The Spinach Talk is pretty good. It's visual enough to make sense.
I didn't realize before that Brutusk really does look like a Bosc. Erase the arms, legs and head and flip him upside down and he's just like a pear.
If I eat more spinach, maybe it will help me bind in marichasana C.....
I'm willing to try it!
Carl: I'm so glad that you also see the world in terms of food. Yummy bosc pears!
Pi'ikea: Heh, that's another talk, the "keep going back until you topple over into a heap of steaming rubble of body parts."
LI Ashtangini: Yes, all you have to do is eat and believe. Works for me!
Hi Armani
Should you say, "the magic starteth at 5:50"? I don't see him talking to his spinach, but he grabbeth it and goes into action. Is a fairy godfather like a teacher? hehe. I'd like one to pronounce me flexible and strong enough to moveth forward.
(Hey thanks for the commnents on the hotel pics, I went ahead and described what's what.)
Cheers, Arturo
wtf, it's a day off. you should be posting!
Arturo: Hee! I should encourage you to make more funny comments!
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