Practice Notes: Revisiting Golden Oldies

Warning: Crim pose ahead.

Sunday's led class with the Diver was chill, beginning with a 1/2 hour of sitting. Thankfully, the rest of the class was just as groovy; it was low on lunges (that's cuz Lax, Pi'ikea and Carl weren't there. Missed ya guys!). We basically ran through most of the standing poses, then second up to ardha matsyendrasana. He threw a little nauli somewhere early on.

I have to say that I had one incredible adjustment that peeled my hips and back open like a sardine can. We were in one-legged downward dog with hips squared and one leg up, just like Elsie here with her awesome leg warmers. Then when we opened our hips and reached the raised leg even higher, the Diver came by, helped open my outer hip and rolled out my thigh, thereby creating a higher lift. Cool!

The second part of the pose involved bending the raised knee, which opened me up even more. This reminds me of a similar pose that a former non-ashtanga yoga instructor (the most difficult yoga class you'll ever take, guaranteed) called, "boy dog." But hey, I digress.

I had totally forgotten about this adjustment since the pose isn't in The Syllabus and I don't do it a lot. I suppose I could also do this against the wall as I'm working on my much-dreaded hamunasana, but today's assist was wonderful! I could actually relax into the pose and feel where it's supposed to go.

Furniture Yoga

Today's practice was pretty good. If I get in around 6:00 am, then I know that I'll have enough time to do a decent practice, clean up and get to work by 8:00 am. Crazy, isn't it? And this is coming from someone who is not a morning person. At all.

Two hours is ideal. I know. Crazy, but those days are gone, now that I have a less flexible job and more early morning meetings (try putting together a coherent thought at 7 am). Shit, I hate it when work interferes with my yoga schedule.

When I got my first 9-5 job after graduation, I was terrified and worried about how I was going to be able to get up every morning. How do people do it? Prior to entering the work force, I was living the high life of a carefree student. Late nights hanging out (on weeknights no less) and sleeping in until 10 or so, thanks to a carefully selected class schedule. I even missed a class or two (or a bunch, can't remember) if I was feeling a little sleep deprived. Geez, you school-age kiddies don't know what a life you have. Just so you know how good you have it, listen to this brilliant riff by Ernie Cline: When I was a Kid. (Word up, it's got some profanity in it, which should actually appeal to some of you out there.)

Nowadays, I'm liable to start making my way to bed by 10. Woo! Life as such for a yoga nut. I live for the weekends just so I can sleep in, work in a nap or go to bed EARLY.

Oh, getting back to today. I found it rather amusing how everyone was doing their own thing in morning mysore, but in such an unconventional way. I LOVE IT. Other than Mr. A, we're all being crim, doing mods and using (dig this...) props. Balls, blocks, slant board, straps, and even a ballet barre. I liked watching Lax squeezing a handstand over the big black cube with The Diver spotting. (I still can't believe what I'm seeing when he does it.) You'd think that we were in Iyengar-land or something.

Hey, I'm just as respectful as the next person about the method and SKIPPY J, and I will do the classical practice if I'm visiting another shala. But that's the beauty of what The Diver teaches. After 10+ years of practice, I've concluded that it's an intense, hard-core practice where you can quickly accelerate your progress in gaining strength and flexibility, but it can also contribute repetitive stress to your body and you can hurt yourself if you don't clue in to your limits, what your body is telling you and practice ahimsa. That's a huge part of the practice. Mr. A is definitely the exception to the rule, although he says it's tough for him too. He really does have an amazing practice, on and off the mat. For me, kapotasana is going to be lifelong effort. I'm not in any hurry to get it cuz I know there's going to be another freaking impossible pose around the corner that I won't be able to do. It just doesn't end.