Wandering Mind

Some times we don’t expect enough out of ourselves and in return we don’t get much. And there are those times when others, without question, expect more than we thought we could give, and we give it to them.

Ok, so round 2, Day 1… I’m wiped and my legs are like jelly. My first Mysore class this afternoon and it went really well. It was with Saraswati, Pattabhi’s daughter. She teaches just like he does, very firm but with a smile. And she, like Sharath and Pattabhi have expectations that the students can do the poses, and I think they have found that very often the students can.

So this is my posture log for the Mysore. I’ve only included the pose if something was new to me or Saraswati gave me an assist.

Surya Namaskara A & B – When jumping forward I actually “floated” and was able to place my feet down with straight legs. This is when I was really glad I didn’t bail before hand and claim I was too tired or too worried about hurting myself. I was just scared to try something new with people I didn’t know…

Padangustasana and Padahastasana – Saraswati pushed down on my sacrum and put her other hand on my upper back and I thought she was going to take my head to my feet. So the hamstrings are now loose…

Trikonasana – She put my fingers together

Parivritta Parsvakonasana – Ok, so I’m already further in this pose that I’ve every really attempted, so I was pretty happy with myself. I’ve got my back foot grounded, my top arm overhead and my fingertips of my bottom arm are sort of on the ground (my hip was out in left field but I was trying to get it back). She walks up and says “Put your hand down flat”. So I did. Huh…

I think one of the things that is helpful is they don’t say “try to…” or “see if you can…” They just say “do it” and you do. We (meaning I) may sell ourselves short more often than we think.

Supta Hasta Padangustasana – Assist on the left side (too bad not the right, that’s my tighter side) and we bow for the first five breaths and she helped me hold my leg and then had me put my nose on my knee. She also held my foot up higher than my waist for the last five breaths.

Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana – So this was the “Holy Shit” moment of the practice. Without assist I was able to wrap and grab toes on BOTH sides, hold on to them AND fold… I tried not to giggle.

Marichyasana B – Was able to put leg in half lotus and wrap and bind…First time for that
Marichyasana D – Was able to but leg in half lotus and wrap, but no bind…

Navasana - “Legs Straight” she says, so, once again, I did.

Supta Kurmasana – She actually moved me from Kurmasana to Supta, crossed my legs and pulled my hands up my back. For a split second I thought I might actually be able to touch hands. Nope.

Garbha Pindasana – Actually did it in lotus. No arms, though.

Upavishta Konasana – So today I actually moved the Glute flesh out of the way and I felt my sit bones on the floor and I could roll over them. I was actually able to touch my nose to the floor. I probably had a little more rounding in my spine than I should. Oh, and when you balance on the sitting bones they grab the sides of the feet.

Ubhaya Padangustasana – “Head Back” and “Legs Straight”

Chakrasana – I found a smooth (flowing not “cool”) way to do this. I think it’s how it is supposed to be done. Roll back like you’re going into Halasana and right before your feet hit the ground press the hands into the earth and lift off your head. It was the cleanest that has ever been for me…

All the poses took just over an hour and then a 15 minute Savasana.

So I apologize for spelling or grammar errors but I’m wiped… Off to bed.