Same Sequence, Different Day

Even the sequence of poses is the same each morning every day feels different when I step on my mat. Some days I struggle in the very difficult poses and some days I don't. Some days I find even the most basic of poses difficult.

This morning I couldn't bind on either side of marichyasana D and no one was around to assist me so I just went on to the next pose. I can normally bind at least one side but it just wasn't in the cards today. However, I was able to lower to my chin in bhujapidasana and lift myself back up fairly gracefully without toppling over onto my bum. Oh and my feet never touched my mat either. When it came to big bad baddha k I got the foot on right thigh adjustment and it didn't kill me and it didn't feel all that unpleasant.  So when JB asked me to perform it again I didn't protest I just feigned deafness when he first mentioned it. The key for me in this pose is to really flatten out the tops of my feet on the top of my mat and press the heels together. When I do it this way the stretch is more on my inner legs/thighs and less in my lower back/sacrum. I'll be whipping my legs behind my head in no time...not.

The biggest surprise today came during my attempt at urdhva mukha paschimottanasana. After my first ever attempt at this pose I wrote it off as physically impossible. I don't think I've noticed anyone else in the shala pull it off (not that I've been paying close attention) and I figured it they can't do it and they've been practicing forever then neither can I. Each day I would make two good faith attempts at the correct entry and then give up. For some reason, today I said to myself that I'm really going to go for it and try to achieve the proper entry into the pose and somehow I managed to pull it off. One of the assistants was helping someone seated next to me and saw what I did and made a congratulatory comment about it. I found it kind of cute because she seemed more excited by my progress than I was. I guess I was so shocked by what happened I didn't occur to me to be pleased. The key was to really flex my feet and to push up off of the floor behind me and before I knew it I was upright and balancing on my bum. 

I have no idea what tomorrow's practice will bring but I'm sure it will be filled with surprises both good and bad. But regardless of the surprises I'm really looking forward to it especially since it will be my last practice for the week.

Thursday's Led Practice Report

Today was led primary at the shala. These days I enjoy led practices because for one, I don't forget any poses. The other reason that I enjoy led classes is that I usually get assists in poses that I don't generally get assisted in. I was assisted in parivritta trikonasana this morning and it was a much more intense stretch of my hamstrings that I'm used to and the rotation was much deeper as well. I was also assisted in prasarita padottanasana b and c. I'm slowly getting closer to lowering my head to the floor on my own.

I managed to lower myself down into my new version of bhujapidasana without slamming my chin on the floor. I'd say it was about a 6 on the graceful scale. I managed to lift myself about three quarters of the way up before falling out of the pose.I'd give myself a 4 on the graceful scale for the exit. Believe it or not this is an improvement. My teacher didn't like my oh so ungraceful head plop to floor technique so he has me working on this version. I must say that I do like control of the descent but it's more difficult to keep my feet off the floor.

Tomorrow's a moon day and I won't be practicing, I'll be taking the day off and I'll be out in California visiting with family and friends. I haven't decided where or with whom I'll practice while I'm there so I'm doing some research. It will be interesting to practice with someone other than my regular teacher and the assistants whom I adore and know my practice so well.