For about a week my home practice consisted only of surya namaskara A&B also known as sun salutations. On one cool morning I got caught up in their rhythm and just kept on going. Sans DVD for several weeks now except on occasion, while moving something distracted me from my breath and I became aware that uddiyana bandha and mula bandha was engaged without my willful effort. I was almost stunned because the "auto-engagement" if you will, was inconsistent for me at best. K. Pattabhi Jois says that if you keep practicing, one day it happens (and eventually you will notice! - these are my words.)
It took a long time for me to develop an appreciation for surya namaskara. When I reflect on the evolution of my practice, it went something like this: sun salutations were exhausting (how many more are we doing?); then they became annoying (here we go...); on occasion there weren't enough (the start of my love affair?); and now I'm enraptured in vinyasa. In the past two months they have become light, rhythmic, meditative, enjoyable. It was during one jump forward that I noticed my bandha's were in place. This was the last component of my foundational practice to land on me.
Fast forward to the weeks following my stint with sun salutations; 4:50 AM is still the earliest I rise, even though bhujapidasana is smoothing out. After years of practicing this posture without the fold and making a raggedy exit to chaturunga, in recent weeks of practicing the complete posture, my legs are beginning to feel like rubber my hips have become light resulting in almost a springboard for the titibasana, bakasana and chaturunga transition. And yes, the bandhas are at work. Therein lies the gospel of understanding each pose before moving to the next.
April was my birthday month and admittedly, curfew slid quite a bit. Rising early without proper rest was an epic undertaking, proving also true for Mona Lisa. My ever present shadow stirs when I do, and not one to miss out on bearing witness to any activity she is present for late night and early morning stirring. Even though she doesn't hesitate to bound from the covers with me, her first nap of the day here lately is around 6:15 AM. I miss her weaving during practice now, but she often wakes in time to give me some head butts in savasana.
The disruption of my sleep schedule threw off my eating patterns for a while, which was problematic because there were times when I didn't have sufficient calories to burn in the morning. Whimper. Practice continues to underscore the necessary balance between rest, nutrition and movement. Proving undoutebly that prolonged disregard for this balance can lead to any number of undesireable outcomes. The ebb and flow of life is returning more steadily, thank goodness; however, lack of discipline in the area of rest is a sticking point.
My stint with sun salutations is over and I'm back to primary. Yesterday in class I told my students that this important sequence is more than a warm up, it's the foundation for their practice. A teacher told me this once, and though I believed it to be true, by my own admission I hadn't reflected much on why. Surya Namaskara's contain all of the fundamental movements that are repeated throughout the remainder of practice; and if there is no appreciation for the fundamentals, then the rest of practice may be fraught with ambiguity. Speaking for myself of course, I backed into this lesson so to speak but that has been my learning style (see the comments about transitioning out of bhujapidasana above). The repetition of Ashtanga is helping me to understand the order of things and that patience and sometimes long suffering hold the key to unlocking greater potential in my practice. Thank you, surya namaskara A&B.
Showing posts with label Vinyasa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vinyasa. Show all posts
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
I Did It Anyway
On Monday morning getting up for practice was hard. I didn't practice on Saturday, and took a vinyasa class on Sunday, so that was 2 days off from ashtanga. When the alarm went off at 4:50 AM, I assumed a fetal position and hit snooze. With my eyes jammed shut my mind got rowdy and sprung into action, "NO! You can't skip practice!" and the battle in my head began. For five minutes instead of snoozing, I spectated the argument until my committed self threw the match winning punch at 5:00.
Up and out of bed I sprang into a cold bedroom; the result of a very windy night and a partially open window. Searching for and finding a pair of long pants, I hit the living room. I powered up the laptop and looked for my practice mat. I have two, my black mat which I finally invested in for practice, and a lovingly worn second mat that I use now exclusively for teaching. The black mat was no where in sight, but my teaching mat sat lovingly rolled up on the bench. "NO!" my mind shouted again insisting that I shun my teaching mat because it's thinner and doesn't offer enough of a buffer between my wrists and the thick padded carpet. I'd strained my wrists before using that mat and almost gave up practicing at home until I got the black mat. "Where IS it?" I asked no one.
Rewind to Sunday - early morning yoga private, vinyasa class, coffee with Monika, the mall for a new blender (see previous blog) and finally the decision to bring the blender inside and not make a second trip to get my mat. "DARN!" The time was 5:15. My mind ignored the clock and continued to argue the case on both sides, "Go to the car and get your mat Jessica. You crazy? It's cold in that garage! But your wrists, remember? Your mat is going to feel like a sheet of ice! It's almost 5:20..." The argument against going to my car was compelling and with a snap of healthy wrists I unrolled my teaching mat.
In all of this, I didn't feed Mona Lisa first like usual and her incessant plea for sustenance degraded to obstinate behavior. Mona wasn't starving, just operating in her morning ritual. I apologized to her and acquiesced to her weaving between my arms and legs. As if all of this weren't enough, in vinyasa class on Sunday, I pushed a few postures for goodness knows why. I yelped aloud surprising myself in half bound forward fold and immediately came out of the posture. The medial meniscus tear I had last year was clearly aggravated. Note to self; get it together. Other physical observations arose as well such as how much tighter I was at the beginning of practice after having missed two days. Finally my mind settled and instead of reacting, became intuitive. Without another thought I modified throughout floor sequence and sat with the discomfort; a stark reminder of how I'd forgotten myself.
Despite all the reasons why I should have stayed curled up in bed until 6 AM, I felt pliable and gunk-free after having gotten up anyway. Monday morning was a necessary and I must add repeated lesson on commitment, compromise, resolve and compassion; it was all worth every moment. Namaste.
Up and out of bed I sprang into a cold bedroom; the result of a very windy night and a partially open window. Searching for and finding a pair of long pants, I hit the living room. I powered up the laptop and looked for my practice mat. I have two, my black mat which I finally invested in for practice, and a lovingly worn second mat that I use now exclusively for teaching. The black mat was no where in sight, but my teaching mat sat lovingly rolled up on the bench. "NO!" my mind shouted again insisting that I shun my teaching mat because it's thinner and doesn't offer enough of a buffer between my wrists and the thick padded carpet. I'd strained my wrists before using that mat and almost gave up practicing at home until I got the black mat. "Where IS it?" I asked no one.
Rewind to Sunday - early morning yoga private, vinyasa class, coffee with Monika, the mall for a new blender (see previous blog) and finally the decision to bring the blender inside and not make a second trip to get my mat. "DARN!" The time was 5:15. My mind ignored the clock and continued to argue the case on both sides, "Go to the car and get your mat Jessica. You crazy? It's cold in that garage! But your wrists, remember? Your mat is going to feel like a sheet of ice! It's almost 5:20..." The argument against going to my car was compelling and with a snap of healthy wrists I unrolled my teaching mat.
In all of this, I didn't feed Mona Lisa first like usual and her incessant plea for sustenance degraded to obstinate behavior. Mona wasn't starving, just operating in her morning ritual. I apologized to her and acquiesced to her weaving between my arms and legs. As if all of this weren't enough, in vinyasa class on Sunday, I pushed a few postures for goodness knows why. I yelped aloud surprising myself in half bound forward fold and immediately came out of the posture. The medial meniscus tear I had last year was clearly aggravated. Note to self; get it together. Other physical observations arose as well such as how much tighter I was at the beginning of practice after having missed two days. Finally my mind settled and instead of reacting, became intuitive. Without another thought I modified throughout floor sequence and sat with the discomfort; a stark reminder of how I'd forgotten myself.
Despite all the reasons why I should have stayed curled up in bed until 6 AM, I felt pliable and gunk-free after having gotten up anyway. Monday morning was a necessary and I must add repeated lesson on commitment, compromise, resolve and compassion; it was all worth every moment. Namaste.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Ashtanga Weekend with David Robson
Narrowly escaping a nor’easter that would clobber New England, I left for Miami. Destination, the Miami Life Center in South Beach for a weekend with David Robson. He runs the largest Mysore program outside of Mysore India, which is based in Toronto. Florida in all of its splendor didn’t disappoint when we arrived; temps warm and balmy, the people young and beautiful. Even those not young in years had a vitality about them. I think it’s the vitamin D. Right off the bat we connected with the hotels master chef who also turned out to be a shutterbug and was quite photogenic. He was the first of many friendly Floridians whom we had the pleasure of encountering.
The Learn to Float workshop was Friday evening. In the vinyasa sequence the jumping forward and back on your hands can also be achieved by floating. Its not part of the ashtanga practice because there is no count for it, but yogis like to do it anyway. It requires strength, a fair amount of fearlessness and a WHOLE lot of practice. I found it difficult to keep my arms straight, but it is coming.
David also had us practice sun salutations a and b to a drum beat. Moving in this manner required slowing down some movements such as up dog and expedieting others such as warrior 1. Breathing in this manner is called sama vritti, and connected with movement resulted in a lot more internal heat and focus for me. The weekend was multipurposed and therefore split between led primary and mysore.
I love workshopping because I get to spend time on nuances that just can’t always be broken down in a guided class. My teacher Ursula often says at the start of her guided ashtanga classes, “we get right to it” so in keeping with the self practice of Mysore, ashtangis owe it to themselves to spend time supplementing their practice with workshops, dvds and or books. Regular practice is a must, but knowing the sequence is simply not enough. I recall many of the teachers I‘ve spent time with documenting their svadhyaya or self study and writing about it also cements the experience for me.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Watching
Depending on the time of day, my frame of mind or how I’m feeling physically, my first steps onto the mat are either solid, wavering or clumsy. It’s usually a predictor of what lies ahead in practice that day. My first down dog however is always grounded, solid as I absorb energy from the mat and send my energy down to it through my hands and feet. As the years go by I’ve become strong and flexible but still have good days and bad on the mat. Yoga hasn’t changed who or what I am from day to day, but it has allowed me to notice.
In the past year, I’ve shifted from vinyasa to ashtanga in my practice and in teaching. Vinyasa gave me the flexibility to experiment and exposed me to many styles of flow - letting me play. I did a lot of work in that practice for about 8 years, but here lately my practice has taken on a studious vibe.
Some time ago, I was having an off day emotionally and physically and at some point in seated I began to whimper off and on until the end of practice. It had been a while since I’d come undone in the studio and the teacher left me alone to plow through. Another time, I was feeling buoyant and light in spirit. My joy amplified when the teacher helped me into a new variation which he said I was ready to begin working on and it rocked my world. Down dog in both practices felt the same.
I was grateful in both instances to notice what practice revealed to me and I’ve got to acknowledge that it was through the steadiness of ashtanga that I saw the inconsistencies in myself. Beyond physical and emotional capability is the underlying ebb and flow of the mind. It’s a layer that I’ve found is revealed in the yoga nidra practice – the period just before you go to sleep, yet you are fully awake. Its when both the creepy crawlies and the rainbows emerge. The meditative state – the place of watching. The practices I mention are of just a few examples of what I experience when I return to the mat day after day doing the same thing, and experiencing something different each time.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Love at First Primary
A week ago I decided to teach my Saturday morning class ashtanga at the gym. It would be my first time teaching students ashtanga for the first time, if that makes sense. I'd been sharing with them for several months now and dropping in ashtanga postures while making mention of the origins of vinyasa. There was just one practitioner in the room who'd done primary before, and the rest were totally game and eager to start. I gave a brief explanation of "front to back" and then called the room to order.
The students stood up, closed their eyes, and began victorious breath. Sun salutations progressed, and breathing became more pronounced. After the third sun b, I noticed a shift toward a deeper meditation than usual at this interval. My radar went up and I could only stand in awe of their moment before calling the first standing posture. I was witnessing ashtanga at work.
At the end of standing series, the chaturunga junkies were ready for their treat. But around about janu shirshasana, I began to get the stink eye from them. For new ashtanga practitioners, like clockwork in my classes janu is about that point where the tape starts rolling so loudly in their heads that I can hear it saying, "are you freaking kidding me she wants us to jump back EVERY time?" The takeitupasana option between sides was a welcome suggestion for about two postures but we still had 20 minutes to go. 20 minutes is a long time in your first ashtanga class. "You're doing just fine, just keep breathing" was my encouragement. There were more stink eyes, and this time from just about everyone in the room. I was holding out for the close of practice though, thinking the all too familiar phrase that my parents, your parents, everyone's parents have used insisting, "this is harder for me than it is for you". I knew that it would be all good by 10:05 AM.
Class is only an hour, so we made it up to the arm balances before moving on to wheel and the closing sequence. In gratitude, the students lay prostrate after the last vinyasa and not a creature was stirring. We had to hustle out to make room for 10:15 YIN, but not before many students shared what they thought about their first ashtanga practice. That it was definitely harder, but in a good way. The connection to breath made more sense. The feeling of peace was more compelling after having been completely spent. And yes, I did notice some people leaving the room whom I guessed might not be back...
My first teacher and mentor Ursula likes to say that ashtanga is kind of like that guy or that girl who you just aren't sure how you feel about. Sometimes they make you feel on top of the world and at other times they just break you down. However, there's something about them that keeps you coming back. I can relate to that analogy, and from the nods I always see around me others can too.
So this week I taught ashtanga again for an expectant class and no one was missing! Poised to reciprocate the learning, I was excited too, and from that moment I knew that I was in love.
The students stood up, closed their eyes, and began victorious breath. Sun salutations progressed, and breathing became more pronounced. After the third sun b, I noticed a shift toward a deeper meditation than usual at this interval. My radar went up and I could only stand in awe of their moment before calling the first standing posture. I was witnessing ashtanga at work.
At the end of standing series, the chaturunga junkies were ready for their treat. But around about janu shirshasana, I began to get the stink eye from them. For new ashtanga practitioners, like clockwork in my classes janu is about that point where the tape starts rolling so loudly in their heads that I can hear it saying, "are you freaking kidding me she wants us to jump back EVERY time?" The takeitupasana option between sides was a welcome suggestion for about two postures but we still had 20 minutes to go. 20 minutes is a long time in your first ashtanga class. "You're doing just fine, just keep breathing" was my encouragement. There were more stink eyes, and this time from just about everyone in the room. I was holding out for the close of practice though, thinking the all too familiar phrase that my parents, your parents, everyone's parents have used insisting, "this is harder for me than it is for you". I knew that it would be all good by 10:05 AM.
Class is only an hour, so we made it up to the arm balances before moving on to wheel and the closing sequence. In gratitude, the students lay prostrate after the last vinyasa and not a creature was stirring. We had to hustle out to make room for 10:15 YIN, but not before many students shared what they thought about their first ashtanga practice. That it was definitely harder, but in a good way. The connection to breath made more sense. The feeling of peace was more compelling after having been completely spent. And yes, I did notice some people leaving the room whom I guessed might not be back...
My first teacher and mentor Ursula likes to say that ashtanga is kind of like that guy or that girl who you just aren't sure how you feel about. Sometimes they make you feel on top of the world and at other times they just break you down. However, there's something about them that keeps you coming back. I can relate to that analogy, and from the nods I always see around me others can too.
So this week I taught ashtanga again for an expectant class and no one was missing! Poised to reciprocate the learning, I was excited too, and from that moment I knew that I was in love.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Full Vinyasa in Led Primary
In led full primary class, Keith took us through full vinyasa. What this means is that instead of jumping through to seated after each asana, you jump feet between hands and come to standing. In this class, we jumped through to seated between sides within the interest of time. It took about 3 asanas for my head to disengage from the habit of doing jumpbacks every time, and it was about that many times for everyone else too. After that, my body registered a new understanding of resting while in samasthiti.
In the 75 minutes, we made it up to navasana and proceeded to urdhva dhanurasana. Wheel was like a long, tall drink of cool water after all those forward folds. Full vinyasa is not part of a daily practice because of the time it adds, however partially incorporated can increase heat and strength. I noticed that it brought additional awareness to my breath and to the moment of rest, which samasthiti offers.
I teach a Saturday morning class to a group of yogis who enjoy the ashtanga tradition and I feel an opportunity for all of us coming...smile.
In the 75 minutes, we made it up to navasana and proceeded to urdhva dhanurasana. Wheel was like a long, tall drink of cool water after all those forward folds. Full vinyasa is not part of a daily practice because of the time it adds, however partially incorporated can increase heat and strength. I noticed that it brought additional awareness to my breath and to the moment of rest, which samasthiti offers.
I teach a Saturday morning class to a group of yogis who enjoy the ashtanga tradition and I feel an opportunity for all of us coming...smile.
Monday, November 19, 2012
My Second Studio Mysore Studio Class (The Magic is in the Mysore)
I’ve returned for my second class and decided on the early shift, coaxing a very sleepy student from a Sunday morning slumber to come to his first Mysore class ever with me. When we entered, the studio was quiet, and it didn’t sound like anyone was there. It wasn’t until we took off our shoes that I heard a thump overhead. Aaaaahhhh… The regular early risers were well into their practice, but wait – when did they arrive?
At the top of the landing I introduced my friend to Keith, the mysore teacher, who of course welcomed him in without batting an eye. Shame on me for not preregistering Kevin because the room was just about full and the second shift hadn’t even arrived (note to self). But, as if preordained, there were two spots open on opposite sides of the main room. After our hellos and moments of getting acquainted, Keith sternly advised, “Don’t do what she does” which made me smile a little. It was a private joke for me; I’d gotten into the habit of wanting to be near new students in practice so they could watch me, and herein lies the treasure. There is only one teacher in the room besides yourself of course, and the biggest trap a new practitioner unwittingly falls into is setting up to watch an experienced student. I’m sure I did this when I began my practice (think being in the back of the room) and it helped sometimes but it also turned me into a spectator, frustrated me to no end and ultimately kept me from having my own inner experience.
So we began. Keith guided Kevin through Sun A’s and B’s while I moved through Primary. This time I hit the postures I’d missed last week, but then I forgot others! I can’t explain that one, but at least this time I was aware of missing them...progress. In these last two practices, I found parivrtta parsvakonasana with ease and marichyasana D appeared out of nowhere and I mean nowhere!!
“Were you watching me?” Kevin asked afterward. “No” was my instinctive response – I typically don’t watch anyone while I’m practicing. But I had to confess, “Your chaturangas looked great!” I'd stolen a few glances from across the room out of happiness for him because he’d pushed through fatigue to get on his mat, and he really is a good student. Kevin's been a vinyasa practitioner for a while now and I’d given him some suggestions in the past which he immediately grasped and applies in his practice. Even better, the next day he reported that he practiced his sun salutations again as Keith taught him.
Well, next I’ll attend led primary, which is always great fun because this class is chock full of traditional teachings. While I enjoy these practices a great deal, I've found that real the magic is in the mysore. More to come.
At the top of the landing I introduced my friend to Keith, the mysore teacher, who of course welcomed him in without batting an eye. Shame on me for not preregistering Kevin because the room was just about full and the second shift hadn’t even arrived (note to self). But, as if preordained, there were two spots open on opposite sides of the main room. After our hellos and moments of getting acquainted, Keith sternly advised, “Don’t do what she does” which made me smile a little. It was a private joke for me; I’d gotten into the habit of wanting to be near new students in practice so they could watch me, and herein lies the treasure. There is only one teacher in the room besides yourself of course, and the biggest trap a new practitioner unwittingly falls into is setting up to watch an experienced student. I’m sure I did this when I began my practice (think being in the back of the room) and it helped sometimes but it also turned me into a spectator, frustrated me to no end and ultimately kept me from having my own inner experience.
So we began. Keith guided Kevin through Sun A’s and B’s while I moved through Primary. This time I hit the postures I’d missed last week, but then I forgot others! I can’t explain that one, but at least this time I was aware of missing them...progress. In these last two practices, I found parivrtta parsvakonasana with ease and marichyasana D appeared out of nowhere and I mean nowhere!!
“Were you watching me?” Kevin asked afterward. “No” was my instinctive response – I typically don’t watch anyone while I’m practicing. But I had to confess, “Your chaturangas looked great!” I'd stolen a few glances from across the room out of happiness for him because he’d pushed through fatigue to get on his mat, and he really is a good student. Kevin's been a vinyasa practitioner for a while now and I’d given him some suggestions in the past which he immediately grasped and applies in his practice. Even better, the next day he reported that he practiced his sun salutations again as Keith taught him.
Well, next I’ll attend led primary, which is always great fun because this class is chock full of traditional teachings. While I enjoy these practices a great deal, I've found that real the magic is in the mysore. More to come.
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