Yesterday was another 430am led primary series for me. I tried to go to sleep at 7pm the night before, but ended up turning of the computer at more like 8pm. Still not bad. I couldn't fall alseep though. I was hot. I was cold. I had to pee. I was hungry. Confession: at 1030pm I actually got up and ate something. My tummy was so empty I was miserable. I shouldn't say what I ate but I will. It's all I had in the apartment that didn't require making. I had a small halloween sized bag of chips. Masala flavour. Spicy as hell. Raaji woke up and wanted one too. I shared. Then I thought that was too spicy for sleeping so I washed it down with 2 or three butter cookies. HAHA. I fell asleep magically. Don't hate on my choices. I woke up at 315am and naturally felt a little bit gross. I pressed snooze once then got up and got ready. I took a hot shower (I think I am the only one here who does this. Everyone else has dry hair in the morning, and some people are stinky), but it helps me wake up and feel a little bit limber. And I smell freshy fresh. Practice went surprisingly well considering my sleeping and eating woes. I had a spot right beside Ivana, from AYCT, so we had a Toronto corner happening in the shala!
I practically did nothing all day long afterwards and it was great. I hung out with Raaji on the rooftop. At 4pm was the conference. I took notes, and I will share them soon. Maybe tomorrow. It was a long conference, but not as much info, I don't feel like, as last time. A funny story though, part way though, Sharath's son wanders in, hops up on stage, whispers something to his dad. Sharath pulls out his wallet and gives him some money. He hops away. He tells us he wanted to buy some strawberries from the cart outside. LOL. He brought them back in and shoved one in his dad's mouth. 7th series: family.
This morning was Mysore practice again. I am stoked for this week since I am no longer sick and there are no moon days. A full week of practice. I feel good about it! I took my time and focused on my breath. I started on the stage, then got moved beside the door. RIGHT beside the open door. Nearly smashed my head rocking around in garbha pindasana. But didn't. I had someone new assist me today, Arvind. Holy god he gives crazy strong adjustments. I really like his supta kurmasana assist, he locked me in there like he didn't care if my legs ripped off. I was relaxed so it worked and felt ok. He lifted my up afterwards and then tipped me too far back and I nearly flipped over like a beetle and turned into yoga nidrasana LOL. We both laughed. (For my non-ashtanga-yoga friends reading this, I know you are thinking, WTF?!) Sorry! Google it!
I did my three backbends and stood up and did three drop backs. I was standing there waiting for some drop back assistance, and THEN Sharath says from across the room "What you did?" I tell him parsva danurasana. He says "ustrasana and laghu vajrasana, two more" and holds up two fingers (sort of also saying 'peace' without knowing it. I nearly laughed out loud. I know I made a weird smiley face. I was sort of happy to have more poses, but was like, what the hell dude, I just did all my backbends and this means I have to do them all again! Argh! I think I may have shaken my head. Good thing I had lots of energy. I did my vinyasa back down to the ground, threw down some camel and lightning bolt action, then did ALL my backbends again. I was really feeling my legs to decide if I would still have enough energy to stand up 4 more times. I guess I did.
Arvind came by for my next backbends. I walked in. I KNEW he was going to make me 'catch'. He was on a mission and I guess I was curious anyways to see if I could do it, or how it felt, so I let him and didn't resist or cry 'no'. He grabbed my right wrist and picked my hand up off the floor and I grabbed my ankle/leg. He said to hold tight. He picked up my left wrist and I grabbed my left ankle/leg. Whoa... my hands were slipping! I was more like grabbing my ankle nubs/heel after a breath or two. And, my heels popped up off the floor. He said to push them down. I tried. I couldn't. Come on body, obey! Fail. I stood up. I asked him how to get my heels down, do I push with my quads? He said just push your heels down. Gee, that's helpful! I guess I need stronger legs, longer achilles, looser hip flexors, more flexible shoulders and back... is just my guess. Maybe heels down next year!
I sat down for my back press and holy shit my back hurt so much. Just that little change from touching heels to grabbing ankles did something funky to my back. To my sacrum. Or my SI joint. Or my QL. I couldn't tell exactly, it was just sort of a world of pain down there. Oy. I slogged through the rest of my practice wondering if I did something wrong, or wasn't ready for that depth. I thought I might even talk to Sharath about it later for advice.
When I was all done I went into the changeroom, laid out my mat again and lied down. I rocked around on my back hugging my knees. I put my fists under my butt cheeks, then my sacrum, then my low back, then my middle back, and rocked around on them for a little self massage. I did a reclining twist to release some tension. It all helped a little. I thought at the time I would have to limp out of the shala, but the pain somewhat subsided. Phew. My life wasn't over like I thought it was, for a moment. We had chanting class immediately after that then I walked home for my second hot shower of the day. There was a big ass monkey sitting in the stairwell to greet me. I was startled! It was too! But being cool as a cucumber, it stared me in the eyes for a minute, then walked away and jumped onto the neighbour's roof.
I have been taking it easy all day again. I took a rickshaw to the dog supply store to investigate getting a crate to fly Raaji to Canada in. They are not ideal. They don't understand the idea of a locking food bowl. Absorbent pads 'don't exist in India'. Ugh. So much trouble always!! I am going back in a few days to see what I can scrounge up.
I also found another teeny 2 month or so old puppy wandering around all alone in the street. I fed it and now my neighbours are keeping it for a while but we are trying to find it a home. Interested?!
I practically did nothing all day long afterwards and it was great. I hung out with Raaji on the rooftop. At 4pm was the conference. I took notes, and I will share them soon. Maybe tomorrow. It was a long conference, but not as much info, I don't feel like, as last time. A funny story though, part way though, Sharath's son wanders in, hops up on stage, whispers something to his dad. Sharath pulls out his wallet and gives him some money. He hops away. He tells us he wanted to buy some strawberries from the cart outside. LOL. He brought them back in and shoved one in his dad's mouth. 7th series: family.
This morning was Mysore practice again. I am stoked for this week since I am no longer sick and there are no moon days. A full week of practice. I feel good about it! I took my time and focused on my breath. I started on the stage, then got moved beside the door. RIGHT beside the open door. Nearly smashed my head rocking around in garbha pindasana. But didn't. I had someone new assist me today, Arvind. Holy god he gives crazy strong adjustments. I really like his supta kurmasana assist, he locked me in there like he didn't care if my legs ripped off. I was relaxed so it worked and felt ok. He lifted my up afterwards and then tipped me too far back and I nearly flipped over like a beetle and turned into yoga nidrasana LOL. We both laughed. (For my non-ashtanga-yoga friends reading this, I know you are thinking, WTF?!) Sorry! Google it!
I did my three backbends and stood up and did three drop backs. I was standing there waiting for some drop back assistance, and THEN Sharath says from across the room "What you did?" I tell him parsva danurasana. He says "ustrasana and laghu vajrasana, two more" and holds up two fingers (sort of also saying 'peace' without knowing it. I nearly laughed out loud. I know I made a weird smiley face. I was sort of happy to have more poses, but was like, what the hell dude, I just did all my backbends and this means I have to do them all again! Argh! I think I may have shaken my head. Good thing I had lots of energy. I did my vinyasa back down to the ground, threw down some camel and lightning bolt action, then did ALL my backbends again. I was really feeling my legs to decide if I would still have enough energy to stand up 4 more times. I guess I did.
Arvind came by for my next backbends. I walked in. I KNEW he was going to make me 'catch'. He was on a mission and I guess I was curious anyways to see if I could do it, or how it felt, so I let him and didn't resist or cry 'no'. He grabbed my right wrist and picked my hand up off the floor and I grabbed my ankle/leg. He said to hold tight. He picked up my left wrist and I grabbed my left ankle/leg. Whoa... my hands were slipping! I was more like grabbing my ankle nubs/heel after a breath or two. And, my heels popped up off the floor. He said to push them down. I tried. I couldn't. Come on body, obey! Fail. I stood up. I asked him how to get my heels down, do I push with my quads? He said just push your heels down. Gee, that's helpful! I guess I need stronger legs, longer achilles, looser hip flexors, more flexible shoulders and back... is just my guess. Maybe heels down next year!
I sat down for my back press and holy shit my back hurt so much. Just that little change from touching heels to grabbing ankles did something funky to my back. To my sacrum. Or my SI joint. Or my QL. I couldn't tell exactly, it was just sort of a world of pain down there. Oy. I slogged through the rest of my practice wondering if I did something wrong, or wasn't ready for that depth. I thought I might even talk to Sharath about it later for advice.
When I was all done I went into the changeroom, laid out my mat again and lied down. I rocked around on my back hugging my knees. I put my fists under my butt cheeks, then my sacrum, then my low back, then my middle back, and rocked around on them for a little self massage. I did a reclining twist to release some tension. It all helped a little. I thought at the time I would have to limp out of the shala, but the pain somewhat subsided. Phew. My life wasn't over like I thought it was, for a moment. We had chanting class immediately after that then I walked home for my second hot shower of the day. There was a big ass monkey sitting in the stairwell to greet me. I was startled! It was too! But being cool as a cucumber, it stared me in the eyes for a minute, then walked away and jumped onto the neighbour's roof.
 |
| The monkey, walking away |
I have been taking it easy all day again. I took a rickshaw to the dog supply store to investigate getting a crate to fly Raaji to Canada in. They are not ideal. They don't understand the idea of a locking food bowl. Absorbent pads 'don't exist in India'. Ugh. So much trouble always!! I am going back in a few days to see what I can scrounge up.
 |
| Raaji's first rickshaw ride (I'm holding him for dear life!) |
I also found another teeny 2 month or so old puppy wandering around all alone in the street. I fed it and now my neighbours are keeping it for a while but we are trying to find it a home. Interested?!
 |
| Raaji watches as the new puppy chows down on kibble |
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