I had a nice and relaxing day. It started at 7 with an online chat about Vedanta with Carols Pomeda and our study group. I have gotten a little behind on this section of studies and so I was not super prepared for the Q &A this morning although I found it interesting and Carlos brilliant, as always.
Anne came down after that for a practice We practiced this excellent sequence from Geeta Iyengar which was a ton of deep forward bends like malasana and kurmasana that worked their way through to some awesome-feeling back bends. It is one of those fabulous sequences that gets you to the poses in an unusual manner. I just love that. I probably would never teach it because it is so different and the intricate linking that makes it so fabulous requires way more time and attention than what we can do in a general class in 1.25 hours but I love this sequence for my practice. In fact, I love any back bend sequence that does not require I run through a big sweaty thing to get ready. I love to prepare for back bends in ways that keep me mellow. I am not looking at the paper that the sequence is written on right now but it went something like this:
Child's pose
virasana
childs pose
malasana
malasana
virasana
malasana
childs pose
uttanasana
malasana
kurmasana 6 X
bhujapidasana
uttanasana
bhujapidasana
dwi hasta bhujasana
pasasana
dwi hasta bhujasana
down dog
uttanasana
sirsasana
sirsasana 2
uttanasana
sirsasana 2
tadasana
ustrasana 2X
purvottanasana 3X
urdhva danurasana 2X
chatush padasana 2X
urdhva danurasana 3X
dwi pada viparita dandasana 2X
Down dog
uttanasana
parsva uttanasana
adho mukha swastikasana and parsva
halasana
viparita karani
It was great fun. We both loved it. Well, the effects anyway. All that malasana right off the bat is reasonably grueling. Let's just tell the truth about that!
Then we had lunch- pasta primavera with our Greenlings organic veggies. YUM! Kelly and I swam in the river once our meal settled and then we both did some work. He had studying and I had things to get ready to go for the weekend and the week after. I teach all weekend and then get on a plane on Monday morning to spend a week in Park City, Utah for a Yoga Therapy training with John. Can't wait.
Then we had dinner- I made cucumber soup- fresh organic cucumbers and the local milk which is so damn good I cannot even describe it. Yummy. Kelly made some bread to go with it and then I had a nice long chat with Mom and Dad. A great day all in all. It really felt like summer.
More tomorrow. Back bends at 4:30 and something not-back bends at 6:00! Fun, fun.
4 comments:
Hi Christina- how long are you holding these poses on average?
Also how are you transitioning between the six kurmasanas..adhomuka?
I am going to take this one as my divine jet lag practice with me tomorrow :>)
p.s. Carol will be at the theraputics too
This is Meg, not Chris. OK. I love the discussion this week, so much so that I am starting to have a difficult time knowing where self-love ends and any other teaching begins.
I did this practice this morning. Holy Malasana! And I have to say, it was pretty darn magical. I love all of the deep groin work and then how gentle it feels by the time you begin the backbends. Urdhva Dhanurasana was so deep and clear and strong. I have to remember that, deep groin work = fabulous backbends. And what is even better is that way taking the thighs back as an expression of self-love becomes even more relevant and essential. Love you.
Leanne- Holds: one to two minutes. Transitions: Think about it- it is an Iyengar sequence-long holds, no vinyasa. Just go into kurmasana taking the right arm under first. Then come out. Go in next time taking the left arm under first. Back and forth like that. 3X each leg for six times total. Fine to rest as needed between. It is intense.
Same with bhujapidasana- if you take your shoulder under your left leg, then cross your right leg on top. Enjoy.
Oh- and BKS Iyengar says that the cure for jet lag is sirsasana with the backs of your knees in direct sunlight. Just to add to your divine jet lag practices. Good luck with that one also! (evidently we have light receptors in the back of our knees that help us reset circadian rythmns. Go figure.
And Meggers- I am not at all surpised that you love this sequence. That is exactly the way it feels to me- magical, soft and open. I can totally see me and you doing this one together. Of course that mental picture is in studio in Prescott where we have so many practice hours logged together and which neither one of us have a key to anymore... but anyway- it is a nice image.
And yes, what a great consideration- where would self-love end and something else begin? Perhpas self-love just neatly delivers us to Self-Love. Hmmm.
Great to hear from you both in the comments.
wow- I wanted to cry by the 4th kurmasana- it is a hard practice first thing in the morning after a long sleep. I have to say that uttanasana has never felt so good. I probably could have added a litle something more into there to work my upper back though as I still seemed tight there during the urdva dhanarasana.
I was lucky to have a fellow yoga teacher with me on my crew and she was happy to be the voice of discrimination during my practice - "more tailbone Leanne- watch your ribs!!!" According to her I did a very beautiful dwi pada- wow- I just started to be able to do that pose this winter. Things are changing. Corrina my yogi friend also had something else to say about the light receptors- they are "anywhere the sun does not usually shine"- armpits, back of knees and get this- your butt. Yes! So raise your ass to the sun in ardo muka and jet lag will be banished.
Thank you for sharing the sequence- it made me feel my practice was not as solitary as usual :>)
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