No Practice Wednesday

Didn't practice last night... and to be honest I felt bad. Not bad like you missed a training run and would have to make it up, but bad as in I could feel my body growing weaker. Isn't it crazy? I think I'm addicted.

Although I did fit in a couple of Bakasana as always. Feels weird this time. Harder. Maybe I just didn't focus. Wanted to put in a sirsasana but I am on my period. So Bakasana it was, and a couple of Titibhasana. which I think is waayyy easier than Bakasana.

I'm starting to get obsessed with the jump backs and jump through. Tried it at home a few times the way Grimmly did it in his posts, but just couldn't work round the mechanics. He wrote about how his wife just did it easily with no strength whatsoever so I think it must be because we think too much. It's happened before. I can't wait to nail it! I remember the growing frustration when I was learning Bakasana and the thought of it never happening to me and I tell myself that with practice it will come. So will these jump back and jump through.

On the car to work I thought about my current favorite pose. I think it has to be Kukkutasana. I love it including the vinyasa leading to it - the rolling down and up 9 times to represent 9 months in the womb. I even love Garbhapindasana. For me that was a no brainer - it was easy slipping my arms through my legs. I even feet good sometimes cocooned in my own body.

Talking about it makes me itch to practice. will do it tonight, by hook or by crook!

First 2012 practice

I did my first 2012 Ashtanga practice yesterday.

After 2 days of not doing yoga, I felt weird. I know it's due to my perfectionist side; I tend to be anal about my workouts, especially if I am training for a race. I also tend to get fidgety and cranky without any form of workout over the period of 2 days - lord knows how my husband learned about that one.

Yesterday I started with the intention of doing a complete Primary Series. Mind you, my 'complete' means doing all the seated poses with a full vinyasa in between, and only a Lolasana between each leg. And I did them all except for one of the last poses - Ubaya Padanghustasana .

1) My Kukkutasana is improving. I remember my earlier days of doing Ashtanga, saw a MySore video of a lady doing what looked like a complicated twisting and turning and in and out. I remembered thinking, man that looked tough! And there I was yesterday, after a week or so of attempts, manage to understand the essence of the pose - the breathing techniques to fully lay back and lift up, the rotation to the sides - that seemed to impossible to me back then. I now only need to work on the finesse - to do a complete 9 times to form a complete circle. The last part of lifting my body on my wrists is my favorite.

2) Sirsasana still tentative. To build confidence I tried to so a second one without the support of a wall, which was successful and relieved me. What I'm worried about is my neck pain - more like pulled muscle. I initially thought its because of my sleeping arrangements and pillow but then again it could be because of my incorrect headstand. My left heel feels numb at times and when I googled it one link said it could be related to nerves due to collapsed vertebrae... which sirsasana could do. Will do more research.

3) I am working on Supta Padangusthasana and Bhijapidasana.

Will write later. I won't forget to thank Allah swt for this gift.