Teaching Tara

I had offered to introduce my friend Tara to Ashtanga yoga.  She's very strong from gym work, but lacks a lot of flexibility.  We organised a morning class that would start very early up on my rooftop.  Well she had work issues, and so the lesson ended up being at 2pm. Haha.  We covered a bit of theory, then went and did Surya Namaskara A, Surya Namaskara B and about the first half of standing.  She found it very hard work, but good.  After that, we did a modified closing, and Savasana.

Then boom!  I crashed out.  I don't know what it was about the class, but it destroyed me!  I think maybe it is just that teaching yoga is really giving of yourself.  I was completely whacked.  I passed out on the sofa for more than an hour.

After that though, I got back up and did a full primary on the verandah.  It was perfect.  Standing was strong and even, I bound in Marichyasana A and B easily.  Gharba Pindasana was good, and I almost got up in Kukkutasana, but something didn't go quite right.  I've never had so much energy for the practice.  I don't know whether it was the nap or teaching.  Whatever it was, that felt fantastic!

Then this evening Tara and her boyfriend took me to a huge South American BBQ.  It was amazing, with more food than is possible to eat, and a whole bunch of really cool people from around Central and South America, and Europe.  One guy who lived there was a Mayan Shaman from Guatamala.  He had a huge Teepee in his backyard.  I was perfectly set up with a fire in the middle, and rugs on the ground.  He said he did ceremonies in there and stuff like that.  Very very cool!  I remember we had a teepee as kids, but nothing on this scale!