Sunday, December 29, 2013
Photo reblog
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Retreat Day 5
We did a really fast opening standing series this morning. My body was still very closed after it though, it didn't seem to respond as it usually does. I was adjusted in Utthita Trikonasana and Parsvottanasana. Funnily enough my handstand from Virabhadrasana was perfect. Hahaha, I have absolutely no idea where that came from!
Another big adjustment in Prasarita Padottanasana C. This time my shoulders slid down with the adjustment. There wasn't the pain of before, and they went further than ever before. Natalia said that my arms were only a foot off the ground at the furthest point of the adjustment. No bind in Marichyasana B or C by myself today. My body isn't like yesterday, but I think it's tiredness more than anything else. Also, by not doing Garbha Pindasana and Baddha Konasana, my hips are slowly tightening up. I haven't done those two poses for a week now. Nevertheless, Natalia got me into Marichyasana D easily on the second side. She's amazing at that.
After practice we were all messing about, and I tried the "Anurag boyfriend" device. It's a roller that you use on your spine, and it's terribly painful! I can see how it works, but I'll certainly not be getting one myself!! I also had a good chat to Francesca, the Italian girl who's there with her brother. She was really cool. Today I couldn't stay for brunch unfortunately.
In other news, I booked my flight to India! I'll be flying there at the end of July from Germany. Can't wait!!
I need to set up some sort of afternoon stretch session. My body just doesn't respond to yoga in the morning as it does in the evenings, and I seem to tighten up after each session, whereas after an evening session, I'm always loose the following morning. Here's what I need to work on:
Softening my glutes and making my padmasana more comfortable so my left knee drops to the ground like my right.
Some spinal twists, so my back doesn't crack like crazy in Marichyasana C
I have to do something with my wrists or they'll surely explode soon. The can only bend to about 45 degrees instead of 90.
Hamstrings of course!!
And finally, my shoulders. Natalia won't always be there for Prasarita C.
Nuria gave me an email address to check for accom in Mysore. Aaaaahhhh, it's all coming together!!
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Retreat Day 4
I didn't manage a wink of sleep last night!! I have no idea why, but oh dear!! The wind on the scooter ride to the shala woke me up somewhat, and thank goodness I have mate to drink. Without it I would be absolutely useless!!
Because I wasn't able to sleep, I used the morning to apply to KPJAYI! Yep, that's right, I did it! The minimum time ahead you can apply is two months, so I counted sixty days ahead and just put that date down. Boom boom done. I'm going to India!
Back in the shala, and I seem to have lost my standing postures. My muscles are super tight from all the hard work these last three days, and so my range of motion is a bit limited. I still bumbled through though, and generated a lot of heat. The Prasarita Padottanasana C adjustment from Natalia today was amazing. It was just pure craziness. I can't believe I held it so long while she was pushing and pulling her heart out. I had tears streaming down my forehead as I bawled my eyes out, but it was beautiful and clensing and pure and fantastic!
After standing my flow was on with all the heat. I bound myself in Marichyasana A, B, and wait for it.... C on both sides. Easily. I still use my little yellow towel for B and C, but I slotted into the poses very easily and Natalia took note. She sat down to give Marichyasana D a go, and we had a little surprise.
It's funny how she adjusts Marichyasana D. She grabs my arm with both hands, and somehow does some sort of jujitsu with her feet. I know one of them is pushing against my leg, and the other is keeping me upright, but I'm not really sure how. However it works, today I was adjusted into Marichyasana C on the second side. My left hip is still a little tight for me to get in on the first side, but I certainly made it half way there. So there we have it, Marichyasana D in June 2013. Woohooo!!! :D
Natalia said I should be able to get into Mari D by myself in Mysore. That would be fantastic, but she doesn't really know my body, so I'm not going to set my hopes on it.
Back to the dancers' bar again before backbending, doing my hip stretches. I really pushed them this time, trying to breathe deep into the glutes. In Urdhva Dhanurasana I was assisted by a beginner named Angel who'd already finished. That was nice.
After practice, they taught me to go up into handstand after the Virabhadrasanas. The vinyasa is as follows. Inhale hands down, exhale half step back. Inhale up into handstand, exhale down into chaturanga dandasana.
After class today Maya gave me a gift. It's a drawing of me. She really is the sweetest little child, and has taken to me. It's the perfect souvenir of the retreat for me.
I've been using Greg's hand blender every day here in Eveissa, and so I finally decided to head up to buy myself one. Well in the shop I had a blond moment, and used my thumb to test how sharp the blender was... oops!!!! now my thumb is bleeding like crazy and I can't get it to stop!! Hahahaha silly me!
And tonight I extended the scooter. I'm going to keep going to this retreat until Sunday. Although it's a lot of money, I think it's worth it. Natalia is just amazing, and I'm getting a lot of progress in my Asana practice working with her.
Because I wasn't able to sleep, I used the morning to apply to KPJAYI! Yep, that's right, I did it! The minimum time ahead you can apply is two months, so I counted sixty days ahead and just put that date down. Boom boom done. I'm going to India!
Back in the shala, and I seem to have lost my standing postures. My muscles are super tight from all the hard work these last three days, and so my range of motion is a bit limited. I still bumbled through though, and generated a lot of heat. The Prasarita Padottanasana C adjustment from Natalia today was amazing. It was just pure craziness. I can't believe I held it so long while she was pushing and pulling her heart out. I had tears streaming down my forehead as I bawled my eyes out, but it was beautiful and clensing and pure and fantastic!
After standing my flow was on with all the heat. I bound myself in Marichyasana A, B, and wait for it.... C on both sides. Easily. I still use my little yellow towel for B and C, but I slotted into the poses very easily and Natalia took note. She sat down to give Marichyasana D a go, and we had a little surprise.
It's funny how she adjusts Marichyasana D. She grabs my arm with both hands, and somehow does some sort of jujitsu with her feet. I know one of them is pushing against my leg, and the other is keeping me upright, but I'm not really sure how. However it works, today I was adjusted into Marichyasana C on the second side. My left hip is still a little tight for me to get in on the first side, but I certainly made it half way there. So there we have it, Marichyasana D in June 2013. Woohooo!!! :D
Natalia said I should be able to get into Mari D by myself in Mysore. That would be fantastic, but she doesn't really know my body, so I'm not going to set my hopes on it.
Back to the dancers' bar again before backbending, doing my hip stretches. I really pushed them this time, trying to breathe deep into the glutes. In Urdhva Dhanurasana I was assisted by a beginner named Angel who'd already finished. That was nice.
After practice, they taught me to go up into handstand after the Virabhadrasanas. The vinyasa is as follows. Inhale hands down, exhale half step back. Inhale up into handstand, exhale down into chaturanga dandasana.
After class today Maya gave me a gift. It's a drawing of me. She really is the sweetest little child, and has taken to me. It's the perfect souvenir of the retreat for me.
I've been using Greg's hand blender every day here in Eveissa, and so I finally decided to head up to buy myself one. Well in the shop I had a blond moment, and used my thumb to test how sharp the blender was... oops!!!! now my thumb is bleeding like crazy and I can't get it to stop!! Hahahaha silly me!
And tonight I extended the scooter. I'm going to keep going to this retreat until Sunday. Although it's a lot of money, I think it's worth it. Natalia is just amazing, and I'm getting a lot of progress in my Asana practice working with her.
Retreat Day 3
Day three rolled aound and I was into the flow of the practice! Again I got an amazing Prasarita Padottanasana C adjustment. It was so strong it brought tears to my eyes, but I got even more movement that last time.
To help with the hip opening, Natalia suggested I use the dancer's bar that is up on the side of the room to do my half pigeon, and try to open my hips that way. I spent a few minutes on each side that way after the Marichyasanas, and I'll continue to do that when I get the chance. She says i really need to be doing these every day to give my hips a chance to open up.
Because of how closed my shoulders are, and the fact that I can't get my arms to go up vertically from my shoulders, we tried a different way to do Urdhva Dhanurasana. We got a couple of blocks and put them up against the wall. That was really good, it put less pressure on my wrists. I was a bit worried that they would slip down, and I would come crashing down and die, but all was ok in the end.
Binding in Marichyasa A and B on both sides was really easy today. It feel really good to be binding like that, nice and tight but comfortable. Natalia Adjusted me into a bind in Marichyasana C on both sides.
She also taught me to do two step jump-backs. that is, I first put my hands down by my sides, and try to lift up the body and swing back. Then when my feet catch on the ground, I let myself back down, then move my hands further forward, and do the rest of the jump-back. It's a lot of work, and generates a huge amount of heat, but eventually in time my knees will get closer to my chest, and I'll be able to swing my legs through.
I got an adjustment from Maya today!!! Natalia was trying to adjust me by sitting on my legs while I was in a sort of Urdhva Balasana position, but she wasn't heavy enough to get my thighs on my chest, so she got little maya to sit on her lap. Hahaha, it was funny, and I think Maya was quite proud to be able to do some adjusting.
To help with the hip opening, Natalia suggested I use the dancer's bar that is up on the side of the room to do my half pigeon, and try to open my hips that way. I spent a few minutes on each side that way after the Marichyasanas, and I'll continue to do that when I get the chance. She says i really need to be doing these every day to give my hips a chance to open up.
Because of how closed my shoulders are, and the fact that I can't get my arms to go up vertically from my shoulders, we tried a different way to do Urdhva Dhanurasana. We got a couple of blocks and put them up against the wall. That was really good, it put less pressure on my wrists. I was a bit worried that they would slip down, and I would come crashing down and die, but all was ok in the end.
Binding in Marichyasa A and B on both sides was really easy today. It feel really good to be binding like that, nice and tight but comfortable. Natalia Adjusted me into a bind in Marichyasana C on both sides.
She also taught me to do two step jump-backs. that is, I first put my hands down by my sides, and try to lift up the body and swing back. Then when my feet catch on the ground, I let myself back down, then move my hands further forward, and do the rest of the jump-back. It's a lot of work, and generates a huge amount of heat, but eventually in time my knees will get closer to my chest, and I'll be able to swing my legs through.
I got an adjustment from Maya today!!! Natalia was trying to adjust me by sitting on my legs while I was in a sort of Urdhva Balasana position, but she wasn't heavy enough to get my thighs on my chest, so she got little maya to sit on her lap. Hahaha, it was funny, and I think Maya was quite proud to be able to do some adjusting.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Sunday, December 1, 2013
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