Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Cleanse Day 1 (of 1?)

Practice was slightly better today, although something is seriously amiss in my twisting. I can't blame it all on my shoulders. My spine just is not making that extra little movement that I need it to make. And my backbends are also pretty sad. I think I squeezed out seven or so today anyway, hoping that ONE just ONE would feel okay. It was not to be.

Nevertheless, I will say that it was an improvement over yesterday. Supta K number...? I forget...8? 9? No progress. Jose tells me the progress is too gradual to note. And he assures me that Petri is pressing my chest down even though I don't feel it. I feel as if all I need is someone to take my ankles and crank them up behind my neck. THEN I could bind. Until my ankles are back there, there is just no way that there is going to be room for me to bind my arms around my (sudden realization:) ginormous thighs. Or so it seems.

Xtina is so so so so so awesome. She knows exactly what I need - partly because I told her, but she listened, and she remembered. I told her that I really want my knee behind my armpit in Mari A and B because that feels like it mimics the energy in Supta K. She has been helping me with that, and today she helped me to get that going in Mari C as well. Still, the twist is not quite deep enough for some reason this week, so it is really hard to really close the gap between armpit and knee in Mari C and Mari D.

Shouldn't I find the positive in my practice, amid the whining? Shouldn't I recognize that my Uttitha Hasta Padangusthasana is really quite smooth and light and lovely? No dancing at all. Shouldn't I recognize that Purvotanasana is no longer painful and out of whack? Shouldn't I be happy that I can jump straight into Tirianga Mukha Pada and Janu Sirsa B? I should be happy that I can JUST about lotus my left leg without my hands (after getting my right leg lotused up - I can't seem to slide it high enough into my hip crease without using my hands)? There is so much to feel good about my practice.

I feel sometimes as if I am letting myself get sucked onto some sort of Ashtanga Dark Side when I piss and moan about these postures, which by anyone's standards (except perhaps an Ashtangi) are quite complicated and advanced. It is a miracle that I can complete roughly 50 chatturangas in a practice and not be collapsing on the floor. It is a miracle that I can even DO Mari C and D, however badly. I need to pull back from the Dark Side (I believe it is called Egoville) before it really sucks me in and spits me back into a vinyasa class, or worse....Bikram.

Oh yeah, the cleanse, almost forgot. Five cups of Green Power so far, and I am feeling full and full of energy. Not only did I practice but I did 2 1/2 hours of dog walking (I am Toni Collette in In Her Shoes!) and walked my own dog for 45 minutes. And I feel great. I think I might have some butternut squash at dinnertime, maybe, possibly. Or maybe I will just keep drinking this stuff. But my instincts tell me to go with the squash and possibly some protein powder in the Green Power.

I would like to try a homemade cleanse -with juices that I press myself. But for now, as I experiment with my first cleanse, it feels less daunting to use the premade stuff.

YC

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

OMG, woman, your thighs are so NOT ginormous! My thighs could eat your thighs for lunch and still have room for dessert.

Doesn't Guruji say you have to try a pose at least 1000 times before you master it? (says the woman who took four years to bind in Mary C)....

Yoga Chickie said...

I meant ginormous in a horror movie sense - like all of a sudden they are the thighs that ate Cleveland...because that's how far it feels I have to go in order to bind around the darn things. But hey, thanks....

I don't think I will ever master Mari C....even though I bind it.

Lauren

Anonymous said...

I like your entry. I had to laugh as well. I am so often unhappy because I cannot bring both of my legs behind my head. Nobody, only Ashtangis understand this. In my case: I will be more content, I will try at least.

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Northern Westchester, New York, United States
I live by a duck pond. I used to live by the East River. I don't work. I used to work a lot. Now, not so much. I used to teach a lot of yoga. Now not so much. I still practice a lot of yoga though. A LOT. I love my kids, being outdoors, taking photos, reading magazines, writing and stirring the pot. Enjoy responsibly.

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