Thursday, May 21, 2009

Amazing and Joyful Day 3 of the Solar Powered Chickie

Man, do I love practicing outside in the sunshine. It just fills me with happiness in a way that indoor practice does not.

A commentator mentioned that Guruji had written in Yoga Mala that we should not practice outside. There was a time, not even that long ago, when I would have been shamed by such a comment. I would have rethought my own happiness and considered taking my practice back indoors again. Now, such thinking is inconceivable. I am sure that Guruji had good reason for requiring that practice take place indoors. Perhaps the sun is a factor. Well, in my case, my back porch is a "half and half": half open pergola, and half closed, meaning that the slats have planks ABOVE them that keep the sun from peeking through. It's not an indoor space by any means. But it is protected from sun.

Not that I owe anyone an explanation. But there you have it. There is some logic to Guruji's prescreptions, no doubt. And there is some method to Yoga Chickie's madness. No doubt. At least none in Yoga Chickie's mind.

I had thought about going to Val's today, because I do enjoy practicing with her. And I do plan on visiting Sir again, as well as Lori in the summer, made actual plans to do so today, in fact (to see, Sir, that is). But as I considered taking the half hour drive to Georgetown, CT today, it occurred to me that I would RATHER practice alone on my back porch, listening to my own music, with the greenery and the newly blooming hydrangeas, foxglove, coreopsis and yarrow as a backdrop. Not that I won't at some point enjoy a trip to a shala. But today, I decided that what I would rather do was practice alone. And so I did.

Sometimes when I practice alone, I force myself to do it exactly as I was taught. No additions. No variations. No binding in the standing poses. No hanumanasana (splits). No arm balances thrown in.

Today was not one of those days.

Here's a perfect example of the way I turned my Ashtanga template into my own practice today:

5 Surya A
5 Surya B
Trikonasana to Ardha Chandrasana
Revolved Triangle to Parvritta Ardha Chandrasana
Full Vinyasa in between
Parsvakonasana, touch head to the ground next to foot, then take the bind, then standard pose.
Parvritta Parsvakonasana, take the bind, then standard pose.
Prasarita Padotanasana A, B and C, then instead of D, Gomukhasana arms on each side with the top elbow to the ground.
Parsvotanasana to Full Vinyasa to bending down to pick up the toe and stand up for...
Uttitha Hasta Padangustasana - front, side and then take the leg behind for Natarajasana (Bikram style)
Full Vinyasa to Ardha Badha Padmotannasana, then bend the knee and touch down for Vatayanasana
Then Full Vinyasa to Utkatasana to Bakasana A, then Bakasana B then Full Vinyasa to...
a deep lunge with the toenails on the mat, then Warrior I then Warrior II.

Then the Primary Series "as written" until Janu Sirasana C, which I jump into Eka Pada Sirsasana style and do Compass Pose before.

After each Marichyasana, I jump out of it exactly as I am when I finish the pose, creating an arm balance in each case.

After Marichyasana D, straight to Pasasana, then Krounchasana, then back to Navasana. Then...
Bujapidasana, Kurmasana, Supta Kurmasana. Then...
Eka Pada Sirsasana and Yogi Nidrasana.
Then skipping Garba Pindasana going straight to Badha Konasana and going right through the end of Primary, except skipping Setu Bandhasana.

Back to another Pasasana (yes, putting it in twice because (a) I LIKE it and (b) I am FINALLY getting really really consistent with it, even pressing my heels down), Krounchasana and then while I'm in the Krounchasana position, what a perfect set up for Parighasana and then Bharadvajasana.

Finally the backbending poses. I do them in order until Ustrasana. Then all bets are off. I do Ustrasana a couple of times and I spend some time just hanging back while standing on my shins, not putting my hands on my heels. Skipped Laghu Vajrasana and instead did Kapotasana twice. Once holding A, and once holding B.

From there, put head down and wrapped elbows around head, a la Viparata Dandasana, but pressed chest toward wall. From there, pressed up into Urdhva Dhanurasana. Stood up and then dropped back without lifting the heels by walking the hands down the wall: really really really wakes up my legs and stretches my groins.

Then Utttanasana. Then the closing sequence. Oh, and somewhere in there, not sure where, I did a 10-breath Pincha Mayurasana. I don't remember where.

I am sure that I will never repeat this exact sequence again. Because it will never be TODAY again. And my body will never be exactly the same as it was today again. And that is the beauty of a home self-practice.

Money saved not going to class: $20
Gas saved not going to class: 3/4 gallon
Feeling like my body got EXACTLY what it needed: priceless.

YC

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi. It sounds like fun. Do you find practicing outside meditative?

As for inside/outside - traditionally, houses in India have very small entirely enclosed rooms (sleeping) and large covered verandahs around a courtyard, where most living takes place. Including, I assume, yoga - there's simply not enough room in the little tiny rooms. Your porch sounds a lot like one of these.

Zaf

Yoga Chickie said...

See...that's what I'm talking about, Zaf. A lot of "fundamentalists" are espousing following the letter of rules that they don't even understand. Just say no to irrational thought.

Anonymous said...

why do you feel the need to justify your practice?

yamayoga said...

sounds like a LOVELY practise...
I'm slightly jealous, as I'd LOVE to practise outside, but given the BALTIC conditions here in Ireland, its not really an option.... :)

Yoga Chickie said...

I don't feel any need to justify my practice. I feel the need to proclaim my joy at freeing myself from the constraints which I imposed upon myself previously. Actually, I don't feel the need to do anything. I just enjoy talking about my personal discoveries and hope that someone, anyone, reading this might be inspired to throw off the shackles that keep them from enjoying life to the fullest.

Morningside Yogi said...

Sounds like a great practice. Got the yummy image of squeezing every last drop ofjuice from a citrus fruit by doing all the extra twists. Thanks. I think I'll work some of your ideas into a detoxing practice after too much neighborly festiveness this weekend.

救援部 said...

貴方のオ○ニーライフのお手伝い、救援部でHな見せたがり女性からエロ写メ、ムービーをゲットしよう!近所の女の子なら実際に合ってHな事ができちゃうかも!?夏に向けて開放的になっている女の子と遊んじゃおう

逆援交際 said...

会員制の逆援交際倶楽部では男性は無料、一日最低額10万円保障での交際をお求めできます。ご登録された女性様達はセレブであるがための悩みをそれぞれの方が持ち、皆様、男性との営みを求め、ご登録されております。彼女たちとの初々しい一時をお楽しみ、謝礼をいただいてくださいませ。会員制ですので人数に限りがあるため、打ち切りの場合はご了承ください

家出 said...

家出中でネットカフェやマンガ喫茶にいる女の子たちは、お金が無くなり家出掲示板で今晩泊めてくれる男性を探しています。ご飯を食べさせてあげたり泊めてあげることで彼女たちはHなお礼をしてくれる事が多いようです

Copyright 2005-2007 Lauren Cahn, all rights reserved. Photos appearing on this blog may be subject to third party copyright ownership. You are free to link to this blog and portions hereof, but the use of any direct content requires the prior written consent of the author.

About Me

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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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