Got Caffeine?

So, that's what I forgot to do today! Drink coffee!! And boy does not drinking coffee beat the crap out of me. Just finally got around to grabbing me a cuppa, and what a difference it made.

Yeah, my back is still spazzing, and my knee is still sending out urgent messages to my brain that Parivritta Parsvakonasana is an evil force that must be stopped. How come no one talks about the Fundamental poses - the Standing Series - anyway? They are so important! At least to those of us who still practice them (I've heard rumors that those who practice all of Third Series skip them altogether, which strikes me as sad, but then what the hell do I know, being stuck in Primary probably forever). They set the stage for every later pose.

Padangushtasana = Uttitha Hasta Padangushtasana, Supta Padangushtasana, Paschimattanasana A, Urdhva Mukkha Paschimattanasana and Ubaya Padangushtasana (and, to some extent, every pose that requires the lower back to "blossom" as the hamstrings stretch.

Padahastasana = Paschimattanasana C and, to some extent, every forward bend that requires wrist binding.

Trikonasana = Uttitha Hasta Padangushtasana, Supta Padangushtasana, Purvatanasana and Setu Bandasana, and really, all backbends (in its stretch of the front body; Trikonasana is one of the few postures that comes before Second Series that initiates the opening up of the body on the INhale)

Parivritta Trikonasana = Tirianga Mukaekapada Paschimattanasana, Janu Sirsasana A and B, Marichyasana C and D (all of which are mimicked to some extent in the Uttitha Trikonasana).

Parsvakonasana = same as Trikonasana, plus Bujapidasana, Kurmasana and Supta Kurmasana (in the way that Parsvakonasana prepares the hips for deeeeeep contraction).

Parivritta Parsvakonasana = same as Parivritta Trikonasana, only MUCH MORESO; in fact, PP requires a DEEPER twisting and a FURTHER opening of the chest than even Marichyasana C or D.

Prasarita Pado = All the poses with "Konasana" in them, plus chest opening in Prasarita Pado C, which helps in all of the Marichyasanas and Supta Kurmasana)

Parsvotanasana = all of the Marichyasanas, Supta Kurmasana, all of the Janu Sirsasanas (because the legs are not together and not moving in the same direction or even in the same plane)

Am I the only one who finds these posture fascinating? Maybe it's just because of the teacher training. Maybe it's because they comprise half of my practice these days (and maybe forever).

Lost tonight!! And it's gonna be the one that proves my hypothesis that Lost is realy just Survivor Meets Twilight Zone. See, many many (too many) Twilight Zones (and many ghost stories that we told around the campfire at summer camp) seemed to end with this kind of premise: "MY DAUGHTER?? You COULDN'T have met my daughter....my daughter has been DEAD FOR 10 YEARS!"

And now Lost seems to be heading down that cliched road with the introduction of its character, Naomi, who in the last moments of the latest episode said to three agog planecrash survivors, "815? Flight 815? You couldn't have been on Flight 815. That flight crashed, and there were NO survivors. They're ALL DEAD!"

We shall see where that leads. As for the Survivor thing, I'm hearing word that the Lostaways are going to break up into two factions. Survivor always starts out with two teams who join together. This is the opposite, but close enough in spirit.

I'm also hearing rumors that perhaps Jack is really an Other? Or that some of the Lostaways were actually somehow involved in the Dharma Initiative? I do know that if they kill off Kate, I don't think I can bear to watch anymore. I just LOVE Kate, and I just LOVE the actress who plays her, the totally buff Evangeline Lilly. And by buff, I mean she can kick your ass. What I do not mean is Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2 where the muscles appeared shredded simply because there was not an ounce of fat on her body. She was basically Nicole Richie with 10 pound dumbells. Evangeline is a hardbody with some body to her body. Good role model. Good to watch.

YC