Second Series Today

Not because it's Sunday. To "certain days being associated with certain Series", I say, "Meh". I practiced Second Series today because my body was kind of achey from a night of dancing last night, and maybe a little too much Pinot Noir over too many hours, and Second Series has less Vinyasas overall - and more to the point, less chaturangas. I also practiced Second Series today because give a choice, I will always focus more on forward bending than backbending, to the detriment of the backbending. And Second Series does not give me that ability, if I do it in order. It starts with backbends, after the first two poses, that is.

It went rather nicely, I have to say. There were moments when I was like, jeez, is this ever going to end? That was when I was doing Kapotasana, which sucked as badly as it ever has, maybe moreso and then a rather painful, crampy, cranky Supta Vajrasana. The Eka Padas were pretty rough too since I had zero opportunity to warm up for leg-behind-head. But Dwi Pada through Tittibhasana was fine, and then it all progressed so quickly once I was past my two Pincha Mayurasanas (since I have zero desire to even approximate any aspect of Karandavasana, other than the Pincha part),

I found it interesting that Tittibhasana C was not problematic, given that Eka Pada was so stiff and unyielding. I also found it interesting that Mayurasana was so easy, given its placement in the Series. Most pleasant suprise: I did every one of the Seven Headstands coming up in a pike. I have never been able to do that before. Perhaps this is a function of doing them after just Second, instead of after Primary and THEN Second. Perhaps the same goes for Mayurasana. Less is definitely more, I am finding. Over and over and over again in my life, as well as in yoga.

Also pleased that Pasasana was fine without the Maryichyasanas. I don't know if I have ever even attempted that before. Or if I have, I doubt I have ever been able to do that before. Then again, I am rolling my mat under my heels now. MUCH better. And why shouldn't I? I am a Westerner. A short Westerner who wears heels every single day. How can I be expected to squat like an Indian?

Final comment about it, reinforcing the bit of wisdom imparted to me at some point during my Om teacher training, that there is no yoga adjustment or alignment advice that does not have an expiration date: I decided to try stepping up to Virabhadrasana in the Surya Namaskar B's straight from Down Dog, rather than putting my heel down first, as the Good Doc had demanded of me. At the time that the Good Doc gave me this instruction, it made sense. It helped me, I remember. Not sure I remember exactly what it helped me with, but I know I remember thinking that it was helpful. But lately, I have been noticing that it kind of messes up my rhythm. So, today, I exhaled into downdog and boom, just stepped forward...and it was nice. Nice and smooth.

Maybe someday I will go back to the heel down/step forward method. But right now, my teacher is telling me to do it the other way. And by my teacher, I mean, ME.

All in all, backbends sucked today, as bad as ever. Yet, here is the oddness: my dropbacks and standups were quite nice.

Go figure.

Haven't walked Lewis today. I did rake all of the goddamned Oriental Bittersweet out of my shade garden paths. That stuff is horribly invasive, and I don't even know where it came from. Last year, I don't rememer there being any Bittersweet at all. This year, it is threatening to take over. It's a pretty chartreuse color, but don't let that fool you. It vines and climbs and tangles and gets woody, and ultimately, it will kill everything it can overpower. So, I did what I had to do. But Lewis still needs a walk. He is already losing weight on his new fitness program. I guess, after supper.

As for tomorrow...who knows? Primary? No practice at all? I love the flexibility of my new program...

YC