Danda-yam-ana Dha-nur-asana…. rings in my ears like an iambic pentameter of sorts. I have been plateauing in this pose for some time now. And yesterday I started moving out of it, because I hit a new spot. Maybe it’s because I had an instructor who was completely new to me. The class was very different from what I’m used to so I guess that’s a good thing. I felt something new, pulling my foot back behind me. Whatever it was gave me the strength to continue pulling my foot up above my head. But it’s really hard to keep it up there for a full minute! I’m working on my determination for that part. It will happen soon.
Dandayamana Dhanurasana April 29, 2009
Salabasana April 27, 2009
If a pose is easy to do, chances are you aren’t doing it right. I used to think Full Locust pose was a breeze, until I figured out I wasn’t engaging the correct muscles in my back. It’s also due partly to the fact that I lack upper body strength. While this builds strength in your upper spine, does it build strength in your upper body also? Or am I going to have to build that elsewhere, maybe doing that crazy 100 pushups program stellargirl recommended to me light years ago. Two words: why not?? I can do the single leg lifts, but when it comes to lifting both legs, I can barely get them off the floor. I have been patiently shifting the weight around to my shoulders but once I start lifting my legs it all falls apart. I guess I have to work through this more slowly then.
Triangles and Tribulations March 22, 2009
I’ve suspected for a while now that I wasn’t doing Triangle Pose 100% correctly, but that could be true for a lot of poses I do in this series. Triangle is one of the most challenging poses - they don’t call it the “peak of the mountain” for nothing. So a teacher pointed out that my set up wasn’t right the other day. She guided me into the right direction and it seemed to make more sense, at least for the moment. Hips squared to the front? Check. Equal weight distribution between front leg and back leg, check. Bounce down so my leg is parallel to the floor? Well…..I just can’t seem to get this leg down to the floor. And would definitely NOT be able to balance a tray on that leg! For the last few weeks I’ve been called out by various teachers to sit down, sit down and SIT DOWN! I thought I had been sitting down this whole time!!
What is the trick here? It’s in the core, but I’m just now sure how to activate it to keep me in this position. Anyone out there with tips, please send along.
Summer Streets August 23, 2008
The New York City Department of Transportation closed Park Avenue from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park to vehicles this morning in honor of Summer Streets. Cyclists, walkers and runners to took to the streets without the fear of getting squashed. What an amazing feeling it was, to cruise up and down Park Avenue with the wind in my hair! There were a few times I wanted to make audible exclamations while riding… what is that about?? I think I had a big smile pasted on my face the entire ride – ode to the little things that bring so much joy!
On my way back I stopped at the Farmer’s Market in Union Square and thoroughly enjoyed myself by sampling seasonal fruits and looking at all the fresh produce. Strawberries are mighty fine specimens at the moment. I also discovered the beauty of Zinnias – I had never seen them before. The colors are so vibrant and pretty – a nice diversion from the popular Gerber Daisy.
All in all, a great day – I had forgotten how much I enjoy my bike rides. I haven’t gone in a while because I got burned out on my route. There are only so many times you can ride around Manhattan! But riding IN it, is a different story. Such a wonderful feeling of freedom without cars!! Unfortunately, this was the last day for Summer Streets. Back to the dangerous yet exhilerating game of Frogger…
Everybody Wants To Rule The World August 15, 2008
There’s a yoga competition coming up in October where yogis battle it out for the 6th Annual Bishni Charan Ghosh Cup. Yes that’s me in the picture – someday I might sign up and compete for this but for now I’m getting into that cab.
I plan to go and watch the competitors this year because during class it’s very difficult to focus on anything else except for what you are doing at that very moment. Not only are you battling the heat, sweat is coming out of every single pore while you are trying to get everything aligned and in position for your posture. I find when I check out other people’s postures during class it throws my practice way off. It’s a great exercise in concentration, for sure.
The yoga asana competition lasts for 3 minutes and consists of 5 standard Bikram postures in this order: Standing Head to Knee Pose, Standing Bow Pose, Floor Bow Pose, Rabbit Pose and finally Head to Knee with Stretching. After that the contestants do 2 advanced poses of their choice. I found a video from a recent competition to illustrate. I am absolutely captivated by her grace! Don’t try this at home, kids.
Making Progress July 29, 2008
There are some days where the yoga completely kicks my ass and then the following day I have the best class. This week has been the perfect example of that. Today I had to drag myself to class, and once there my stomach was churning from the heat and for a moment I thought I was going to have to get up and get really, really ill. But something happened, I’m not sure what. Something just kicked in, and I had one of the best classes to date. I’ve been working on my Standing Head to Knee Pose for a few weeks now, trying to get my standing leg locked so I can extend my other leg out in front. Today that leg snapped in straight, if not only for a moment!! I wanted to laugh out loud – thankfully I was able to contain myself.
Bikram Yoga, 2 Months In July 10, 2008
I see that my testimonial has been posted to the Bikram Yoga Lower East Side’s website. It’s interesting to see where I am now, another 40 days after I completed the 30 day challenge. I think I’ve only missed a handful of days since then. It’s become a daily ritual for me and helps me maintain my balance and perspective. I feel like I’ve undergone a metamorphosis, for I am not the same person that walked in there at the end of April. My friends often ask me if I’m interested in teaching, since I’m so passionate about my practice. It’s not something I’m interested in doing at the moment. I’m building my practice right now and as a newbie, I’m still in the mode of discovery. That’s the most interesting thing about yoga, you can do it for your whole life and it will still be a journey of discovery!
Like A Fish Out Of Water July 2, 2008
Only, in the water…
I went to my first swimming class tonight. It was the intermediate swimming class, as recommended to me by the lovely membership lady – her name escapes me at the moment. So I show up, and I’m feeling nervous. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve tried to actually swim. I only learned how to swim as an adult! Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been in the water since, but usually just hanging out in the shallows or aided by some sort of floaty device, all safe and sound.
So I’m standing there, nervously watching the beginner class while I wait for ours to begin. And I chatted up this girl standing next to me and ask her if she’s waiting for class. Turns out Elizabeth is from Paris, and although she can swim, she’s afraid to put her face in the water. Somehow this comforts me a little and I tell her I get scared when the water gets deep. And that I need a wall next to me.
So of course the first thing they told us to do was a lap. I must have had a look of horror on my face because the girl next to me gave me a sympathetic look. So I pushed off and went as far as I could, stopping a few times along the way to catch my breath. It was a challenge for sure and I could feel panic every time I ran out of breath. The teacher asked if I wanted to be moved to the beginner class, as he could see I was obviously uncomfortable with the laps, which would make up most of this class. At the end we assessed that I would probably be too advanced for the beginner class, yet I’m still not up to snuff to be in the intermediate class.
This sounds familiar – as this is the resonating theme in my life right now, in more ways than one. I left the pool thinking I wasn’t going to return. I felt so deflated. I hopped on my bike and enjoyed a leisurely ride home as the temperature was perfect tonight. The city has this beautiful serenity to it, as everyone tends to leave for the holiday weekend, which is precisely why I have decided to stay. I always enjoy the city when it’s quiet like this. So when I reached home I remembered what all the instructors say to us in yoga: “the only way through is through”. And I then I realized I have to see this out, how can I quit after only one class? I’m not a quitter! Yes I do have a real fear of the water and I’m not sure how I’m going to conquer it but I have to at least try. Talk about getting out of my comfort zone. I’m wondering now if I’ve bitten off more than I can chew…
Getting Out Of The Comfort Zone June 24, 2008
I’m working with this new motto these days, and I’m having a lot of fun with it. I just signed up for a swim class today. My second one ever! I first learned how to swim 10 years ago, at the age of 23. It still is one of the best things I’ve done in my life so far. I had such a deep rooted fear of swimming. Overcoming that fear was an amazing experience for me.
Only I didn’t get rid of that fear entirely the first time. Apparently one class didn’t rid a lifetime of fear, especially fear as an adult. I always envied my friends growing up who would go to the pool, splish splashing their way through summer. In the rare event that I did go to the pool, you could find me in hanging out in the shallow end, not knowing what to do with myself. I hate to place the blame here, but I think my fear of the water came one summer when my dad took us to a lake. He and I walked out to the water, and the stones under my feet were making me uncomfortable. So my father picked me up and carried me out. He was ready to let go of me before I was and the next thing I know I’m under water, eyes open staring out at the green muck gasping for air. I could probably still even stand where I was but everything seemed so deep to me, just as the world looms so large when you’re so little in it. The experience was so traumatizing to me I hated the water after that. I was probably 10 years old.
If You Can’t Beat It, Embrace It June 9, 2008
I thought that going to yoga was the craziest idea in this weather. However they say that spicy food originated in hot/tropical climates because it makes people sweat; and sweating is the body’s natural defense against heat. The body cools down after a good sweat.
I went to Bikram Yoga yesterday and it was downright hellish. In fact it felt like my first class all over again minus the headache. The heat was so oppressive. I went again tonight because apparently I’m sort of masochist and it was a little better. Hey, the instructors were right, you do acclimate to the heat! Yes, it’s 95 degrees out, and it feels like it’s 200 degrees in the room. So what the hell, why not? The difference is you’re doing yoga. And I know it sounds crazy but it feels good. It feels good because it takes my mind off of everything else and forces me to be in the room, in the moment with my mind and body. Lately my mind has been polluted by negative thoughts. Not because I invite them in, it’s purely circumstantial. And normally I am able to fight them off when they try to creep in, but I’m feeling kind of vulnerable at the moment. So I figure it’s ok to feel that way once in a while. I think I’ll try to escape it by treating myself to an air conditioned movie tomorrow. A girlie brainless movie like SATC sounds good. And you bet I’ll be going solo, armed with popcorn, candy or some other cinema nosh.
The best thing about doing yoga in this heat is the fact that that my muscles are already warmed up before I go in and I’ve been able to go further in the poses I normally struggle with. For instance, I think I’ll be able to grab my feet in Camel Pose soon! It’s only taken me oh, 40 days to get to this point in my practice. Although I am aware there is a lifetime worth of learning in yoga. Also, back bending is coming much easier and I’m really digging the fact that I can reach farther, go farther!!
