Uuuh, it's tough!

Dear Reader (since I seem to have at least two!)

Today was one of those days when we can just remember how sometimes the breath flowed smoothly and the muscles did what we expect them to do and the backbones moved away from each other and twisted nicely, and the shoulder blades slid elegantly towards each other and then away from each other again. Not today.

A week's break from "serious" practice takes its toll. Duty travel and ashtanga practice are not an easy match, I managed to practice three times, and no more than the beginners' lot at the most.

We'll, I am back again!

Exploring new spaces

Luckily my Teacher is very flexible, intellectual and curious.

I must confess that I've been a little bit "fed up" with repeating the primary series. Although there is certainly still unlimited challenges and progress to be made, there is less excitement of adventure and enthousiasm.

I've been a little bit into the second series, battling with only having the energy and the force to go so far without being completely exhausted. Forget about doing anything really elegantly or even correctly.

Last week the Teacher said "let's take it to a new level". He corrected my pasasana, my krounchasana "to a new (that is more challenging) level" and we started working on a correct and safe way to go to ustrasana, descending slowly and carefully to a pile of mats on laghu vajrasana, and starting to work on the kapotasana the Iyengar way; from down to up. Actually I had started to work on that on my own some weeks ago, stretching the front of my body and legs on the ground and trying to lift up and touch the floor with elbows. My upper back is very stiff, so I don't even dream of backdrops yet. I would only hurt myself.

This is all very challenging. Luckily I have the "official permission" to do only a half primary when time is limited, that is most days. First half on one day and the second half on another day. It is certainly the best way of using my time for yoga now!