Every so often I get absolutely obsessed with jumping through and back. I can jump through with shins crossed and I can jump back with a tiny pause where my toes touch the mat. So, you can guess that I have been reading the blog "Ashtanga Jump Back" often :)
Yesterday he posted a video by Sadie Nardini that demonstrates "Shakti" kicks that can help build strength for jumping back and through, and floating in general. So I watched it, and then I watched many many others of her videos on You Tube. Fun stuff. I did the kicks yesterday, and I am super sore in my serratus anterior muscles, and other back and shoulder muscles. It's so funny, I know that floating is not important, I have developed perfectly acceptable modifications so that I don't lose my flow in the practice....but when I see someone doing it, I want it so bad!
We will see how long this phase lasts this time :)
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Interesting
I just heard "Beautiful Day" by U2, and was taken back, very vividly, to Johnny Kest's Detox Flow. He was BLASTING this song while everyone in the room was flowing to their own breath. Weird. I guess that was an important moment for me, to associate it so strongly, so quickly to that song. If anyone else reading this was there, go listen to that song, maybe turn it up a little louder than usual. I'm curious if you will have the same experience ;)
Thursday, September 18, 2008
108th post
I went to another Anusara intensive last night with Christina Sell, super fun stuff. We worked on the inner spiral of the legs, with a focus on keeping the shins/calves stable to isolate and open the hips. We did poses/variations that I have never seen in person! Loved it.
Christina made a quick comment about how to beginners in an alignment based form of yoga (like Anusara), the details can seem overwhelming. It was like she was talking specifically to me :) I have not felt so judgemental of myself in a yoga class in a while. I have not yet figured out how to isolate many subtle muscles/movements. It is like starting asana all over again, when I had no awareness/connection to many large muscle groups, except now it is much more subtle.
It is a good opportunity for me to observe my thoughts, and keep a sense of humor about them. I've heard people say that "who you are on the mat is who you are off the mat". Sounds silly, but I really started to notice how true that is, I am competitive, judgemental, full of ego, but also, observant, devoted, analytical, and searching for transformation.
Taught a led primary immediately after again. Decided to "take it up a notch". Realized I was becoming to comfy in the role of a teacher who coddles her students. So there was a lot less demo-ing, and a lot less language like "if you feel comfortable..." We'll see how it goes, but I realized I need to hand some of the responsibility to the student.
Things are going well in lab. Had a meeting with my boss this past weekend, about my graduation timeline. We came up with a very reasonable plan to finish up my graduate career, and if all goes well, I'll graduate in (or before) May. It was a great meeting, where I found out that he agrees with me that I've done enough to start writing my dissertation up very soon. It was quite a relief considering he is very hard to read, and could have just as easily told me the opposite. I was ready to defend myself, and present my reasons why I thought I was ready, all this pent up aggression, and I didn't need it at all!
I'm in the process of writing up my second first-author project for publication. I'm flying solo. I'm getting the article to the point where I would be happy submitting it to a journal, and then handing it over to my boss for review. It is actually a fun process, I am such a dork!
It has been really challenging finding a balance amongst all this. The closer I get to graduation, the more in love with Neuroscience I get, the more time I want to spend at lab, and reading the literature. However, I'm more "in love" than ever with yoga. Teaching and practicing. I'm at a place where I feel like I am doing both things half-assed. There just aren't enough hours in the day. But the bottom line is I need both in my life, and am not willing to give either up, so I need to figure out a way to be okay with the way things are :)
Christina made a quick comment about how to beginners in an alignment based form of yoga (like Anusara), the details can seem overwhelming. It was like she was talking specifically to me :) I have not felt so judgemental of myself in a yoga class in a while. I have not yet figured out how to isolate many subtle muscles/movements. It is like starting asana all over again, when I had no awareness/connection to many large muscle groups, except now it is much more subtle.
It is a good opportunity for me to observe my thoughts, and keep a sense of humor about them. I've heard people say that "who you are on the mat is who you are off the mat". Sounds silly, but I really started to notice how true that is, I am competitive, judgemental, full of ego, but also, observant, devoted, analytical, and searching for transformation.
Taught a led primary immediately after again. Decided to "take it up a notch". Realized I was becoming to comfy in the role of a teacher who coddles her students. So there was a lot less demo-ing, and a lot less language like "if you feel comfortable..." We'll see how it goes, but I realized I need to hand some of the responsibility to the student.
Things are going well in lab. Had a meeting with my boss this past weekend, about my graduation timeline. We came up with a very reasonable plan to finish up my graduate career, and if all goes well, I'll graduate in (or before) May. It was a great meeting, where I found out that he agrees with me that I've done enough to start writing my dissertation up very soon. It was quite a relief considering he is very hard to read, and could have just as easily told me the opposite. I was ready to defend myself, and present my reasons why I thought I was ready, all this pent up aggression, and I didn't need it at all!
I'm in the process of writing up my second first-author project for publication. I'm flying solo. I'm getting the article to the point where I would be happy submitting it to a journal, and then handing it over to my boss for review. It is actually a fun process, I am such a dork!
It has been really challenging finding a balance amongst all this. The closer I get to graduation, the more in love with Neuroscience I get, the more time I want to spend at lab, and reading the literature. However, I'm more "in love" than ever with yoga. Teaching and practicing. I'm at a place where I feel like I am doing both things half-assed. There just aren't enough hours in the day. But the bottom line is I need both in my life, and am not willing to give either up, so I need to figure out a way to be okay with the way things are :)
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Anusara Intensive
I managed to make it to the second installment of the "Anusara Intensive" at Seventh Street Yoga last night with Christina Sell. It was so fun. I think the concepts were basic to those familiar with this form of yoga, but for me, a newbie, it was absolutely perfect. I am so sore in muscles in my back that I didn't even know I had :) I'm so looking forward to next week.
I had to teach a led Ashtanga class immediately after, and my muscles were fatigued. I had 5 people in the class who had not taken an ashtanga class before, so I needed to demo a lot. It was funny because I was shaking and quivering, I bet they thought I was a weenie! :) It was a fun class nonetheless, with a lot of excitement and energy in the students.
This weekend is Hurricane Ike. I'm dreaming up sequences to practice from home since I don't think any studios will be having class. Any suggestions for poses appropriate for hurricanes? :) Nakrasana? Matsayasana? Apanasana? :)
I had to teach a led Ashtanga class immediately after, and my muscles were fatigued. I had 5 people in the class who had not taken an ashtanga class before, so I needed to demo a lot. It was funny because I was shaking and quivering, I bet they thought I was a weenie! :) It was a fun class nonetheless, with a lot of excitement and energy in the students.
This weekend is Hurricane Ike. I'm dreaming up sequences to practice from home since I don't think any studios will be having class. Any suggestions for poses appropriate for hurricanes? :) Nakrasana? Matsayasana? Apanasana? :)
Monday, September 8, 2008
Life in the fast lane...
I had the pleasure of taking a workshop with Johnny Kest this weekend. It was a vinyasa flow class called "Sweat and Tears: Detox Flow". It was, for lack of a better phrase, BAD ASS. We spent the first hour of the class doing the following flow (after a 20 minute meditation on loving kindness, which was beautiful):
Inhale - sweep arms up
Exhale - lateral bend
Inhale - reach up
Exhale - lateral bend other side
Inhale - reach up
Exhale - fold forward, vinyasa to
Navasana
Exhale, lower half way
Inhale, Navasana, repeat three times
Inhale cross shins, vinyasa to,
tripod headstand
balasana
Ustrasana spirals, right side, then left side, repeat three times
Exhale to -downward dog
Inhale right foot forward for warrior one on right side
Exhale - Warrior 2 on right side
Inhale - Reverse Warrior
Exhale - Triangle
Inhale - Revolved Triangle
Half Moon
Revolved Half Moon
Warrior 3, transition without touching foot down to
Tree Pose, then
Garudasana, then
Warrior 3,
vinyasa, repeat Warrior 1 through second warrior 3 on left side
vinyasa to tadasana
REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT, etc. one inhale or exhale per pose.....I was sweating in sheets. Literally, the most I have ever sweat in my life. Hands down.
Ten minutes or so of loving kindness meditation, during which I fulfilled the other promise of the title of the class and wept.
Then after this hour he said, "Okay now we can begin class, you may want to rehydrate...."
Then we left the "warm up" for the detox flow... lots of twisting and lunging.
The class whipped me. Broke me down, brought me to places that I was able to learn things about myself that are usually deeply buried. It was an experience not to be missed. Being broken down, until all the walls fall, and you are naked and ready. To go through the door.
Anyway, the only problem is, I'm now having trouble finding anything that compares :) All other classes, even the ones that seemed challenging, seem like they are happening in slow motion. My thirst for deepening my practice is unquenchable. And that's fun.
Inhale - sweep arms up
Exhale - lateral bend
Inhale - reach up
Exhale - lateral bend other side
Inhale - reach up
Exhale - fold forward, vinyasa to
Navasana
Exhale, lower half way
Inhale, Navasana, repeat three times
Inhale cross shins, vinyasa to,
tripod headstand
balasana
Ustrasana spirals, right side, then left side, repeat three times
Exhale to -downward dog
Inhale right foot forward for warrior one on right side
Exhale - Warrior 2 on right side
Inhale - Reverse Warrior
Exhale - Triangle
Inhale - Revolved Triangle
Half Moon
Revolved Half Moon
Warrior 3, transition without touching foot down to
Tree Pose, then
Garudasana, then
Warrior 3,
vinyasa, repeat Warrior 1 through second warrior 3 on left side
vinyasa to tadasana
REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT, etc. one inhale or exhale per pose.....I was sweating in sheets. Literally, the most I have ever sweat in my life. Hands down.
Ten minutes or so of loving kindness meditation, during which I fulfilled the other promise of the title of the class and wept.
Then after this hour he said, "Okay now we can begin class, you may want to rehydrate...."
Then we left the "warm up" for the detox flow... lots of twisting and lunging.
The class whipped me. Broke me down, brought me to places that I was able to learn things about myself that are usually deeply buried. It was an experience not to be missed. Being broken down, until all the walls fall, and you are naked and ready. To go through the door.
Anyway, the only problem is, I'm now having trouble finding anything that compares :) All other classes, even the ones that seemed challenging, seem like they are happening in slow motion. My thirst for deepening my practice is unquenchable. And that's fun.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Okay, I know this sounds silly...
but I got a buzz from the produce department. Hmmm....
Okay, so here's the story. My husband and I decided to stop on the way home and pick up ingredients to make a fresh/healthier pizza. We walked into Central Market and got pizza dough, skim mozzarella, wine, and then made our way over to the produce department. I was super exhausted, as usual, from another rough week at the lab. When we walked into the produce department, I immediately started to feel better. And not just better, but great, high even! And I wanted to touch, smell, be with all the produce. Sounds really weird, I know, but the prana coming off all those fruits and veggies gave me a huge pick me up. I felt soooo good! Either that, or they pump drugs through the vents ;)
On Saturday we got to spend some quality time with a couple of close friends, Jesse and Meg. It was so good to see them. We had a long leisurely lunch, and caught up. We hadn't seen them in forever! I hope it isn't as long before the next time :)
Okay, so here's the story. My husband and I decided to stop on the way home and pick up ingredients to make a fresh/healthier pizza. We walked into Central Market and got pizza dough, skim mozzarella, wine, and then made our way over to the produce department. I was super exhausted, as usual, from another rough week at the lab. When we walked into the produce department, I immediately started to feel better. And not just better, but great, high even! And I wanted to touch, smell, be with all the produce. Sounds really weird, I know, but the prana coming off all those fruits and veggies gave me a huge pick me up. I felt soooo good! Either that, or they pump drugs through the vents ;)
On Saturday we got to spend some quality time with a couple of close friends, Jesse and Meg. It was so good to see them. We had a long leisurely lunch, and caught up. We hadn't seen them in forever! I hope it isn't as long before the next time :)
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Conversation
I was chatting with a friend this weekend about the sometimes paradox of teaching yoga classes. It is obvious the students want to "get something out of the class" and "progress". I know most do, I do too as a student. Ironically, the thing to "get" is that you don't need to "progress" or "get anything"....and how to give a good class, where people want to return and yet emphasize that they are already all they need to be and so much more, is beyond me!
Anyway teaching is still blowing my mind on a regular basis. Loving it.
Anyway teaching is still blowing my mind on a regular basis. Loving it.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Fun with Yoga
I've put all my eggs in one basket. After next Sunday I will only be teaching at the downtown studio. The multi-location larger than life studio chain is not working out, too many teachers, too few classes, so I gave up my only class (Hatha) I was teaching with them. The energy of the smaller studio is so much more my speed.
So now I'm teaching the one mysore and two led primaries. The mysore class is SLOW going, in terms of getting people to show up. Most students at this studio don't know what it is, and are intimidated by the idea of a silent practice. I can totally relate, it took me over a year to get up the guts to go, and my first class was terrifying. I think that was mostly the teacher, who didn't welcome me or help me even though I said it was my first mysore class, but anyway. So, I print out cheat sheets of the whole primary series, and I encourage people in my led classes to try it, saying I can work with them one-on-one, but maybe that's scary too?
I'm practicing both Ashtanga and Anusara regularly. LOVING the anusara classes. Handstand, headstand, and forearm stand in one class, Yes Please!:) Also the heart openers are so good too, I'm hoping my backbend will open up soon. I do feel some shifitng, like more fascia pulling across the length of my stomach from hips to ribs in Urdhva D, soreness across my chest from spreading my collarbones, and strength and soreness in the back muscles. Plus the variety in the sequencing is really fun.
My day job at the lab is really crazy right now, too. Experiments on top of experiments, I'm drowning in work. So this makes me finding time to practice more difficult but all the more necessary. I've decided that I will practice every other day, at least, and that there is no room for negotiation!
Hope you are all having a nice week :)
So now I'm teaching the one mysore and two led primaries. The mysore class is SLOW going, in terms of getting people to show up. Most students at this studio don't know what it is, and are intimidated by the idea of a silent practice. I can totally relate, it took me over a year to get up the guts to go, and my first class was terrifying. I think that was mostly the teacher, who didn't welcome me or help me even though I said it was my first mysore class, but anyway. So, I print out cheat sheets of the whole primary series, and I encourage people in my led classes to try it, saying I can work with them one-on-one, but maybe that's scary too?
I'm practicing both Ashtanga and Anusara regularly. LOVING the anusara classes. Handstand, headstand, and forearm stand in one class, Yes Please!:) Also the heart openers are so good too, I'm hoping my backbend will open up soon. I do feel some shifitng, like more fascia pulling across the length of my stomach from hips to ribs in Urdhva D, soreness across my chest from spreading my collarbones, and strength and soreness in the back muscles. Plus the variety in the sequencing is really fun.
My day job at the lab is really crazy right now, too. Experiments on top of experiments, I'm drowning in work. So this makes me finding time to practice more difficult but all the more necessary. I've decided that I will practice every other day, at least, and that there is no room for negotiation!
Hope you are all having a nice week :)
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Can't.....give.....in.....
To the 100 post curse. I have to push on :)
It has been over 100 degrees here for a long time. Summer in Texas is intense! The thing is, I feel calmer than I have in a while, and I wonder if the heat is burning up my anxiety and unrest. I'm not really doing anything else differently.
Teaching has been taking off. I'm teaching four classes a week now. One mysore, two led, one hatha. Whew! I love it. I feel busy but energized. The best part is, there is a class before or after every class that I teach that I like to take. So it keeps me practicing at least three times a week or so.
I'm really loving teaching that hatha class. It wasn't that long ago that I posted here about my worries with teaching that class. Interestingly, teaching hatha opened up my personal practice. I'm now practicing Ashtanga and Anusara regularly. I have to say they complement one another very nicely! I'm even enjoying writing sequences for my hatha class, the part I dreaded most at the start. Every so often I'll find myself teaching led Ashtanga, and wanting to throw in my own stuff....I resist, but having that urge at all is pretty funny to me :)
Alright, more soon, Thanks Alfia for pushing me along :)
It has been over 100 degrees here for a long time. Summer in Texas is intense! The thing is, I feel calmer than I have in a while, and I wonder if the heat is burning up my anxiety and unrest. I'm not really doing anything else differently.
Teaching has been taking off. I'm teaching four classes a week now. One mysore, two led, one hatha. Whew! I love it. I feel busy but energized. The best part is, there is a class before or after every class that I teach that I like to take. So it keeps me practicing at least three times a week or so.
I'm really loving teaching that hatha class. It wasn't that long ago that I posted here about my worries with teaching that class. Interestingly, teaching hatha opened up my personal practice. I'm now practicing Ashtanga and Anusara regularly. I have to say they complement one another very nicely! I'm even enjoying writing sequences for my hatha class, the part I dreaded most at the start. Every so often I'll find myself teaching led Ashtanga, and wanting to throw in my own stuff....I resist, but having that urge at all is pretty funny to me :)
Alright, more soon, Thanks Alfia for pushing me along :)
Thursday, July 24, 2008
100 Post Curse? - Momentarily Offline
I noticed that my last post to this blog was my 100th post! :)
And then I totally lost all steam to keep posting. I think because I've been working full time at the lab, teaching 5 classes a week, and trying to squeeze in practice and life in between.
As a result, chances are good that I won't post too often until things slow down.
And then I totally lost all steam to keep posting. I think because I've been working full time at the lab, teaching 5 classes a week, and trying to squeeze in practice and life in between.
As a result, chances are good that I won't post too often until things slow down.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Washington DC at last
I was fortunate enough to travel to Washington DC for a conference this past week. The conference is called RSA or "Research Society on Alcoholism".
It is my favorite yearly conference because this is the one that is solely focused on alcohol research. All the talks and presentations apply directly to my research in some way. It is very different from the larger conferences where there are only a few talks that seem interesting. Everyone reunites once a year, and it is like seeing family. And it is inspiring to see how many people share the common goal of researching about alcohol. I presented some data, too, and that seemed to go over well. :)
I hadn't been to DC since I was 7 or 8 years old, so I didn't remember very much about the city. I fell in love with it over this week. We stayed downtown, so we could walk to a lot of fun sights, restaurants, and shops, and the metro got us anywhere else we needed to go. I've never lived in a city that had such good public transportation, and now that I know how great it is, that will be a factor in the next place I move.
There wasn't time for much else besides the conference, but I was able to squeeze in an afternoon with Alfia! It was great to finally meet her. She was kind enough to show me around the lab at the NIH and then took me to Great Falls state park. (Which is absolutely beautiful, I highly recommend it, apparently really good for rock climbing, too). Aflia is such a lovely person with a huge heart. She teaches free classes at the NIH for her co-workers! Even though we had only met this one time, she took the afternoon off to show me around. We spent time talking about science and yoga, and she showed me some nifty tricks to open up the hips for Supta Kurmasana. :) Can't wait til the next neuroscience conference in DC this november!
Next time I am in DC I am going to make it a goal to go to "Georgetown Yoga" and "Ashtanga Yoga Center". And I'm sure I'll write about it here.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Yucky! Fun! and Turtles!
I was sooo sick for the past few days! Some kind of flu or bug or something.
I haven't been sick like that since I was a kid! So glad it is over.
I'm traveling to DC on Thursday for a conference. I'm hoping to meet up with Alfia for yoga and science! Ooooh, fun!
So, this question is pretty played out, but I'm still struggling with Supta Kurmasana feeling in any way comfortable...For those of you who had to work at it, and open up the body to get into this pose...Any tips on what to do to open up the body. Should I hang out while watching TV each night holding my leg behind my head one at a time? Should I dislocate my hips? JK ;)
I haven't been sick like that since I was a kid! So glad it is over.
I'm traveling to DC on Thursday for a conference. I'm hoping to meet up with Alfia for yoga and science! Ooooh, fun!
So, this question is pretty played out, but I'm still struggling with Supta Kurmasana feeling in any way comfortable...For those of you who had to work at it, and open up the body to get into this pose...Any tips on what to do to open up the body. Should I hang out while watching TV each night holding my leg behind my head one at a time? Should I dislocate my hips? JK ;)
Friday, June 13, 2008
Anusarashtangi
Huh.
I went to my second Anusara class ever tonight. The first one was almost two years ago, and I hated it. All the details, all the concern over alignment, etc.
Well I went to my second one tonight, and I don't know if it was the atmosphere or the teacher or me being ready to receive it, but I freaking loved it. LOVED IT.
I even had my first emotional release during savasana. Small bubbles of sadness breaking the surface. I feel like I unloaded some baggage, and I can only figure that all that heart opening was good for me. I must hold my vulnerability and anxiety in my chest. I am working on mobility in my upper back and chest lately because I find that area to be very inflexible. I think Anusara may be a perfect complement to my Ashtanga practice :) Hurray!
I also think it was fun to practice poses that I usually don't. At one point the teacher was like, "Okay everyone take a partner, and work on Pincha Mayurasana". I was grinning from ear to ear. Like I was being naughty.
I have a feeling there is more Anusara in my future :)
I went to my second Anusara class ever tonight. The first one was almost two years ago, and I hated it. All the details, all the concern over alignment, etc.
Well I went to my second one tonight, and I don't know if it was the atmosphere or the teacher or me being ready to receive it, but I freaking loved it. LOVED IT.
I even had my first emotional release during savasana. Small bubbles of sadness breaking the surface. I feel like I unloaded some baggage, and I can only figure that all that heart opening was good for me. I must hold my vulnerability and anxiety in my chest. I am working on mobility in my upper back and chest lately because I find that area to be very inflexible. I think Anusara may be a perfect complement to my Ashtanga practice :) Hurray!
I also think it was fun to practice poses that I usually don't. At one point the teacher was like, "Okay everyone take a partner, and work on Pincha Mayurasana". I was grinning from ear to ear. Like I was being naughty.
I have a feeling there is more Anusara in my future :)
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Chitta Vritti Meme
At the request of my dear Alfia, I have posted the following, my first meme! :)
The rules:
1. Post the rules of the game at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read the player’s blog.
4. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.
What were you doing five years ago?
Working as a lab manager at Duke University in Durham NC, preparing to move to Austin, TX for my PhD
What are five things on your to-do list for today?
Dishes
Groceries
Practice
Go to Lab
Doggy Play Date
What are five snacks you enjoy?
Dried cranberries
Nuts
Edamame
Baked Lays
Oranges
What are five things you would do if you were a billionaire?
Buy a house and car (let's get the selfishness out of the way)
Open a holistic wellness center
Travel A LOT
Support Research in various fields
Donate to a different charity every day
What are five of your bad habits?
Procrastination
Too much TV
Eating too much
Celebrity Gossip Blogs
Sleeping too much
What are five places where you have lived?
Florida
Wisconsin
North Carolina
South Carolina
Texas
What are five jobs you’ve had?
Projectionist at a movie theater
RA in college
Data Manager at a CRO
Salesperson at an Art Gallery
Research Scientist
These are the five people I tag:
I'm kinda late in the game, so I didn't tag anyone :) Am I bad ? ;)
The rules:
1. Post the rules of the game at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read the player’s blog.
4. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.
What were you doing five years ago?
Working as a lab manager at Duke University in Durham NC, preparing to move to Austin, TX for my PhD
What are five things on your to-do list for today?
Dishes
Groceries
Practice
Go to Lab
Doggy Play Date
What are five snacks you enjoy?
Dried cranberries
Nuts
Edamame
Baked Lays
Oranges
What are five things you would do if you were a billionaire?
Buy a house and car (let's get the selfishness out of the way)
Open a holistic wellness center
Travel A LOT
Support Research in various fields
Donate to a different charity every day
What are five of your bad habits?
Procrastination
Too much TV
Eating too much
Celebrity Gossip Blogs
Sleeping too much
What are five places where you have lived?
Florida
Wisconsin
North Carolina
South Carolina
Texas
What are five jobs you’ve had?
Projectionist at a movie theater
RA in college
Data Manager at a CRO
Salesperson at an Art Gallery
Research Scientist
These are the five people I tag:
I'm kinda late in the game, so I didn't tag anyone :) Am I bad ? ;)
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Safety First
I went to a wonderful Ashtanga workshop this weekend. It was called "Modifications and Injury Prevention". Sounds sexy huh? No seriously it was a really good workshop. We talked a lot about the relationship between the neck and low back, the low ribs and the low back, and ways to keep wrists, knees, low back, neck, and shoulders safe.
The main points that I took away are:
-If you want to open the upper back during backbending, and keep your low back from bearing the brunt, you can visualize tucking the low ribs back, drawing them towards the back, while lifting the sternum. Sounds impossible, but I felt an opening across the front of the chest that I hadn't before.
-If you have low back problems, keep the head an extension of the spine. For example, when folding forward during surya namaskara, the head stays exactly as it is when standing in tadasana. Instead of crunching the back of the neck and looking forward as you fold, which creates a deeper, more unsafe curve in the low back, keep the neck long, keep reaching through the crown of the head in a straight line with the spine at all times.
-In cataranga, make sure most of the work stays in the upper back instead of the front and tops of the shoulders by concentrating on gluing the shoulder blades to your back and drawing them down your back. I was sore sore in my serratus anterior muscles (just below the shoulder blades) from my cataranga. This small change is much safer for the shoulders and wrists.
It is going to take a while for all of these changes to become naturally assimilated into my practice. But it was really fun to be so present and active in the practice, instead of going through the motions, much more work, but much more fun!
The main points that I took away are:
-If you want to open the upper back during backbending, and keep your low back from bearing the brunt, you can visualize tucking the low ribs back, drawing them towards the back, while lifting the sternum. Sounds impossible, but I felt an opening across the front of the chest that I hadn't before.
-If you have low back problems, keep the head an extension of the spine. For example, when folding forward during surya namaskara, the head stays exactly as it is when standing in tadasana. Instead of crunching the back of the neck and looking forward as you fold, which creates a deeper, more unsafe curve in the low back, keep the neck long, keep reaching through the crown of the head in a straight line with the spine at all times.
-In cataranga, make sure most of the work stays in the upper back instead of the front and tops of the shoulders by concentrating on gluing the shoulder blades to your back and drawing them down your back. I was sore sore in my serratus anterior muscles (just below the shoulder blades) from my cataranga. This small change is much safer for the shoulders and wrists.
It is going to take a while for all of these changes to become naturally assimilated into my practice. But it was really fun to be so present and active in the practice, instead of going through the motions, much more work, but much more fun!
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