Its been a fun weekend, yoga at TLC with Michaela on Saturday morning, only 3 people there for some reason, but a nice practice up in the Loft looking out over the chimney pots of Notting Hill through the steamy windows. My knee is better, but still not up for Mari D. I seemed to get to closing in a seemless, quiet flow, I suddenly thought “Oh backbends, they have come round quick“, after Urdva Dhanurasana I stood up to start my dropback experiments. My back felt quite bendy and open, so I went and got one of the little pillows to use as a safety net, Michaela was laughing and asked what I was intending to do with the pillow, I just carried on, placed the pillow where my head may land, inhaled up and began to bend back and just about got my arms straight and hands in place as my head grazed the little pillow, landing my dropback for the first time in a Shala (sorry it wasn’t YP), Michaela had watched, probably expecting to have to come running to the rescue, then she said “That was great, you can do it!”. So I did a couple more to prove it wasn’t a fluke.
I was buzzing after practice, almost elation, that feeling of knowing it was a good one. I went to Tesco to buy some water and was served by a lady with a name badge, would you believe her name was actually “Happy”, I asked her if it was just an advert or if it was her name, she confirmed she was indeed both Happy by name and by nature.
The afternoon was spent running the travel club, over 140 people turned up. That wasn’t the end of the day though, later I met up with AC and Susan from the Shala, we had a lovely meal in a Turkish restaurant, time to chat and relax, we should do it more often.
A late night and then an early morning train back to the city to practice at YP. Though thanks to Susan last night presenting me with a little Ginseng energy ball to munch on the train and some orange juice, I was less depleted than of late.
Practice was fun today, Oscar is mobile, a 10 month old brings something different to a yoga room, he’s a happy little kid who makes me laugh, doing backbends in his carry pouch while his Mon adjusts or trying to grab great lumps of her hair! Though I have this theory that his first words won’t be Mom or Dad it will be “Drishte”
A different practice today, Cary is much more exacting, I find I am more focussed, my mind wanders less, though by the middle of seated I was getting tired. Again I had to modify Marichyasana D, my right knee still wont play ball, but at least I don’t mind now, Mari D is no longer the be all and end all of my practice. Brilliant Supta K today, with Cary’s assistance and instruction, feet crossed, lifted up, then she took me out via the proper Titibhasana, Bakasana, surprised I had the energy left by then.
Practice was tiring today, a busy weekend and 2 practices take a toll, Urdva Dhanurasana was ok, I stood up to go to the wall for dropback, but there was no room, so I stayed put and grabbed a blanket and started to play around bending back until I felt safe to start going further. After a couple of abortive attempts where the weight went the wrong way I managed to land my first dropback at YP, on the next mat Susan gave me a smile, alas Cary missed it! I did 3 more, then went into Paschimottanasana. By the time Cary came over I had done Sirsasana, she said “We didn’t do dropbacks yet!”, You should have seen the look on her face when I told her I had done it on my own, Susan confirming it to her, after a high 5, she said “you better come next week, you’re gonna stand up”, I told her that could take a couple of years!
So its Sunday evening, I am tired, but I still have some of that elation inside.