Sunday mysore & secret yoga led shopping

Well this morning didn’t quite go to plan, yet again let down by the UK’s truly abysmal rail system, I wont use the word service, because it isn’t one, very disappointed to not be able to practice with my teacher at my Shala, after getting into the city 25 minutes late, so had to divert to AYL and the lovely duo of Louise and Ruth. Pleased to find the spot by the radiator was free, I love to be really warm when I practice, it brings my body out of its shell. Not very busy there today, so a few assists I don’t usually get like Padahastasana and Trikonasana B. Standing just seems to happen these days up to UHP which can vary between balanced and uncontrolled swaying, well side one wasn’t great because of the wall, but side 2 was  fairly stable.

Seated are another matter, talk about not with it, I only realised I was trying to do Marichyasana B with the Mari D bind when the yogini in front of me was having it explained to her by one of the teachers, I hadn’t worked out what was going wrong, doh… but apart from that minor glitch I soon ploughed through to Supta K. I had wriggled myslef into a lovely deep Kurmasana, but knew, especialy as the Shala was so quiet that “help” would soon arrive,  which it duly did as Ruth got me a tighter finger bind and crossed my feet over my head, did result in a nice Dwi Pada exit 🙂 Despite being next to the radiator I realised I wasn’t that hot, my shirt wasn’t saturated as is the norm in there, though by the time I got to Navasana the place was half empty.

I snook in some Urdva Dhanurasana against the wall before doing my free standing ones, the normal ones always feel stronger and more grounded by doing that. One of the reasons I am desperate to get back to my Shala is because of my dropbacks, YP have toys in the shape of blocks and Bolsters and I wanted to try my standups from the bolsters with the hope of going down another inch onto blocks, but alas AYL doesn’t have a toy cupboard so I had to do proper dropbacks to the floor, which were ok, then got some nice help and advice from Ruth. The Shala was so quiet I didn’t bother upping sticks to the “Finishing Room”, I just went through closing and Savasana where I was.

So at least I got my practice, the most precious few hours of my week which wont be interupted by work, phones, e-mail, postmen or Jehova’s witnesses unlike yesterday, its MY time and whatever else happens during the week nothing comes between me and laying my mat down among the yoga community, its not just the physical practice but the mental space I can’t find outside that environment.

Yogi breakfast after, at the now earlier opening Gallery Cafe in BG, a decent pot of tea and a giant slice of flapjack and a croissant. On the way I bumped into “my”teacher in the tube, she’s blooming, so at least I have spoken to her, which makes me happy.

Part 2 of the day was a bit of secret yoga shopping. I have been thinking about doing a workshop course for 8 weeks in the new year and wanted to find out what the teacher is like. I have never “auditioned” a teacher before, but the course isn’t cheap plus the cost of going on a weekday evening more than doubles the cost, so I wanted to try them out. It was a led primary, which was interesting to see how my postures would be doing them a second time within 6 hours of the mysore practice. The standing postures were actually more open, but into seated I started to get tired and achy, even so I bound the Mari’s easily and Supta K was a good one. Bhuja exit was a bit scary, I entered OK, chin to floor, but I got completely stuck doing the exit, I couldn’t extricate my arms or go back onto my feet and thought I was going to break my arms trying to escape.

After Supta Padangusthasana I naturally thought it was going to be Ubhya, but no, I looked round and the regulars were doing the first part of Supta Padang but this time holding the foot with both hands and pulling it towards them. I had completely missed the instruction and to be honest if it hadn’t been led primary I think I would of and did miss a lot more of what the teacher said, their accent and soft voice was lost in the large room, I suppose because I knew what was next I wasn’t waiting for the instruction, but even so I missed a lot and this is my point with the course, doing practice or at least sequences in an unfamiliar order I think I would miss more than I heard, so I am even less sure about stumping up the money.

We did do 5 Urdva Dhanurasanas, which was hard after this morning and I got assisted on the 4th and 5th when I was about ready to collapse and then surprisingly for a led class those that wanted were invited to do dropbacks, I was warm and bendy by now, but very tired so did some hangbacks first, before managing a couple, but landing safely was all I could manage.

Conclusion- well I still havn’t come to one.

So that’s my Shala practices done for 2010, next Sunday practice will be in the Sri Lankan sunshine

Nice surprise I made the 30 ashtanga blogs list!