Good morning Mongolia

And Kuwait, Algeria, Chad, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and a few other places that you wouldn’t normally think of as Ashtanga strongholds. I was quite surprised at some of the countries from where people read this blog, most of you are in the top 3 of USA, UK or india which is no surprise, but If you are practising in the Genghis Khan Shala in downtown Ulan Bator or reading and lurking in some of these other more remote Ashtanga backwaters make a comment and say hi.

I’ve tentatively started to do some practice again, mixing in the physiotherapy exercises as I go, even getting my hands two inches off my back in Prasarita C! The hardest part is warming up, I can’t do Surya’s or stretch in downward dog. I can do most of seated up to the Mari’s, but am still a while away from my left arm circumnavigating my left knee. I still have to miss out the fun stuff Bhuja , Kurmasana and Supta K. Baddha Konasana is back, but I need a squishing now to get the nose back on the mat. AYL soon I reckon. For closing I’ve taken to squatting in place of Pasasana, doing some Kino lunges then Salabhasana which is back to being what it was Pre fracture, then Ustrasana and Laghu Vajrasana to try and get some of the connections back, before some cross arm hanging, but need Louise to get me any further. But at least it’s something.

Thanks Rachel for the photo

A few years ago I went to practice with Dawn at Insabina, a lovely spot in the hills near Rome. There was a beautiful, friendly albino Cat there called Fuzzo who seemed to instinctively know who were the cat lovers, he followed me around, spent hours on my lap and even came into class. I would have loved to take him home. Well today i found out Fuzzo is still there, still going in to the classes and still seeking out the cat loving yogis who go there. As you can see he has mastered Savasana!