Week 16 - Ariana

Yay deeper backbends like Ustrasana (Camel) and Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog). Ustrasana came before UMS (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) in the sequence!??!

And Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog) makes its first appearance - halfway through the sequence after UMS. Also perplexing because it is not taught in that order in most classes that I have attended.

Chatturanga is also here. He instructs to do it pressing up into it from the floor. But I am so used to doing it on my way down from Plank or UMS. I struggle so much with pressing up into Chatturanga. I always ending coming up in some sort of wave-like fashion rather than all at once.

I was out late last night with friends and felt wobbly in my practice today because of it.
I felt like I needed Sun Salutations but I stayed with the Iyengar sequence.

Today I was focused on opposing actions in the shoulder girdle and the pelvic girdle. Basically one rolls up while the other rolls down. More specifically - rolling my shoulders up and back while simultaneously rolling the tailbone down. I need these actions because I tend to stick my butt out too much and slump my shoulders forward and down. These actions helped me in so many of the poses today: Sirsasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, UMS, Warriors 1, 2, 3, and Urdhva Prasarita Padasana. It was most dramatic while I was in warrior 3. Suddenly I felt anchored and light at the same time. That is probably the goal in all of the poses. I had trouble with the light or buoyant part of my practice today.

I am so used to Shoulder Stand being part of the wind down of my practice that I really did not want to do the abdominal exercises afterward. I wanted to go right into Savasana. But I persevered. I could not focus enough to do the Ujjayi in Siddhasana so I let go of that and just sat quietly for a few minutes.

I am still feeling sluggish but happy I practiced today.