Week 17 - Jenny

Much different than last week.  I moved through the poses in quick, steady succession, melding them together the way Iyengar meant them to be (or at least I think so).  This past week I've been adding some of the new poses to my daily practice.  I find that it helps when I do the practice the following week.  It also helps me memorize the sequence so that I can keep flowing rather than stopping to look in the book.

Again, I felt such clarity after the practice.  I can clearly see where I need work from a physical perspective.  But also my mind is clear.  My body has moved through strengthening and lengthening standing poses, flexed through seated poses, and chugged through challenging holds.  I was upside down for a good portion of the practice, so I'm grounded and clear and I've looked at things from a different perspective.  I am an ujayii breath - victorious, flowing and open.  And there's that feeling again - everything's going to be okay.

I'm really starting to fly in these sequences.  Just this week, my top hand found my bottom one in Gate Pose (Parighasana).  The more intense Janu Sirsasana that was recently added to the sequence has created that extra stretch in the lower side back that allows for the deeper Parighasana.  I never practiced Janu Sirsasana with the bent leg pulled way back beyond 90 degrees to the straight leg.  It requires much more length in the lower side back (depending on what side I'm on) - and it's this length that brought me into Parighasana.  It feels great to be able to do a pose that was so beyond me only a few weeks ago.  That's an interesting thought on practice - the more intense pose that I cannot complete creates an opening that allows me into a less intense pose.  Without working Janu Sirsasana, would I ever have found this Parighasana?  Probably, but it would take longer.  And sometimes that's the path I need to take to prevent injury.  But with that awareness I tried out Janu Sirsasana.  And I didn't hurt myself.  And it allowed me into Parighasana.  And I like it.

To victory . . .