I am ready to be done with this sequence. Not because I have mastered all the poses (far from it!) I just feel ready to move on. The first time I did this sequence I was surprised by what I could do. Now I feel like I have plateaued.
I noticed how quick I was to get into Headstand and Shoulderstand variations rather than staying in the original poses. So instead of rushing into the variations I slowed down and tried to get good old fashioned Headstand down and Shoulderstand and stay in them a long time. Of course that made a difference in the variations. They were more stable as a result.
My favorite poses this time were Shoulderstand, Savasana and Siddhana with Ujjayi Pranayama. They were so soothing and calming. I was able to let go quickly in them and not be in the poses with some tension lingering. In Yoga Anatomy, Leslie Kaminoff says that Savasana gives us an opportunity to experience a deep state of conscious relaxation which is very different from sleep. We can be fully aware of the breath without altering it. He says this is the most difficult breathing exercise of all and that "the juxtaposition of active awareness and surrender to the breath's natural movements makes possible the powerful realization that true surrender is an act of will."
I only had an hour and 10 minutes for today's practice. I was a little resentful of that time constraint. Even so, I feel steady and calm after today's practice.
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