Week 30 - Ariana

I wasn't planning on doing the week 30 sequence today. I was just going to do my own thing. I started off with handstand practice (an obstacle of a pose for me), then 10 minute Headstand, and Shoulderstand. Next thing I know I am doing the Shoulderstand variations from the sequence (completely in the wrong order). I figured I might as well do the whole sequence.

I thought of the Shoulderstand variations as replacements for the standing postures I had been doing the last two weeks. So I was working the legs a lot as if they were weight bearing.

It has been on the chilly side the last few days and this tightens my muscles. No binding in Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana. I used a strap around the foot of the extended leg to fold forward.

For all the Lotus and Half Lotus positions I was having trouble grounding down again in the left sit bone. My weight always shifts to the right- in all the seated poses not just Lotus. To counter this I propped my outer right hip up a tiny bit with a blanket so that left sit-bone could make more contact with the floor. This relieved discomfort in the outer left knee immediately.

For some bizarre reason I was able to do Lotus on the side that I usually cannot-with my left leg over the right. I didn't do it on my usual side. I stopped as soon as I felt anything in my left knee and did Half Lotus instead. Bizarro day. I snuck in some Baddhakonasana preps for Lotus that Jenny and I learned at a Rodney Yee workshop last year. Maybe that had something to do with it.

I am still loving how different the Virasana, Supta Virasana and Paryankasana poses are for me. I was looking forward to that trio the whole time. They feel good now. The quadriceps and abdominal muscles have learned to release and I can actually relax in these postures. I have found space in them where before there was none.

By the time I got to Salabhasana I was tired. From that point on I exerted minimal effort and focus. I lost my zeal. I am pretty sure that I rolled my eyes when I got up for Utkatasana and Garudasana.

I reread the directions for the Ujjayi AntarKumbakha. I am still not clear on how to apply the MulaBandha but I will read about that some more too.

Haven't decided if I will stay with this sequence or just keep going. I read a little about the next course and I am intrigued because Mr. I describes it as a short (yeah right) 3-day course which whenever followed will benefit the body and bring harmony to the mind.

How can I resist that?