Open Sesame

Back to the mat today. Took three, yes that is three whole weeks, 21 days of no yoga. No yoga and no running. My life was in shambles. Stumbling over decisions, emotions in flux. Got the A-OK to run again recently. Then got back to the mat. Finally an end to the misery and self pity party. If you are the type of person who is always go go go- dedication and devotion 24/7- sometimes any small reason to sit on your ass and you go crazy it's kinda awesome: then starts the pity party- then you have to drag yourself out- and that sucks. Yesterday was step one: nice run with a friend. Today was ashtanga... and the soreness.

Well today's practice was good and bad. Started out as YES- I heart Surya Namaskar! Then the vinyasa trudge. And suddenly I was practicing Janusirsanana C! Hell-O, nice to meet you, my name is Amelia, come here often? Yep, foot was on the mat, I was folding and knee was on the ground... what what!! Apparently that is was happens when you take 3 weeks off, hips open up, arms and core sore.

Ujjayi Sound Off

Days 6 and 7 of the training flew by- some did more flying than others- my brief moments of jump back bliss where few and far between. I did however practice with a dude who basically held my weight for a jump through- allowing me to jump through from Adho Mukha Svanasana to seated with straight legs. Never before has that happened in this little yogini's practice.

Saturday I practiced as David led and my practice partner adjusted me. The energy and breath were amazing. It was magic practice. David is a slow and steady counter- I expected him to be a slow counter- but one can never realize how slow is slow until you are holding your ass up in Uthpluthi for t---e---n breaths. Then the glorious words of "one last vinyasa to freedom!" Then inhale: exhale: inhale: exhale: inhale and exhale svanasana.

I then led a full primary to my practice partner- yep speaking, counting and adjusting. It didn't totally suck.

I was super hungry after that- having had a small breakfast- of course I had just that morning discovered August First an adorable bakery/cafe that serves fresh handmade muffins, brownies, scones, breads, etc. and coffee. Of course I didn't eat anything from there because I had to practice early and I like to be as light as possible (you know every little thing to achieve lift-off or an 'up' action!). The breakfast sandwiches looked and smelled amazing; by all the ooohhhing and aaahhhing coming from Angelika and Anne Marie I would say that they were great. It's okay: I went for lunch and got a curry tofu sandwich on baguette-- and a triple chocolate brownie.

The afternoon session was all Q &A with David and Shelley. The best. David is a great storyteller- his stories are best when not being told to you during navasana.... And apparently the mythical mystical Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth (Advanced A [3 and 4] and Advanced B [5 and6]) are in movie existence, featuring one David Swenson. Anyone up for a YouTube viewing party??!!

Saturday evening was kirtan session and party at the studio. It was also the time I slipped in the shower and hurt my psoas and back. Awesome.

Sad face = Sunday.

I adjusted my practice partner while David led and then I practiced as my partner taught. I started my practice going full force all out. Despite the foot fracture and twinged psoas and back. Because I am an ashtangi and a marathoner and I do everything I do with 200% effort and energy. Then David's words slowly and actually sunk in. Do your practice- despite what it looks like- get to the mat- it's that simple. From then I stopped reaching for jump-through-back, stopped going for the super tight lotus, just breathing. It was very freeing.

David was great throughout the week- he and Shelley knew my troubled relationship with Sirsasana A, and they helped me with it each time. I can't say that I am a master of headstand- but I do feel much more confident. And the fact that Shelley and David had complete faith in my ability- I think rubbed off.

And then it was over.

Vermont: Where Even the Port-A-Potties Are Nice

Friday! That means days 1-5 have blown by. The last day I got a full Ashtanga practice in was Wednesday's Primary/Intermediate practice- but my energy and body would most likely fall off my bones if I kept up my personal practice as we have advanced through the complete Primary Series minus Setu Bandasana. Today we each practiced and taught Primary through navasana and then finishing sequence.

It is very hard to not teach from the mat. I often times find myself having to hold back on comments and corrections. Mistakes are okay.

We also went over chanting- I apparently have A) been saying the Sanskrit wrong and B) it is okay as long as you are saying it from the heart and with integrity. Also call and response will be initiated! Look out Mysore class- changes are a coming.

Got some awesome one-on-one help from David for my bound headstand. My problems are all in my head.....(haha) So basically I am all good in the foundation, the strength and the flexibility and control to do it- I just think I can't. But I found about 10 solid breaths of balance in headstand. When I asked about my back and if a banana was there- he said not to worry about it for now- get up there find balance and then work from there on aesthetics.

Rewind to Thursday-

Let's see highlights included seeing Broms, a friend from college, playing stump, drinking home brews (hard cider, grapefruit beer and orange cardamom beer), eating grilled pizza and having a delicious dinner with Angelika at the Skinny Pancake a creperie in town.

Angelika and I also attempted to see a free concert in the park but ended up doing yoga poses on a rock wall above Lake Champlain. Yes, I have pictures- I don't not have my camera cord though.

Playing catch-up of days two and three.

Day two we learned all of standing series. I had started my day off with a quickie jog and then went to Mysore at Yoga Vermont where Scott (Kathy's husband and studio co-owner) was assisting. He gave some great assists that weren't so much cranking and pushing and pulling your body but very gentle yet effective alterations of posture or muscle engagement or ways of thinking about how to access a posture. Having just gone to Led Primary the night before my body was fairly practiced and tired. I flew through my practice though- only took me an hour and 45 instead of my usual 2 hours. By the time I got to the training I was tired and slightly sore.

I had taken a workshop with David in DC in March and it was all about alignment and energetics. We did learn some adjustments but in the brief 3 hours there wasn't enough time to learn them all or go over them. The adjustments that David teaches are different then the ones I know from my teacher training- but just adding to my teaching tool box. And I now can say that I know the breath count for the wide leg forward folds. His way of teaching the adjustments is great, funny and a little intimidating. Intimidating that if you have a question about the adjustment you come up and practice the assist on him. Shelley tells you that he [David] won't let you hurt him by giving him a bad adjustment- but it is still pretty intimidating going up to adjust David Swenson. It is also great when he demos a pose as the "typical" yoga student because he makes these egregious mistakes that you as a teacher do see all the time but the juxtaposition of seeing David Swenson doing a pose "wrong" is hilarious.

I am also developing my voice for leading Primary Series- since I teach Mysore I don't really have to say much just adjust, a lot.

So fast-forward to dinner on Tuesday. It is hopping in downtown Burlington. A small group of us tried to go out to eat at 8- there were waits for everyplace. We did finally settle on a place, nothing to memorable but not terrible.

Day Three

We learned to fly. Yep jump backs and jump throughs. Still can't quite do them but apparently they are completely optional and not all required to move on in the series. We did clarify what was needed to move on: binding in Marichiasana D, binding hands and feet in Supta Kurmasana and on your third Urdhva Dhanurasana you need to be able to walk-up and drop back once. Boom you get Pasasana- don't know if that is much of a prize.

My problem with jump backs seems to be my tight hips- kicking my butt with my own foot while sitting is a bit of challenge- and that means I have tight hips.

We then moved into finishing sequence and talked about the strict rules of mat placement for a Mysore class.

After the day I took Primary/Intermediate with Kathy- it was sort of half Primary and half Intermediate Series. I got stuck in Lag and Kapotasana- again. But I did get some great fore-arm balance help and tips from Kathy.

My butt did not do a whole lot of flying in class. Just a lot of sitting.

Homemade fish tacos for dinner with the family. Home fixins' of guac and mango salsa as well as an Asian carrot and cabbage slaw. Oh yeah and homemade mead.

Yoga Vacation bliss

For my vacation I am spending a week in Burlington, VT taking a 40-hour Ashtanga Teacher Training with David Swenson and Shelley Washington. Angelika from Charm City Yoga is here as well. I am happy to report back that we both survived Day One.

We drove up on Sunday- and made great time 8 hour drive- from Baltimore to Burlington. We checked in to the Burlington Hostel and then walked around town. Whenever I am in Burlington I always want to move here! It has a great waterfront on Lake Champlain with a bicycling and running trail and the town itself is very walkable. With an outdoor pedestrian town center and it seems that all business are committed to a farm to fork method.

We ate at American Flatbread for lunch/dinner (I enjoyed the London Calling IPA) and then met cousin Lisa at Farmhouse drinks and dinner number 2. MMMMM Original Sin Hard Cider and french fries, mussels, and dilly beans.

For the first day we did 43 sun salutations- I had flashbacks of the first day of 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training with Kim. We then had a discussion about assisting followed by a lunch break. I of course hit up Stone Soup. After lunch we jumped right into practice assists: Surya Namaskar A and B, Padangustana, Padahastasana, Trikonasana (Uttihita and Parsaritta) and the Parsvakonasanas.

I then took Led Primary with Kathy and owner/teacher of Yoga Vermont. I highly recommend taking a class with her if you are in the Burlington area. I GOT MY ASS OFF THE MAT IN THE FANCY VINYASA (you know the one where your leg is over your shoulder....) yep jumped through! Her led classes are peppered with humor and great insight to accessing poses and modifications.

Alright 9:13 so off to bed as I have Mysore at 6AM tomorrow!

I will also take pictures the rest of the week.

The Yoga is Always Better on the Other Side

My flexibility will not get me a job with Cirque Du Soleil, I am one of the "strong" practicinioners. According to Richard Freeman I am one of the lucky ones in yoga- as when I reach for my toes in Paschimottanasana I keep a slight bend in the knees to keep the screams at bay from my strong and knotted hamstrings- and every time it is a gamble to see if the toes or the outside of the feet will be reached. Chin to shin, maybe in the next life.

And so I have accepted this as my fate- always being able to find an edge, slowly opening and lengthening muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints. I generally take a lookey loo around the studio and stare at the students folded flat like a pancake with the teacher giving them a nice assist. Then take a gander at my toes and sigh as I see if I can just get a touch flatter with belly to thighs.

Ask me to do an arm balance- you betcha I can whip them out. Backward vinyasa- not a problem. Handstand push-ups- give me six months. Janusirsasana- no thank you.

And so I tend to dread most of Primary Series- perhaps not dread, but I know that santosha is well tested during seated series. In a recent Hot class we were working with straps and began doing IT Band stretches- being a runner I half expected to get my leg mid-air before I felt the twinges of my many miles logged. And yet I found my leg folded over my body on the floor and nothing. nada. zilch. Where was my stretch?! We then moved into Double Pigeon- hoping that maybe this will result in a nice stretch- again nothing. I was so very looking forward to that "Ahhhh" moment. I was freaking robbed!

And suddenly I was one of those flexible people. The people I always wanted to be. It was over rated. I wanted to go back to the group of non-stretchy folk. And with this knowledge I still always raise my hand when the teacher asks if anyone isn't feeling a stretch in the ITB. Always hoping that they can magically push me into a stretch.

Non-attachment. Finding the quiet in every pose. Finding the stretch and the strength in every pose.

The Six Days of Ashtanga Part Deux

So after three blissful and challenging days of practicing primary series (and one day of intermediate series) I hit a road block. Whether this block be real or imaginary will not be known- but I am ready to try again. Sure I was coming down with a head cold, work stress had reached a new all time high, the holiday frenzy was upon me, it was first but not last attempt at the proper practice oh Ashtanga.... but those are all excuses.

But it also raises the question of when the practice of अहिंसा (ahimsa) directly interferes with one's asana practice which one takes trump? How can you ever reach, explore and extend your edge without causing violence to your self? As a long distance runner I live and breathe by 'no pain, no gain.' I try to leave that thought on the road and keep the mat clear of pithy sayings used to justify extreme training but sometimes I find them joining me when I am learning new postures or trying for the bind, holding a posture that extra breath.