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.
