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.