Skinny and Sweet (There is an exception to every rule & NYC made me skinny)

There are a couple of new women practicing at the shala (doing second series).  One of them is practicing full second plus part of third.  I spied (post practice of course) her pincha and karandavasana and the woman totally had a Manju-as-a-child-pincha-photo banana back.  And she could bind her legs by herself and she could come down and almost come up (you could tell she can come up on days when she is up to it).  And her back was flat--almost even back bending--when she was resting on her arms.  *shrug*  Just goes to show that a)its not about the poses b)its about practice c)it takes patience d)every body is different.

Post-India Notes:

While getting dressed in the shala today I noticed that my big bra (the biggest size post-India) is too big.  India made me fat.  New York made me thin.  Ha ha.

Life/practice notes:

Had the WORST allergies today.  Could barely open my eyes this morning as they were so swollen.  Thought I had pink eye or something.  Yuck.  Felt so ill that I really thought I wouldn't make it to practice.  Low back is bothering too but I think its from adjusting people while I have bad posture.  In back bending I took it easy--just ankles.  (That is so ridiculous.  I am now really praying at the end of eka pada.  "Dear God, thank you for blessing me with legs, legs that work, legs that are able to do this crazy shit.  Thanks!)

Things I like/don't like:

Couldn't get through the first three pages of "Midnight's Children".  I must be a bad person.  Laughed my head off last night at "Nine-to-Five".  Absolutely infatuated with Amy Winehouse.

Spring in New York

Has it officially begun?  Not sure, but I love it!  It is on days like this that walking down the street is a pleasure.  The city is so full of people--and so is the shala.  It has been positively packed lately.  I really like it that way.  Having so many possible distractions helps me focus.  And when I get to poses like pincha mayurasana, it makes me face my fears of falling over onto someone.  (Haven't hit anyone yet, but have scared a few unsuspecting practice neighbors.)  The only drawback for me is that it gets very hot and humid.  Not unbearably so, but enough to make it more challenging for me to breathe.  I have a tendency toward exertional asthma and used to carry an inhaler as a kid.  With the high pollen count this year pre-practice and the humidity in practice, I have quite an opportunity to work on my breathing.

I find that, on days like today, it is helpful because I don't feel 100% and am less apt to get competitive with myself.  Instead, I just tell myself to breathe and focus on bandha and it all just kind of unfolds on its own.  And then I kind of fold into karandavasana!  Well, the first part anyway.  

In the short time that I've been working karandavasana, I feel like I've learned some big lessons.  To come down (for me at least) it is essential that I am able to hollow out my belly first.  This is practically impossible on days like today where I cross on my own and then lose my balance and shift too much toward my elbows (like I'm going to fall on my belly).  I think Guy took this as a cue that I was ready to come down, so I came down, flexed my belly like crazy, and then muscled back up.  I have to have my hips over my head and then inhale.  In this position, I am not gripping my belly like death and am able to hollow it out on the exhale and then fold down into the pose.  This part is tricky.  If (when I hollow and come down) my hips aren't leaning toward my hands and shoulders moving forward, then I crash down on my butt.  I am not some bulky guy that can just hover.  I have to be able to build architecture that will work.  Its coming...

Spent the afternoon with Rachel soaking up sun in Central Park, debating universal health care systems, and giving each other yoga tips.  Rachel asked to see karandavasana.  Everything is easier on the grass.