Ok, I'm still far away from grabbing my ankles but Saraswati told me that I should walk my hands more and try to touch my heels. I feel that my backbends are getting deeper and I can walk my hands now but I don't think it is "that" close to the heels though... maybe I'll just try it to walk it more closer tomorrow.
This photo is of Paul with Sharath assisting him.
In life, it's always good to have a picture of where we want to go... it gives us focus and concentration... but with non-attachment so that we don't get upset if we don't get there.
Ugh, 90 more minutes to lunch. I'll have a huge one for sure, then maybe take a nap and prepare for my Sanskrit exam later in the afternoon. Dinner will probably be just milk... half a liter though. ;-)
Ciao.
4 comments:
Hi Jon,
The backbend is a waterloo in my practise. I'm so inflexible in that asana, I feel stiff as a table sometimes. My back won't open and I don't know how to activate the bandhas in this pose. It's such a constricting position I have no more strength to breathe properly let alone "squeeze" the mulabandha!
Any tips? Pattabhi says "Ashtanga is 99% practise and 1% theory" (or something to that effect)--unfortunately, I'm the reverse. I feed on theory and can only practise on weekends.
Thanks!
Try to have a daily practice. 5 surya a and 5 surya b's do not take more than 20 minutes. Lie down in savasana for 3-5 minutes after.
I still have a lot to work on with my backbends as well. The key is to stay longer in the pose. I used to do 15 backbends in Saudi and staying for 10 breaths at each repetition. Not all full urdhva dhanurasana though but preps. I'd do bridge 3 times for 10 breaths, rest... 3 x full urdhva resting in between... 3x full urdhva against the wall with props... 3x urdhva against the wall... then drop backs.
The Yoga Sutras say that...
Satu dirghakala nairantarya satkala sevitu drdhabhumih... which means... success in yoga comes after a long and consistent practice done over a long period of time. So as I said, a regular practice is really necessary to bring changes in the body. You don't have to do much... just make it a regular habit... just like brushing your teeth.
Om.
Thanks for the advice, appreciate how detailed it was. Will try harder to develop a daily practice. Sasheen and I are looking forward to your return. Somehow, we can't do the poses you managed to get us into the last time you were here.
"practice...practice...practice... all is coming" - Guruji
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