I have been laying low on my back-bend videotaping because the India experience was intense to the point where there were no words or cameras to capture what is happening.
The whole practice is taking on a new meaning as the breathing gets so deep that I sometimes wonder if the asana session will ever end. The drishti (eye-focus-point) sends me inwards, and Iyengar's constant reminder to "pay attention to everything" (souls of the feet, relaxation of the jaw, Uddhiana and mula, etc. etc.) turns the daily routine into a more meditative affair. Did I just use the "m" word? I did.
Who knew that feet had souls?
Looking in YouTube I compared the video below taken just yesterday from one that happened exactly a year ago in March of 2010.
I feel the difference in the breathing, this is the main area, Sharath's encouragement has me breathing "for the life of me", as if I was just drowning and had just been able to free myself into the surface, I just take it all in. I also feel it in how the chest is coming on top of the hands and how I generally feel a lot more comfortable in the pose. It hurts but not as much, and I am able to complete the Vinyasa of five breaths, then touch the head down and come back up for three whole times, which was not happening last year.
So, progress... all is coming
This one is from March of last year:
The whole practice is taking on a new meaning as the breathing gets so deep that I sometimes wonder if the asana session will ever end. The drishti (eye-focus-point) sends me inwards, and Iyengar's constant reminder to "pay attention to everything" (souls of the feet, relaxation of the jaw, Uddhiana and mula, etc. etc.) turns the daily routine into a more meditative affair. Did I just use the "m" word? I did.
Who knew that feet had souls?
Looking in YouTube I compared the video below taken just yesterday from one that happened exactly a year ago in March of 2010.
I feel the difference in the breathing, this is the main area, Sharath's encouragement has me breathing "for the life of me", as if I was just drowning and had just been able to free myself into the surface, I just take it all in. I also feel it in how the chest is coming on top of the hands and how I generally feel a lot more comfortable in the pose. It hurts but not as much, and I am able to complete the Vinyasa of five breaths, then touch the head down and come back up for three whole times, which was not happening last year.
So, progress... all is coming
This one is from March of last year:
Soles, hija! Soles. :) shoes and feet have soles. But maybe you are right. All manifested matter might have a soul mind & body.....
ReplyDeleteHA HA HA, thank you SF! ;-) I always welcome English teachings... wonder if I will EVER learn.. but now that I think about it, I think I prefer soul... will leave it that way for a little bit longer, but I did learn the lesson hee hee --- and... thanks for your second paragraph ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou do seem way more comfortable in the second video. Congrats on the progress!! My neck kind of hurts in this pose.. not sure if I should be looking at my nose or the floor.
ReplyDeleteThanks YY, I tend to switch but mostly the floor...
ReplyDelete