Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Class# 200; AYC DC Mysore Class # 49: Lead with your heart (and hips); Not your head.

Ok, so that major break-through I had last week?
My eureka moment?
I've been getting stuck again.

My feet are parallel with the edges of my mat and heels are down. Palms flat on the ground arms straight. Shoulder blades spiraling down my back. But I'm not really going anywhere.


Now, between you and me, I know I get my left and right confused (most of us southpaws actually do). In my last couple practices, I've been finding myself getting confused between up and down, inhale and exhale, and back and forth. I've also learned how to "cheat" in standing from UD, bouncing my way up a wall from the bench, which is quite fun, but not in the true spirit of standing from UD.

As I'm about to throw in the towel from standing today, D walks over faces me, smiles, shakes his head walks out of the room and returns with a blanket. I blink a couple times and he brings me over to the rope wall. He places the blanket around my hips asks me to hold it there, face the wall and slips one of the ropes down over the blanket and asks me lean back. "Ok drop-back, hang, and come back up to stand."

I actually do this, with quite a bit of grace - multiple times.
And then I thought I was done. Nope. Back to the bench.

I prep my hands for UD, he places his hands on either side of my hips tells me to stand. I stand. Then drop back and I get stuck again. After wriggling my way up, he looks at me. And very matter of factly states: "You're trying to use your head. Lead with your hips then chest the your head will come up. Tomorrow."

And he walks away, leaving me standing in front of the bench, my hands at prayer.


* * *


Walking back to my apartment, I realize he's right. Sometimes, I think, I think too much. Literally and metaphorically I've been using my head too much. From practice to painting ...

Strange how this practice works as a metaphor for many aspects of life.
Am I starting to live my yoga? Or is my yoga starting to live through me?
Or am I just over-thinking things again?

3 comments:

crankyhausfrau said...

your drop backs are beautiful, just do the same thing on the way back up. i think David was telling you to push out of the hands to come up, but don't forget to stand up into the feet as well.
(we said hi as i was leaving the changing room this morning :))

-Tova

Anonymous said...

Thanks Tova. :)

Anonymous said...

:-) I agree.