Today is my first morning practice at The Yoga Shala. I usually go in the evenings but my evenings have been booked in the next few days. The Yoga Shala starts Mysore classes at 7am. My travel time is approximately 1 hour so being there at 8am sounds like a compromise.
The past three days I’ve met both Chelsea and Nadira. Chelsea is a no-non-sense kind of teacher while Nadira is generally relaxed and observes us from the back. They are both pretty strong to bind me up in Marichi C-D and Supta Kurmasana.
Until today, I’m still in Supta Kurmasana. I really have got to nail those Marichis! ^_^
Today, I arrived at the shala around 8:05 and there were about 8 students there already, some starting their finishing sequence. About half of the students were doing the Secondary series. James was there and and I saw Chelsea after I finished my Sun Salutations.
Two days back, Nadira had told me not to lift my wrist as I lengthen before jumping back. Today, James pushed me further down in my Chaturanga. I have noticed this low Chaturanga in Kino’s videos as well. I love my Chaturanga, but if it’s not right, so it shall change. I probably was doing it like in the second model below.
On day 1, I got a correction for my too long Parivrtta Trikonasana stance. Today, James adjusted my Trikonasana as well. It was still a bit too wide (below) and I was tensing my neck too much to gaze at my thumb. He told me to pull on my legs, not my neck ^_^
If you’re used to seeing wide stances like B.K.S. Iyengar or Jason Crandell, this may change your practice significantly! Each style of yoga has their own, well, style. So adjust yourself accordingly.
Also, the extension of the torso to the side must not take too long before dropping the hand. Just one simple movement of stretch and lower during the exhalation.
In my Parivrtta Trikonasana, he corrected me in a slightly different fashion. It started with a gentle question: “Why are your feet like that”? I was confused how to reply so I just said “That’s how it was taught to me”. Then he guided me how to do it.
There is really a lot of confusion on the alignment of this pose. But if you are practicing Ashtanga with KPJAYI teachers, expect the heel to heel alignment. And there is no point to argue if you think the hip-width distance makes more sense. If you come in as a student, be a student.
Most styles of yoga (especially vinyasa), correct me if I’m wrong, recommend the hip-distance stance. In Ashtanga and Hatha yoga, heel-to-heel alignment is taught. Widening the stance will definitely help a lot, especially beginner students. But as the flexibility improves, heel-to-heel alignment becomes easier to execute. Also, heel-to-heel requires better balance so expect a more intense practice with this alignment.
The next time James taught me was the jump through. I have been jumping my hips high since yesterday because Chelsea said I was not lifting my hips high enough. She made me jump to a pike handstand before I let my legs through.
Today though James told me I was lifting it too high. My knee was too far back that’s why I wasn’t going through easily.
The first thing I needed to do was to bring my knees in front first. Basically the action of tucking it in. Making sure the knees go past the shoulders before bringing the legs through. And as I develop the action to bring my knees closer to my chest as I progress in my practice, then I can do cross-legged pike. Later when I moved to the back of the room to do the finishing sequence, I saw a caucasian lady (quite slim, 40-ish) do the cross-legged jump through beautifully. 🙂 One day!
Now, into my Marichyasana C and D.
Chelsea assisted me for both the right sides of C and D. Surprisingly I can already bind myself on my own on the left side in C. And it’s just been Day 4! 🙂
It’s always a tug of war between Chelsea and my arms. ^_^ Usually my arms win and I would pop out of the bind. I love the way she says “Please” and “Thank you” when she’s adjusting.
For my left side of D, James came to assist. First he asked me if I drive, and again I didn’t know how to reply. Then he gave me the bicycle analogy. “Where do you look when you are biking”? I was almost going to say “back?” confused if he meant the time when you want to change lane. Stupid me. “Of course! You look where you are going!”. Now since I am going for a bind, I should look at my arms!
And to assist the motion of the bind, I need to put the back hand just slightly back and out. Not the way I was leaning to the back when I put my hand as if I’m already in a twist (which I learned from a coursemate during the YTT when I was just learning Ardha Matyendrasana).
“And stop looking back!”. I had to be reminded again and again while he helped me into the bind.
And contrary to what I learned, my face should only be facing where my chest is facing, and look only over to the back with my eyeballs.
The second cue that I got for this pose, and any other twisting pose was with the help of my towel. My very sweaty towel!
“How do you twist the towel”? I got this! Pull and twist!
So should the body lengthen before a twist. And I have been teaching this to my students. But when I come into this pose, everything just doesn’t seem to come together. Ahhh the struggle!
It was a really great adjustment, and a big lesson to be had. I hope I can master the actions to do this pose on my own soon. No more short legs excuse!
I also got great tips for Bhujapidasana and Supta Kurmasana from James. In another post. 🙂
This journey is truly a humbling experience for me, both as a student and a teacher.
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