While writing the title of the post, it made me realise that it was the real Mysore practice today... in Mysore!! And also it was the first practice of the year. As our practice time is 8:30am we left the hotel at 7:00am. The morning air was a bit cold but I prepared myself well enough. Tomorrow I should wear a mask. All the 8:30 batch people were waiting outside. And we were let in all together. We instinctively went to the ladies' changing room and got ready. We sat and waited for Sharathji's 'one more' or 'tall one' sign. I thought I would fall into the tall category but I guess I am somewhere between medium and tall (haha). Olivia went ahead of me as she was one of the tall ones. I got to have my mat on the 4th row same as Olivia. I felt a bit nervous but I directly chanted silently and started. It was really warm and I could feel my body was already open. With all the travelling and settling I didn't practice for like 4 days?? So I was afraid I would feel stiff and not so energised. But it was good. I just felt unusually unstable in utthita hasta padangusthasana. My leg was a bit shaky in this pose. Standing was done in a very sweaty way. And of course seated as well.... Oh today!!!!! I could jump through with my right leg straight in triang mukha ekapada paschimattanasana. I was surprised and felt super happy. Hahahah so this is Mysore magic no.1. It might not happen tomorrow but still.. I was so happy about this. I tried to keep my breath steady all the time. At times I felt too hot and it was difficult to keep the breath steady. Then I would stay longer in the pose to get back to normal breathing. I think I will work a lot on breathing here. Navasana was okay. I did first two without folding the mat but the other three I had to do it with mat folded. These days I feel more often around my tailbone/sacrum.. so sad! Bujapidasana was okay. Kurmasana felt deep but nobody came to me in supta kurmasana. I was waiting there like 20 breaths for someone to cross my ankles but it didn't happen. Though transition was super. I think today I made the most beautiful titibhasana I've ever made... hehe ;-) Garbha pindasana rolling was surprisingly smooth. Olivia and I experienced the same here. Rolling up in ubhaya padangusthasana and urdhva mukha paschimattanasana was not so good. But I did okay on the 2nd attempts. Setu bandasana didn't feel painful today.... OMG... this pose.... not painful?! So I stayed full 5 steady breaths. Back bend felt super good. I focused again a lot on just breathing. I lifted up from the third one but felt a bit out of breath so took some time to get ready for drop backs. Drop back and come up was okay. It was not my best but I could feel these ones are becoming steady. So there was an assistant came to help me catch. I told him I've never held my ankles but touched my heels with fingers. And...... he made me catch my ankles from air.. I didn't drop my hands down........................ It felt weird but not painful. My right hand couldn't stay still so it moved but left hand was okay. OMG..... I thanked him and he gave me a good push. I quickly moved my mat to the closing area. Shoulder stand was done in a conscious manner (which means I was counting... haha), and sirsasana and half bend were like 30 breaths each. I could stay longer but came down to go out. I just needed to get fresh air quickly. Utplitih was 12 breaths but I am sure this must've been 6 breaths of Sharathji... haha I took a brief rest and got out of the shala. I didn't really make an eye contact with Sharathji to thank him. I should not forget that tomorrow. It was a good practice - like same same but different type of practice. I just hope I don't get affected by others here and have my steady practice.... :-)
At Sharath Yoga Centre on 1/1/20 (Wed) from ??? to 09:55
Teacher: Sharath Jois