In short, it was a very good practice. I thought I was not enjoying being here anymore. But I felt motivated and actually a bit sad we are leaving so soon. 3 more practices,, including today's. We entered the shala a bit earlier like yesterday. It was really fun because Christina was right next to me and Anna right behind. They were super focused I didn't even catch one eye contact. I felt a bit stiff in surya namaskar. I immediately noticed that it was because of my attitude... Soon my body felt okay and I was really enjoying the practice. I become comfortable with utthita hasta padangusthasana. I can't say I am super stable all the time but today was really good. At times it was difficult to breathe in deeply. After standing, I went to toilet. Seated was good as usual. But when I jump back, I feel I am feeling something on my lower back. It's not a major issue but it just feels weird. Time goes so fast when you practice. Navasana was really not good today. I was feeling too much around my sacrum/tailbone so I folded the mat from the 2nd one. I couldn't hold long.. Bujapidasana was okay and kurmasana as well. I did supta kurmasana alone and someone came to help me go deeper. I think it was Nico. Many people now call him 'Supta (kurmasana) Master (숩타 장인)' and I totally agree with it :-) Rolling ups were good but I had to do twice on the urdhva mukha paschimattanasana. Surprisingly setu bandhasana was good. Pasasana was okay but I had to do the second side twice. Somehow it was a bit tricky to balance....!! Back bend was okay. I decided to walk my hands today so I did it and lifting seemed a tiny bit easier than yesterday. Drop back come up was okay. I walked my hands on the third one and came up but a bit sprung forward. Sharathji was there and he said 'fast' (in a sense that I am fast). I think he wanted me to ground my feet more... so when I come up I come up slow with grace (?!). Oh well.. I went directly for the catching. I breathe out when he was pulling my hand to the leg. He moved my hands a tiny bit higher and I breathed. I squeezed the elbows towards each other, thinking of what Anne told me and breathed. I stayed there at least 4 breaths, with very steady and slow breathing. (WOW). He gave me signs and I came up, thanked him. Since yesterday, I feel I am 'conscious' in catching. Wow.... even few days- 1 week ago I felt so scared and painful around my lower back. Now I am hearing my own 'calmer' breathing. This is amazing. For a moment I thought it might have been better to stay 2 months (hahahahahah) to deepen the back bending practice. Hahaha Remember not to have 'attachment' to asanas! Anyways... I did a bit of unconscious closing practice.. and stayed 50 and 25 in sirsasana and half bend. I say it was a bit unconscious because I almost lost my engagement ring... (Sorry, husband..!) I usually take out this ring before practising inversion.. Today I forgot to take it back to my ring finger. Luckily I found it........ and it was somewhere between the mat and the cotton mat..! Anyways.. I just sat instead of lying down. It was a really nice practice but I still want to go home soon... :-)
At Sharath Yoga Centre on 29/1/20 (Wednesday) ??!
Teacher: Sharath Jois