Happy Wednesday,
Good luck finding a therapeutic yoga class in this area on a Wednesday. I checked, like five studios and finally gave up. I thought I’d go do some cardio so I strapped on my running shoes and went in to my regular cardio gym. After spending some time on the treadmill and machines, I noticed that the class room was empty except for a couple of people working on their own stuff. So I jumped in, took off my shoes, and did my own yoga practice. I know that I had set the goal of classroom practice, but, given the whole concussion issue, any idea of a normal class, with its balance poses and challenging asanas, was out. So I grabbed one of their crappy gym mats and a roller and got started.
First thing, I rolled out my whole body. I really needed this because doing yoga for four days in a row had made for some sore muscles. My glutes, and upper thighs, in particular, were extremely grateful for the attention. It’s amazing just how those rollers can remove 90% of the muscle aches and knots an active practice can incur. Snap, crackle, pop, rice crispies went my back. Lovely.
I started in Tadasana, or mountain pose, then did about twenty slow and simple sun salutes. Complete with Cobra at the end. Oh yes, I do love my Cobra. I noticed definite improvements in my Downward Dog and that I can hold a Plank pose for much longer than I could only six weeks ago. As a restorative, I went into an extended Child’s pose. Once i was warmed up, I started some wide legged poses, culminating in exalted Warrior pose. I loves me Vira poses. I then moved down to the mat, where I started in Sukhasana (Lotus) pose and, moved to Upavistha Konasana (wide legged forward fold), ultimately, ending up in full pigeon pose, which I held for three minutes per side. I recovered in rabbit.
All in all, not a bad practice, when you consider the whole concussion thing. Oh, and one excellent thing about today’s practice.
The classroom walls were mirrored.
I have never done yoga in front of a mirror before. It was miraculous. I could actually see when my knee was extended too far over my ankle, when my hips were uneven, when my stance was too wide. And I could see when I fixed it. I liked that. It was a bit of an ego boost, because my asana practice looked better than I thought. For the most part, I stacked correctly, did not overextend, and lined myself up well. I was my own best teacher and guess what?
I’m a better yogini than I thought.
Good to know…
Namaste
Thanks for reading.
sloaneblackthorne 