Tuesday, January 16, 2007
maha challenge, day nineteen
Lots of backbends tonight! Woo hoo!
For the first time in maybe a week, I broke a serious sweat and got out of breath tonight. It was a good feeling.
I find I enjoy working with a partner because the goal of partner work is usually to provide more resistance to come deeper into the asana.
Such was the case tonight with Dhanurasana (Bow Pose), wherein my partner Todd (whom Bruce called "Wes" - comic gold) wrapped a strap around my back under my shoulder blades ("where [my] bra strap would be"), sat on the ground, put his feet on my shoulders and extended his legs. This had the effect of extending my back deeper into the bend as I simultaneously lifted from the pelvis and isometrically extended my heart up and forward.
I had a similar experience on Saturday with Bhujangasana (Cobra), where my partner (not Todd/Wes) put pressure down on the backs of my calves so I had more freedom in my upper body. I came into an incredibly deep and effortless backbend. Everyone was duly impressed, me most of all.
The best part of the night though was when we were practicing Urdhva Dhanurasana (Backbend) and I came up into it three times by myself. The best best part though was that we were all doing it up against a wall and since I was in the middle row, I had to find space along the wall with the mirror. When I came up into the backbend each time, there I was staring back at me.
I looked deep in my own eyes, through my heavy breathing and red face, and saw my own inner beauty staring back at me.
Whoa. Heavy.
For the first time in maybe a week, I broke a serious sweat and got out of breath tonight. It was a good feeling.
I find I enjoy working with a partner because the goal of partner work is usually to provide more resistance to come deeper into the asana.
Such was the case tonight with Dhanurasana (Bow Pose), wherein my partner Todd (whom Bruce called "Wes" - comic gold) wrapped a strap around my back under my shoulder blades ("where [my] bra strap would be"), sat on the ground, put his feet on my shoulders and extended his legs. This had the effect of extending my back deeper into the bend as I simultaneously lifted from the pelvis and isometrically extended my heart up and forward.
I had a similar experience on Saturday with Bhujangasana (Cobra), where my partner (not Todd/Wes) put pressure down on the backs of my calves so I had more freedom in my upper body. I came into an incredibly deep and effortless backbend. Everyone was duly impressed, me most of all.
The best part of the night though was when we were practicing Urdhva Dhanurasana (Backbend) and I came up into it three times by myself. The best best part though was that we were all doing it up against a wall and since I was in the middle row, I had to find space along the wall with the mirror. When I came up into the backbend each time, there I was staring back at me.
I looked deep in my own eyes, through my heavy breathing and red face, and saw my own inner beauty staring back at me.
Whoa. Heavy.
