Primary Practice
Dripping sweat on tatami
Head Clear Body Strong
This year, since my knee surgery has felt like an eternity, ups and downs, leaps, bounds and plateaus. It's been a strange year. But one with a steep learning curve and a large dose of humility thrown in. I have learnt so much more about the way bodies work from my amazing physiotherapist. Finally my muscles are almost balanced between right and left legs, sacrum is straight. I have learnt the very hard way that deep back bending is certainly not a good idea with a misaligned sacrum. Flexibility is coming, as is strength. Been hard work getting here, still a long way to go, but have hit an important milestone today.
For now I am pleased that I have finally made it through primary. Even played with some second series asana today.
Hope to restart the blog properly. Have written numerous posts, but had no heart to publish. Not sure why, when I need a cybershala most I hide away, retreated from everyone, tying to wade my way out of the slump I'd fallen in.
Happy to read you back ! :-) Congratulation for making it through primary. Wow ! What a journey !
ReplyDeleteI'm sure this experience as make you a better and more compassionate teacher.
It takes so much time to gain the flexibility back. I'm not there 100% yet... 2 years after I broke my leg. At first I was SO impatient & frustrated but I learned all about "little progress", acceptance and being contented with this new "body" of mine. Santosha !
I hope you find the courage to write the other post.
Always an inspiration (so as your wonderful picture blog ! :-)).
Ève :-)
*has made you (???)
DeleteSorry for my English ! :-)
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DeleteEve! Thank you so much for you kind comments! Yeas indeed this has been such a journey, but I think a positive one. It's done me so much good, and I think I am much more compassionate now. I notice people limping and really feel for them, I see more pain on faces and truly understand how that feels.
DeleteMy students mind you have it tough. Classes suddenly got a lot more focus on leg and hip muscles. Which can be done pretty well in the standing sequence.
I just read the article below and thought yes. But I there is so mu;ch misinformation out there in yoga circles, it's crazy. I have a hip deformity, which has made me study and become more aware of the importance of all those hip muscles. But the things teachers have told me, oh my!!! At first I listened to what seemed counter intuitive, now I walk much more to the beat of my own drum. Especially this last year, working closely with my physiotherapist, has been enlightening indeed. I love him.
That post was wonderful and has reassured me that I am on the right path, thank you. Thank you. I think I am, but some of the ashtanga community think else wise. I am learning to trust myself, my experience, and study more, to have a bit more confidence. Oh my this is turning into a post. Maybe I shall have to do one on how I've been working a lot more leg and hip strengthening in my ashtanga practice. I still consider my practice to be ashtanga roots, keeping the essentials there, and making sure I keep the strength up. My husband is a weight lifter and his insights into how to access the strength building aspects of the practice have helped. Some people do this intuitively, but more often than not people veer towards the easier route. We have to work hard on the legs and glutes.
Back bending and hip openers are fine, but need to be balance muscle strengthening, stretch while strengthening. Not like the meat hanging from the hook style, loved that analogy. There are some parts I question, but yes, strong legs and glutes, yes, seriously important! Thank you again xxxx
THis testimony (the video mostly) helped me to reconsider my "relation" to ashtanga. (This and many other things... after my accident.). I'm now alternating between ashtanga and other types of yoga with less back bendbending and less hip openers. It's not very orthodox and feel less "ritualistic" but I think it may be better/safer for me this way.
ReplyDeletematthewremski.com/wordpress/wawadia-update-6-i-was-addicted-to-practice-a-senior-teacher-changes-her-path/
Ève again ;-)
this video is an analysis of the relation to asthangi to pain.
ReplyDeleteit's a bit difficult to watch.
matthewremski.com/wordpress/wawadia-update-4-emerging-psychosocial-themes-in-asana-related-injuries/