Ganesh in our front room
Indulged in a very long practice this morning – what a luxury to have our time freed up like this for yoga. No cooking, no cleaning, no children to attend to, homework to help, no lessons to plan or classes to teach. Just lots and lots of yoga! I am so happy to be finally getting to the practice I need to be doing for my Senior 1.
After lunch we headed across to Dorabjees and stocked up on all the necessaries, hopefully enough to last us for the rest of the month. The rickshaw drivers are often reluctant to go over there, because it’s a long trip and they’re unlikely to get a fare coming back and if they do agree to go, they try to negotiate an inflated price beforehand. Today we had a driver happy to take us ‘on the meter’ and discovered it was only a 60 rupee trip, but then felt bad and gave him a 100 anyway. Still it’s good to know how much it’s supposed to cost.
We wandered over for Intermediate 2 class at 6pm and it was a real smasher! Class was well attended and a large crowd to observe and take notes too. We worked on a sequence designed to “make us love our parsvakonasna” so MANY parsvakonasanas interspersed with every conceivable groin opening pose, so we could observe how it kept on and on improving. Abhi’s teaching was truly outstanding, absolutely excellent. Before the class I was reflecting on how hot I had got during last week’s lesson – Judith Jones observed I genuinely looked as if I had had a bucket of water thrown over my head – and I smugly told myself it was because we were fresh off the plane and this week I would be so much more composed. 2 or 3 parsvakonasnas in, once again I noticed the sweat dropping onto the sticky mat and in sirsasana it was rolling down my neck onto the floor. We worked HARD but the level was just right and there was lots of laughter and good energy in the room. I did my best to record the sequence and have attached it, but will update once I get the accurate notes from the observers.
Towards the end of the class we did sarvangasana and she casually said “Those of you who are inclined can do the variations”. We did the variations and then she said “After the class did you not find that you did your variations carefully, conscientiously without any instruction from me? you WANTED to perform them well?” Resounding “YES” from the class. “That is the beauty of our method. Guruji said ‘As the farmer cultivates the field, we have to cultivate our bodies, cultivate the soil, uproot the weeds so that right action will grow there’. The work of the class has brought about this bio chemical change in you. This is why in our method we have to work the beginners well, never to let them become lazy, dull, so that we can bring about this change for them”.Over the last couple of years since Guruji died I have been feeling really concerned for Abhi – not just for the immense grief she would be having to deal with, but for the huge weight of responsibility she would be carrying without Guruji’s input to keep her well. Having seen her in action here, I am reassured – she is going from strength to strength and seems well balanced and full of positive energy.We came back for dinner via the coconut stall (definitely a 2 coconut class!) and had a long Facetime with my girls. My youngest was bereft at being left, but they have all rallied around and are doing very nicely without me, thank you very much!
Tonight’s bedtime reading!
8th February – Abhi – Intermediate 2
AMVirasana – not dipping the head down bit getting the extension of whole body and chest forward.
AMS – sides of trunk longer and longer first of all not taking chest to the thighs.
Parsvakonasana
Ardha Chandrasana – via trikonasana – coming up lifting the back foot a little off the ground and then sucking the buttock forward as you come up.
One leg upavista one leg Marichyasana – not so wide with the upavista leg, turning the marichyasana foot out 90 degrees and bringing it all the way back in line with the buttock bone. Then elbow to inside knee, further down the leg, pushing the knee back further and further (ONE, TWO THREE!) and sucking the buttock deep forward and rolling the top seam of the t shirt backward. On the second repeat after doing the right side, stand up parsvakonasana on the right side. Quick! Before the body loses the imprint, then sit down for left side and up again to Repeat Parsvakonasna – rolling the knee from inner to outer, sucking the buttock forward and pressing the knee backward.
Parivrtta Upavista konasana – first adho mukha upavista konasnana, then keeping side trunk long coming to the parivrtta. Once in the parivrtta – once you have caught you are satisfied but lower side trunk shrinks, can you feel that? Slightly lift up and from the very lower side waist extend and catch further, then buttock forward, roll the seam of your t shirt backward. Inbetween sides repeating parsvakonasana and making same adjustment , lifting slightly up and extending along the leg then turning the seam of the tshirt. Outer edge of the back foot so that not even air can pass underneath. “The aim of the class is to make you fall in love with your parsvakonasna”
Parighasana – bent leg thigh perpendicular, pressing the metatarsal and front ankle down as you come up. Buttock forward, roll the top seam of the t shirt backward.
Parsvakonasana – better still? What has the parighasana added to the parsvakonasana (easy length of the upper torso)
Parivrtta Janu – first going forward, adho mukha, then sweeping around with the length of the trunk. DUAL ACTION – BUTTOCK FORWARD, ROTATE SEAM OF T SHIRT BACKWARD. Inbetween sides repeating parsvakonasana.
Ardha Matsyendrasana 2
1 leg virasana 1 leg extended – parivrtta trianga mukha eka pada – unfamiliar yet easier than previous – not in LOY so we can use that as an excuse to cheat a little and let the opposite buttock come up a little.
Prasarita Paddottonasana – eveness in the sides of the body
AMVrksasana – length in the sides of the trunk. Climb UP!
Waiting group parsvottonasna and AMS – sides of the body long
Sirsasana – Climb the body up, sides of the body long, intensity on the knee to bring the firmness as if the feet were standing on the floor. Worked with 10 second bursts of intensity.
Sarvangasana – not thick mats – 2 bolsters or whatever you can find. Variations if you are inclined. We did the variations and then she said “After the class did you not find that you did you variations diligently, conscientiously without any instruction from me? you WANTED to perfrom them well?” Resounding ”YES” . That is the beauty of our method. Guruji said ‘As the farmer cultivates the field, we have to cultivate our bodies, cultivate the soil, uproot the weeds so that right action will grow there. The work of the class had brought about this bio chemical change in you. This is why in our method we have to work the beginners well, never to let them become lazy, dull, so that we can bring about this change for them so that they are focussed.
Someone’s temples were bulging and she made them come down, take of the belt and use their hands to lengthen the neck.
Savasana – here I used the 2 bolster supta swastikasana.
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