Simplicity

Marichyasana A

Less things mean more time.

During the last weeks I decluttered. A lot of things had to go. This project is not yet finished, yet I progressed a lot.

As a yogini I always learn to focus. Too much distraction spoils every life. Too much of anything creates stress.

Also the yoga meditation cushion had to go. I had never used it. These days we’re bombarded with ads. A thousand times we see and hear It on a daily basis. Buy, buy, buy. One might not be a daily shopper, but over time things become more and more. Time to look around and to let go of those things that are neither loved nor needed.

I was so astonished, but a lot of things belong to the last century. I had cassettes. Nobody has a cassette recorder anymore. All the dictionaries are out of date. Everybody looks up vocabulary online.

Things need attention. They have to be cleaned. Books scream: you wanted to read me. Unfinished knitting projects become a burden over time. All the kitchen tools must be cleaned. And there are the baking forms that told me every time when I saw them: Bake a cake, home-made is better. But no. I don’t want to become a baker anymore. It’s enough when I prepare simple, delicious meals. I won’t knit anymore. One cannot do everything. Bit by bit I created more time and also more space. Letting go of things, habits, unfinished projects is so relaxing. First one has go through all the stuff and this is not always easy. But after a while simplicity feels like freedom.

During breaks I don’t lose so much flexibility, but strength. I feel ready again to practice. Todays morning practice was wonderful.

Less is more

2020 is also the year of decluttering. Many people had to work from home. The offices were closed. Some people couldn’t work at all because the shops were closed for months because of corona. The garbage collection became a lot to do. Many people started decluttering.

A simple life is a beautiful life. Things have the potential to take away time and money. One has to clean things. They need room.

Today I wondered how many candles does a minimalist need? It depends……

We don’t need candles at all. When I was in India a decade ago sometimes the electricity went down. To have a candle at hand made sense.

Here I only think of candle light dinner. Usually we have our main meal during lunch time. It makes no sense to burn candles when it’s bright day.

I’ve two scented candles here. Four candles I had bought at a Christmas market years ago. Two more candles were presents that I got. Every candle has it’s own personality. To create a still life with all these different candles could be a good idea.

Winter is coming. It could be romantic to burn candles…….

Couldn’t it be wonderful to burn one of the scented candle and to meditate next to it?

I’m still not sure if I need candles………..

All that stuff needs to go

I created an album on Pinterest: Indian yogis . One cannot imagine these yogis with 1000 things or more. They have modest clothes, a blanket, a bowl to eat and drink from. One yogi has a bag. he seems to be a traveling yogi.

All this baggage that we travel around needs attention. Too much how I think. During the coming 12 years I’ll focus on making life easier here. Joshua Becker has created a these 12 weeks and there is a facebook group who are all on their ways to become a minimalist.

It will be exciting weeks. At the end I’ll feel released. I know this already now. It’s easier to be calm and clear the the surroundings reflect this.

Yoga cannot heal everything, Yoga is not a solution for everything. For me it’s always a source of inspiration.

I remember a workshop with Danny P.. He told a story about someone who described why he had no time at all to practice yoga. The job didn’t allow it, the family, the kids, the commuting and so on. The recommendation by Danny: Change this job. Change life so that it’s possible to do this practice (if you want so).

I’m also at a point again to change a lot of things. Things must go. I love empty space, clean and warm rooms. Too many things mean work. They mean distraction from what is important. They can also make life easier. Some things bring joy. Most people have too much. We’re asked to buy a thousand times every day. Advertising is bombing us. I might have difficulties to find a book for my husband for Christmas. Amazon could advise me what he adores. And we buy and buy and buy. It’s not only me. Otherwise the stock price of Amazon wouldn’t have soared that much.

I wonder:

Do I really need this wooden sword that I had bought decades ago when I still was practicing Aikido? I look at it when I have a declutter phase. Oh, I could do picture with a sword, I think. If I would have loved this idea, I’d done it already. This sword is so bulky. It’s the first think that I’ll give away. I hope Oxfam will take it. I don’t want to spend too much time finding a person who loves it. I want to have it out of the house.

Today I cooked. I tried out something new from one of the many many cooking magazines that I have here. The couscous got too thick. Half of the coconut milk would have been enough. The spices were very difficult to put over the cauliflower. The pear chutney was great. My own fantasy recipes are better. So I’ll write down the pear chutney recipe in one of my journals. I’m not motivated to try another recipe from this magazine. I live with the idea that I have many delicious recipes in all these magazines. Fact is many of these recipes are not good at all. After dinner I threw out a lot of these magazines. I didn’t like to wait for the beginning of the becoming a minimalist course that will start on Tuesday. I’m sure I’ll find so much more here that is just a burden, a promise that is not held.

I’d like to create more time for myself and for my beloved ones. I want to create more time for strolling around, reading, experiencing something.

Pause and a restart after a busy week

When I don’t find time for yoga or photography I know I have to get rid of habits like watching TV or I have to get rid of things. Stuff always comes to me as if I were a magnet. It cries for attention. It needs to get cleaned, stored whatever. Sometimes it’s also necessary to do what needs to be done.

I’m working on making my life simpler. This means to go through habits, stuff, activities and to let go if possible. An empty space has beauty. Doing nothing can be wonderful. Just sitting on a bench and watching the breath can be so relaxing.

Being a yogi and living a simple life belongs together. If one gives in to too many distractions that life has to offer, time for yoga fades away. Then it’s time to pause and to reorganize the day. Then it’s time to get rid of unnecessary stuff. It’s time to find out where the time goes.

A lot of things are done now and I’m ready again to start my yoga week tomorrow morning (after a week off).

A simple life

My passion for practicing Ashtanga yoga only allows to live a simple life. My priority in the morning is my yoga practice. Nothing else. Then comes the rest, whatever this is.

It’s so important to focus. Otherwise one is pulled in so many different directions.

Also next week I’ll focus on back bending. Yesterday night I couldn’t fall asleep. I thought of all the back bending asanas. There are so many variations. I got up and checked the book by Matthew Sweeny. I so wanted to know what are the back bending asanas of the Advanced A and B series. I forgot them. Some asanas will be impossible for me. Others are very interesting. I practice them already. What I’ve not yet tried is eka pada kapotasana. Elbow bridge is a great variation of the classic bridge. It stretches the upper body, but is easier to hold.

Even when I focus on back bending there are so many different asanas to practice and to explore that I have to make choices. One asana at a time. One breath at a time. One task at a time.

We all have 24 hours. We all need to sleep.

I wish everybody an intensive weekend.

How to learn something is important

At home I hold the challenging asanas longer than only 5 breaths. I use a timer.

At home I do variations of asanas - sometimes easier ones to warm up the body, sometimes more challenging ones to keep me interested and to stay alert.

I use props when I think that it’s supportive. Favorite prop is the wall.

I’m curious when I feel ready again to drop back into urdhva dhanurasana.

Every day back bending

Kapotasana, August 2020

I’m happy with my schedule. 5 times a week I practice second series. Back bending asanas are almost the first asanas of the middle part of the second series. I still feel fresh and not exhausted at that time, after perhaps 30 minute of practicing. I feel strong enough to hold the asanas and I feel strong enough to repeat asanas. Some additional exercises develop strength, others. flexibility. I can feel how I progress. I take care that I move correctly. Tiny awkward movements and my SI joint is complaining.

When I’m in the above position I don’t try to push my hands against the wall to get out of the pose. The legs shall do the work. I move the hands away from the wall only a tiny bit and then I move the hips forward. It will become more challenging the deeper I can get into the pose. Repetition helps me to get deeper into the pose. But I also want to get out of it, the same way I got into the pose. The vinyasa are another chapter.

Challenges are learning opportunities.

One learns to understand the body.

Yet it’s also on opportunity to develop discipline and stamina.

I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

Gravity training

In search of effective methods to stretch and to get stronger I found Lucas and his website yogabody.com. I bought the gravity training and I like it for several reasons:

• This is a routine that I do beside my Ashtanga yoga practice in the morning. Most trainings are too much for me, but the gravity training is doable. The mornings are reserved for Ashtanga, gravity training is best in the evening.

• I practice gravity training in the evening before bedtime. After the below routine I sleep rather well.

• Holding a pose for five minutes or three minutes makes a difference. It’s a challenge. If Lucas didn’t guide me through these five minutes I wouldn’t have been able to hold many of the positions that long. Firstly because it’s boring, secondly because of the discomfort which gets more intensive with every breath.

• The idea is to exhale longer than to inhale. This is more relaxing. Only a relaxed body and mind stretches.

• Above all I realized an improvement of many asanas, especially back bending. Hangman made the difference.

I’ll go more in details in blog posts to come.

Below I added all the positions that are part of the gravity training.

Stretching part 1: hamstrings

Hangman is held for 5 minutes. The other positions are each held for 2 minutes. This makes 18 minutes in total. One shall not underestimate the challenge.

Stretching part 2: hips

The first exercise stretches the hips and is held for 5 minutes. This is the only pose I can only hold for 2 minutes. No injuries is for me more important than anything else. The second picture is easy for me, but a huge challenge for many. In sum we have 15 minutes.

Stretching part 3: shoulders

Hangman is one of the most intensive exercises. I held the 5 minutes, but I was challenged. It bettered my back bending almost immediately. Pretzel pose is held for five minutes on each side and wide dog is held for 5 minutes as well. In total this makes 20 minutes.

Stretching part 4: back

To keep the legs together is the challenge in the first exercise. It’s held for 5 minutes. Picture two: Lucas hangs over a chair, much higher than my wheel. I have to find an appropriate chair. This gravity pose is held for 5 minutes as well. The last exercise is held for 3 minutes on each side. This makes 16 minutes.

Stretching part 5: wrists, twists and ankles

Reverse dog stretches the wrists and is held for 5 minutes. The twist is held for 5 minutes on each side. The legs are double bound. The last position is held for 3 minutes. It’s a painful pose, but doable. The discomfort disappears with each practice. In sum the last exercises need 18 minutes.

In sum it makes almost 90 minutes. This is as long as primary. Within the same time I practice only 15 different positions, but so much longer than only 5 breaths.

My insight is that if I need to stretch a body part it takes time. One must hold the position rather long in order to see results.

Sometimes I only exercise the first three parts. It’s a good preparation for the next practice after a break.

Being led through the exercises makes a difference. My money was spent very well.

Many of these exercises can get integrated into a regular practice.

Concentration - a mental skill

Concentration is a skill. We exercise it when we practice yoga. It’s a skill that is useful whatever we do. To read a book requires concentration. To learn anything requires concentration. Even to watch a program on TV requires focus. Many people switch from one channel to the other. It’s often a lock of concentration. Yet switching channels means a story is missed. The spectator gets glimpses of many different stories.

A few years back my morning yoga practices lasted more than 2 hours. Strength was needed to practice so long, but also concentration. To practice so long bettered my ability to focus. The group session helped me. I didn’t lose this skill when I started practicing at home again. I don’t make breaks during my yoga practice at home. I don’t check the mail or my alarm clock. I focus on my practice.

I listen to the sound of the breath.

I gaze at a focus point.

I concentrate on the correct movement.

After two hours I’m exhausted. Not only the body has reached a limit, also the mind.

Being able to concentrate was a motivation for Indian students to practice yoga. In order to study effectively concentration is necessary.

Another advantage of a focused practice is that everything else seems to fade away. No to-do-list exists when I practice. All the issues, self-made or not disappear. Nothing but the sound of the breath, the gazing point, the performance of the asana is important. This is a huge relief.

After a yoga practice the world looks differently.

I set a timer for my yoga practice. I have a time frame within I concentrate on the practice. It’s also useful to create a time frame for other activities. Not to jump form one activity to the other creates a more relaxed life. It helps to reduce our daily stop. One step at a time is a good advice.

Dhanurasana

Dhanurasana, August 2020

In order to deepen my understanding of any asana I wonder what would be an easier version of a position and what would be a more challenging position. I learn about variations. I also wonder if props make sense and if yes, which ones.

To hold an asana longer than 5 breaths makes it more challenging. It allows to understand the challenge. Does one need stamina? Is it a strength pose? Does stretching discomfort make the asana challenging?

Dhanurasana requires strength. To lift the legs means that one fights against gravity. The arms support the movement. Nevertheless I saw yogis struggle to hold this pose in yoga classes. Gravity is a strong force.

For dhanurasana it can be supportive to pose a block under the rib case. This makes it easier to move the legs backwards. This stretches the upper body and deepens the asana.

In Sivananda Yoga they swing forward and backward. It’s a dynamic movement that is funny and allows to get deeper into that pose. The breath helps to swing. Up to 15 times one can swing forwards and backwards.

Dhanurasana, August 2020

Eka pada dhanurasana is another variation. Only one leg is held. The other one remains straight on the floor.

This pose looks so much better, when the feet are pointed. I like lines, curves. These 90 degree angles stop the flow of the energy. This is why I also think it looks more harmonious if the neck and head are in line with the spine. To have a bend at the neck is not necessary. Why should this be done?

This pose aims rather to train the muscles of the back. The upper body get stretched. The shoulders move backwards. The general movement is upwards. This back bending asana is reachable for beginners.

I missed the Friday practice. Saturday is my day off from Ashtanga. I’ll probably do gravity training tonight to start a tiny bit more prepared. A missed practice is a missed opportunity. I doesn’t make sense to practice the other day 4 hours. Only today counts.

Sometimes I think that these missed practices are good for my body. I get other things done, which means less stress and my body has more time to relax.. This is important for bodies that are many decades on that globe. 🌍 I aim for 6 practices a week, but three practices are also OK.

Bhekasana

Bhekasana, August 2020

Bhekasana is the next asana after salabhasana in the intermediate Ashtanga series. It’s not my favorite asana. It feels awkward to press the feet to the ground. It’s an asana that is part of the game. It teaches me to practice also less liked asanas. Likes and dislikes change. Simply being an observer is a good mental exercise.

Usually I do an extra exercise before this pose:

This exercise is rather easy if one allows that the knees move away from each other. The challenge is to keep the thighs parallel to each other. This lengthens the thighs. It stretches the front muscles of the legs. This allows to get deeper into back bending.

Some asanas I like, others I don’t like. I practice them all with the same passion. Something would be missed if I practiced only asanas that I like and that I’m able to do nicely. The variety of different asanas makes the practice so interesting.

Salabhasana

Salabhasana A, August 2020

Salabhasana B, August 2020

Salabhasana is the first back bending asana of the second Ashtanga series. For me it became an important asana: It’s an asana that requires strength. Gravity holds the feet and upper body on the floor. The muscles of the back side of the body can overcome this force.

But first a story:

When my back felt better again I started practicing second series again. I lied on my abdomen, ready for salabhasana. I couldn’t lift my feet at all. There was no connection to body. First I laughed. Then I gave the order: lift, lift. Nothing moved. Exactly that’s the feeling of paralyzed people I thought. I don’t know of course. What to do? I moved my hands under my thighs and supported the movement. Finally my legs could lift. The feeling what to do came back. From that moment on I knew how important this asana is. Having strong back muscles also protects from injuries. All joints are safer when strong muscles surround them.

When I practice salabhasana these days I always add extra asanas:

1. I usually start with a dynamic exercise. I swing one leg upwards up to 10 times, sometimes also only 5 times. After each time I change sides. I do three sets.

2. Then I do the exercise with both legs which is much more difficult. Often I only manage it to lift the legs 5 times. Here too, I have a dynamic phase and a static phase. The static phase means that I lift the legs and hold the position as long as possible. Of course it’s possible to use a timer.

3. Then do some exercises for the upper body. I start with the dynamic exercise and finish with the static exercise. The hand position in picture 3 is rather easy. The arms pull me up so to say.

4. The arm position in picture makes this variation rather challenging. The elbows shall move backwards. I start with a dynamic exercise. Then I try to hold this variation.

After these exercises salabhasana A and B are much better. I use my hands to support my legs. Yet it’s rather an impulse than a support.

Some yogini through their heads back. My neck is not that flexible. I also think that the form of a banana looks more harmonious. To have a steep curve at the neck looks not very natural. But we all have different bodies.

There are so many variations. Enjoy the ride. Work on a strong back to avoid injuries.

Salabhasana variation, August 2020

Moods

At 5 am I switched off the alarm clock. It’s August and still easy to get up that early because it’s summer time. At 6 am we have bright day. Nothing was obviously so exciting that I got up. First opportunity for a great start was missed.

At 7 am I got up. Well-rested. But oh, how stiff I was and my back hurt. I must have had a bad position while sleeping. I took a shower. I could scarcely bend forward to dry my hair with the hair dryer. Slowly my body woke up and I could stretch my legs. My mood didn’t get better when I realized that I had gained 2 pounds (overnight - haha). Never ever I’ll buy white chocolate with a fluid mango filling. It’s devilish delicious and makes addicted at once.

I thought it would be a good idea to have a French breakfast. Down with this healthy breakfast consisting of fruit and soy yogurt, nuts and wrecked flaxseed. The thought became reality and a bit later we enjoyed black coffee with true French croissant. The walking to the bakery must have relaxed my back. Second opportunity missed, I thought. To practice yoga before breakfast usually makes every day special and awesome.

But what is such a soft croissant? It’s like nothing. It’s so fluffy in the mouth. I didn’t feel full and I stepped on the mat. I set my timer for 2 hours and started to practice. Firstly I was so weak, that I lied on my belly on the floor when I wanted to hold chaturanga dandasana. The second sun salutation was already better. My back was OK again. I had a most intensive practice. What a surprise. Never miss a practice, I swore.

Moods are not good decision maker. They come and go. Moods are moody. Today they bring enthusiasm, tomorrow laziness or desperation and then ambition again. I had some conversations lately with people who have well-groomed gardens with flowers and fruit, with vegetables and grass. These gardens are like a piece of earth from paradise. The owner told me, if you want to have a nice garden, because it’s so much more beautiful to enjoy a glass of beer there if it’s a beautiful place you have to put in the work.

I like it to be flexible and strong. Yet this means that I have to put time and effort into this goal. Every day.

If I hadn’t practiced today I would have missed something, I would have missed a joyful, intensiv, sweaty practice. Stiffness disappeared. I got stronger with every sun salutation. I was focused. An excellent day started a bit later as usual, a bit differently as usual. My yoga practice turned my day to something special. It grounded me.

On the picture is purvottanasana. The Ashtanga practitioner pose the hands with fingers pointing to the feet. When I was in Sivananda classes I got corrected at once. I should turn the hands so that the fingers would point at the opposite side. I think this variation feels better. But today I took a picture of the classic Asthanga version.

Some describe this asana as a back bending asana. For me it’s rather a counter asana to paschimottanasana, but a very challenging one. It requires a lot of strength to keep the feet together and to lift up the body. The Sivananda yogis practice variations that make the asana even more challenging. Buh.

How to continue?

August already.

In August I’ll practice second series again, every morning, except on Fridays. Fridays are for primary. I got stronger, I think it’s good to focus on back bending much more than I did by now. Once a week primary is enough.In the last months I altered primary and second series. Second series has a lot of forward bending asanas as well. Only the vinyasa of primary get neglected. I realized that I don’t progress when I repeat the vinyasa without adding strength training. Strength training can be done in an extra session. To repeat the same ineffective exercises again and again makes no sense.

As preparation for today I did the gravity training, that I bought at @yogabody. Hangman especially stretches my shoulders and upper body. Usually progress comes so slowly that I don’t realize it. Yet since I practice hangman three times a week in the evening I realize how easier back bending is.

What is hangman?

I use the video by Lucas, who leads me through the five minutes. At first the stretching pain seemed unbearable. This changed quickly. Nevertheless stamina is necessary to hold this pose. I’m willing to do a lot for a nice deep back bending. Stretching takes time. To go from one position to the next is avoiding the work.

Have a good start……

Quick fix

Of course one can learn some skills very fast. Headstand (not handstand) can be learned within half an hour. The Sivananda Yoga schools still offer headstand workshops that last 30 minutes. I learned sirsasana from Sivananda teacher. The teaching was convincing. If one knows how to do it, one is able to do it. The issue in other yoga styles is that even the teacher does not know how to teach it. They send the students to the wall and this makes it very likely that this student will never learn headstand in the middle of the room.

I’m convinced that most processes can get more drive, more speed. Doing things right usually speeds up the process. Quick fixes on the other hand are often a bad solution to an issue or goal.

Yet in the meantime almost every branch offers quick fixes that are lousy solutions. Often it deserves the name fraud.

1. A quick fix is to go to a restaurant. Since Corona I cook. The restaurants were closed. Yet I started to eat out for lunch since the restaurants are open again. Very seldom I eat out, but each time I regret it. It’s not a good solution when I want to eat well. True is that my stomach gets quickly something to eat. But usually I gain weight, I feel full after lunch. If I get only few vegetables I’m happy. I compromise already when I order a vegetarian meal as most restaurants don’t have vegan options. I get quick something to eat that’s the point. It takes time to cook. I must have ingredients at home, I must cook and do the dishes afterwards. But it’s so much better and healthier than a quick fix.

2. Many doctors offer quick fixes. A patient has high blood pressure. Instead of talking about the possible causes for instance the weight, the doctor has a pill. This pill must be taken for the rest of the life of this patient. To lose weight would be the better solution, yet this takes time. It often requires that someone changes habits. A quick fix is often welcomed, but it remains a lousy solution in comparison to start a healthy life. There are pills for almost every ‘disease’.

3. In the photography community quick fixes are offered, too. It sounds like that: Use square format. In addition use the filters we’re offering for only xy-Dollars and your pictures are better. Yes, might be. But nobody becomes a better photographer that way. Applying filters is fun, a quick fix. Learning photoshop takes time. It comes with frustrations, but it opens a world of creative possibilities.

4. We all know the get rich quickly books. It can happen for sure. If someone has a strategy that makes him/her rich in 80 years, it’s not such a good strategy. If someone wins the lottery he/she gets rich quick. How often does this happen? There are ways to speed up the process of becoming wealthy. If someone offers 25 % interest or even more if banks pay 0 interest, one can be sure that through this quick fix someone will lose money. It’s fraud and no quick fix.

5. Diets is another huge topic. Lose 5 pounds within a week. Most diets cause the opposite the client wants. The promise to lose 5 pounds within a week might be realistic, but what after the 5 weeks. Many people gain weight. Soon they weight more than before the diet. A quick fix was harmful.

6. It’s now the same with yoga. Splits within a week. 80.000 went through the program and learned the splits already. I read the comments and found some critical ones. I saw this advertising many times already and changed the preset. Quickly a message by fb popped up. You were interested in ads like this. Have you changed your mind? Learning asanas takes time. It’s a journey. Splits require stretching and this takes time. Quickly one is overstretched and injured. Indeed one can speed up the learning process through right exercises, commitment, repetitions, daily practice. Some yogini learn faster than others. Some are talented and are able to do all poses almost at once. Most people have to start a learning process that last forever. If you stop practicing the splits after a week you’ll lose this ability to split. It’s that simple.

No quick fix for me today:

• My yoga practice humbled me already. Since a decade I work on some poses. I’m still burning to learn kapotasana, standing up from urdhva dhanurasana and so on. I can tell already how it feels to face frustrations and joys, mountains and valleys, ups and downs. I keep practicing.

• I have the motivation to prepare my own meal today, because it tastes so much better and it’s so much healthier. Staying healthy is important.

Side plank - two attempts

The next asana of this handstand challenge created by Kino on Instagram was side plank. Side plank is doable, I thought. There is no easy asana, of course not, but there is a hierarchy. There are challenging asanas and impossible ones and many levels in between. Side plank seems to be relatively manageable. To balance in any asana requires strength and technique as well. I opted for an easier version of this pose. Instead of balancing on my hand I wanted to balance on my lower arm. To lift myself up was not within my possibilities at the moment I took this photo. I lacked energy. I lied there and called it an attempt.

Next day I had this glorious idea to watch the instructions by Kino on her omstars channel before heading to the mat for a photo shooting.

See the difference:

This is a side plank. After the tutorial I was motivated to try the more challenging plank pose. To look at the hand on the floor is a great variation. Even my feet are as they are supposed to be. I could hold this pose easily.

All balancing asanas support the journey to handstand. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to do handstand press. But the journey towards this pose is indeed an exciting one. I enjoy the trip so far.

Urdhva dhanurasana

Great. I did it.

Today was my back bending day. I usually start with the second Ashtanga Yoga series on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. I add asanas that I consider as supportive. For instance do I add the splits before ustrasana. Today I stretched also the upper body. Usually I practice urdhva dhanurasana against a wall. I hold it for one minute. These tiny variations make it easy to repeat the pose. Repetition is so important. Often the back bending asanas take so much time that I don’t have the time to do all the poses of the second series. I usually add twists and one or two forwardbending asanas. A longer or shorter closing sequence finishes my practice. Tomorrow I’ll work on forward bending asanas and vinyasa again.

The floor on the picture tells me that my hands couldn’t walk closer to the feet since I took pictures the last time. The pose looks like a few weeks back. This is OK, because practicing this pose is already an accomplishment. The pictures are so similar, that I wonder what is different. This time I had put my T-shirt into my pants to prevent it from sliding. I used the black yoga mat as it is thicker and softer.

Utthita parsvottanasana

Monday is primary day for Ashtanga Yoga practitioners. Primary is focused on forward bending asanas mainly.

The back of the body gets stretched. The hamstrings might sing a song about forward bending asanas.

I’m surely a fan to practice effectively. I personally want to do what works. Miracles don’t happen.

Stretching takes time. It takes much longer if not done correctly. It takes a felt eternity if injuries happen. Injuries are setbacks.

How to stretch:

1. Firstly the closer the feet the more challenging the asana is. It’s good advice to move from easy to more challenging. Gravity helps to get deeper into the pose. Yet, the pose must be held longer than 5 breaths if one wants to see results. One minute is a good beginning. More than 5 minutes is not necessary. If the asanas becomes a piece of cake 5 breaths might be enough. There are other asanas who scream for attention…..

2. The weight is on the back leg. Also this shift helps to deepen the asana.

3. Engaging the abdomen and the pelvis floor show sudden effects.

4. With each inhaling the body stretches, with each exhaling the upper body moves closer to the front leg.

I used the arms as a leverage. It helped me a lot. Yet this variation must be used with care. Once I injured myself. Hamstring were pulled. We always remember the injuries. As it can be seen on the picture this variation helps me to move deeper into the pose. It’s more about lengthening the upper body. With the arm as leverage it helps to keep the back straight.

Most standing asanas can be practiced everywhere and even with clothes (if those are not too tight). I always preferred clothes that allowed me to move. Minimum requirement of a pair of trousers is that it allows me to sit in lotus pose. Sometimes I try this in the shop. One can feel at once if a piece is comfortable or not.

My Monday morning practice was so intensive, I didn’t like to spoil it with taking pictures.

As mentioned. Stretching takes time. When practicing correctly the process is faster. Yet it takes time to stretch. Stretching can be done often. Take care and stretch.

Being flexible gives me a feeling of freedom. My body doesn’t limit myself.

This is how the asana looks after having applied the leverage with the arms. Abdomen are engaged. I guess I was one minute in that pose.

Twists and back bending asanas

Twist, July 2020

The twists support back bending asanas. They can serve as a warm up for back bending. The twists open the upper body and move one shoulder after the other backwards. I got a feeling for the shoulder blades. They can actively support the process of twisting and bending backwards. The above asana is in addition a balancing challenge. Next challenge could be to lift the stretched leg. There is always another fancy variation. This keeps the practice lively and interesting. One must learn to be content with what is, even though there could be always more. The status quo is that something could be always better. It’s important to find highlights in the practice. To practice is alway the first accomplishment.

Today my yoga week began with second series, that is the focus was back bending. Two hours were over so quickly. I could stick to my plan. I held urdhva dhanurasana for over one minute. One minute can be rather long.

My timer allows to set intervals. This could be useful for poses that one wants to hold for five minutes for instance. To hear every minute a sound helps to be committed. One more minute is doable, five minutes sound so incredible long.

Difficulties to perform an asana are an opportunity to deepen the understanding of this asana. One learns to be patient, one learns to develop a plan, one learns to stay committed despite the stones on the path.

Time to cook. I’ll prepare eggplants with Basmati rice for us today. I’ve even a fresh water melon in the fridge. It could be our healthy dessert.

I wish my readers an awesome start in the new week.

I get stronger again

On Fridays Ashtanga Yoga practitioners focus on the first series. So did I this morning. Primary helps to get stronger due to the many many vinyasa between asanas and sides. I integrate the handstand drills that I learned lately. That is I knew many of them, but with a goal in mind I’m motivated to do the extra work.

My feet are always sliding on the mat when I jump forward. In order to make the next step I must film myself. A cursing yogini is a contradiction, but each time when one of my foot is sliding I curse. I have the feeling that I’m so close to a nice swinging through my arms. Yet when the floor stops me, the movement is uneven. The handstand training is very supportive. Perhaps I won’t learn handstand, but to do a nice vinyasa one day with all these handstand drills.

My handstand training with Kino motivates me also to work on strength. Practicing with an online community is a joy as well. Every single practitioner gives energy to the group and receives energy. This exchange of energy is perhaps not so strong like in a yoga class, when I sweat next to yogini who fight with the asanas like I do. Yet the energy of the community is there and it’s very positive.

Yepee, I practiced. There is no discussion if or if not. I don’t ask myself what mood I have today. I know it will change as soon as I start with the first inhalation. It will change during the practice. Highlights are experienced during every practice. In the beginning I’m strong. The longer I practice the more exhausted I feel. The stretching pain feels awful. But when finally the poses feel good and when I can relax when I practice once challenging asanas it’s rather satisfying.

That I don’t omit vinyasa anymore is a huge step. It took me years to recover from my back injury.

It’s always a joy, when I feel no pain at all in my back. I don’t even think about my back when I practice these days. This is a gift.