Slightly overstretched

Germany, April 2026, 9: Forward bending - baby pose

Today was my second practice in a row. I expected to be slightly overstretched from yesterday’s practice. So it was. It’s impossible to avoid this. Important ist to keep practicing with care. I massaged the back of my legs. This helps. I held the asanas a bit longer as usual so that the body could get used to the pose. And even more important, this allows the body to relax.

If you can breathe, you can do yoga. This thought crossed my mind this morning. It’s a true sentence. The asanas needn’t to be perfect. Important ist not to lose the breath. I lost almost every asana. My approach had to change. I go as deep into a position as possible. There I stay and breathe. I engage the bandhas. That’s it. Soon the body gets adjusted to any position. Then it’s possible to get a bit deeper. Patience is needed. Also a modest practice gives joy.

Every body position can become an asana if performed consciously.

I don’t want to make the same mistakes again and again. One of my main mistakes of the last decades was to focus on primary, forward bending asanas almost only. It creates an imbalance that is difficult to correct. It takes decades. These days I alter first and second series of Ashtanga yoga, that is I do what is possible. Preparation exercises are always possible, if the asana is not possible anymore.

Amazing how good I feel after a very modest practice.

Tomorrow is Friday and I’ll focus on forward bending asanas. It’s good to have a plan in mind.