PREPARATION

I am in the final stages of preparing for a 2-hour workshop that I will present tomorrow (Saturday, 2-4pm), in Temecula at Living Yoga (plug for you locals).  Topic of the workshop:  "Happy, Healthy Hip Opening".

Let me begin by saying my hips are tight.  I am not the yoga teacher who effortlessly slides in Hanumanasana (forward splits) and Upavista Konasana (seated with legs spread laterally) is a dvesha, or to-be-avoided, pose no matter what.

 ((Someday, when all the JF upheaval has died down, I'll tell you my own personal UK and John Friend story.))

So, last month, I signed up for Doug Kellar's webinar on YogaUOnline, called Safe Hip Opening.  I had two reasons.  One, I want to be able to do Hanumanasana, and UK with ease.  And, two, when I first began Anusara Yoga, I read Mr. Kellar's book, "Hatha Yoga in the Anusara Style".  After reading that book, I clearly understood muscular energy, inner and outer spiral, the loops, and gained a ton of anatomy info that had previously been a mystery to me (as in, not covered in the college anatomy classes I'd taken 30 years ago).  His ability to write all this out speaks to me, to the way I learn best, so why wouldn't I take the course?

I had also recently purchased 3 books of his -- 2 on therapeutics and 1 on pranayama, rekindling my interest in his offerings.

Curled on the sofa, laptop in hand, I listened to the first of the two webinar sessions.  Jaw-dropping information.  The next week, I listened again -- tho, not live (something got in the way).  Fortunately, these are recorded so you can listen at any time.  More info that left me wanting more; and also left me knowing that the two poses mentioned above may never be easeful for me, depending on the bone structure of my femurs.  So long as I know why, it becomes an easier acceptance.

I continued, after those webinars, to read -- I'm now 3/4 of the way through the Therapeutics books. As I read, the temptation to skip parts is not there. I read every word. I might not remember every word, but as I read, I visualize and - hopefully - some of the info is trapped in my memory bank.  That's the affect his writing has on me -- the ability to visualize.

Then, I offered to present the workshop mentioned in para 1.  Why?  Because hip opening has sometimes been presented to me as 'violent' work -- like 'get them open', now hold or keep them there (if you struggle with fire log pose, reflect on how you feel when in that pose!).  Hip opening, rather, appears to me to be gentle work, feeling work; not just inner spiral and scoop, but movement that strengthens and lengthens the ligature and muscles on all sides of the hips - glutes, adductors, abductors, psoas, iliacus, etc. -- and these are all affected by the feet, knees, back, not just the joint itself.

Whens students indicate they want 'hip-opening' poses, I remember Martin Kirk's response:  "EVERY pose is a hip opener!"

Wow!  2 hours will certainly not be long enough.  But, it will be a start.

Hope you have a great Friday!