THEIR 'FIRSTS' ARE MANY TIMES MY 'FIRSTS'

One of those curiosity-invoking titles; causing you to read more, or not.  I'll explain - -

Yesterday, my Therapeutic/Gentle class turned into a private for one student.  (I do intend for the class to remain small, just not this small every time.)  No matter, I and the student involved were happy to work together for 75 minutes on just the stuff she wanted/needed.

I'm not sure why, but we warmed up a bit, then stayed on the floor to work the quads -- you know, on the belly, bend one knee, reach back with corresponding hand and hold the foot. Then, gently draw that foot closer to the backside.

A bit of history -- this student has practiced yoga over the years. And, recently found herself in crowded gym yoga classes with little personal attention and lots of people.  Nothing against gym classes, but they are not for everyone.  She became increasingly discouraged ("I can't do that") until, finally, her husband wandered into one of my classes, then told her about me, and - now - for the rest of this post.

Her main goal is to reclaim her physical power and to get back into shape.  Her flexibility is great, she just hasn't used it for a while.

So, working on the floor, she could bend the knee and not worry about stability issues.  Reaching the foot became the issue (remember "I can't do that"). So, we lengthened thru the torso, we inner and outer spiraled, we reached once, twice, three times until finally the foot was captured.  With knee safely in line with the straight leg, she began to experience what it feels like to, once again, hold her foot; first, one side, then the other.  We even began to draw the foot closer to her hip, using the magic of inner and outer spiral, and a gentle pull on the foot.  "I can't do that" changed to "amazing".

Now to standing.  "I've never been able to do this and it is embarrassing in a yoga class" is what I think I heard her say.  We used the wall for stability (one hand on the wall). I asked her to activate toes, draw one knee in towards her chest and grab the front of her shin.  Side one, didn't quite make it.  Side two, a couple tries and she had hold of her ankle.  Once there, she took the ankle behind her, kept knees close together and, while pressing down thru the standing leg, she then stood tall and extended the bent knee towards the floor. Back to side one; still no luck there. But, I think that now she has the feeling in her body, it won't be long. A second time on side two - holding the ankle, going through all of what I wrote earlier.

"I have NEVER been able to do that.  That was a first."

She worried I would think her silly for saying that.  My response -- 'you are speaking to the person who revels in the feeling of knee on shoulder, inner thigh hugging in' -- also a 'first', but it never gets old, that feeling.  And, the feeling of helping someone experience their 'first' -- priceless.

Off to practice with Desiree and Geri; 1-3pm, YogaDelMar.  What a life, but someone has to do it!

Have a great Wednesday!