ON AWARENESS

When I close a class, I often offer students the 2 reasons I practice yoga -- to become more aware and to create beauty. When I speak of awareness, I'll say that it's not just about which body part affects what, or how poses affect our moods, flexibility, etc. -- it's also about becoming aware of our physical and emotional strengths/weaknesses.

That said, it is always gratifying to have a student utter a soft (or loud) "OH", in class -- when that happens, I quickly ask what happened, or what did they notice? (Hoping, here, that it won't be an answer that tells me they are having pain.)

My class yesterday (Basic) turned into a private. The one student is very body aware -- her work in the military has created great sensitivity to what is happening in her body -- love it! We are working; primarily on Warrior I, since that is a dvesha pose for her (dvesha = no like). Why? I think that, because of all the physical activity she has done, her calf muscles have tightened and shortened. This compromises her ability to take a long stance in the pose and to square the hips without the back heel lifting. So, what do we do?

First, we warmed up -- since I hadn't noticed this in her Warrior I before, and I wanted to see it in action before I offered suggestions.

A modified Warrior I (back heel lifted) looked good. A heel-down Warrior I looked short and lifted thru the legs.  Tried the usual -- take front foot wider, stick the back heel -- didn't work. So, we went to the wall.  Block between one knee and the wall, stepped other foot back to a long lunge.  From here, she was able to lean forward into the wall and get a better feel for the stance.  Problem:  when she tried to stick her back heel, it wouldn't go down -- or, if it did go down, it pulled the front leg back. That, plus hips were struggling to square with the wall.

After working both legs, we went to the floor and she got a calf massage on both legs.  Now, I'm not a massage therapist, and I usually don't do this on students, but - I've done it in trainings.  We talked about fascia a bit.  Interesting that her understanding of fascia is that it is located just in the feet (need to remember that). Talked a bit about fascia's role in the body and that it will tighten, affecting flexibility.  Massage finished, back to the wall -- a much more open Warrior I.  Still some tightness, but continuing the massage will help.

I also suggested that her warm-up before class begins might be just standing with balls of feet on a roll, soft knees, take uttanasana for 5-7 breaths. From uttanasana, step one foot back to parsvottanasana (front foot still on the roll). Another 5-7 breaths. Then change sides.

Now, jump back to paragraph 1 -- awareness.  We finished the class by going to the floor for janu sirsasana (and some other 'stuff').  I mention janu sirsasana, because during that pose I hear this "oh". We finish that side, come up and I ask what the "oh" meant. Answer:  "My left leg was on vacation. I had some discomfort in my right hip, and when I re-activated my left leg, it went away. Who knew left leg would affect right hip?"  Be still my heart -- this is awareness; feeling discomfort, re-applying principles, feeling relief.

p.s. -- what did we notice together?  That knitting the ribs allowed us to 'stick' the back heel more effectively.  Ahhh, rib knitting - gotta love it!

Today?  Teaching at 11:30 -- Gentle Yoga.  Then? free time and the weekend!

Hope you have a great Friday! (and, thanks for listening to my rambling)