UPDATE ON 'THE JOURNEY TO URDHVA DHANURASANA'

It's been a week since I shouted to the blog and Facebook worlds my efforts working towards Urdhva Dhanurasana (wheel pose / backbend / bow pose).  I am happy to report that my efforts continue on this previous-to-me elusive pose.

Continue, in that they progress AND are not always successful YET continue.  Every other day, I trek out to my home studio, work through a practice using Christina Sell's online classes, then give UD (urdhva dhanurasana) 3 tries.  Most days with success.  

Yesterday, not so much.  Not sure why -- muscles felt sore, the practice I'd selected was challenging, arms got tired, one of my left gluteal muscles decided to grip (painful).   

I made it to the top of my head, but the gripping kicked in for the first 2 and as I began to push up, the 'sensation' in my backside brought me back down - quickly. I lay there for a few moments, thinking and cursing, wondering why and what to do to get that muscle(s) to calm down and leave me be.  Then I did a bit of stretching, and gave it another try.  

Third time, I came off the top of my head and pushed to arms straighter. In the background, was my glute threatening to grip; I could sense it.  I'm not sure if the stretching helped, but at least I got one UD in and then called it a morning.  

This past week, I asked another yoga teacher to observe me doing the pose and to offer feedback.  Her comments -- I am coming higher than I may believe I am (yippee!), and I need to turn hands in and keep elbows a bit tighter to midline.  I am still coming up on toes, tho once during the past week I was able to come up and then place feet flat (for a moment).  

So, the journey continues. That is the big news in this post. Why? Well, as I explained in the last post, once I put something out there to friends, family, world - I tend to lose my focus and my efforts shift in another direction.  The fact that I am still working towards the elusive pose is major for me. Commitment is my guide on this journey. 

Another insight for me is to work on something, experience discomfort, try to shift body positions to a more optimal alignment.  When I'm doing this, I often find myself thinking of my students.  As in, 'I ask them to do some of this stuff and they tell me something hurts (glute gripping?).'  I hope this work will contribute to my becoming more aware and more empathetic. That will be an added great outcome to this effort.  

Off to teach two classes today; both Gentle and both in Temecula.  

Hope you have a great Tuesday!