(no subject)

I was out for a bit of a wet walk, making it back to my office a scant 10 minutes before the sky opened up in true biblical fashion, and was thinking about my practice tonight since I think I'll have to give the class a miss tonight (more storms *fist*). I was thinking about what would feel good as my back has been bothering me these past few days--child's pose, some cat and cows, down dog....which made me think of this posture we did in class last night: half dog, thread right arm through the left, rest forehead and shoulder on the mat and lift the left arm up to the sky (or bind to hip). I did that last night without stopping to think about it (it feels good! but I was really struggling to keep my mind on my mat and not out wandering the streets). Anyway. Today whilst out walking, I remembered the first time I did that pose and got as far as my shoulder and forehead to the mat before thinking ridiculous! I didn't think there was anyway to stop bracing with my left hand and not fall over. I remembered thinking "do what with my what now?" Now I did it without thinking. I think I could have bound my hand to my hip, too, but I really like the stretching up movement.

I wish I would have kept a better diary of my yoga practice from the beginning, back when it was a revelation to do my one class a week. I remember feeling taller after that first class, like I'd been stretch (of course I had been). I know I fell in love by my third class. At some point I went from buying a six class pass to a twenty class pass to buying an unlimited monthly pass. I'd go everyday if I could.

Alright. Work.

ETA: I found my entry from last July! That pose was actually in my second yoga class ever: Yesterday was more downward dogs than my noodle arms could handle, and this... the memory of it is traumatic: half plank, threading one arm beneath the other to rest the shoulder near the knee, temple on the ground, then twisting the supporting arm across (and behind) the body, that last part I couldn't do since I couldn't figure out how to defy gravity short of levitation.

Traumatic! Noodle arms! I can now defy gravity! Awesome! I actually did end up going to class tonight. We held down dog for ages--it was the rest pose. She also had us hold plank for what felt like years. At the end, she said to go into whatever pose we felt was missing. For me, that's always happy baby, even though we'd already done it three times. It's my favorite.