First Drop Backs, July 24, 2008

Haven’t written in awhile. One day melts into the next and everything revolves around the practice. It’s such a unique experience.

My practices have been coming along really nicely. I’m looking less like a dead fish flopping on the shore during Chakrasana (a way to exit a posture you do lying on your back by lifting your legs over your head and pushing up so that you don't roll over your neck (in theory). I’m actually doing headstand in the middle of the room...today for 10 breaths. So, I’ll be ready in tomorrow’s led class. It’s been flowing okay, not as focused as I’d like but not totally unfocused either. And the BIG news!

Last week Sharath asked me if I’d done my backbends as he saw me getting ready to leave. “Yes”, I said confidently and went into the changing room. “Oh oh I thought, I know where this is leading”. The next day Sarashati hovered over me as I was doing my backbends and I ignored her. She just squashed me into forward bend afterwards and let me go. And then Tuesday this week Sharath asked me again if I’d done backbends. “Yes”, I replied with a big smile and tried to get past him. No such luck. He asked, “Who helped you?” “No one”, said I truthfully, to which he replied, “Tomorrow you wait.” Hmmmm.

Sooo, after doing my practice (I’m surprised I wasn’t a nervous wreck!) and finishing with my backbends I stood up to wait. Sharath saw me standing and came over. The dreaded dropbacks! I really never thought I’d be able to do these. These are when the instructor holds you from the front and you go back into a full back bend from standing after doing three half backbends. The thought of going back never particularly bothered me. I used to do backflips into the water all the time when I swam. But I was afraid of what the backbend would do to my low back; especially how it would feel when they jerked me up. But, wonder of wonders it felt good. Sharath was not impressed with my slapping my hands to my thighs when I came up, but I was totally impressed that I did it!!!

The other big news is that I learned how to make Jude’s chai today (see recipe at the side). For those of you who have not tasted, it’s the best chai on the planet. Made better by all of the great, fresh and very potent spices here. She’s told me how to make it before but this time she talked me through it so it’s embedded in my brain. I actually made it again this morning for a big breakfast that Joseph made. Dosas and fruit salad with a savory subgee and coconut chutney. Delicious! I made soy chai for Rachel (a vegan) which also turned out well. Joseph invited Basia, another senior teacher who is Polish / Canadian but has lived in Japan for the last 10 years. She’s now moving to Poland and Norway but travels quite a bit teaching. He also invited a woman named Katherine who is an academic from Oxford. Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to speak with her very much.

Yesterday we all went to the Southern Star for the reopening of the pool. It had been closed since I got here for refurbishment. It’s nice to have a pool so close. It’s just as nice as Wind Flower, although the setting is not nearly as tranquil. I had a veggie burger (which tasted like curry) with fries. I also had a manicure, pedicure, brow shape and head and shoulder massage for $32 NZ!

I started another chanting class today. This one concentrates on specific prayers that Guruji wants the yoga students to learn. I don’t know what they mean but I was buzzing afterward. I loved it.

My yoga sutras class is getting pretty intense. We’re getting into some really interesting topics, like the cosmology of the universe. It’s fascinating, a lot like quantum physics. I’m reading two translations at the moment. Iyengars which is completely dry and a beautiful little book that I got for 30 rps at a local ashram. This is the one that Laxmish actually reads from. There are a couple of ashrams around here that have books. I’ll have to check the other out.

Between the yoga sutras, the two chanting classes and the back bends I’ve been in a really interesting head space the last couple of days. I go between being completely happy and content, almost blissful (wow, look at that cool butterfly kind of blissful) to wanting to cry for no reason. I guess my inner journey is starting in ernest.