Urdhva dhanurasana

2018

The chin touched the wall. External clues help to get deeper into a pose. I'm glad that I practiced, I'm glad that I could experience 90 intensive minutes on the mat.

Nevertheless my practices don't refresh me. They exhaust me. I need to sleep in the afternoon. My body needs to relax. It seems so. I feel done.

2000

This was my urdhva dhanurasana in 2000. It looks rather wild. My urdhva dhanurasana of 2018 looks more disciplined and more precisely.

2011

Mistakes happen. To keep the legs parallel with a strap is not a good idea. It's much better to put a block between the thighs and to hold it. This makes the legs strong. With a strap around the legs, they move outwards. This is not the intention. 

2013

I'm sure that practicing urdhva dhanurasana was good for my body. The pictures show how slow progress can be.
The pictures also show why I'm so impatient these days. How I practiced made it impossible to progress faster.

In order to progress I recommend myself to hold this asana longer than 5 breaths. 5 breaths is too short. The body won't really stretch within such a short time.
In order to get stronger it makes sense to move into that pose more often. Up and down, up and down 10 times every day, that's what makes strong. And strength is needed. Finally I want to come up from that pose.

Another intensive practice

It was the afternoon when I started primary. I get stronger again, slowly, but it's remarkable. My joy is huge that my back pain is almost not existent. I have to adjust few asanas. The closing sequence is possible again. 

After the practice I feel good as well. I'm exhausted, but that's it. I don't have to do fascia massages or twists to get my body back to normal 

To practice at home allows me to focus on myself. I can rest if possible. 

Splits are always part of my program. 

After two years of doubts, I'm sure now that my yoga practice can improve again. This injury was a wake-up call. Self-study is necessary To do every day the same asanas without reflecting if this is still useful makes no sense. In the meantime a lot of information is available about almost everything that is important: nutrition, strength training, cardio. There are tips and tricks about how to do the asanas. It's easier these days to create a safe practice.

Tomorrow I'll focus on back bending. 

Back bending

No, I don't begin from point zero again. But sometimes it feels so. Today was my back bending day. I don't rush through the back bending asanas of the second Ashtanga series. I add asanas, I repeat asanas, I use props. Walking down the wall is so helpful. The goal is that the asanas must feel good. I know how this feels. My experience is that the closer the asana comes to the perfect form, the more comfortable and easy it seems to be.

The 90 minutes on the mat practicing back bending were must intensive. Afterwards I was so tired. I took a siesta later and slept, still exhausted from my effort to get deeper and deeper into the asanas.

Most difficult is to alter from back bending to forward bending. I practice usually soft counter poses, but to get from kapotasana to eka pada sirsana seems impossible within one poractice.

Practicing anything also means to work on the mind. Believing that something is possible is a huge step in direction of this goal.

We have summer weather here already. This helps.

Tomorrow primary is on the schedule again. Focus is the vinyasas.

I'm so thankful, that practices are possible again.

Celebrating tiny successes

1. In April I practiced more often than during the other months in 2018.
2. Today I did chakrasana again.
3. My lack of strength is more striking than my back pain. I'm getting stronger with each practice.
4. I enjoy my practice.
5. Yoga nidrasana was possible. I could begin with the next focus that is to relax in that pose.
6. Also the closing sequence was possible.

I'm thankful that I can practice again. What a gift.

90 minutes

I think my back bettered again.

When I practice I experience my lack of strength more than the back pain. Less and less asanas I have to adjust. After my practice I feel rather good. I often forget my back. I'll keep practicing with attention. Pain must be avoided. Also 'easy' asanas are worth doing. I take my time.

It's almost impossible to go from deep back bending asanas to forward bending asanas. I practice modest counter poses. The leg behind head poses are impossible after the back bending asanas. Instead I practice a few soft forward bending asanas from first series.

Today I focused on back bending. I did a lot of preparation exercises. I used the wheel and the wall to support the back bending. The wheel allows passive stretching. The wall offers resistance. Both techniques are supportive.

What really bettered during the last decade of yoga practice is my concentration. I'm able to stay 90 minutes on the mat. I'm able to practice and to focus on the breath without taking breaks.

Patience is required.

Every time when I practice I see the necessity to work on strength.
Every time when I practice I see the necessity to hold the challenging asanas longer than 5 breaths only. Stretching takes time.

Tomorrow I'll practice primary. The focus are the vinyasas: flexibility, strength and technique.

No excuses

It's also possible to practice at night. Why not. It's done and I feel excellent. Every practice counts.
Time to sleep.

To practice is important

I was out. It was fun. I met nice people. It was an entertaining day that could go on and on.

I decided to leave the party and stepped on my mat. When I realized how weak I became I knew that it was the best decision I could do. I practiced  being attentive and not forcing anything. I practiced  being content. To stay strong and flexible means to practice. One must sweat. One can feel when the muscles get stronger, they burn. One can feel when the body gets deeper and deeper into a pose. If nothing is felt, nothing happens.

One practice further. I like the path. I like seeing results, but I also like how to get there.

Lately I read: Success teaches you nothing. So true. Mistakes, failure are opportunities to learn. For sure.

Today I struggled more with my weakness and my stiffness rather than with my back injury. This is a good sign.