Karandavasana Week: Chasing the Duck day 3, am

The picture is of the Kamo Gawa in Kyoto. Kamo means DUCK in Japanese and Gawa is river. It's taken from Demachiyanagi bridge a couple of minutes walk from my old flat beside the river, it's the bridge I used to practice Sax under every morning.

Inspired by Susan's Karandavasana success I practised Intermediate this morning as I couldn't wait for my evening extracurricular duck chase. This really is becoming feverish.

Glad I did. I wanted to focus on curling the lotus in and for some reason I didn't worry about where my weight distribution was going to be. Didn't even think about lowering so much as just curling and curling some more. You see, I think I've worked it out, it's not about lowering or raising the lotus but just curling it in and unfurling it back out again. As you curl it comes down automatically. That's why that statement I referred to yesterday makes sense. Karandavasana is a back bend, at least it is when you unfurl the lotus. In a dropback you don't lower your back you kind of curl back.

Anyway managed come down much more slowly, quite a soft landing and a somewhat improved unfurling. Noticed on the video that as I unfurl my knees start coming way out and that's what makes you lose the balance. Need to try to keep it tighter.

Can't wait to go again tonight. Oh and I have a wonderful Duck haiku from Basho saved up for tonights post.