I remember giving my father a PlayStation as a present one year. He only ever liked this one racing game, but he would struggle with every level. I remember him, frustrated, angry even, jaw clenching, grinding his teeth, saying 'it can't be done, there's a design fault somewhere, it's impossible'. He would say this at every level seemingly forgetting that he had said the same thing before mastering the previous level. Sound familiar?
Touching your toes-can't be done, Mariciyasana B - can't be done, Mari D - can't be done, Self binding in Supta Kurmasana - Can't be done, Chin to floor in Upavistha - can't be done, Coming up in Urdhava Danurasana - can't be done, Dropping back into UD - can't be done, Binding around BOTH knees in Pasasana - can't be done, Catching your heels in Kapotasana - can't be done, landing Bakasana B - can't be done, binding both legs in Dwi pada sirasana _-can't be done, dropping back and coming up in Supta Vajrasana WITHOUT an assist - can't be done, landing your lotus in Karandavasana - can't be done, coming back up again - can't be done, Rolling back up in Supta Urdhava pada Vajrasana without dropping the toe- can't be done, no really it can't be done, The Exit in Karandavasana and Viparita Salambhasana - can't be done....... can it?
I'd planned one of my assaults on 'The Exit', a two week intensive, nail it or break my toes trying type thing. Sometimes those help, and even if you don't manage it you get a little closer. As it happened while in Karandavasan this morning without really thinking about it, I just launched myself into it and there it was, pretty much. Now it can be more refined of course, perhaps a softer landing but there it was , just like that. Probably if I'd started thinking about it it might have remained elusive, you can think about things too much.
Here it is in this morning's Karandavasana, which I was quite pleased with by the way. A softer landing of the lotus and I managed to come up with just a little chin to the mat rather than half my face squished into It. It's coming along.
Of course I had to try it with Salabhasana too and there it was again. I'm not really sure what I'm doing, it feels like I'm flipping the legs back, kind of like cracking a whip, bringing my chest up at the same time, the momentum allowing me to get my hands up in time. very strange.
Not much of an analysis i'm afraid, still not really sure how it happened and though I'm happy about it I was kind of looking forward to the two week intensive, getting a little closer day by day, some encouraging comments etc. Never mind, bound to be something else and something else......
5 comments:
I love your list of things that cannot be done and the fact that you are doing them now. My list is different to yours, but it's very long and I am only doing primary. As Liz said in comment to a different post 'you area yoga natural' and right now you are my 'yoga superhero' (and no, I am not turning inot a cyber stalker ;-)
Second that; the list of "can't be done" had me in progressively louder laughter as it went on, with nodding and all: YES, that pose is impossible! YES! So is that one! I remember that, and so on and so on. It's funny how with more advanced pose achievements, the "it can't be done" list tends to just get more advanced as well. I notice, however, that it also starts to fall apart, which is the interesting bit. There's some very cool "I wonder if it can be done," and then you get ankle rolls or something else. Yeah, cool.
Well thank you Lois, will have to get some red underpants to go over my blue trousers. Funny how we all have different lists and struggle with different things. Only doing Primary once a week now (Fridays), found it exhausting this morning, may have to do it btwice a week to keep the fitness level up. Was still a lot of fun but didn't feel so Super : )
Me, too, I had to laugh out loudly. It sounds so familiar. My list, what cannot be done was long and there are still asanas on that list. I usually add: I am too old for this.
But I know this is not true. But true is that some asanas need years till they can be done as it is supposed to be. And the whole series is more than one asana.
I love your focus, you write about yoga, that's great.
Greetings, Urusla
grimmly, you are an inspiration
ursula, i guess i can't use the 'too old' excuse any more, since i believe i am 3 years younger than you...
i agree with mangotree, grimmly you are definitely a 'natural', but aren't we all, just a little bit, or would be practising ashtanga at all??
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