Just the breath..

I've never been that attentive to the breath...but lately, because of my wrist injury, I've had to slow down everything alot..and sometimes even resort to lowering down all the way to the floor and not do chatturanga etc. The wrists are much better now, but these few weeks has been a great opportunity for me to observe my breath.

And surprisingly, I found that I really enjoyed my breathing. I never realised it, even when J pointed it out to me..but my breathing is really pretty smooth, deep, long and even. I noticed it a little after John Scott's workshop, but didn't pay that much attention to it, but now that I've been really counting my vinyasas, there is a huge difference in the way I breathe now and back when I just started.

I think I owe it very much to John teaching me the vinyasa count and counting us through the led classes. Now, I'd practice with his DVD once in a while too, and it really seems to make a lot of difference in the pace and depth and sound of my breath.

I'm talking about this mainly because I'm down with a bout of cold rite now, but I still practiced the last 2 days through my runny nose, and it felt so darn good, like the ujjayi breath was cleaning out my lungs and sinuses. I've been feeling the breath much more recently in my back body, and I feel that it has as much effect of stretching out my back as actually doing an asana.

Another part of ujjayi that is helpful is that when I breathe and not think too much about anything, the practice becomes smooth and very flowing. Almost floating. I didn't feel tired out nor feel strained in the poses...and this was despite getting back into all the chatturangas, vinyasas and arm balances.

One thing I can't seem to get though, is coordinating my breathing with vinyasa. I mean all through the suryas, its very natural. When it comes to jumping through, I always feel wayy stronger jumping on empty, which J told me is definitely a nono. I can jump through on inhales, but the lift is not as strong. I'm not sure if I'm missing something here, but my connection to uddiyana bandha is way stronger when I've just exhaled.

Jumping back, which by the way I think I've kinda figured out (because I did it again!!! yippee!) I lift on inhale and exhale back to chatturanga. That seems to work pretty well though.

About jumpbacks, I did them again yesterday! hehe. Not the floaty variety, but I think the key is to lift to lolasana and then bend the elbows so that the hips lift to counterbalance the head and shoulders, and then my legs just go back without that much strength involved. I know its probably not the best way to jumpback, but for the time being I'm pretty pleased with this discovery;)

Gonna skip practice today cos its ladies holiday and the cold is still pestering me, so will take a rest.