At the shala..

I was across the causeway the last few days for work and also took some time off for a holiday there. Spent a good deal of money on all sorts of clothes, skin care stuff, yoga tops etc;P

Anyway, I didn't check whether J would be around..I'd assumed that he was, but turns out he was in Mysore..he did come back though 2 days later and so I only got to go for 1 class with him.

Anyhow, there wasn't anything much that he worked on with me..I guess most of the stuff he taught me I already do..just a few things which I'd list later. We did have a rather dramatic time grabbing ankles..which is seriously intense..but doable. He was trying to make me grab without putting my hands down, which was a horrible experience and felt like my shoulder was gonna pop out or something..he said I was much closer when I was hanging back then when I put my hands down. Anyway I told him it was too much, so we worked at walking the hands in. that was alright..but still was intense..jeeezz..apparently my shoulders tend to turn out, I reckon because shoulders were tight so he told me to keep them pointing straight ahead as much as I could.

As for other stuff, well...the last time I went to him, I could get into dwi pada sitting up and then into supta k...but since I've not actually practiced it much at home, I just got into from the floor...he didn't seem to remember that..so he let it pass. Otherwise I though he was picking on all the stuff he never picked on like putting my chin on shin in ardha baddha padmotanasana (which makes me lose my balance), shin to the floor in bhujapidasana (which makes me feel like smashing my face)and telling me not to bend my elbows in my jump backs..

Apparently, unknown to me, I tend to bend my elbows too fast in all my jumpbacks..whether from standing, sitting or even bakasana. He wanted me to jump back into a plank instead of chatturanga. Hmmm...to tell you the truth, I always thought I keep my arms pretty straight...I thought I did keep my arms straight after that, but according to J, I was still bending them...I got to bring back the mirror and look at myself when I practice to know..he said I'd have far more control if I kept my arms straight..sigh..thats what happens when your teacher was a gymnastics coach...he expects us to do gymnastics stuff as well...I'm sure this is one of those gymnastics thingys..not bending the elbows...

OK..I have a confession...I complained to J that he wasn't giving me poses...but to be honest I know he's not supposed to teach beyond primary..but there were people at the shala who practice beyond primary series..so I more or less told him I'd progress myself if he wasn't giving me poses (I know..I'm a greedy, grasping girl hungry for new poses;P) I didn't tell him my other teachers teach me second series though..cos he's been on my case about practising with too many teachers anyway. Anyway my ploy didn't work...J told me instead of asking him to teach me a new pose..he'd rather I go read the sutras...sigh...he's been saying that to me for ages...its VERY frustrating!

Anyway, we also talked baout Mysore..and J asked me when I would be going..so I said I'll go someday..just that I haven't saved up money to do it. I guess I may go someday...