BACK IN MY OWN BODY



Yesterday the body felt like it was someone else's, twisting itself into new (to me) poses, going from Vasisthasana into backbend, and dropping back and standing up like it was no big deal - for the first time in over a year.

Today, the body was stiff and tired.

But the mind was calm and less distracted (and that's what really matters anyway).

The noon Master class was again wonderful. Today Dharma had us put our mats in a grid pattern, and there were more new people / fewer old-timers. Again there was a focus on leg-behind-head poses; Dharma gave a lot of information on what to do if you're not there yet (which I can't wait to share). We also got to try Mayurasana and Chakrasana (the head-to-feet backbend, not the somersault). The former was fun; the latter less so. Suffice to say it is unlikely this body will do the pose in this lifetime. But somehow progress was made in my sad little attempts to walk the feet in and get the head off the floor - primarily because Dharma was a few feet away, watching, and told me to lift the pelvis; voila, the head got off the floor! (while the shoulders screamed in protest). He also busted me on my headstand, for which I was grateful.






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Top photo shows discarded Christmas trees in Grammercy. There are no alleys here, so refuse ends up in the street. Bottom photo is my wonderfully quiet little cell-like hotel room. The bathroom's down the hall.