"MEDIO MUERTA"




This is the term we used in Madrid, to describe being so exhausted as to feel "half dead."

Perhaps there *is* such a thing as too much yoga.

(Actually there isn't. But there *is* such thing as too much asana - or postures).

I practiced second series last Monday - the day after Lino's full vinyasa primary series class. I waited til late afternoon to do it (after taking two short naps). Boy, was I tired. I did second on Tuesday as well, minus the headstands. Wednesday was the moon day, and Thursday was my usual day off.

On Friday I did primary between my two morning classes. I felt like The 500-Pound Woman. But I slogged through it.

Friday night was Mittra Om's three-hour inversion workshop. I'd expected to assist, but I wasn't needed. So I took the workshop instead. The body still felt like it weighed 500 pounds. Still, I did some forearm stands and got over some of my hangups about adjusting handstand (thank you, T-Lo). We also learned a way to do headstand that makes it feel nearly effortless - by simply placing the weight a little further back on the head. It's amazing what a small adjustment like that will do.

On Saturday morning I took ChowPatti's last primary series class at YogaNow Edgewater, which is closing after seven years (although they're moving many of the classes to Rogers Park, hers isn't one of them). Her holds are much longer than I'm used to, plus she gave me some strong adjustments despite being 8.5 months pregnant. Wow.

Saturday afternoon was Mittra OM's three-hour Maha Sadhana. I'd expected to assist, but ended up taking it instead. Oy. Vey. Among the long holds (anything over eight breaths is interminable to an ashtangi), we did the Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana prep against the wall, which to me is pure torture. And we did things like Vasisthasana with bound half-lotus. Or at least tried to. Flowing from Titibasana A to Ashta Vakrasana actually worked - for the first time ever.

That was followed by two hours of chatting, eating fruit salad (mango, papaya and pineapple) and listening to the Cinco de Maya salsa band across the street. Then we started the two-hour pranayama, meditation and Yoga Nidra (savasana) session, which seemed like it would be a cakewalk. Ha! Doing pranayama for 20 minutes was amazing, and I also felt something during the meditation. But the 45-minute savasana, well, the back of the head hurt like hell, and after some time the mind also began to protest. Next time, a pillow would be a huge help. It was still a wild, intense experience.

Y ya estoy cansaDISima (exhausted). Today I barely had the energy to teach two classes, let alone get out of bed. Of course there was a nap in between. And a masala dosa. And a day off from asana. After seven hours yesterday, I figured that the container could use a break.

I'll get back on the bus tomorrow.