Here's the Scoop on Second Series:
- We had to be at the shala by 7:30am this morning...practice began a little after 8:00am...
There are some people out there (lets just call you the normal people ;) who consider 7:30am to be early, but I (and many of my fellow classmates) DO NOT! When you are used to starting your practice at quarter til 5am - 7:30am is just down right late! By the time I got to the shala I had already been up for several hours, the sun was shining, and my poor tummy was grumbling. But its all good b/c I just knew today's practice would be really yummy ;)
I cannot begin to stress the difficulty of practice today...why???? Because Sharath decided to play with us...His count was the slowest I have ever, in my entire life, withstood! We were holding asanas for eons and eons and man was I dripping sweat from places I didn't know I could! My heart was pounding, my arms were shaking, my bandhas were on fire - OMG it was such an intense practice!
My heart was beating so fast it was all I could do to focus my energy of trying to maintain an Ujjayi breath...And by the time we got to Bakasana...let's just say my Ujjayi was jayi.....
We held Bakasana A for so long my entire body was quivering...and how I was able to jump into and hold Bakasana B is beyond me...but I sure did have a smile on my sweat drenched face when we reached Bharadvajasana ;) Although my heart rate didn't slow at all I was able to begin regaining my breath, that is until we reached Pincha Mayurasana...And Karandavasana...As always we all did the posture together and then many of us waited for Sharath to come over and help us again in the asana...
Once Sharath got me in it, lifted my feet and let me drop down to Chaturanga, I inhaled to up dog, exhaled to down dog, and quickly grabbed my mat and Mysore rug and headed to the back of the room to begin my finishing sequence....As I walked to the back of the room I heard, "Krista you come do one more!" Now you know I should have been excited - but that wasn't the feeling overwhelming me today as I slowly brought myself back to my spot in the shala, put down my mat and got into chaturanga to wait for everyone to take Mayurasana. Instead, I felt a bit uncomfortable...I didn't expect to get Mayurasna anytime soon and especially not in led second series class today! I quickly let go of my thoughts and just followed along as we made our way into and out of Mayurasana. 
Boy do I suck at that pose ;) Seriously man.... Sharath came over and held my legs up for me because it was OBVIOUS I could not hold them up myself. He kept telling me to lift my head, lift my head...
We held Bakasana A for so long my entire body was quivering...and how I was able to jump into and hold Bakasana B is beyond me...but I sure did have a smile on my sweat drenched face when we reached Bharadvajasana ;) Although my heart rate didn't slow at all I was able to begin regaining my breath, that is until we reached Pincha Mayurasana...And Karandavasana...As always we all did the posture together and then many of us waited for Sharath to come over and help us again in the asana...Once Sharath got me in it, lifted my feet and let me drop down to Chaturanga, I inhaled to up dog, exhaled to down dog, and quickly grabbed my mat and Mysore rug and headed to the back of the room to begin my finishing sequence....As I walked to the back of the room I heard, "Krista you come do one more!" Now you know I should have been excited - but that wasn't the feeling overwhelming me today as I slowly brought myself back to my spot in the shala, put down my mat and got into chaturanga to wait for everyone to take Mayurasana. Instead, I felt a bit uncomfortable...I didn't expect to get Mayurasna anytime soon and especially not in led second series class today! I quickly let go of my thoughts and just followed along as we made our way into and out of Mayurasana. Boy do I suck at that pose ;) Seriously man.... Sharath came over and held my legs up for me because it was OBVIOUS I could not hold them up myself. He kept telling me to lift my head, lift my head... I truly don't think I've ever been happier than I was when we finished Mayurasana and I quietly took myself to the back of the room to do finishing sequence :) I relished the moment of pure joy in not having to continue with anymore of todays practice - I truly felt for the yogi's who were doing all of second, "Guys my energy is with you - best of luck making it though the world's slowest practice!"
Must admit my Shavasana has never ever ever ever been sweeter...Not ever ;) Once I finished my closing prayer, took one more vinyasa, and laid down in Shavasana I swear I heard birds singing! My entire body melted into the earth beneath me - every single muscle turned to puddy...And I found the most restful place on earth - total stillness of body and mind :)
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So now I officially have Mayurasana....so much more work...never ending work..... I'm SO DOWN!
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I'll fill ya in more later on all the juiciness of my Sunday Funday doing arts and crafts with the kids at Operation Shanti, my talk with Nancy to help out with Guruji's Charitable trust and upcoming auction, my plans to volunteer with another not for profit organization teaching yoga to some amazing girls, and of course, Conference...
Ta ta for now ;)
