I’m new here! Hi! July 21, 2004

So this is the first post. I’ll start with background.

I’m 26, I just moved to Berkeley- moved in a week ago- and have been practicing Ashtanga in San Diego for 3 years. I’m in Berkeley to begin my PhD in environmental microbiology. I have a background in modern dance. I performed for several companies in SD for a few years, but it’s been a little while since I “retired.” Due to my dance background, I have flexibility, but it’s been in weird areas. Last week was the first week an authorized teacher has let me go all the way to the end of first series, which is very cool for me. I learned to do full jump-backs and jump-throughs early on, but I’ve been standing up from backbends for only a few months, and I still have major hang-ups in two main poses, though, Mari D and Baddhakonasana- what else is new, right? Some people may recognize my username jozenn from ezboard. I’ve been active there for a few months. I love that there’s an online community that is available to tap into whenever and wherever I want.

So, that’s a limited look at where I’m coming from. Now today.
Practice since I’ve been in Berkeley is always so dang hot! I don’t know if the room is very hot or not, b/c it’s the morning, and it’s cold outside, so I’m lost there. But I sweat an amazing amount up here, and today was no exception. Today is day four, and usually by today I’m strong in most everything. No exception today. Backbends are getting very open. I’ve got my hands about 8 inches from my heels at this point. It seems like this is the easiest area for me to make progress in. Another thing to mention: It’s WAY easier to hold my dristi on the second day of a beautiful girl that I’ve never seen before practicing next to me than on the first! I find that once I’m used to someone’s presence in the room, it doesn’t matter who they are, I can concentrate easily. But when they’re new to me, and right next to me (and in this case, very attractive), it is more difficult. I like seeing where everyone is at. Especially since I’m still learning all these people. It’s a new community. At my old studio, I would hardly know who was in the room b/c I was so used to who people were.

But to mention my right knee- I had a small “opening” on Sunday- it popped, on the outside, in garbhapindasana. I immediately figured that was going to put me back a couple months, as Monday I was unable to do lotus on that side at all, but by omitting lotus poses on the right and using the traumeel (thank god for that stuff), it’s already a lot better. Probably wasn’t as much of a pop as I initially thought, thankfully. Anyway, today I was able to put it in half-lotus without too much trouble- nice! I have to tell you that the half lotus is the whole ballgame for me. It’s been all this time to just get this far opening up the hips; I’ve had a lot of knee issues trying to do it too. So after learning safer hip-opening strategies, and being much more patient with myself, I’ve finally gotten to be able to do lotus on a regular basis with no pain. It’s great. Except for when something messes up, like Sunday. Two steps forward, one step back.

But why am I really practicing? To do more poses? No. I love the challenge and the amazing depth of Ashtanga, in terms of the poses, but I practice for something more ethereal. And I get that from the breath, the movement, the dristi, the bandhas, and the concentration that all of it brings. It doesn’t really matter how many poses I’m doing. And when I have to take a step back, I remind myself of this. I’ve got my whole life with this practice if I want it, so what’s the hurry?