We finished the headstand series with a big emphasis on being happy about what you accomplished even if you didn't actually get into a full headstand, which most people didn't. I got to a point of being comfortable on my head and hands and toes, and I'm totally fine with that. Considering that two weeks ago I wasn't comfortable/didn't feel safe on my hands and knees with my head close to the floor, I accomplished a lot. I am also comfortable again in a long-lost position that I love - lying on your back and throwing your legs up in the air so you're balanced on your upper back, head, and elbows, supporting your back with your hands. I used to love to do that when I was little but lost the ability and strength to do it for a long time. It's finally back, and I love it just as much now as I did then. I can even bring my knees to touch my forehead there, not because of flexibility but because of actually having mobility in my spine and hip joints. It's totally thrilling, and hopefully I'll be able to hold onto it this time.
Oh, and in case I haven't mentioned it, it's become my life-long goal to never have hip surgery again. I'm done with it. I can take care of myself and not need the help of someone who wants to cut me open. Hip replacement around age 50 or 60, as my surgeon predicted? No thanks.
We did this amazing lesson yesterday about visualizing our spines, and I'm really enjoying the after effects. Did you know that your spine is not just the bumps you feel along your back, but a thick curvy column of vertebrae? Most people know that from anatomy books or x-rays, but actually getting a sense of that column inside yourself is a very different story. Since that lesson, I've felt very tall, very stable, and I've had a wonderful ability to curve my spine evenly and roll around on the floor without hurting myself.
More fun stuff from today... an FI practice! It went really well, not because the person I was working with felt perfect afterwards, but because we both just had fun with it. We were supposed to play with how our partner could turn, first lying on their side, then on their stomach, then on their back. When she switched to her stomach, it immediately became obvious to both of us that she wasn't comfortable that way. So, instead of going all goal-oriented and trying to make her turn, I kind of forgot about the lesson and focused on how to help her be more comfortable there. It was really relaxing to be able to forget about what I was "supposed" to be doing and instead do what my partner actually needed at that moment.
Here's a photo of us working. I'm finding out how much movement is available tipping her pelvis side to side.
By the end of the day we had all lost our minds, resulting in the first real class-wide fit of hysterics of the segment. Once we had finally settled down to do our last ATM, we heard a group of kids outside shouting and laughing. I don't know what they were doing because I was lying on the floor with my eyes closed, but it sounded really fun. Someone in the room commented out of nowhere, "I want to be doing what those kids are doing." I'm sure we all agreed. Alan told us that we probably would be by the end of the lesson. We weren't quite as loud as the kids, but we were definitely all animated when we stood up.
And that's it. We packed up, said our goodbyes, and went home to a beautiful sunny spring afternoon. As my carpool-mate Lisa said on the way home, it feels little like it should be summer vacation. Class is out, the sun is shining, and we'll all be back in September. In the meantime, I'm back to work on Monday, and most of us will see each other in study groups, regular get-togethers of students to do FI practice, ATMs, or just talk.
I remember doing that upside down thing as a kid, too! It came back to me just recently when I learned the shoulder stand in a yoga class, which is now one of my favorite poses. It's so much fun to just be upside down. :-)
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