Advanced Yoga with Nuvana - My yoga is getting rusty

I have been travelling the last two weeks and therefore missing yoga classes. Yesterday was a once in a month advanced yoga session with Nuvana at Sunset Yoga. Lets call it a level 4 class. I bombed in every way. I have lost the ability to push up into adho muka vriksasana, my sirsana was not the best, I was balancing using my back. I have become rusty.

"You are thinking too much!" said Nuvana as I struggled to get up on my hands and arms. The class was all about working the glute muscles and creating space around your lower waiste to peform perfect adho mukha svanasana. Its wonderful to understand this concept of creating space. There was an aha moment for many when she commented that when you point your feet upwards while in sarvangasana you are in water - a relaxed pose. But if your feet and legs are waving too much - you are asked to point your feet down, which is earth! This provides more stability to your sarvangasana. I presume it wouldn't be as relaxing.

What an amazing interpretation. I have to fix this gradual loss of practice. I have to overcome the daily torments, insanity and rage impeding my life and give yoga priority. This afternoon, I drove through one of the most beautiful places on earth. I stopped to watch the roaring rapids of a river in the mountains of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Surrounding these rapids I saw pools of calm water and a raven quietly searching for food. There was serenity despite the roar and rage around it.

If nature can have calmness and contentment to exist amongst turmoil and rage - so can we! May peace and calmness be around you despite any turmoil and rage. You have to remain in the calm pools and be indifferent to the rage and an insanity that may surround you. As I drove down the mountain I watched the flow of the river change from raging waters to a calm flow in the valley. I have to remember there will be another valley coming soon in life bringing with it some peace and calmness.

Namaste

The Yogi