My Ashtanga Journey - Week 4 (Final Week)

12 - 18 Dec 2016

My last week in Canggu. Where has the month gone? The days have been moving too fast.

The early part of the week wasn't the best for me. Energy was low, body was sore, back was feeling funny and I'm mentally exhausted from all the learning we've been doing for the past 3 weeks. It's finally catching up on me. I couldn't go down into kapotasana or any drop backs for a few days.

Never have I been so glad to take an off day on the Full Moon day (Wed 14 Dec). Used that day to do some yin and sleep. Don't usually sleep during the day but that day was an exception. It was a much needed one. That evening only 6 regulars turned up so Fernando decided to do Mysore style instead of led. Truly enjoyed that session as I got to assist Bart, Naomi, Matan, Gynia and Stephan (new guy) at different times in different poses. Class ended later than usual but it was worth it. Very nice class indeed.

So glad for the full moon

Things improved in the later part of the week. The moon day helped immensely and I'm starting to feel stronger again. Friday was led so it wasn't that strenuous and Saturday was another off day. Slept in till 10.30am on Sat! Too much yoga can be bad for you ;)

Sunday practice at Seminyak was my best ever. Flow was good, I was feeling strong and open. I was in good form. Flowed next to a Japanese girl who had a similar practice as mine so the exchange of energy was great. Grazed my heels again in backbends. Sara gave me a new pose (super grateful - tq!) - Bakasana A & B. It's very difficult to jump into Bakasana B. Something to work on.

I'm going to jump into Bakasana B as smooth as Kino one day xx

Last practice in Bali on Monday was good as well. Lala helped me with drop backs (straight legs this time) and managed to walk quite close to my heels. A little sad to say goodbye to my fellow ashtangis but I know I'll be back soon so it's not really a good bye. Till next year then Canggu x.

My Ashtanga Journey - Week 3

5 - 11 Dec 2016

My 6.45am starts are getting slightly later this week. Been managing 6.55 - 7am starts. One day I started at 7.10am and that just threw the practice till quite late. Planning to get back to the earlier starts again next week but the morning (sometimes torrential) rain ain't helping. Super nice to lie in.

Playing around in front of my most favourite door in Canggu

We've been progressing quite fast with the sequence during Sara's sessions. We had 2 sessions with her this week as Rebecca was heading back home. We led and adjusted each other throughout the entire practice, from standing all the way to closing.

Was a challenge trying to remember all the poses in sanskrit plus the vinyasa counts. Kept missing a few inhales/ exhales here and there but we are getting so much more comfortable in 'teaching'.

Practised adjusting supta kurmasana, garbhapindasana, setu and wheel. Fernando's daughter became our model sometimes. She's super bendy and so easy to put her into positions. Imagine the things we can do if we started that young with ashtangis as parents!

I'm getting more and more comfortable adjusting students in class now. We are getting familiar with the regulars and know when to go to them when they need assistance. Previously, Fernando had to tell us who to assist. Now, we kinda know by instinct who needs what, when. Maricasana Cs and Ds are getting easier to adjust and so is supta kurmasana.

My personal practice is improving in leaps and bounds. Wed 7 Dec, Fernando got me to touch my heels in backbends!! I was in utter shock as I thought I was miles away from my heels. So amazingly grateful. That was the only time though as my back is starting to feel a little funny when I try deeper backbends. Couldn't do drop backs the next day. I think it's mental, not so much physical.

Right ankle is also getting much better. I can go into lotus now but with the left heel first. I can finally do ardha baddhas with my right ankle again but it's still a while to go. I also managed to get into right pasasana myself! Only once though. Plan to make that a regular thing :)

In terms of social life, I met this cool asian American from Connecticut whom I really liked the first day I met her. Alison's been to vipassana so she was telling me all about her experience. Might be something I might try in the future. Maybe not right now, but who knows.

Another Bali sista

We went to gong meditation which was like bathing in a room of amazing energy vibration waves. Felt my whole body tingling with energy moving up and down, and when the guy came around with the chimes, my heart just opened with so much love. An amazing experience, and so nice to have it beside amazing people. She's gone now. I still miss Lisa. Oh well, impermanence, as she said.

Gong meditation

One more week to go. It's going too fast.

My Ashtanga Journey - Week 2

28 Nov - 4 Dec

Settling into the rhythm that is Canggu now. Early nights and even earlier Mysore mornings. Fernando wanted me to finish early so I can assist with the headstands so it's an even earlier start at 6.45am. It's not difficult to wake early here. I get up automatically before 6am each morning. Even on my day off which was quite annoying as I so wanted to sleep in! I'm enjoying my early starts as the shala is nice and quiet, and Lala comes around just before 7am and we get to help each other in Prasaritta Padotanasana C. Sometimes, it's a bit disruptive to my flow when I'm asked to stop to assist but I don't mind that much as I get to learn more in adjusting.

Afternoon sessions at Fernando's are coming along real well. This week was about adjusting the seated poses especially the Maricasanas. It takes quite a bit of technique and sometimes just brute strength but there's a fine line to know when to stop before we hurt someone. That's why these one on ones are so good. We get to implement what we learnt during the led afternoon classes with real students which is simply amazing.

Assisting in the afternoon led classes

Sunday session with Sara - we went through the same process as last week. Sara becomes the student and Rebecca and I took turns to lead her through the sequence and adjusting. We continued all the way to Navasana this time. It was my first time leading anyone through the seated poses and it was a great refresher to verbalise the sequence as I lead her through the standing poses. Confidence is definitely building and it's so useful to call out the poses in sanskrit. Definitely makes me remember them better.

Learnt about the 3 bandhas. We tried some kapalbhati pranayama and some nauli kriya. Didn't get the hang of it at all as I have no idea how to control and isolate my transversus abdominis. Sara said we could do some kapalbhati just before our practice to strengthen our uddiyana bandha.

My personal practice is improving so much and my body is really opening up. Right hip is opening more in supta kurmasana and my back and shoulders are also opening. Fingers are creeping up in kapotasana, from halfway of my feet to touching my heels! Was such a shock to touch them. Granted my elbows were not connected to the floor and I don't get to touch everyday but the opening it's doing to my back is amazing. Backbends have not been easy for me so to be able to do that with Fernando's assistance was just humbling. Fingers are slowly closing in for my right pasasana too. Working towards getting into the posture myself. It will come.

Haven't really gotten up to much other than yoga cause the days are short and the practice plus one on ones plus assisting takes up most of my time. Sean recommended a healer that does massage and bekam (cupping). He was real good but it was definitely NOT a relaxing massage. The bekam didn't hurt (it just looks like I've been abused) but the massage hurt like hell. My entire right side was tight. Felt like I've been hit by a bus the next morning. Thank god it was my off day. Was in no state to do any yoga :P

Bekam

Oh, and we went to a 1 1/2hour  Ecstatic Dance event at The Practice. Real interesting experience. It's exactly like a rave party - but at 11am without any alcohol or substances. Just partying to the music and being high on life. Cool experience.

Poke poke - Hawaiian delicacies

Nalu bowls - Too pretty to eat.

Some of the healthy yummy food I've been eating here in Canggu.

That's about it for my second week here. Till next week then.