Fun with Flexion

A little something from the new book (listed in the side menu--Anatomy of Hatha Yoga--and yes, I have a "book problem"):

Practicing with total attention within the body is advanced yoga, no matter how easy the posture; practicing with your attention scattered is the practice of a beginner, no matter how difficult the posture.

Terrific book: printed on that shiny, "slippery" kind of paper that makes a book feel really dense. The opening chapter is heartening, because you can tell the author is a devoted yogi. And then he launches off into all the anatomy questions one could possibly have: chapters on standing poses, backbending, forward bends, twists, headstand, shoulderstand.

Here's one interesting tidbit/experiment: he talks about flexion reflexes (pain reflexes) and reciprocal inhibition (flexion reflexes activate flexor muscles to get you out of the pain situation, and at the same time, they relax the extensors--which allows flexion to take place more effectively): okay, now when you are stiff in your back (e.g., first thing in the morning), try lowering yourself into a standing forward bend with your fingers extended. Note how far you get. Come back up and flex your elbows a bit and flex your fingers tightly (make a fist). Holding that arm/hand position, bend forward again. It'll be easier and deeper. The tightly flexed hands inhibits the motor neurons in the deep back muscles, allowing them to extend more.

I love this stuff. People have been talking on the Ashtanga board about how happy they are with their practices lately, how it feels exciting and playful--like being a kid again. I've been feeling it, too--that sense of devotion bordering on mania.

Yesterday a magazine editor who has published some of my writing wrote and asked for more work in December, and it made me wonder if I'd have time to do much writing, if I want to do much writing. Mostly I've been spending my creative energy on yoga. I'm sure other writers might wonder why I find so much gratification in exploring physical poses with my body--after all, there is no "final product"--but on the other hand, I'm accustomed to "normal" people wondering why I spend time writing poems on pieces of paper. Guess it's all relative. I have a mania for playful, useless pursuits ;-)