Bandha Mania!

When I got to Volleyball Guy's this morning, he handed me a couple of photos. Volleyball Guy loves to take photos. And then he gives you the ones that you're in. Which gives us all an opportunity to be very self-satisfied (my pincha mayurasana photo is on the fridge--I know, I'm a dork) or rather horrified.

Today I received pictures of me in utthita hasta padangusthasana B. My form looks pretty good, but my leg is just at 90 degrees. Now, I am not terribly attached to UHP, in general. I don't dread it and I don't love it. It just is what it is. But now, after seeing the photo, I know I'm going to be eager to push on how high I get my leg. Okay, fine. So be it.

The other photo was of me in ardha baddha padmottanasana--with my bad knee in lotus, no less. Is my head down, and my back extended? Oh, hell, no! Nope, I've got a seriously curved back as I try not to press into my knee, and the whole thing looks laughably tentative. But I'll hand it to him--Volleyball Guy's photo shows me exactly where I need to go to work this pose properly (once my knee is a little more healed up). He's kind of an evil genius, I think.

Again today, I jumped to ardha baddha padma paschimottanasana after dandasana. And then, as usual, I realized it and went back to paschimottanasana and purvottanasana. Maybe Guruji would be willing to change the sequence if I ask nicely? ;-) There are probably psychological assessments that can be made about people according to which poses they forget or get out of sequence.

Navasana was good today. As I rolled up into handstand (with a spot, Jody!), I felt my bandhas engage in a way I have never felt before. It was like the bandhas were running the show on their own. Much easier than momentum or brute force, which are my usual methods. And the bandha mania continued. Whereas I usually poop out after the first handstand or two, today I managed four very solid roll-ups and roll-downs, and I even managed to stick each handstand at the top quite solidly (usually I'm shaky after two), with Volleyball Guy counting on the last one and slowing down his count and stepping back away from me in order to drag the whole thing out.

Bhujapidasana is bhujapidasana. Meaning, I get my feet through without touching and then I fall on my head. But the fall grows increasingly...uh, graceful... ;-) Seriously, though, I can imagine finally not falling on my head. One of these days. And kurmasana is coming along very nicely. It doesn't happen every single time, but often lately I can feel my lower back opening and relaxing in this posture, whereas before, it was always pretty stressful on my lower back.

My Gift from the Universe is at home from school with a headache she's had since last night. She works at a retail clothing store, and I stopped in after work last night to see her. I saw her leaning across the counter to help a little old lady who was picking out a wristwatch for her granddaughter. My Gift was totally engaged with this little lady, and so sweet and helpful. She reminded me of my favorite zen monks--how they are always so engaged with what is before them, and their spirits so sweet and shiny. A pleasure to see in the midst of the holiday shopping. I was very proud.