Achey Breaky Part

Hmmmm, so is this how Ashtanga works? You wake up so sore that all you can possibly do is practice, to try to warm up and work through the pain? Well, that's what kept me going today. That, and the engaged feet/uddiyana bandha experiment that's been so enjoyable.

I got up and had my coffee and surfed the web, as per usual morning ritual, all the while kind of scooching my shoulders around to relieve some of the ache. Okay, I guess between supta kurmasana, the marichy binds and getting back to backbends, I am having some kind of breakthrough with my shoulders. It is not terribly painful, exactly, but more achey and restless and discombobulated. As if the way they usually settle isn't quite right anymore. I think I should be happy about this. After all, it's what I was working toward. Um...why was that again, that I decided my shoulders needed to be revised?

Nice home practice. Lit some incense and candles, turned on the heater. Lovely transition from darkness to dawn light, the birds starting to chirp, the cat pacing the window pane, watching them.

Left knee is still a little off. Mostly just needs patience and a bit of babying. UHP is weirdly difficult, but there's nothing to be done about that except to wait it out. Garbha pindasana hurts like a mother.

The whole uddiyana experiment is a pleasure. Just going back to it over and over. Some poses, it is so easy to find (prasarita A and D) and some, it's so hard (prasarita B). Looking for it, though, makes for interesting information from each individual posture. Very cool.

For breakfast today: yogurt, cereal, and a big dose of ibuprofen!