I’m feel my practice getting stronger every day. My leg lifts higher in Utthita Hasta Padangustasana, the movement originating from my core. My flexibility is increasing – bending forward in Janu Sirsasana A I am now able to reach my hands around my foot. I wasn’t able to do that a year ago when I started a Mysore practice. When I stopped practicing after about 3 weeks into it, I thought for sure I would have to start all over again and relearn everything. A year later, I’ve picked it up again – those 3 weeks have not been lost. I feel like my body remembers the movements and after just a week I’ve surpassed my previous practice. Here is a link to a good Primary Series Sequence with a Canadian in nothing but his underwear.

It also helps that while on my Mysore hiatus I continued to practice vinyasa classes and led ashtanga sporadically. Through led ashtanga with the help of teachers like Sara Miller, Rebekah Nagy and Vanessa Baish I’ve been able to keep the sequence fresh in my mind.

Today, the Advanced Standing Poses class with Vanessa was challenging, but not impossible. Balancing on one leg with my torso extended in one direction and my leg in the other was difficult. I imagine the pose (I forgot the name of it) will come easier with more core strength. I’m imagining a tightrope walker with a balance bar. The bar represents my torso and leg extending in equal but opposite directions, my standing leg represents the walker who is able to stay balanced if he can keep the bar steady and close to his body.

I will think of this image next time I’m in this pose.