Week 5 Post!

Reading Response:

I found the answer to my questions on page 223 on How Yoga Works. It was just killing me to read all the philosophy about Yoga and doing the practice but not knowing the connections between the two but it was laid out beautifully by the Captain. He explains that the yoga "gets you ready to have the ideas we've been talking about. Because if you do them right, they loosen up the knots almost by brute force: knocking on the pipe". I finally understand the connections between the philosophy and the practice. It was almost like an "ah ha" moment.  In the story I think I relate so much more to the Captain than any other character. I share his frustrations with the understanding. It's almost as if I ask the same questions he does before they are written before my eyes.  I think one part of the book which really captured my attention was the part explaining hurting others especially in terms of war and how it is conducted.  I guess since I've always wanted to be an officer in the Air Force  I was biased toward the idea of war and saw it as a necessary evil at times to keep balance.  However, reading Friday's explanation of it made me a little uneasy about my profession of choice.  I don't think any soldier wants to hurt someones son, daughter, brother or sister but at the same time, the society or our time has become too adapted to this way of thinking. It's not a hatred of each other, I guess we fight over insignificant things like, land, money, resources and forget that we are all here on this earth to live in harmony together.  I've read just war theories and doctrines on war and how it should be conducted but the reality of the matter is, nobody plays fair and I know we shouldn't live our lives on the terms of an eye for an eye, but sometimes the circumstances just aren't fair.  Nobody plays fair and there's no way to make everyone in the world understand Friday, Iyengar, or Patanjali's doctrines. Its just not feasible. That's why when the Captain screamed his frustrations at Friday about the doctrines not "up to level of thinking which is current, which is sophisticated" (247), I was yelling at the same time.  Ugh, I liked this yoga stuff a lot more when it didn't challenge my beliefs and way of life. I know I can stand firm with what I believe, but that doubt is already arisen, the crack has already been made.  How do I go back to that ignorant bliss?

Practice Response:

I think I enjoy doing the twists the most in Yoga practice now and anything which causes me any strain on my calves I flat out dread doing, maybe that's why I hate downward facing dog?  I like to think I'm pretty flexible with my upper body, like my arms and my waist up but for some reason my legs just feel like bricks to me, like they just don't belong.  I've been struggling with Padagunthasana (Big toe pose). I 've tried doing it with a little more of a bend with my knees but I'm so frustrated that I can't bring my torso closer to my legs.  Also chair pose, seems really easy when I see Dr. Schultz doing it but when I try to get the right form in front of the mirror I just can't seem to do it.   I've gotten really good at eagle pose but the rest of the balancing poses still give me trouble.  Any recommendations on how to get more flexible faster in my legs, anyone? Bueller?