Classes 12 & 13: EVERYTHING

Class 12: Tuesday 15th January 9.30am, taught by Libby

This was a great Libby class, with loads of really concise and precise corrections.  She notices EVERYTHING, and can change the whole way you're trying by telling you to roll your weight into your heels more, or bring your arms down slightly.  In Camel (Ustrasana), I don't feel I'm doing it as well as I used to: I used to just about see the back of my towel, but haven't been able to do that at all in this challenge, or for ages, in fact.  Today in that one, I wasn't really trying my hardest, and Libby told me not to put any weight on my heels - how could she even see that?!  She notices EVERYTHING!  On my way out today, Libby told me to challenge myself in this challenge to break the habits I'm creating, i.e. giving up in my (least) favourite posture, Janushirasana, which was a bit annoying because she is completely right.

I gain a lot from Libby's classes, but was feeling tired again today (even in the first class!) because I'd been up too late ironing and leaving things ready for the morning so that I'd be able to escape early.  At about 4am one of the children needed me to wake up because he had a sore ear, so I thought that was going to put paid to my yoga plans for today, but he was happily playing Nerf gun wars with his brother and sister at 7.30am with no mention of the ear, so all well in the Beetroot household and plans back on.  Kids, eh?

Class 13: Tuesday 15th January 12.30pm, taught by Lascal

One thing I've noticed Lascal says differently to the other teachers is just before the sit-ups when we're usually told 'Inhale, feet together, arms over your head, and sit up please' (think that's how it sounds);  anyway, he says (every time) 'inhale your arms over your head', as though by taking a breath you also lift your arms in the same action - I quite like that idea.  Found this class quite hard work, but then I hadn't had enough sleep and it was my second of the day, so...

When I used to have trombone lessons, I was always told to think of breathing in as filling up a big barrel from the bottom, so as you took in more and more air, you would expand your ribs and stomach outwards, and this made sense to me.  In Bikram yoga, we're always told to pull our stomachs in as we inhale more and more air.  This also makes sense to me.  How can they both make sense when they are the complete opposite of each other?  I don't know, but if I'm told anything often enough with enough conviction I totally believe it.  I have different trombone breathing and Bikram breathing, so I don't have to decide which is right - there are probably lots of contradictory behaviours which become right in different situations.  I've even lost myself with that one, definitely time to end this post!

Night! x