Well, since I titled one of these blogs The Downward Trend Continues, it seems only fair to call his one the reverse. And it's true. I think I've finally re-found my confidence. Some of it has to do with integrating new poses into my routine. In doing the new poses, I realize exactly how far I've come with the poses that I've been doing since the beginning.

My standing poses are solid enough that I have become aware of more basic alignment issues that impact me in any poses. Like the fact that my left foot really doesn't like to stay planted on the ground. It seems to be planted, but I've always wondered why on that side of Triangle, I sometimes have trouble with my balance. When we did Half Moon Pose, it was even more pronounced and I realized that the reason was that my whole body was ever so slightly leaned backward. And, after drilling that down a little further, I realized the reason for that was that the front part of my foot and my big toe were ever so slightly lifted up off the ground. So this week, that's been my focus. Jason's advice was to visualize a (painless) nail drilling my big toe into the ground. While it hasn't worked perfectly, it has helped. But more importantly, I realized that the ability to be so nuanced about my practice is a product of becoming more comfortable and more competent.

Some of the confidence has to do with going to class again. I've tried out a variety of different classes, and while they are not always easy, my sense of being out of place has definitely lessened. I wish I'd pushed past my class paranoia sooner. I think that I'd see more changes in my body if I had gone to class more, since yoga class is definitely more of a workout than my home practice. On the flip side, though, yoga on my own is something that I think will be more sustainable after this six months is over. While it has a workout component to it, much of the home practice is about centering my mind and body. My energy comes down a few notches and I let my mind rest, which is something that I rarely do in my life. And I like the feeling—so much that I know that after this "Yoga Makeover," I will unquestionably continue with my home yoga practice.

Posted by Leah Castella at 05:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

For the past month, Jason and I have been working on arm balances. He's patiently helping me improve my handstands, forearm balances, and headstands. He has also introduced me to poses such as Tolasana (Scale Pose), Bakasana (Crane Pose), and Parsva Bakasana (Side Crane Pose).

Because my lower body is well-conditioned from years of cycling, running, and rowing—and also thanks to Jason's precise teaching style—standing poses have come along smoothly thus far. While there are always more subtle layers to study, I find I can respond quickly to instructions regarding the lower half of my body.

The arm balances are a whole different story! They are a lot of fun, but they don't come to me naturally at all. I find myself alternating between enjoying the fun new shapes and getting frustrated with my obvious ineptitude at the poses! When we practice arm balances, my scrawny upper body gets tired more easily compared to my big legs in the standing poses. I also notice that arm balances and inversions are a great challenge to my core strength. Often my body fails me before my mind does. So I cannot just push myself harder, which is still my initial response as a competitive athlete. It is a serious lesson in patience.

Also, since these poses are unknown territory, I find myself coming face-to-face with quite a bit of fear. In Crane Pose I am not even two feet from the ground, but somehow not being on my big sturdy legs is a scary proposition. Or, perhaps, I'm scared of looking like a fool and falling on my face (or butt). The point is I'm encountering fear—a totally irrational kind of fear. (Jason even put a bunch of blankets all around to soften the landing if/when I fall. Too bad he can't pad my ego with blankets too!)

So it has been both interesting and surprising to discover these emotions. Jason says that my Bakasana technique is good enough to just practice at home and get more familiar. As it turns out, it is with frequent practice that these emotions are being dissolved away as we speak.

At this point, it has become evident that the learning process is never-ending. For me, the physical benefits of yoga are being outweighed by the emotional/spiritual benefits of gradually letting go of expectations, the drama, and the competitive ego. Whether it be lessons for the mind, body, or spirit, the journey appears to be infinite. If this is what a beginning practice offers, I can only imagine what a lifetime of study could bring!

Posted by Edith Chan at 06:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

If there's one thing that I haven't done throughout this journey, it's go to class. I had every intention of going. I blocked out the time and bought cute yoga outfits so I wouldn't feel like a slob. I looked at schedules and figured out which classes I thought looked interesting. Then I went, and I hated it. I went again, and hated it even more. I went a third time, and thought this just isn't for me. For those of your who've been reading this blog, you know why. The Shoulderstands that I couldn't do combined with the general feeling of inadequacy just killed the feelings of calm and centeredness that I was looking for.

So, for a few months I practice yoga at home. I have a good home practice. But, the truth is, I'm never going to push myself as hard on my own as I'm going to be pushed in a class—a fact that Jason has pointed out to me on more than one occasion. So, after much prodding, I went to Jason's 12:00 Thursday class at the Bay Club. To my surprise, I liked it. I could do everything. In fact, I even felt like it might be too much of a beginner class for me. It was a revelation. The energy was good and I was able to concentrate on my own practice. There were still things that I didn't understand immediately, but in each instance it didn't take long for me to catch on.

So hopefully, at long last, I can insert the class component back into this experiment.

Posted by Leah Castella at 12:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

We're almost three months into this yoga "makeover" now, and there have been countless little "ah-ha" moments during the practice. In private lessons and group classes alike, there are always new difficulties and challenges to face. This is clearly a never-ending learning process, so I decided early on that I'm in no hurry. Interestingly, the more I maintain this unhurried (but curious) attitude, the more wonderful and juicy the practice becomes! Yoga is teaching me to approach difficulty with a more peaceful mindset. With that perspective, I'm starting to see just how much unnecessary drama and suffering we create for ourselves in daily life! I'm realizing how much easier everything would be if we could practice that inner peace as we navigate life's challenges.

Originally, I worried that yoga would be yet another element added to my already jam-packed training schedule. Now I see yoga as a path of simplification, a shedding of unnecessary parts. It's a return home to a more natural way of being. Pure, simple, and blissful.

There are so many interesting experiences in this practice, sometimes I am not sure where to begin with my blogs. Being that I am the "athlete" in this makeover program, perhaps the readers might like to know how yoga is affecting my current marathon training.

With yoga practice four times a week plus full-time work, I am now only able to find time for my run training twice a week—one shorter interval-style workout and one longer endurance-building run. Despite such minimal training, I am experiencing some rather obvious improvements my running! My hips feel more open, my torso much more lifted and elongated. I am discovering a better sense of leaning with my body weight and using the field of gravity to work for me during the running stride.

I also find myself more able to incorporate subtle changes in technique inspired by a variety of running books I've read over the years as a curious athlete. Micro-changes which only made sense intellectually now suddenly make sense experientially. The result is an overall feeling of increased ease and fluidity. Even during my longer runs when I am extremely fatigued, it seems my running form is not falling apart the way it used to. Yoga is truly great stuff for athletes!

Another interesting piece is that my left knee has been feeling slightly tweaked during my yoga practice at times for months now. It's just a minor discomfort, but it never felt uncomfortable or painful during any of my sports training just during yoga. During a few of my private lessons, Jason taught me modifications to relieve the discomfort. Then, finally, last week when I ramped up to a 2.5-hour long run, the knee was suddenly painful during the last half hour. I was limping by the end of that run. In the past, I might have left it alone and ran a couple more times, only to seek treatment if it continued to stay painful. This time, because of my increased awareness from months of noticing the knee being slightly off in yoga, I got acupuncture and bodywork treatment immediately, followed by repeated self-treatments. The knee healed quickly and hasn’t acted up again since.

So as an athlete, I am finding that yoga practice is an extremely valuable way to check-in with the body, to experience it in a full range of positions and notice if something is out of balance. In the future if something feels slightly off, I don't need to wait until it becomes a pain or injury to actively correct the problem. Prevention is best, and with this recent experience of my knee pain, I now see yoga as an excellent tool for BOTH early diagnosis and self-care in the context of preventative medicine.

Posted by Edith Chan at 01:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)