Day 17

Last night when I said I was looking forward to Yin today and what a nice treat it would be from the moksha…boy was I ever wrong about that ;) That was only my third Yin class but definitely 10 times harder than the other two classes I went to. I still enjoyed it but found it harder to relax and focus as my body was screaming in some of the poses. Not pain, just strong sensations and very uncomfortable. Yin yoga uses long, passive holds to work on the deep, dense connective tissues of the body--the tendons, ligaments and cartilage--which are difficult to energize and open.

Tonight we did lots of leg poses – ½ butterfly, saddle, dragon, swan etc and held them for 5 minutes on each side. It was very challenging but I did my best and I am happy about that. My legs are on fire tonight, so an Epsom salt bath may be a great solution. I don’t want to be sore tomorrow. 

Airlie read some inspirational quotes tonight from her teachers Matthew and Elena. The theme of the quotes were on “pausing”, listening to your body, taking time to notice, mindfulness, feeling your bodies sensations, and feeling alive. I found it tough to focus during the quotes tonight as my body was fighting for my attention in the poses. Airlie mentioned when we close our eyes it is easier for our bodies to accept and melt into the poses.  I wanted to know more about Yin so I found out that "a long-held passive pose practiced while the muscles are not yet warm allows the energy to reach the deeper connective tissues of the joints and the corresponding pathways of the meridian system. The prana (or life force) stimulates and tones the joints' deep connective tissues, increasing the supply of fluids to them, making them less dense and enabling them to stretch deeply."   No wonder it is so uncomfortable... :)

Airlie read a beautiful poem near the end of class called “Mindful” by Mary Oliver, (I am pretty sure this is the one but like I said I was not able to pay attention with my body nagging me tonight in the poses).

“Every day I see or hear something that more or less kills me with delight, that leaves me like a needle in the haystack of light. It was what I was born for-- to look, to listen, to lose myself inside this soft world-- to instruct myself over and over in joy, and acclamation. Nor am I talking about the exceptional, the fearful, the dreadful, the very extravagant--but of the ordinary, the common, the very drab, the daily presentations. Oh, good scholar, I say to myself, how can you help but grow wise with such teachings as these-- the untrimmable light of the world, the ocean's shine, the prayers that are made out of grass?” – Mary Oliver  

If you like her poetry here is more of her work :)

Most challenging pose of the night:

Dragon pose / Yin variation of Ashwa Sanchalasana:

At the end of the class Airlie said for those that were plotting her demise during the poses, we will thank her later for the challenging class. I guess it is like a deep tissue massage, it hurts at the time but afterwards feels amazing. :) Even though tonight was so tough I am really looking forward to the Sunday Yin class.

Day 17 complete! :)