Externally, my appearance is deceptive. It seems like everything is in working order and all is smooth. Reality is a different story. Old injuries and surgeries, structural imbalances and degenerative losses as a result of the natural progression of life mean that from ankles (shredded ligaments) to knees (grade 4 chondromalacia) to humerus surgery (thrice) to cervical spondylosis, there is little that has managed to escape the ravages of life. I’m not going to list age related fading but that too adds up. And yet, the miracle of an embodied existence is that healing occurs, changes happen, range, strength and energy are vitalized.
This morning, I decided to do a recorded lesson although I wasn’t sure how much I might be able to follow with a troubled knee. But, there are modifications and common sense is usually sufficient to know when to stop. It turned out to be a balancings class and I learned how to do Dwi Hasta Bhujasana. It was a first, attempting this asana and it was playful. Enter, fall, enter again, fall again until it happened and then happened repeatedly. Eventually, I could hold the pose for a few breaths. And it was a reminder of how basic asanas are so essential to easy, safe and effortless entry into challenging asanas. And somehow Chaturanga Dandasana also seems to have improved although moving into Urdhva Mukha Svanasana without dropping is still not possible.
As always, a new asana means spending time looking at pictures and reading the books. LOY has a different entry into the pose compared to how we entered it today. Many things have become refined since that seminal volume but the book is a wonderful reference. The images are great to see where to go, how to strike a pose. Asana names are fascinating for me and they make me stay with their sounds and feelings. They make me seek to understand what lies beyond the shape and structure, benefits etc. Indra is the deity said to be residing in the hands and I think perhaps, this is a way to explore by steeping into possibilities of the tattvas until they become apparent. Way back before I joined RIMYI, there was a teacher in the neighbourhood who had introduced some esoteric concepts in the classes I was attending. I was intrigued then but didn’t pursue it, somehow there was a sense of caution that these are strong energy practices that should not be attempted without guidance. But, now I find I want to understand and explore actively.
In all asanas, there is tadasana and savasana like Guruji would say. But, it is quite a journey from standing upright to surrendering to the earth.
anonymous sadhaka 
Aren’t arm balancings fun!!! Yay for you! I’m not sure if you did Raya’s recording, but his course on arm balancings was really insightful for me. I playfully attempted each posture and surprised myself by succeeding. Once you can get the rhythm of one of the balancings others come. I think that as we age we benefit from tapping into our childlike wonder. It keeps the mind fresh and fearless.
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It was Abhijata’s class. I love Raya’s classes too, he brings a lovely lightness to approaching asanas that may seem out of reach. Balancings have been interesting for me as I struggle with them. Approaching them from different routes means discovering that I need to go back and fix something else before coming back. Literally, balancing between what is currently accessible and what needs more prodding 🙂
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Perhaps they teach us forgiveness with our bodies. Yes—we need to “fix” what’s not connecting with the whole, but then we need to let go of outcome and fly. (I’m thinking bakasana.)
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