Oh Urdhva Dhanurasana!

These past few weeks has left me occupied. Alex Medin was in town and I attended his weekend workshop and the 2-week Mysore class. It was intensive and there was a fervent energy in the air. Mysore in Yoga Mala totally felt different. In these two weeks my backbend was fully challenged, and it's already challenging enough for me on a "normal" day of practice.

Me practicing Urdhva Dhanurasan at home.

My Upper back radiated. It wasn't pain. It was more like a burning, shining feeling. Although I'm sure the only thing shining was my face and palms from sweat. Backbends have always been a hard asana for me to do. Given that my anatomy isn't reconcilable with this pose, I die every time I do it, but I do it anyway. The crazy things we do for yoga! 


My journey with this pose has been long and agonizing, and that "radiating" feeling is a milestone, microscopic to some people, but nonetheless a milestone for me! 


Really, sometimes we have to bend over backwards to see the bigger picture in life, to be more understanding of things that are different from us, to be more compassionate to others and especially to ourselves. 


Keep bending baby!