Two halves of practice

I start practice. 

I know not where it will go.

Mind ambles, body follows, together we all practice, a trio lost in the beautiful wild ocean of yoga.

This evening, practice starts strong.

Ujjiya breath echoes through me like the oceanic wind.

Riding the wave, no stopping to rest in Dog Pose in Surya Namaskar A, just moving through each port calmly, rhythmically.

I continue on seamlessly through standing poses, bandha, breath, dristi, union, the only interruption is the troubled left side of Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana.  Hip joint misplaced, bone in the way.  I stay upright with knee bent, waiting patiently in bound half lotus for the swell of pain to ebb away from my hip, then continue on through the final standing poses.

The two warriors are done, vinyasa, I come to the end of my mat, and the switch turns off.

Is this the end, this dark, nowhere kind of place?

Dandasana…nothing.  It’s empty.

I lay back in Supta Baddha Konasana, and stay for 5 minutes. 

I gather my faculties and lift to Setu Bandha.

30 minutes of yoga have passed.

A whisper from far within, I listen then follow instructions and enter a familiar landscape: inversions.

Shoulderstand for 20 breaths, Halasana and Pindasana for 10.

Counting the breath helps to quieten the mind.

I am deeply quiet now.

Urdhva Padmasana brings momentary alarm – the back of my head is suddenly tender under pressure.  I worry about bursting blood vessels in my eye again.  I stay for 5 breaths.  Pressure recedes with Matsyasana.  Fear recedes.

I lose count in Headstand.

The ujjiyya breath is quieter now, barely there, sweet sweet baby breath.
I take the breath into Padmasana, bind hands to feet, look up, open up.
Then I bow, to the earth, bound, open and soft.

Malasana and a simple Pasasana twist, because I want to experience what that deep twist feels like again. 
5 years have passed since I did Pasasana in any form.  

Hello there lovely twist….remember me?

Practice is 60 minutes.

Savasana is 10.

The wild ocean is a friend and it’s good to be back…