Easter Sunday practice

Tribal music, shamanic rhythm, I'm waking up and coming alive, ujjayi breath, moving through sun salutes, gathering momentum, deliberately keeping the intensity on the slow cooker so I don't burn out too soon, I want a long practice today.

This body is very different to what it was 5 years ago when I was halfway through second series, doing Ashtanga regularly, getting easily into Marichy D, Supta Kurmasana, Pasasana, dropping back into Urdhva Dhanurasana...working with heat, tapas, joy and dedication.

Now I am a stone cold beginner again.

My body has stiffened around injury and I am noticing how my mind seeks comfort, not challenge. Periodically I declare war on the ageing process that is stealing away my body and mind, only to retreat into the soft comfort zone again and again. So easy to give in.

Yoga is a powerful tool against the ageing process, and a very sophisticated one requiring a firm resolve as its ally.

Rediscovering the joy of yoga practice I'm finding great delight being a beginner again.

Its different this time around: a transcendent quality imbues each pose.

Take the simple act of rolling the shoulders back and releasing them down away from the neck: a beginner would notice the release and become suddenly aware of the tension they'd been holding in this area (an important revelation and somatic connection). I too notice this, but also the unblocking and stimulation of energy through the area, the opposing lift of the sternum and opening of the inner heart, the corresponding and immediate domino effect on my mind and emotions, a spacious light quality infuses my being, my breath is made fuller, the skin across the brow softens, I rise up and stand taller both physically and metaphorically.

Every small adjustment in a pose sets off a chain of sensations through the entire being: physical, energetic, mental, emotional and spiritual.

So on Easter Sunday, a time to celebrate resurrection, I honour the day with a vow to breathe new life into my yoga practice, to revel in being a beginner again and to begin opening up after a year of closure.

Rebirth.

Not giving in.

Practice:

10 sun salutes: 5As, 5 Bs, full set of standing poses, so grateful for this beautiful sequence of standing poses, every one of them has a gift, a healing quality, an enlivening quality.

Handstand and Pincha Mayurasana.

Then back to the mat for Paschimottanasana, Purvottanasana, Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana, Tiriang and Janu A.

Virasana, Supta Virasana, Paryankasana (followed by Paryankasana with a block between my shoulderblades to traction the muscles along my thoracic spine), Salabhasana twice, Dhanurasana, Ustrasana, Setu Bandha, 3 x Urdhva Dhanurasanas.

A long hang in Uttanasana.

Then the full finishing sequence - every pose from Shoulderstand through to Uth Pluthi (except Chakrasana because my neck is still fixated on something).

The practice took a little over one and a half hours , then I rested in Savasana for 15 minutes, fully present and hyper aware of the sensations in my body, quietly watching the beautiful sunset happening inside of me..