We’ve been meaning to do it for a while now, and finally time and finances and opportunity were in alignment (in saggitarius, with mecury retrograde;-). We got to go to Bristol for a hard working yoga class. It was like a school trip: B and I were up early and waiting for C to pick us up. He has been going to this quite regularly since Xmas and we talked a month or so back about going up together and splitting the cost.
So there we were, down at the bus station at 9 in the morning, with our mats and the sunshine for company. Waiting for a lift in a car we wouldn’t recognise…you can over-plan these things.
The class was excellent: just good to get the challenge of a hard working yoga class. It was at the Yogawest studio (http://www.yogawest.co.uk) and Lynda took it. I have been there once before for a professional development day last October or so, but this was the first class (and the first time I met Lynda). It was described as a level 2 class: for those who have done at least as year of Iyengar training. We started with some salutes: urdhva hastasana into uttanasana then later into adho mukha svanasana, with trikonasana and parsvottanasana and parsvakonasana variations. Nowhere quickly, lots of detail on the side ribs – and on other things besides. Lovely to listen to someone with an easy familiarity with that level of detail. We spent some time in urdhva dhanurasana – from a high bolster, going straight up. Good advice on my stiff wrists: turn the hands out. That worked. Lynda also got us to keep the weight in the feet/legs and split her description of action in the buttocks into 3: top buttocks keeping a constant length in the lumbar spine; middle buttocks lifting straight up (I reackon this is why my glut med was so sore over the weekend); and bottom buttocks – lengthening away.
We finished with a supported halasana over a chair for 5/6 min and a bit of a supported, prone twist to both sides. Afterwards, I introduced myself to Lynda and got some information on the Junior Intermediate Level 1 teaching. It all happens on a Friday: you pay for the 10-12 class in the moring and take an hour break before going to the JIL1 session in the afternoon. L said it was fine to go along to a session in a pay per go fashion (I’m quite convinced that I need to enhance my personal practice over the next year before I considering going for the next level). I also have a difficulty with teaching Fridays. She gave me a list of future dates…I have them here somewhere…
It really is a lovely spot: all the equipment you need is there (we didn’t need our mats in the end); a purpose built space filled with photos of BKS, and other smaller visual prompts and inspirations; flower beds outside build out of great big railway sleepers, complete with a compost bin tidily along one wall. B and I sat outside in the sun and enjoyed an apple and basking in the warmth of our asana practice waiting on C: well, not truly waiting. He wanted to finish off with time on the ropes and the backbenders, and sure we were happy to bask in the glow of being alive.
Posted by hibernopithecus 
