Friday, May 13, 2011

Okay, That's Enough

One thing that separates me from more professional yoga instructors is inversions. I don't do them and yoga instructors do. Now that AK and I have been going to the studio every weekend, the instructor has started recognizing us and what we are capable of. As any good yoga instructor does, she also recognizes the potential we have.

And that's how she almost got me in a headstand.

After beginning class with getting in tune with our chakras and going through a plank pose series complete with down dogs during which I got my head to the mat again, we went into forearm practices. AK and I did our own thing instead of that. Then she went into headstand practices.

I got on my knees, grasped my hands in each other and put them on the floor, and then put the crown of my head on the floor. Then I hear, go to the wall if you need it. I stay where I am, content in my not trying to do anything more than what I'm doing, keeping my eyes closed.

Then I hear and even closer, Come on; let's go. Very quick. Very low. Very close.

I open my eyes and the instructor is standing there, obviously talking to me, knowing that if I wanted to, I could very well get into some sort of inverted posture, even if for a few seconds. So I go, Okay, I'll do this. I get up off my knees and push my hips up.

Next thing I know, she's got her hands on my hips and is instructing me, one leg up. I lift a leg. I'm almost in a headstand. Then she goes, now the other one. I get up on my tiptoes. She goes, lift. I lift it and I'm on my head, inverted in the most awkward way. She's instructing me and all I hear is the voice in my head saying, Nah nee nah nee nah nah you're upside down.

So I do what any mature woman in my position would do. I freak out and say slightly panicked, Okay and that's enough thank you very much.

She let me go immediately. That's why she's a dang good instructor. She listens. She did ask though, Enough?

I was like, yup, that's enough.

(This picture does not make me feel any better about myself).

She moved to the wall ahead of the people in front of us and showed the class--You can cross your arms like this, no tension, and for whatever reason if you have fear, this is the simplest way to get into a headstand. No tension.

I believe that could have been directed at me.

She moved to the woman next to me and helped her get into a headstand in the way she just showed. She asked the woman, feel tension? The woman was like, no not at all.

I sat on my mat, sipping on my water. I didn't feel any tension either.

And so ends the beautiful practice and begins the segment of awkward yoga freak out girl. It was only a matter of time.

We have one more weekend before our Groupon expires. Dare I get upside down? (Most likely, nope, and I'm really okay with that).

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