Day 2

Weather: rain, rain, rain. pure wetness everywhere
Today's overall feeling: positive until too tired.
Ailments(?): carpal tunnel still, mainly feeling it on the left. Neck pain much better, almost gone.
Muni: super shitty. pardon my french. the trip there was not so bad, filled only with anxiety about missing the L Taraval til a cable car rang itself around the bend. the ride back was filled with treachery. waited 10 minutes for the L back downtown (not so bad). Talked with Katy (someone from my class) on the ride back, so that was nice. THEN when I got to EMB I walked passed a single line of traffic... like cars as far as the eye could see pulling empty, but animated, Chinese New Year Floats. I walked to the 1 California and waited for about 30 minutes in the freezing rain while everyone bitched at the sign that would trick them by saying "1 California Arriving" then changing to "1 California 15 minutes".  When it finally got there it was detoured because of the Chinese New Year Parade. Then the bus got stuck in traffic in the detour.  I just want to say that if I were mayor of this town, parades would be illegal in the rain. The super shitty part comes in because it took me 2 hours to get home instead of one. All-in-all I am alive. so what can i say. end rant.

Today in class...
Anyways. The classes today were alright. Today we began study of the yoga sutras, a foundational and influential text of yoga philosophy and practice. Taught by John Hayden of the Iyengar Yoga Institute of SF. I'd say he's a good teacher of something that seems very difficult to teach. We are basically going to go through a sub set of the sutras, learn their literal meaning and then study the commentary by BKS Iyengar. I'm down with that. as long as i don't have to actually read the sanskrit I won't lose my head. I know. I'm a wuss... but look at this:

No comprende mi amigo. 

All strung together in size 10 font does not make it easier. Trust me. Maybe when my nose can touch my knees in a forward bend I'll entertain the idea of learning this language. I had heard it's supposed to be a dead language but wikipedia tells me "it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand".  Isn't that neato? So if I learn it I can go there and speak it.

We learned about the many books of commentary on the sutras and how each is focused on a specific focus. For this class we are reading "Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali" by BKS Iyengar. His take on the sutras is pointed towards the actual practice of yoga. While another was focused more on meditation, The Science of Yoga which takes a very scientific approach. 

We also did some yoga sutra chanting. We listened to Sonia Nelson chanting, then we repeated her. I am personally not into this part because a) believe it or not, I am not a performer, never been a crowd pleaser  and b) some people really get into it and drown out everyone else with incorrect tone-deaf pronunciations.  Seems like something I'll have to learn to deal with otherwise there is no future for me as a yoga teacher... Is everything in this life a f'ing test?! One thing I'm having to constantly remind myself, which is not a bad mantra for life, is something that the asana teacher said yesterday... "you be with you" (or something like that) Basically, "jess just be with jess".  I just need to focus on me and no one else. I used to say all the time "I am the best". Really in this life, as long as you are that and you strive for that every day, the world can be really great. Oh. one more thing... I have to figure out how to sit more still for this class. Two hours on the floor, sitting on a mat, or a bolster, hunching! I fear the hunch. Better fix this problem STAT.

Next was the asana class. I have to say, It was not easy. Here's pretty much all we did in two hours:

• Adho Mukha Virasana - Childs Pose
• Chatarangasana - I have definitely spelled this wrong AND It might not be the right name, but a new transitional pose to get into the down dog. Arms straight/firm in line with a firm straight back on your knees and your toes curled inward ready to launch up. then you push up with your legs without losing the firmness and line of the arm to the back, basically pushing the legs straight to get your butt up in the air. Perhaps I have made a faulty explanation, but take away that it is challenging but invigorating. (more challenging ;)
• Adho Mukha Svanasana
• Virabadrasana I - Warrior pose
• Uttanasana - Forward bend
• Padahastasana - hand under foot pose
• Padangusthasana - Big toe pose? Forward bend grabbing toes.
• Prasarita padottanasana - wide leg forward bend
• Parsvottanasana - intense side stretch
• Utthita Padangusthasana on the floor - extended hand to the foot
• Supta Baddha konasana - Reclining bound angle pose (restorative/resting YAY)
• Supported Adho Mukha Virasana - childs pose on bolsters

Sorry for the probable misspellings. There were a couple more but I can't remember atm.

This class truly kicked my ass. The subtitles of body movement and duration just killed me. In these moments when I'm thinking "dear god, whYYYYYYYYYYY..." I just try to recognize that I'm not really in a situation to be saying that. It's probably only going to be for a minute or too more and I just need to breath. In and out through the nose. So I've been good. But I do find myself clock watching, which I don't normally do when I'm in class with Annette. I'll have to keep an eye on this.

After today I realize that this program is a going to be a huge commitment. Lots to memorize and comprehend from books on ancient teachings, philosophies, anatomical parts, physiological everythings. Lots to understand about my own body and others. Respecting and treating my body as the "limited edition" that it is. Learning patience & self discipline. Stillness (<--- that one is hard hard)