Day 120: I Hate Chatarungas

If there is one thing I love about being "ON PAUSE", it's the opportunity to do yoga at 9 in the morning.  In the past, 9 am was the time my outlook greets me with sh*tloads of emails. Nowadays, I just greet the sun.

I love yoga but I have this feeling that it really hates me. The hardest part is going into chatarunga  repeatedly.

The correct charunga pose is elbow above wrist. Easy to say, easy to write but it's so hard to do. 

Last week, I felt really crappy because the yogi in one of the hip ashrams repeatedly told me "Elbows above wrist" in a rather frustrated tone.  It's not that I don't understand what it means but without a mirror, I really couldn't see what I was doing wrong.

But since I'm a firm believer that "Weapons are built through fire", I'm sure his strictness was necessary. What I did not achieve in mental zen, I did receive in psychical pain. Which is good because pain the validation that an exercise is effective. 

I'm pretty sure I looked like this most of the time...

My palms also hurt like crazy.  I got a cheapanga mat which offered no support. It was slippery too. My Nike yoga mat is still in the warehouse  and S doesn't have time to drive me there.

Thank God Jen, author of the blog , www.attachedatthehips.me, saw my "wails" in twitter and offered me her spare CUCA MAT.  I am floored by the generosity of people online! 

I took my beautiful mat to its first yoga date with me. Perhaps it's psychological but I really felt that i have somehow improved!

It provides enough cushion. And because it is not slippery, I can now stay on my DOWNWARD DOG pose longer.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I still suck at yoga! I can't  even reach my toes!

My only hope is that my practice will get better in time. Flexibility has never been my strength in PE.

I'm excited to go to TANTRA YOGA again tomorrow. The vinyasa classes of Jhaz are awesome. She brings this minty ointment that relaxes me.  She's so positive, encouraging and friendly.  But best of all, she doesn't make me feel that I suck at yoga! 

Still on Pause,

L