Day 5 (Aug 18): Ozymandias and Super Slow Surya Namaskara

I've already lost track of the days.

I wake up early to watch the sea and sky. This time around, there are no hints of waves, the breeze is cooler and the rocks are jutting out of the waters throughout the day.

There are many reasons why I keep coming back here. The 5Ps of my yearly pilgrimage.

Paul

Place
Palate (I initially thought to put phood...for shame)
People
Practice

That's in no specific order, really.

I loved my morning practice. My back feels liberated. Finally. There are so many things opening inside but I really do need to take care of this left hamstring.

I also officially welcome Supta Vajrasana. I usually wait for Paul to give me poses although I've done this back home. Paul is great at bringing each pose and bringing practitioners a bit of humbling. He often reminds us to express every drip of goodness from the set of poses we have at the moment, relishing the breath and length and width rather than expediency or doing the poses "without integrity"

Now that I'm on 4th day of Mysore practice, I'm feeling Psoas for myself.

We again paid extra attention to our Surya Namaskars to properly build for Asana (primary and second series).

For Sankhya, I love the little references Professor Rao includes in his discussion. Buddha stories. Scientific facts... Today, it was Ozymandias, Shelley's poem.

Ozymandias

by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)

I met a traveler from an antique land

Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;
And on the pedestal these words appear:
“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Nothing perceived is permanent.

You cannot create new things. Only manifest things that are hidden.

Nothing created, nothing destroyed

For Paul's session, we did a few poses from Surya Namaskar, very slowly and with deep connection to the breath, paying attention to full energy of the pose. I'm going to modify my classes to include more of these. Additional instructions for Parivritta Parsvakonsana without kneeling on the floor, adding Ardha Chandrasana, more guidance on Janusirsana A....More guidance in Surya A and B, all in all.

Paul showing Apana... 

In the evening, I steamed. It's fantastic plus I love the company of my steam mates, occasional frog or spider not withstanding.

There was a Tuko in the shower tonight. This is the most I've seen Tukos in any one period in my life! I hope it brings a lot of luck.