4

Cream Crackered!

We're tired and it's only the 2nd day!!! Yesterday we were pathetic, falling asleep on the couch at 8:30pm. M failed to listen to the voice of reason when he said to go to bed at 8:30. S and M still got up at the same time, and tried to upload the Tadasana instructional video- with no avail.

After our 1 hour long walk.... I know we're really emphasizing this long walk. It's 3.5km and M has some serious blisters on her feet. She's been really strong and S is really proud of her.
After our 1 hour long walk, we step into the studio, again, first ones in, in our heads we're secretly "yes!"-ing. Our morning is filled by an anatomical overview of the muscles, basic skeleton, spine and planes of movement. Seems pretty easy, but our heads are a little blocked up already.

After break our practice consists of several Tadasana poses and finally going up against the wall and not doing handstands! As soon as a yoga teacher asks you to go up against a wall, the rest of the yogis either get excited or dread the handstand- to M's dismay- no handstands! We did a lot of hands against the wall poses, straightening our back, bringing our tailbone in or out. The most difficult pose was standing on one foot, having the other foot perpendicular against the wall all while making sure your hips were lengthened. S suffered through this, his hips were yelling for him to stop.

Lunch with the yogis on the lawn seems to be a regular thing now. It's really nice to sit outside, but we're both getting really sunburn!
After lunch some simple vs. dual action commands. An example of a simple action would be to press all four corners of your feet down- not something you could over do. An example of a dual action would be to lift the inner arches of your feet while bringing the outer parts of your ankle in. Sounds simple, it's not!
Lastly, we did some practice teaching. We practiced how to get from one asana to another using just simple action or just dual action or both!

After our day, we went to the dollar store to get a can opener and lined paper for our homework, and to the Superstore to get some cereal with delicious organic soy milk! We had an even longer way home (because we went shopping) - which most of the way M daydreamed about owning a donkey and riding him to and from the studio.

A piece of good news: Our yoga instructors have set up a google page for our training, browsing on the website yesterday M found a girl that has offered up a bicycle. We already have one bicycle offered up by the residents of the house we're staying at, it's more suitable for S- so we just need 1 more. We're crossing our fingers that goes through.

Our homework for tonight:
Reread Seat of the Teacher p 12-13
Colouring Anatomy Book p 1 and 27
Write out a teaching script from downward dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) to low lunge with knee on ground (Anjaneyasana).
Write out anatomical position for Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III)
Review neutral standing poses
Breathe

Here's the video from yesteday. We'll keep you posted on the bike situation.

Stay grounded,

S and M