Almost too tired to type.

Last session of the ashtanga foundations workshop was this afternoon. I thought we might do full primary but we didn't....spent the first twenty or so minutes discussing any questions, etc....there was one woman there who was a regular practitioner but came to take today's class and she talked a little about how you think you can't do something, then one day you can, and then another day you learn something else, and so on, and then all of the sudden you're doing the whole thing.

I hadn't practiced since I did the full primary with David Swenson on Friday morning, when I hurt my upper back. Which felt much, much better this morning. Though Saturday I woke up and every muscle in my neck was incredibly sore....from what, I'm not sure....chakrasana, I bet. Anyway, once we started Surya Namaskars, I felt like I had increased strength, and, I don't know, more 'flow'. I felt like even though I don't have enough strenght for a perfect chataranga, that I was more fluid. And my arms definitely felt stronger. Before I left for the workshop this afternoon, I practiced my chakrasana upstairs on the carpet. I think that's definitely part of my fear - the hard wood floor. That is taking some getting used to. Bikram classes are carpeted and my bony hips, shoudlers, and everything else are having a hard time with the hard floor under my mat. ANYWAY. I did chakrasana fine, but afterward the back of my neck did hurt and feel stiff. I also practiced headstand....I can get my feet off the ground, I kind of pull them in like a fetal position and I can stay there for a little while. Plain and simple, I am afraid that when I get my legs up in the air - and I nearly did it several times - I am going to fall. As soon as I got them up, I came right back down.

ANYWAY, back at the class. Less people were there than in previous weeks so we each got a lot of adjustments. We did all the standing postures except for one of the paschimottananasa....C, I think....then to floor....we did most of them except Mari B & D....we did only three navasanas which nearly killed me anyway...skipped some of the end of the series & closing....we did a modified backbend (hands on ankles) but held it FOR.EV.ER and boy, were my thighs and glutes screaming!! We did headstands in class....I got my feet off the floor and pulled them in....inched them up, then down, then up again. John came over and I raised my legs....he had only very light pressure against one of my ankles but the whole time I was thinking "he's gonna let go...he's gonna let go" and when he counted the last breath I pretty much slammed my right leg down and he went "SLOWLY!" So I brought the other one down more slowly. ;-)

We had a nice long savasana...I think the thing that makes these savasanas so nice as opposed to Bikram is that we stay there until he calls us. At Bikram they say "stay at least a few minutes, but longer if you can" and after about a minute I start getting antsy to go. Plus, John was playing some groovy, mellow world music that was really nice to listen to.

Boy, is my neck ever sore. I am probably going to feel crippled in the morning. I think I am going to go to the chiropractor tomorrow.

I also have to herd Will through making valentines for his class & teachers. He's only done about six...I got a feeling, a feeling deep inside, oh yeah, that I'm going to be making valentines on Tuesday night after Will is in bed.