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The Float..... by brian m. davis

11/29/2014

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I spent 2 weeks in a very intensive AcroYoga Teacher Training. It was an amazing experience of waking up with the sun, an asana practice, a filling breakfast, followed by training for 3 hours, an amazing lunch, practicing and teaching for a few hours, a delicious dinner, more education and then falling asleep under the stars completely exhausted and very satisfied. On the last day of training, I felt an ache developing in my left shoulder. Realizing that the many days of training had probably taken its toll, I backed off and rested and allowed the shoulder to heal. Two months later, the shoulder had not healed. I have spent the last 2 months, trying to respect my body and resist the urge to return to my physical practice. It has not been easy, the temptation to return has been strong, but I want to give my body a chance to heal. Finally, I have been given a diagnosis of the problem and so now I have a prescription to follow. With that prescription, I have an understanding of the problem and I know what to avoid and what I can do. While a herniated disk may sound horrible, I know what activities aggrevate the condition and what I can do to help heal it. And so, I return to my practice, carefully. 

The first day back, my yoga instructor teaches a jump from downdog to forward fold (Adho Mukha Svanasana to Uttanasana). When I land, I am shocked because I realize that I paused at the top of jump and floated down to the forward fold. I had never held that hover and have never been able to control my body's drop down to the forward fold. Assuming it was an aberration, the next time around I watch as my body goes through the motion again. And again, I pause at the apex of the transition and my feet slowly float to the ground. Before my injury, I had been working consistently on handstands and also on the transition from handstand to crow which require much of the same muscular control. While I can hold a handstand, I have trouble maintaining it for long periods of time and I have never been able to control the handstand to crow. Suddenly, and with no real progression to it, I have discovered the float. Excited at my success that I did not know was in me, I am given the opportunity to practice the float 2 more times. Two more times, I succeed. Then, the teacher steps the intensity up a notch by offering a downdog to crow option. Excited and nervous, I try it. I fall. But, I control the jump! I try again, and I stick it!!! I try again, and I stick it again! I feel both amazed and baffled. How did I do it? I try one more time, attempting to understand what is happening in my body, but the only thing I really understand is that a transition that has eluded me for a long time now feels almost effortless.

Feeling both elated and confused I sit back and analyze. I practice consistently and I enjoy working on harder poses. Most poses progress slowly but with consistent practice, they evolve and eventually I succeed. For some reason, after taking a very long break, this transition that has always been a challenge, suddenly becomes one of the tools in my toolkit. What changed? I took a break. Yes, hard work and perseverance is the key. But, sometimes, what we need most is to step away and do nothing. Not work on a different pose, not try a different activity. But, do nothing. Sometimes, we need to stay strong and stay focused and sometimes it is better to be soft and watch the clouds drift by overhead.
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  • HOME
  • Schedule
  • Events
    • January Core Challenge
    • 1/19 Pop-up Class: NY's Self-Care for HIps
    • February Chair Challenge
    • 2/4-3/11 Six Week Fundamental Series
    • 2/5-7 Rollit & Release it: Yoga and Fascia Advanced Studies
    • 3/7 Book Club Discussion
  • Training Programs
    • 200 Hour Teacher Training
    • 300 Hour Teacher Training
    • The Ayurveda Approach
    • Back Bend Boot Camp
    • Beginners Mind - teaching beginners weekend
    • Chair Yoga Continuing Studies
    • Personal Development- Continuing Studies
    • Professional Development Continuing Studies Module
    • Restorative Training
    • Rollit & Release it: Yoga and Fascia Advanced Studies
    • Yin Yoga Advanced Studies
    • Yoga for Anxiety Continuing Studies Program
    • Graduate Directory
  • Yoga Online Anytime
  • Pricing & Classes
    • Pricing
    • Class Descriptions
  • Contact Us
  • Teachers & Staff
    • Chris Loebsack, Owner 500 E-RYT,
    • Brian M. Davis, 500 ERYT
    • Diane Stanton, RYT-200
    • Fallon Horan 200 RYT
    • Jennifer Miller 200CYT, 300hr Candidate
    • Katy Case 200 RYT
    • Krystal Torres
    • Tracy Gross 500 ERYT
  • Blog: Insights from our Staff and Students
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  • Yoga Podcast: Chats from the Mat w/ Brian M. Davis