laghuvajrasana (thunderbolt)

[Guest guest]

Any tips for coming out of it? I can get down, but I can't get back up. The

problem isn't flexibility and my legs should be strong enough so there is

something else I'm not doing. Thanks

[Guest guest]

i tried this posture once in a class. like you,

not much problem getting into the posture. after the

fifth breath, it becomes clear why it is called the

thunderbolt. like a blast from zeus, you're hit with the

realization that there ain't no way you're getting out of the

posture short of falling over on your side and crawling

back onto your mat. fiendish posture. sorry i can't

help

[Guest guest]

namaste-<br>Isn't that pose an intermediate one?

Aren't you afraid to work without a teacher? I think you

should get hands on adjustments in that one, just my

opinion, of course.<br><br>Funny, but this is the only

club I belong to where just about everyone's identity

is secret. Whatever happoned to Satya?

(truthfulness) Everytime I go to someone's profile, I get nada.

Is everyone on the lamb or something? If you hide

behind a fake yoga screen name, is it easier to

pontificate?<br><br>One more honest question. I was interested in knowing

what everyone's typical week in ashtanga is like. Do

most of you practice full series 6 days, or do you

have a different schedule that works for you? How many

do Mysore classes?<br>What workshops and teachers

have changed the direction of your practice? I'm not

interested in dissing others, so if you have something

negative to say, maybe you can keep it to yourself just

this time.

[Guest guest]

As a happily entrenched householder (2

daughters/1 wife/2 dogs/1 cat) -- and the sole income source

for my beloved family -- practice time is at a

premium. I now practice 4-5 times a week (full primary

series) which I split between 2-3 Mysore classes and 1-2

home sessions. The classes are at 6:30 a.m. and I do

my home practice beginning at 5:30 in order to

conclude before the rest of the house wakes up.<br><br>As

far as teachers who have greatly influenced my

practice, I would have to list Copeland Woodruff -- who, my

last information, was at Alternative Fitness in

Philadelphia, PA -- (HI COPELAND!) whose insistence on proper

form and correct effort has stayed with me. Also John

Robb at the Yoga Shala in San Francisco -- who,

although I only had a few classes with him, brought my

practice to a focus and inspired a dedication in me that I

had not experienced before then.<br><br>Om

Shanti,<br><br>Shambhala

[Guest guest]

The key to this pose is do not bend your elbows

or release the grip on your ankles.<br><br>If you

can not come up after staying in the pose, try going

back as far as you can without bending your arms, then

come up straight away inhaling.<br><br>Each time go a

little further back , hold for an extra breath until you

can hold it for the full 5-8 breaths.

[Guest guest]

"do not bend your elbows or release the grip on

your ankles."<br><br>I'm confused, I thought you hold

your thighs, or, for the more flexible and advanced,

your knees. Where do the ankles come in?<br><br>Thanks

in advance. B

[Guest guest]

"I'm confused, I thought you hold your thighs,

or, for the more flexible and advanced, your knees.

Where do the ankles come in?"<br><br>The ankles come in

at the beginning ... as some earlier contributor

suggested - you should learn from a teacher - preferably

someone qualified.

[Guest guest]

A typical week these days means I get up early to

practice before work 4-5 days a week, and drive to the

closest Ashtanga teacher for a class once a week. I would

take a Mysore class, but all that is currently being

offered is a led one. I'm not doing the whole primary

series right now. I hurt my back recently, so I'm

starting over and slowly working up to it--nowadays I'm up

to the standing postures, plus a few seated ones.

[Guest guest]

Reponse to your query about our

practices:<br><br>1. Practice schedule: Kinda "traditional." I do a

full series six days a week -- Saturday usually off --

except when there is a moon day, which I take off

because I want the rest, not because I buy the connection

with ida/pingali nadis. A six-day week would usually

have four second series and two primaries. Friday is

always devoted to primary series.<br><br>2. Crucial

teachers: (a) Dierdre Smith, formerly a student of Eddie

Stern's but now doing Iyengar, who first showed me the

postures at a residential summer school where we both

taught; (b) my current teacher, Dean Holt. I don't get to

see him often but every time we are together I take

away several valuable tips.<br><br>3. Crucial

Workshops: (a) Dave Swenson for sanity and humor, Tim Miller

for humility and devotion.<br><br>4. Side-Effects: a

sunny disposition. Also a more sinewy overall physique,

though not in the region that has "come up" in recent

discussion.

[Guest guest]

Yes, Guy, you are correct. I would love to learn

from a qualified teacher, but as I have previously

lamented, there are none in Boston. Want to open a

satellite studio?<br><br>Is it wrong to have learned

holding the thighs, especially if it's eminently do-able?

I guess I skipped a step, but I can't see how one

could keep the arms straight in the full bend holding

the ankles. (didn't work for me...)<br><br>And let me

add that I am glad you are posting. Have missed your

insights. They have been invaluable, as are those of

Takeitup2K and Godfrey D., (whose book I am luvin')

compassionate, knowledgeable folks with postive stuff to offer

us Astanga folks of all levels. As well a bit of

humor every now and then. (I'm still imagining that

bear with the airplane, preventing Takeitup's takeoff.

Did they kill the poor thing? Sounds like he went

through enough trauma.)

[Guest guest]

first, forgive me for the poorly written post I

wrote this AM--just blame it on the informality of

writing messages for the club.<br><br>answers to lisa

(lhill): first, my husband Mike and I put lots of info

(maybe too much?) on our profile. second, I am good with

self-discipline (full practice 6 days a week), but there are

times I take an extra day off during the week for rest

or necessity. Once in a while I have to do a

shortened practice, but I prefer not to. During my period I

eliminate inversions: another break/time of rest. There are

no qualified instructors where we live (Vancouver)

but I have progressed a lot over the past few years

with the help of my husband, who is steeped in the

Iyengar tradition and not only notices every misalignment

but also has an intuitive sense of how far I'm able

to go. Please don't be shocked, but I also feel safe

working slowly with him on the second series until

classes are offered here. Nothing has seriously changed

the direction of my practice so far. Just doing it

every day. But I would like to study with Richard

Freeman someday.

[Guest guest]

I do work with a teacher in Montreal. He studied

with Patthabi Jois for four years many years ago and

originally this pose was done holding the knees - which is,

at Patthabi Jois told me this summer, too easy (at

least comparatively so). I will try all of your

suggestions - I am getting an assist in the pose now but

something is keeping me from getting it myself. I will try

all of your suggestions- thank you all for

them.<br>lhill 1: Going to India helped my practice, though I

would have liked to go for longer. I went to Jivanmukti

for a while and liked an ashtanga teacher named Lisa

there very much. She went to Richard's studio for a

while but I hear she is back in NY. There is a good

mysore class in Montreal, if you ever find yourself up

North. I wanted to continue six times a week when I got

back from India but I'm really at four or five,

primary some days, primary and half intermediate other

days. I always take Saturdays off - which is pretty

standard.

[Guest guest]

thanx for the post.<br><br>I was glad to have

something to work with on this pose. This is what happened.

I went down and experimented from where i could

come up holding the ankles with strait arms (as strait

as i could) - result: it is the last inch or two

from which i cannot come up (before the head touches

the floor), buti was unable to hold it there - it

seems gravity wins because there is only an inch left

and invariably *kedonk* my head connects with the

floor. I cannot maintain it hovering over the ground so

close.

[Guest guest]

hola chamoya. lost you since carlsbad. you didn't

miss much--there was a guy doing nude yoga with

puckering moola but other than that-status quo. what's kept

you away, the endless drivel?<br>great link to

freeman's discussion, by the way. not just for the senior,

but for us all

[Guest guest]

I have only recently been able to come up from

laghuvajrasasna without pushing my hands to help. I had to first

learn how to come down to come up. You have to first

ground the inward spiral in the legs. Then, reach way

up...even higher,lifting from the sternum, and through the

waist way up!! Then with your breath still even

flowing, start to go up and over. Slowly! Ground your

spiral. Go back part way down and ground your legs and

come up. Continue lowering and rising with your

breath. Maybe even go a bit lower each pulse. With

practice you will soon be on the ground with your crown

but still using the power of your legs and bandhas.

Be patient and remember surrender. Good luck.

[Guest guest]

The rest of the bear story: Can you imagine a

place where the bears seriously outnumber humans?

Admirality Island is SE Alaska is one of these places and is

nearby the setting for this story. The bears are big and

are called browns but would be known as grizzleys in

the lower 48. Anyway, this particular bear was so big

I could see his back when he was walking above a

grassy area that must have been over 4 feet tall. He

chose not to challenge the fish and game folks who were

there to kill him if he showed any more agression

towards humans and lived to hibernate another

winter.<br><br>It is a very different world to be in an area where

the animals rule... another focus on a clear fall

moving into winter Alaska day. The bald eagles are also

gathering near here for November, I saw over 20 today. They

are the masters of the sky.<br><br>Yours in yoga,