Journey into Second Series- Nadi Shodhana

-photo of Erin Carey from the Zany Umbrella Circus: hanumanasana while suspended in red ribbon

Today was a first- I practiced 2nd Series from David Swenson's book. For some time I have hesitated. Traditionally in Mysore you should be able to bind in Marichyasana D, Supta Kurmasana, and be able to stand up from a backbend to move on to 2nd series. According to Swenson's book however, he advises that if you can practice 1st series in its entirety with full breath, making appropriate modifications for your body, then you may be ready to move on. I can't bind in Mari D or Supta Kurmasana, but I can stand up from a backbend and practice 1st series in its entirety with focus and breath. Further, when I only practice 1st series, I miss deeper backbends.

1 week later: I've ordered Kino Macgregor's 2nd Series DVD. The first time I practiced 2nd series from DS's book, I thought you had to adjust your hand positions in headstand while staying up the whole time. The 2nd time I read the instructions (and fancy that being useful) and realized that it is permissible to come down between the variations. Much better. The lotus on my left/hurt knee side is slowly slowly improving. Some poses are impossible right now (2 feet behind the head), so mostly I work on getting one foot behind the head. It's not quite there but I can feel the possibility.

Sunday (today)- first time practicing with Kino MacGregor's 2nd series DVD. Some things are much clearer, especially the transitions, but I can see years of work here. Not that primary isn't years of work either! Kino stops the standing pose sequence earlier than Swenson indicates in his book. Those tittibasana variations are completely insane! I need to figure out how to schedule my week. If I practice six days a week, Saturdays off, how often do i do Primary versus 2nd series? Perhaps I'll start doing 2nd series once a week for now, on Sundays. I can't realistically do a full practice every single day, some days get cut short, but I always do something. And sometimes I like to play with PranaVayu (another style) and tinker with my own sequences, but I can do that in the afternoons. For now I'm experimenting with ashtanga 6 days a week, from now until the David Garrigues workshop at the end of the year. Then I'll reevaluate and see how I feel and where all this is going.