Every year, I set a realistic target for myself
to achieve a couple of almost-impossible yoga poses (asanas).
2006
Peacock Pose (Mayurasana)
Photo by Joe Low
Wide-Legged Headstand (Hanumasana in Sirsasana)
2007
Unsupported Scorpion Pose (Vrkchikasana I)
Photo by Tom Hayton
Side Plank Split (Hanumasana in Vasisthtasana)
Photo by Tom Hayton from PRANAmag April 2008
Photo by Napie
2008
Unsupported Feather Peacock Pose (Pincha Mayurasana)
Photo by Anna-Rina
Unsupported Handstand (Adho Mukha Vrksasana)
Photo by Joe Low
Yesterday, out of nowhere
(perhaps the motivation and desperation that it was the last day of June),
I managed to stand - or, literally.. the complete opposite of stand in this pose:
Unsupported Headstand (Niralamba Sirsasana)
that is one of the two poses I aim to accomplish this year.
Thank you God Almighty
for lending me the strength to carry my entire body weight on my head,
for awarding me the confidence to believe that I am ready to do it,
AND
for the enlightenment that I don't need a designer handbag, a flashy car or someone else
to validate and complete my purpose of living another year in Your blessing.
Having a million ringgit, a hundred LVs and a trophy husband DO NOT COMPARE with
getting to stand on my hands seconds longer than the last time I attempted,
getting to stretch an inch further than the record I set the last time I tried AND
getting every muscle in my body to realize every instruction my mind can think of.
'When we can be thankful of the free things we already have,
then life will be simpler as we won't be asking for things we can live without.'
I have six months to work on this other pose.
I am wishing my body and my spine:
all the best, W-E CAN!
13 comments:
ure amazing k.ninie.
tak de picture tengah buat Niralamba Sirsasana ke? hehe. nak tengok jugak :)
all the best to u and ur spine/body :D
nn:
Thank you :)
BELUM ada gambar Unsupported Headstand lah, dik.
Tak tau pun boleh buat semalam, and no camera apatah lagi professional photographer around.
Next post, mungkin!
Hi -
I follow your blog all the way from Philadelphia, PA. I started yoga about a year ago and I am hooked. You make it look so easy that it is good to know you even have goals!
Congratulations Ninie, You are my inpirations. Sure W-E Can :) Take care. Stay cute!
Ninie, what you did inspired me to set goals for myself too. Realistic goals. I am working towards my fitness. A better me. A healthier me. Yes, all the material stuff in the world cannot compare to the joy of being able to do 1 more extra pushup than yesterday, or be able to FEEL your legs pumping and supporting you and getting stronger when you run that extra mile. Or the feeling of wonder at your energy because you refuse to eat junk food or candy, so you gave your body fruits and vegetables and good nutrition that it needs to do what it's supposed to do, and in return, your body reciprocates by supporting YOU, by not breaking down when you have to go with less sleep for a week to finish a big project. Health is wealth, really. Health is wealth. Thank you for the inspiration. Impossible is nothing, really.
Ninie, thanks for telling us that YOU also work hard to attain certain poses. All this time I always envy these flexible species, thinking I can never be like them. But this entry shows how you, a yoga instructor, has to learn too, and work hard too, so it gives me motivation to work hard too, in achieving yoga poses and also in other areas of my life.
Dear all,
Wow, thank you! If only you all knew how inflexible I was when I first started yoga.
If anyone's interested \o/, I only managed my first Unsupported Headstand (Niralamba Sirsasana after two years of yoga, my first Split (Hanumasana) during my fourth year of yoga and at my tenth year of wonderful yoga years this year, there are still hundreds if not thousands of poses I don't know when will I be able to do.
I personally know (MANY) yoga instructors that can not do headstands / splits / scorpions / handstands themselves but not being able to do these particular poses DOES NOT MEAN they are less better / competent yoga teachers than the ones that can.
Mind you, poses are just poses. A flexible (only) person might be naturally good at yoga but might not be a good teacher if they can't / don't want to share their knowledge.
I love saying - yoga is beyond the painful poses and twists, beyond the ability of being superflexible. Rather than looking up to a yoga teacher that only 'show-off' the poses that none of his / her students can ever do, IMHO one should look up to yoga teachers that offers kindness and 'beyond-poses' advices in class that we can make practical when we are NOT on our yoga mats.
Since this is a very interesting subject matter (how most of you think most yoga people are born flexible), maybe I'll repost this answer to a whole new post after this :)
Thank you again (especially to blaze) for 'getting' what I was trying to say - about health IS wealth. No amount of money one has can buy them longer time to live ;)
I tried doing the Peacock Pose...I can't do it! I have to work on my arm strength to support my body like that. :)
ninie, love reading ur blog... as i'm a yoga lover myself.
i'm sure u can do it!
good luck and take care~
Thank you Ninie.
You have truly inspired me to be a better person.
You are inspiring Ninie, because of you, I'm awaked from babYpose:) Lift up hehe..Thank you.
all i can say is wow!! although as u claimed, u cant do thousands of other poses, but still... u do wonders...
keep it up!
I've been practising yoga (ashtanga then bikram) for 3 years. I just had a baby and I'm slowly easing back into it.
I have to say your blog is very inspiring. In my own journey, I've always found yoga to be more about the experience rather than the achievement of poses. Being well, living well, giving to the world etc.
Namaste
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