Heat of the Sun

It’s been cold outside.  The room we use for Friday Drop-In isn’t so wonderfully warm.  As I walked into our room yesterday I felt a hollow chill.  I am missing the sun.  It wasn’t hard to mentally change up my practice plans for the day.  Sun Salutations.  We needed sun salutations.

This is a mid-day class.  I tend to go slow.  I do a lot of explaining.  We breathe deep into our postures.  Those that can go deeper into a posture have plenty of time to do so.  I stay away from postures and pacing that is going to send anyone back to their workstation with sweaty faces or fresh body odor.  We do a quiet set of postures.  We release tension and open ourselves up to breathing.

Yesterday though, yesterday we needed to warm up this room.  I’m glad I  decided that.  Three people showed up in sweatshirts.  Two women in the group have never done yoga other than with me and we’ve not been at it very long.  So together the whole group did the first salutation while I did a lot of explanation.  I’m sure I was huffing through the inhale and exhales while I called them out.  I tried to gather my breath in Samastiti – Hand to Heart Center.  Then I let everyone know we are going to do the same motions for the other side.  This second side I shortened the cues.  I was able to breathe better.  It was good to see that everyone was keeping up.

As a group, we went through three full Sun Salutations (each side) today.  Sweatshirts came off.  There was too much activity for Resting B*tch Face to set in.  The Warrior Series was relaxing after the salutations.  I guided the group into a severely modified Flying Warrior (Virabhadrasana III) as the key posture today.  It just seemed to want to happen, as if I meant this to be the peak pose.

Seated and Floor postures suffered.  There just wasn’t any time left.  And time was already out as I guided my merry band to relax in Savasana.  I am so thankful there is no clock in that room.  More than once I have played with time to get one more thing in.  My band of merry yogis has no idea.

Savasana was pitifully short, a minute and a half, maybe.  I am not sure anyone had enough time to let go and relax plus incorporate their practice into their bodies yesterday.

Thing is, it’s all good.  As this merry band of yogis walked the hall I heard everyone mention how very relaxed they felt.  I even heard, “more than usual”.   And they were all walking comfortably as if they were actively relaxed.  I need to remember this.

Note to Self on benefits of repeated Sun Salutations:

1. No time for Resting B*tch Face.
2. An active relaxed mode sets in.

And everyone continues to breathe.