New Discovery with Indrawati

It was a pity that those that intended to come for Indra's class didn't make it, either due to traffic or the rain. However, I would like to share with you what I discovered with Indra. Indra recently went to S'pore to attend John Scott's Ashtangha workshop & she was enthusiastically sharing what she learned from John Scott's workshop. Of course I don't know who John Scott is at that time during class, but I thought that he is great as his ways of doing certain poses has answered my queries of certain asanas. For e.g.

1) When doing sun salutation, normally both hands would be above our head & behind our ears & look up into our palms. But I always felt like why? Coz I always feel a compression between my neck & shoulders, & my shoulder blades are all squeezed tightly together giving me such an uncomfortable feeling.

According to Indra-John Scott's way sun salutation:

(Ekam/One) Inhale: Hands up slightly infront your crown, palms together, head slightly back, lengthen your neck and look at thumb...all with 1 inhalation. Remember, hands go up 1st then your head.

(Dve/Two) Exhale: back is round...hands still up, head look down to the drishti, then you fall forward (catch your body with hands) weight on hands 70% and legs are 30%, so this will help to build arms strength. For ppl who needs to bend knees, its fine. look to the tip of your nose, chin close to chest.

(Trini/Three) Inhale; hands still flat on the floor,and you must look forward (drishti is 3rd eyes)

(Catvari/Four) exhale: still look ahead, jump to chaturranga dandasana

(Panca/Five) inhale: roll up to upward dog

(Sat/Six) exhale: down dog, end of last exhalation, round the back to be like a cat (suck the belly in)

(Sapta/Seven) inhale: jump to the front (feet behind your hands just like Dve)

(Astau/Eight) Exhale: Look down (like Trini)

(Nava/Nine) Inhale: back to standing (like Ekam) hands 1st then head

Perhaps I am not strong in my core that I really find it impossible to jump to plank/chaturangha from previous position, with palms lined up beside the feet hence I'd always place my palms shoulder width apart, slightly in front of my feet, then jump & this is what John Scott taught Indra. Hey, what do you know? I was doing ok all this while. Well, at least now I know my ways are endorsed by a guru. LOL.

Try it & let me know how you feel.

Since there were only 2 of us, I requested Indra to guide me to Tripod headstand, (those that has been following my blog would know that I can't tripod). Drum roll please....... yes, I did it! & it was not that tough once you know the right way. Ok, some may think it's a piece of cake, but I had fear before & I hope that I've countered my fear. Can't wait to show-off.......to myself lah.

Indra told me to trust her & this is my first attempt

My second attempt, but I noticed that my back isn't that straight, something to work-on.

According to the practitioner, it's called the Crab (or perhaps the Crap?) in UK. She also managed to tripod headstand & we were both really thrilled.

John Scott is a world-renowned practitioner of Ashtanga Yoga and presents both National and International Workshops. John has produced a best-selling book, "Ashtanga Yoga", and a DVD. He was certified to teach by Shri K Pattabhi Jois in 1994, having studied with him in Mysore, India, since 1989. John & Lucy's teaching is very precise and follows traditional teaching methods "Self Practice" and "Vinyasa Counting".
For more information about John, please visit his webpage at http://www.stillpointyoga.co.nz/