Practicing variation of asana does not and did not help (me)!

Then I am getting confused....

Practice, practice and practice and it all comes. Guru Ji was right.

Absolutely!

For years I have been truly believed that because of my short Achillis' Tendon I will never manage to bring heels on the floor for Adho Mukha Svanasana.... I have been practicing it with bricks for years. Then John Scott corrected it by telling me to slightly round my upper back and lengthening from the lower part and suddenly my heels were on the floor..... As a result I have been in real pain the all month of practice with him, my hamstrings muscles were so painful I could not even bend forward properly for the next 2 months. It was my path.

I have been in excruciating pain during Sarawasthi practices for one full month regarding my left knee, I thought it was because of my meniscus, too much practice was not that good for my knee.

So then I started practicing only variation for Parshvakonasana B and Marichyasana D. She allowed me to do it and so my ego was very happy as I was "able" to practice the all series.

Since I am not allowed to practice any variation with Sharat I start to practice both asanas as it is supposed to be.

As a result: no more pain at all in my knee (both of them) and now I can practice these 2 asanas perfectly without any help of any block, strap or even assistance. Marichyasana D came to me yesterday evening,  I could not even believe it myself!
I had to run downstair and show it to Trupta. Of course it is not the perfect one but a least I can twist AND bend at my knee WITHOUT ANY PAIN at all. So yes it is possible.

Marichyasana D

Creating space in the body

No offense but it is like loosing your virginity. Suddenly you are opening one part of your body with a new range of movement that your muscles, tendons, joints are not familiar with. Your nervous system is not even aware of it, as a result a signal of pain and awareness to it will be send to the brain. Then only the practice is starting.

You are opening a door but is blocked from behind, you need to push but slowly, no need to rush, do not try to open the door half way, if at all you have to open it do it fully and properly which means : DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING ELSE THAN THE PROPER KEY TO OPEN IT! (no props!). Do not break the lock, but try to open it!

It will take time.

It will take days, weeks and maybe months. It will be painful yes because during the process of opening and creating space you are filling an unexplored gap, a virgin country, you need to tame it a little bit.

Understand the Asana:

In Parshvakonasana B, if you are doing the variation with the back heel lifted and the knee facing down there is no doubt that you will be able to twist without any problem. However the lift of the back heel won't help you to open your hips and to work from the rotation of the femur bone as it is supposed to be done in the final version of the asana.

As a result, yes you are twisting and bringing the hand on the floor - no it is not the asana at all. You will need to work harder to have the complete version. The balance is also very different and harder to find from a lifted heel then a heel on the floor.

Practice the full asana and whatever you are twisting enjoy it and explore it!

No Ego during Asana practice

As a result my practice is stopping at Supta Kurmasana. Since I have been seriously practicing it I feel pain in my lower back and I do understand it. Daily I am asking my body to bend forward with an external rotation of the femur bone in order to try to bring the feet behind my head. For it I need to lengthen from the lower back in order to give more space in between my hips. It will take time but it has to come naturally, no need to push.

*****

There is not need to rush. As for my personal experience variation does not help.

If you are breaking the lock then you won't be able to close the door again, it is a one way useless solution.

- Namaste -