Jam Session 2, Sunday Afternoon

The Emotion of Wonder.

Wonder is the emotion that saved me last year.  So today, my aim was to help cultivate a sense of wonder by offering a plan that I was not even sure about.  If I am encouraging peeps to bust out and practice teaching new things, how else can they learn to do so unless I give an example of it.

Similar to the last day of the last session, we worked mostly with partners the whole time so that we were learning together, touching, talking and communicating.  While working together to get that fact that every body is different and a smidge this way or that way makes a huge difference.

Another point was to remove the notion that there is one way to do anything to help remove the hesitation with trying new things.  That if we approach the relationship openly and lovingly and with the intention to help, instead of teach, magic can happen. AR gave me a ride home after class and she confirmed that the experiment worked. 

Impressing the Heart
There are at 16 Variations of using 2 blocks under the head and shoulders to open the heart and shoulders and many details wihtin those 16 variations.

We broke up into partners and played with 4 variations each (each choosing their variation), experimenting and learning.  There were so many great observations, understandings and learnings. 

R's Hamstring Attachment Injury
R shared about the hamstring injury he has had for about a year.
We played with a way of using the wall to help engage the back of the leg to protect the area as he stretched. 
- Dandasana
- Revlving Head to Knee Pose
- M3 Variation
(Both Sides)
- Paschimottanasana

AR shared that this way of working was more painful for her, again showing that what works for one does not work for all.

I showed the method of placing a belt around the hamstring attachment and cinching it tight for protection.

And Chairs
Then we pulled out the chairs.  So we were in new territory for almost everyone which meant none of us were in the know.  This helped keep everyone in learning mode.

- Shoulder Opener with Brick on Chair
- Partner Scorpian with Chair
- Partner Dwi Viparitta Dandasana on Chair with Mat
- Bridge on the Chair
- Wheel on the Chair

Lots of learning here and some new experiences.  Totally enjoyed myself and it seemed like most people were having fun and learning.

Probably too many backbends.

- Shoulderstand with chair and bolster.
(This was cool to show, but perhaps a forward fold would have been more calming)
- Waterfall (Again, this is relaxing, but already so much blood had been going to head, something even more restful would have been better perhaps).

Close.