My studio is doing a wonderful little thing where it is currently documenting some poses of the yogis who have taken more than 500 classes. Being one of these yogis, I had my own little rock-star photo-shoot.*
 |
| Chin-to-shoulder cheating; I move my jaw; causing this flattering face. |
During this shoot, the wonderful teacher taking pictures asks me to do short-man. "You can hold it right?" she asked.
I replied, "Sometimes." in a bald-faced lie. I have never once managed to hold short-man.
It wasn't my intent to lie, in fact, I was a little shocked after the words emerged, fully formed, from my lips. I may have said, "sometimes" because I actually believed that yes, I can do that, despite all the accumulated months of evidence to the contrary. The reason why I believed is that I always tell myself I am about to do it.
Mary Jarvis, a senior teacher I am fortunate enough to have attended several seminars led by, says to "Make declarative statements; 'I am going to kick now.'" This way you don't give your mind wiggle room to baulk at your asinine requests of your body. Consider the following:
Scenario A:
Mind: Body, we are going to kick.
Body: Okay. *it kicks*
Scenario B:
Mind: Body, we are going to try to kick.
Body: That sounds hard, but I'll try. *body gives a dramatic tug at it's leg* Ugh! This is HARD!
If you doubt that your body will give you drama the second you allow it to, consider your last difficult class. Yeah. It's a queen, capital Q.
For months I have been telling myself, "I am going to take one hand off the ground. I am going to take the other hand off the ground. I am going to balance." I never get to that third part, but the step is already in my mind so one day that is exactly what will happen. I don't know that it ever sunk in that it wasn't yet happening.
So, under the scrutiny of the lens, I, once again, put the idea out there that, 'I am going to balance' and tried like heck. I tried at least four short-mans (short-men?) before the teacher/photogapher finally said, "Um....let's move on."
Note to self: I can't actually hold short-man. Huh. Learn something new everyday.
* Few things will make you feel so rock-star as busting out a standing bow in-front of a camera. You know, with all the grunting, falling, laughing and intense focus on your spine that is still refusing to curve.
hahahah! the chin/shoulder connection is hysterical!!!
ReplyDeleteMy face even amuses ME when Im in bow. You ever need to lighten the mood for yours? Glance over, Im happy to help. :)
DeleteHaha, I can´t do short man either, too intense on my hips and knees....oh by the way, try to touch your SHOULDER to your CHIN and not your chin to your shoulder. It makes a huge difference. You won´t make funny faces....really. :))
ReplyDeleteBut I LOVE that picture!!
I attempted to try it this morning but I couldn't stay in bow long enough to get all the way into the pose. Would love to say that qualified it as a 'rough class' but, truth be told, it's often that I adjust-to-flailing. I will try the new trick tomorrow (provided my mind/body connection is a wee more stable)! Thanks!!!
DeleteDo try, but it's not a trick it is how it should be, even the dialogue says "try to touch your shoulder to your chin"; chin to shoulder is in triangle. :)
DeleteMore often that not it's also the mistake of the teachers because they shorten the dialogue and just say "shoulder-chin contact, OR chin-shoulder contact for that matter, but they don't say how they should touch.
Huh. You know, I should have realized that but (as usual) I THINK Im listening... BTW, still trying. Teach says my shoulders have to open up. It's always something, isn't it? ;)
Delete