Outer Spiral and Compassion
Taught today's class on the theme of "compassion." Spoke about how I've been cleaning my house, rearranging furniture, getting rid of stuff... How I've been going through all of my journals, old albums, letters from ex-boyfriends, notes from friends (and yes, some ex-friends), X-rays from my car accident...
It was a bit surreal to see so many layers of my life. To come in touch with dreams that didn't pan out the way I wished (acting, for instance) and dreams that did come true (yoga teaching, trips to Egypt & Machu Pichu, writing poetry...) And I started to feel many emotions about my life, about things I didn't do, things that didn't happen they way I hoped. Plus, my birthday is coming up this Friday the 13th so I am a bit introspective.
And all in all I thought how useful the quality of compassion is: For ourselves, all that we've been through, that we've survived and all that we've done... It takes a lot of strength to be compassionate, so I focused on one of the Universal Principles of Alignment that is a contractive principle, Outer Spiral. A very powerful principle and yet incredibly centering: just like karuna.
We do Outer Spiral each time we "scoop our tailbone," although Outer Spiral is a bit more complicated and elegant than that.
After the first three UPA (Open to Grace, Muscular Energy, Inner Spiral) comes Outer Spiral.
Outer Spiral has three aspects:
#1. Turning the legs and pelvis outward
#2. Moving the inner edges of the legs and pelvis forward (ie, scooping the tailbone)
#3. Drawing the sides of the pelvis and legs toward the midline.
I think a lot of people think of Outer Spiral as just scooping their tailbone and jamming it forward. But the trick is to keep the inner edges of the legs and pelvis forward, while keeping the groins soft. That way both Inner and Outer Spiral are balanced.
Another important and elegant point is that the third aspect of Outer Spiral is hugging in towards the midline, which is SO helpful with balance and integration.
We did a lot of standing poses:
Warrior 1 and lunges variations as well as Parsvakonasana
We did Handstands.
Also: Hanuman and Pigeon 2 with thigh stretch into Mermaid.
We did tons of hip openers including Krounchasana and Bharadvajasana #2.
We did supine hip openers into savasana.
Got a lot of positive feedback from class today and instead of just thanking them, I asked several students what was it about class that they liked. Interestingly enough they all said that they like how I've been challenging them in class and how they still are able to go to their hearts. I think I already have a strong nurturing side so it balances me when I bring out the whip.
I shared a quote from the wise Pema Chodron about compassion:
"Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded.
It's a relationship between equals.
Only when we know our own darkness well
can we be present with the darkness of others.
Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity." (Pema Chodron)
PS. I took my dear friend, the lovely and so funny Marc's class on Friday at Guerrilla Yoga. It was so nice to study with him again after all this time (my schedule didn't permit it). I plan to go every week. This coming week I'll be subbing for him and it's also my birthday so it will be a fun class.
PPS. I just saw the movie "Precious."
I've never had to stop while walking towards my car because I was crying.
It's a really powerful movie- every horrible thing that can possibly happen to a young woman, happens. And I mean everything. And yet somehow it doesn't feel contrived or manipulative or fake. And most surprisingly it is softly uplifting.
And the acting! Mo'Nique has gotten all the credit and deservedly so. And yet what about Gabby the lead? Paula Patton. Mariah Carey, my goodness! She was a revelation. Many blessings to all involved with this project. Truly.
I am so grateful that I saw this movie.
And I probably won't watch it again, for a very long time.
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