12/05/2021
A backstory :
The first time I saw this handstand entry (waaaay back in 2010), I thought, "Cool. Cannonball into the wall."
I kicked up with too much gusto, bounced off the wall, went sideways, and took out an entire row of yogis.
Introducing Newton's Third Law of Motion.
Since then, I've avoided this entry.
I'm too scared to do this in free space as I have no counterbalance (it is a symmetrical pose) - if I fell forward into a backbend, I'm sure I'll break into a million pieces.
And using the wall ... well, I've already mentioned my history with the wall.
But today, during practice, everything felt right.
I felt good; I was plenty warm but not too tired.
Decided to give this pose a go ... and surprised myself.
I then did a few more in a row, to make sure that that first one was not a complete fluke.
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See, I got better at handstands *not* because I kept throwing body parts at the wall.
I've been doing a bunch of other things that were not at all handstand-like.
Worked on core engagement so I can land lightly. Grabbed at the floor with my fingertips so I can use my hands as brakes. Dead hang-ed to open up the lats (bringing that arm into an overhead position requires flexion of the shoulders beyond what is typical functional range).
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Looking back to that first cannonball handstand, I now recognize that I was pushed too far.
We've been led to think that physical performance on the mat is an indicator of an advanced practice.
How many times have you heard a teacher say, "if it's too difficult, try this instead".
The "instead" makes us feel **less**.
So we push. We attempt things our bodies are not ready for because the interpersonal dynamics of a group class setting makes it easy to shut out our intuition, because isn't getting out of our comfort zone one way of growing?
Language matters.
Forget keeping up with the Joneses; move at your own pace.
And if your teacher is pushing you to do something that you are not ready for, find another one who can meet you where you are.
