Days 26 & 27

This challenge is flying by. I can't believe it's already almost halfway over. I had one of the most breakthrough-filled classes in a long while today and I can attribute this to my mindest. I went to class today with the idea fixed firmly in my head that I would try my absolute hardest. I was not allowing any slack at all. "If you can, you must."

I know that's the attitude I should have before every class. I'll admit, I struggle sometimes to keep my head in the game. I'm working harder than I've ever worked in my life but sometimes I wonder if I'm really working to my maximum. Today, there was no doubt.

As a result, I had success with practically every posture. I did much better than usual on the second part of awkward and was able to keep my balance almost the entire time. I leaned farther back in eagle than ever before, too! I felt my leg wrap just a tiny bit more than usual on second set. Sweet!

Standing head to knee is becoming a posture I actually look forward to now. I'm now able to grab my right foot and kick it forward with a locked knee. I even locked my other knee today - then promptly lost my balance. But it's farther than I've ever progressed in that pose before and that is a happy success! Additionally, I was able to grab my left foot. Kicking out is still a ways off on the left side but to have two firsts in the same posture is really, really cool.

I had a huge breakthrough in bow! I tried really hard to keep my hips in line from the very beginning of the posture. I made sure I was perfectly balanced on my hips/chest before I kicked up and it really helped. With my hips not opened up, I was able to achieve intense compression in my lower spine. For the first time ever in that pose, I didn't feel even a tiny bit out of alignment. I think I felt how it's really supposed to feel for the first time. It was glorious!

I focused on my hip alignment in camel and was rewarded with more spinal compression than normal! I have been feeling this compression at the base of my back in my lower spine. It's a crazy sensation and it makes me feel fantastic. I love the feeling of blood pumping through my body after releasing a posture!

I can touch my head to my knees in rabbit. I'm doing this now with my knees squeezed together and my stomach tight. Tightening the stomach really helps in forward bends, come to find out. Of course, the teachers have been reminding me of this for months, but I finally decided to go ahead and listen!

I can consistently get my forehead to knee in sitting head to knee, which gives me the world's craziest rush. I got this particular rush a few times in class today, but it was strongest after head to knee. It sort of messes up my vision for a few seconds and isn't entirely unlike dizziness but is definitely NOT dizziness. I don't know how else to describe it! It's pretty cool, though.

In almosts: I almost touched my face to my legs in hands to feet. I almost held the entire standing bow. I almost got my head to the floor in separate leg stretching. Almosts are almost as exciting as firsts!

Class 28 tomorrow and then classes 29 and 30 on Wednesday! A double is in my future and I'm beyond excited about it!