Cooling off with Fire

I’m a pitta.  There is some vata in there and I eat bread and pasta in hopes of creating some kapha, but mostly I’m a campfire ready to spread.

When I moved to Ojai, my practice and teaching was strong and rythmic.  There were plenty of similar yogis here to play with initially, but as the studio opened and a wider and wider range of yogis and yoginis showed up, my practice and teaching relaxed to meet who was really present.

Simultaneously, I was hanging out with Ayurveda Heads who kept reminding me that a pitta type like me needs a cooling, calming sequence to balance the heat.  

This past weekend with Laura Tyree, we were practicing an elements vinyasa krama that eventually got to Fire.  At first I was resistance, I felt like we had already done a lot of standing poses and it was hot out and lying down felt so good.

The sequence she offered was
- Sun Salutation to Downward Facing Dog
- Jump through to Navasana, boat pose
- Lower body toward “Half Boat” or “Barge” as we renamed it this weekend
- Lift up Navasana, roll into Bakasana
- Jump back Chaturanga
- Upward Facing Dog
- Downward Facing Dog
- Walk hands Back to Feet
- Roll up Utthita Tadasana
- Hands in Prayer
- Walking Meditation to Front of Mat
- Repeat

I was surprised and delighted that my body still jumps through to Navasana.  I found myself giggling up in bakasana and when I jumped back, I felt a familiar lightness.  After a few rounds, I felt myself cooling off!  The fire practice was not heating, it was burning off the excess fire!  I rediscovered a joy and delight that I had forgotten about.  I was having fun!

My body is made for this type of yoga.  I have long arms, natural strength and easy flexibility.

My time away had been exactly the right journey.  It’s difficult to meet a range of needs if one only knows one kind of practice.  But I am grateful to be home.

Thank you dearest Laura for pointing the way back in.