Lost and Found, albeit partially
"Hey, did you guys chance upon RaaiKotha on Fb?" A younger pal in our close-knit group of women shared this link and queried curiously. Though virtual, there was a hint of enthusiasm in her note, or maybe I perfunctorily picked it up as she usually sources and proffers palatable propositions.
I quickly tapped the link and a girl garbed in simplicity popped up turning and twisting her arms, legs, torso with an enviable ease. Her smile, accentuated by an overlapping tooth, was attractive, and her bright eyes lent expressions to her narrations/ voice-overs - one would be tempted to join her invite in practising yogasanas. The brief visual concluded with a rudimentary act of observing her breath, and uttering 'shiva shiva' in the happiest, most content tone.
She quietly transported me to my school days. While I flunked at most of the sports, I aced the classes on asanas - that was the only sliver of physical training curriculum that I looked forward to. None of the postures posed any challenge to my diminutive flexible stature. Bent in an arch I touched my ankles (Chakrasana) and wondered what was stopping others from achieving the same feat. Bhujangasana, Ushtrasana, Hollasana, Dhanurasana, Matsyasana - my prowess was little rivalled. When I look back, I surprise my older self at the innate agility I possessed then. Why didn't anybody acknowledge or inspire me to nurture it? When did I let go of it? Am I resilient enough to reclaim it?
A little introspection was all I needed to realise that I traded that ability for comfort of elevators, escalators, ease of contemporary lifestyle in tables (even they are smart these days, I'm not using them right), revolving chairs, cushy couches. They have surreptitiously swindled me out of my gift - certainly it was a gift, not everyone is endowed with this ability. While these peripheral comforts had a hand in rendering me less nimble, body bulk and ageing bones were pivotal contributributors towards the atrophy.
Well, it is what it is! Coming to reclamation - it can't be easy to recover what I lost over three decades, and an expectation to bounce back to what I was is unrealistic. But it definitely is worth a try to stretch as far as I could and hone whatever little is left. Afterall, some factors have been on my side as retainers. My diet has been a saviour - principally pescatarian with an immense inclination for satwik self-cooked veggies bereft of garlic, onion, chillies, tomatoes has in some way helped. Driking nothing but warm water and tea has been warding off any damage that the readily available sugary ones inflict. Not having a car for a decade meant forced-exercise of walking almost everyday for my-quadragenarian-self; that has been a blessing. Anything outside this sets me at unease; thus, I never picked up any habit that'd put me through the pain of renunciation.
[Ahem, that was the angelic 'yang' side of my agathokakological brain talking. The demonic 'yin' side salivate at mere thought of egg-Maggie, chips, vadas, Macca's Fillet-o-fish, toasted croissants. When the angels are awake, the demons sulk and skulk. As soon as the angels take a break, I indulge in such decadence and gorge on them, unbridled, until the angels, incensed, glower at me.]
With that in my arsenal and bitten by RaaiKotha bug, I set off to try a few intermediate level asanas. My first step had to be closest to my capacity - an arch or Chakrasana. Of course, I couldn't even see the ground, let alone the ankles - so, I opted for Ardha-chakrasana and then bent forward to touch my toes - Padahastasana. What else could I try, I wondered! I bow in Ardha Kurmasana pose everyday twice before my altar at home; extending that to Adho-mukha Kapotasana and Janu Sirshasana was quite doable. Having no acnetis (unreachable area of back) meant Gamukhasana wasn't a challenge. I often fold my legs and tuck them under my back when I sleep, and that paved the way to Matyasana. Sitting in Malasana, like RaaiKotha, turned out to be effortless as I mop my little un-carpeted floor everyday with a piece of cloth. With a conscious effort I was able to stand upright from Malasana without any support. Taking it a notch higher - folding into Pasasana and rising to upright position - did demand some perseverance. The trivial ways of life, sitting, working, staying close to floor have silently kept up my skills alive, though not thriving - good enough to keep my spirits up! I picked up a few more moves from RaaiKotha's sessions and tried those, urging my spouse to join. 'You're not a normal almost-50-year', he barely managed half way through a squat and added, 'you carry on; I better stick to my walking regime, otherwise...'. We heartily laughed at our scatological repartee and continued with our respective businesses. That subtle compliment boosted my urge to do more. It felt like I've found my long lost ability, albeit partially - many thanks to RaaiKotha!
Not just RaaiKotha, when you crave for a thing, you start seeing it everywhere. John Lubbock's 'What we do see depends mainly on what we look for,' suddenly seemed to substantiate. It was sheer serendipity that a fiesty and precocious Candy, my colleague's six-year old, put up a stupendous show of splits, squats, cartwheels when she visited us recently. About the same time, little Samaya overwhelmed me with her vim and verve for handstands. Even the forearm stand on Zoetic organic green tea-bag seemed to be clamoring for more attention than before. All that stoked my dormant edge for asanas further. Recommender Systems of Machine Learning ensured my spirit was alight by deluging my streaming with videos and feeds of all that have fixation for fitness. A special mention goes to Shilpa Shetty where she elevates herself from mat to feet like an apparition - awestruck, I wondered how she rendered it humanly possible.
But a myriad of sources can be confounding when you're struggling to start a bespoke course of action. So, I started following the basics in this, and challenged myself further through these asanas. I look for variations for the ones I can't fully achieve or for those that lack challenges. Then there are some that my wrists and neck give up on. I avoid a few that are split-based. Yet there's plenty more to practice.
The toughest part, however, is clinging on to it. My exercise schedule has always been a sine graph that rises and peaks during warmer months and takes a nosedive as I cuddle up in plush blankets. I'm too insouciant to follow a laid regime. In its stead, I'd prefer to tuck in these little yoga-atheletics conveniently between my meetings in this contemporary hybrid home-office model. This thought prompted me trying most of them in work-attire and some at office premises. Contrary to customary practices, I'm being apologist here for asana anytime anywhere. Who could say, this may bolster my resolve to flatten my wavy curve of exercise to retain whatever little I've regained (some graphs, unlike electrocardiogram or defibrillator graph, are best flat). If there is will, place and dress can't bar it; and if you are foldable you could withdraw (Kurmasana/ Garbhapindasana/ yoganidrasana) and unfurl (Natarajasana) pretty much anywhere in any attire! Additionally, a day of bustle punctuated with asanas, or stretches as I look at them, is relaxing, energising, and cathartic - far from the tedium of daily rigour.
Here are some of my most recent endeavours. If this post piques somebody's long-lost interest in asanas, I'd be elated to have achieved injecting goodness in his/ her system!
Vrikshasana, Norwest Metro Station
Garudasana
Paschim Namaskarasana, Wynyard
  Paschimottasana  Janushirasana  Tulasana, Normanhurst Boys High School, bus stop Pc: my son   * Ek Pada Rajakapotasana - easier variation after work in office premises near The Crown, Barangaroo!   Konasana variations  Ushtrasana - when I draped this beauty on Mahashtami  Rising in Pashasana - from inspirational RaaiKotha  Balancing on 6½" parapet in Gomukhasana with the vibrance of setting sun   Hastapadasana  Baddha Konasana  Gorakshasana    * Garbhapindasana  * Ardha Matsyasana - challenging variation   Parivrtta Parsvakonasana with the dramatic sails   Kurmasana - easier variation  Virbhadrasana III  Ardha Chakrasana  Adho- mukha Kapotasana       Navasana variations     Lizard pose      Natarajasana - from managing for few seconds to holding up for longer   Utkata Konasa - looked easy until I tried! Jacaranda at Kirribilli                                PC: my spouse, Som - patience unlimited! #stretchesanytimeanywhere at Kaleidoscope on Gram! NB: * are comfortable folds for me that I can retain for over a minute and find solace in. I haven't pushed my boundaries to achieve any of these. If I were to believe in karma, I'd happily admit this life has started from where the past ones bookmarked. Who could say, my genetic constitution is inbred and conducive to asanas for karma of my past lives, given, performing certain asanas depend on the physique and body-proportions we possess; check here to learn more Dona, Sydney, Oct 2023 |
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