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Thanks to Vanessa for mentioning bandhas this morning in her entry. I needed a reminder. Been waking up to a stiff lower back each morning, and I know the fix: uddiyana bandha. Okay, so in a somewhat unusual twist, I started thinking about the bandhas in a less vata/energetic/poetic/spacey/make-The-Cop-roll-his-eyes sort of way, and thought again about the mechanism that protects the lower back in both yoga poses and weightlifting attempts: which means I thought about the core, and more specifically, the transversus abdominis.

Part of me feels like it is highly unlikely that this is the key to uddiyana bandha, because it seems so, well… obvious, and grossly physical. Another part of me (the pragmatist) figures this may be the whole molehill out of which we make mountains. Regardless. I kept the transversus abdominis working throughout practice, and damned if my lower back didn’t feel just great.

Sanskrit Scholar helped me out at kapotasana, first asking if I wanted her to concentrate more on my lower back/legs or my upper back/shoulders. I opted for back/legs: I wanted to keep the focus on the transversus abdominis (from here on called, correctly or not, uddiyana bandha, because it’s easier to spell than, well, you know). With the UB cranked up, the backbends feel much less stressful on the lumbar region. I have the perception that the backbend isn’t as deep, but I’m not actually sure that that’s true. If it is, those are some millimeters I can do without, since I’m pretty sure they’re ill-gotten and likely to cause much more pain than they’re worth. A little challenge for my ego, though — each and every time. Do I want to collapse into the backbend a little deeper, compromising the sacrum in order to feel a little closer to my self-imposed goal? Oh yoga, you make me face my own weaknesses! Isn’t it bad enough I have to bear witness to the physical ones, now you’re pulling out the emotional/psychological ones? I’m no fool. The spiritual ones are coming up next. It’s a bitter pill, but I’m the one who keeps asking for reality.

Dropbacks were assisted in a new manner: Volleyball Guy sits on the floor facing the bender and just holds above the back of the knees. Very nice! Not sure if that’s easier or harder for him. I always wonder: every so often he’ll move like his back is hurting, and I know it’s ’cause of all the adjustments.

The week of vacation is going along swimmingly. I love not worrying about what time I go to sleep, because I can get up early, practice, and nap whenever I like. I know I’ll go back to the office and no one will understand why I am so happy I went to practice on my vacation, since I do it every day anyhow. To go, though, with no thoughts about projects or assignments or team members or departments or strategies or tactics or dramas or anything. Priceless. I have a very simple, orderly life, so I am amazed to find that subtracting work from the equation makes such a difference to how stuffed up my mind feels. It’s not like there’s much of anything else in there, for goodness’ sake.