Breathing fast and slow

Monday, I walked out on my yoga practice. Like a disgruntled lover, I rolled up my mat and left right after completing the opening sequence. Nadi Shodana-Nadi Schmodana, I thought. I even told Itay, "This isn't fun anymore." The surprise registered. I saw his eyebrows go up. And because Itay is a good teacher, he offered the following wisdom without passing judgment, which was a good thing because I was judging myself most harshly at that moment. He put his hand on my back and said, "Take it one day at a time." Then, I left. That's when the surprise I had seen on Itay's face, just a flash, mind you, registered with me. Only mine was like a blow to the gut where I do believe the ego goes to hide out from time to time. What had I done? I love this practice. What was I doing walking away from it? Why was I so upset? In those first moments, it felt as though I had removed an anchor, and I had, really, only I didn't see it that way just then. I had made...

For several weeks now, I have been nursing a sore lower back, which means I am very aware of every twitch in my lumbar region. The soreness is due to my progress with the Intermediate Series of ashtanga. Yeah, I know. If I'm making progress, then, why am I sore? Ashtanga's Intermediate Series--or Second Series--is known as Nadi Shodana , which means "nerve cleansing." Nadi Shodana is all about the spine because the spine is the equivalent of nerve central in the body. Our overall health and flexibility, both physical and mental, are determined by the health of our spine. According to ashtanga master David Swenson, the Second Series practice is intended to create and maintain a suppleness and flexibility of the spine on the physical level, while opening energy channels on a subtler level to allow for the free flow of prana , or breath. Yes, it's true. We not only breath into our diaphragm, we breath as well into the back body. Or, rather, we should be breathing th...