#flowfuckery

[mynameisjessamyn]

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Today, I stopped in the middle of an awesome @yogaglo class to get into some #flowfuckery. BTW, stopping in the middle of an online class is totally normal. It can happen to anyone regardless of how long you've been practicing. It usually happens to me when I get an itch to just do my own thing. It's nothing personal- I'm a free spirit, ya dig? Anyway, this flow was the result. It was beautiful and rewarding and I felt myself on the verge of tears afterward. My practice is in a completely different place than when I first stepped on a yoga mat. It's like I actually don't give a fuck about anything anymore & it's the most freeing yoga-related sensation I've ever felt. You wouldn't know it, but the Western yoga world is pretty effing rigid. Many people love rules but I'm not really about that life. I've never really enjoyed rigid structures and I've always been a bit of a troublemaker. However, yoga was once a place where I felt pretty tied to some rules but I think I'm finally letting go of that, too. I'm finally coming to this place where I don't care about anything but genuinely enjoying my experience on my mat. I don't begrudge anyone their stringent rules but I don't know if that will ever be my thing. I really like marching to the beat of my own drum. If you're interested, you can watch this whole flow fuckery on my YouTube channel- I'm 'Jessamyn Stanley' over there! My YouTube channel is also a good place to find quick tutorials for tricky yoga transitions, especially those including #downwardfacingdog and other tricky EveryBody Yoga transitions on @codyapp. (Also, I'm unofficially heading back to my yoga mothership @ashevilleyogacenter in April to study at the knee of Shala Worsley, queen of intuitive touch and Ayurveda and all things awesome that I wish to absorb like a chubby Hermione Granger-shaped sponge. I haven't paid my tuition yet but I'M COMING SHALA, OK? I also want to duck in my mama duck @the_tao_of_kim's restorative classes the weekend before, but my bank account is like, "You Need to Stop.") (Also smh at the fact that my boo @nolatrees & I were both shoulder opening tonight WHY ARE WE YOGA FRATERNAL TWINS.)

[mynameisjessamyn]

#Ustrasana, tomorrow's final #RedefiningYoga Challenge pose, has been my favorite asana for years although it was crazy hard for me in the beginning. When I first encountered #camelpose in the Bikram sequence, it totally baffled me. But I just kept going after it, finding new ways to anchor myself through my legs, strengthening my core, and allowing my heart to open up. Eventually, I began adding #kapotasana dropbacks to my practice, and I used to regularly practice full #kapotasana (check my instagram feed history for more on that particular progress). However, it's kinda bullshit that we're always so focused on reaching the final pose no matter what it takes to get there- even though the journey is SO MUCH MORE REWARDING than the final pose. Anyway, I recorded a youtube video showcasing several reps of camel pose with different variations (supported, supported with toes curled, unsupported, kapotasana dropbacks, and kapotasana) to show the level of body warmth, awareness, and conditioning that should be in place in order to work more advanced variations. If you want to watch the whole video (including my unplanned spinal rolls and other #flowfuckery, including a surprise #bakasana hold at the end), click the link in my instagram header! Leggings- @rainbeaucurves