Normal

Much better. Led class at a regular (non-warp) speed. Happy happy.

I finally started doing the chakrasana exit in the 2nd half of primary. I had a neck injury earlier in the year that held me back from Setu Bandhasana and Chakrasana. I cut them out completely, added SB back a couple months ago but this was the first time trying Chakrasana and it was fine. Didn't bother my neck at all. Proceeding with cautious optimism! Chakrasana seems to be about the timing and I feel like I need a lot of space for it.

There was enough time for the shuffleback - which is feeling less awkward and more natural now, despite its lack of elegance. It's so funny that it felt awful and ungainly and ugly when I first started doing it last month but once you cycle it through enough practices it starts to feel normal, no matter what it looks like. Same as when you learn chaturanga or the toe-roll as a beginner. Your teacher tells you to put them in and keep them there...and it feels wrong and difficult and forceful. Then they just fade into the rest of it and become your practice.

J has been talking about lightness a lot and softening the exhale on the poses that challenge us. I'm guilty of some "angry breathing" in poses that challenge me...so I've been trying to soften the breath. Lightness is just hit or miss. Sometimes I feel it and sometimes I don't. I get it in headstand, sometimes on a jumpthrough or jump to uttanasana. Sometimes in Virabhadrasana II, oddly.

I miss Intermediate, esp. the first half. Haven't done it since Thursday, I want to bend my back. Mysore tomorrow...UD feels sooooooo much nicer after intermediate.

Coffee is my favorite thing.