4 random tidbits from my day and #handstand365 Days 45, 46, and 47 working on form

  I've felt really out of it and sort of lost the last few days hence the blog silence.  I have done my best to  remind myself that I won't feel like this for long but the stress is there none the less.    So here is just a bit of randomness from my day.

 1) I killed a spider that was crawling across my shoulder and then down my chest.  It wasn't big and in hindsight I could have caught it and taken it outside but it was really fast and creepy.   Twice already this year I have had spiders crawling on me.  The one in my hair I took outside.  This one wasn't as lucky.
 2) The Catalpa trees are blooming and that makes me happy.  I have relocated several Catalpa trees over the years and they are so easy to transplant, fast growing, and have such wonderful leaves and flowers.
 3) I ate Neapolitan ice cream today and it hit the spot.  Little Archimedes Supercell and I went to the store and came home with ice cream.  Its lovely to spend one on one time with the spawn every now and again.   I thought for sure the ice cream would make me feel like total shit after I ate it but it didn't.
 4) I am really looking forward to watching ships in the Straight of Juan De Fuca from my deck when we move to Washington.  I want to get binoculars so I can see them better.  All of the ships that go into the sound will go by our town.   It has been established that I will be called a Shipster.....

Day 46 #handstand365 

 
I have been working on handstand daily and am so frustrated.  I keep thinking that I should be farther along after so much time practicing although I have no standards but my own I am basing that assumption off of.  I was loosing sight of the journey being the important part.  So, I asked some yogi friends for some advice.  It was recommended that I check out this video.   I am thinking that my issue with my handstand form is in my shoulders and their possible lack of mobility.  I have not determined yet if my problem is due to tension or compression, which is what the link goes over.  

Day 46 #handstand365 

When I kick up into handstand there is a point where I feel panicky.  Its not fear of falling because I have a great exit strategy.   For a while I thought it was inflexibility in my back or a lack of strength in my core.  Granted I need to work on my core strength but thats not where the sticking point was.   I really concentrated on that split second and tried to find the source and its in my shoulders.

Day 47 #handstand365 

What to do about it?  I decided to work on chest to wall handstands.  I want to ingrain proper alignment into my muscle memory.   I still try and kick up into a free handstand away from a wall or tree but I also am taking it back to some support to focus on form.   Focusing on bandhas, straight arms, pulling my shoulders down my back, pushing the ground away, and using my fingers as brakes.

  Today my shoulders, back, and neck are all quite sore from all the work yesterday so I think I am on the right track.  I was only able to hold the above picture for a couple seconds but the form looks good. I still swear that my arms are straight when I am doing the handstand but it doesn't look like it in the photos.  The rest looks good though.   There are days that I do wish I had a yoga mentor that I could work with in person although the satisfaction of learning on my own is lovely too.  Its certainly not the easy road!   Easy roads are overrated though right?!?!

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Cheers,

Angie Bee