Just returned from tonight’s class.  So, time for a quick critique.  As per usual, I gave my instructions on pushing into stretches and never pulling.  I do this, usually, by placing a strap around my feet and pulling myself into Paschimottanasana.  NEVER PULL INTO A STRETCH!  Pulling is the single best way to injure yourself.  Tonight I discovered the second best way to injure yourself:  Forget that you are demonstrating a motion that WILL CAUSE INJURY.  Case in point:  I had the class move into a wide stance preparing for Prasarita Padottanasana then I said, Now move your feet to a comfortable distance so you get a good stretch but don’t over do it, I don’t want anyone stretching too far like this.  POP.  My left adductor longus gave an unpleasant pop and I realized I had just done exactly what I had instructed the class to NOT do.  Thankfully, it was more a warning pop than a WHAT HAVE YOU DONE! screaming pop.  Of course, the only reason it wasn’t a sreaming meanie pop is that I practice regularly and so my muscles are a bit more forgiving.  Still, I’m sure I’ll feel a good twinge from it come morning time.

We went through a full Surya Namaskar followed by Vrksasana, Natarajasana, Virabhadrasana III and Garudasana.  Then the aforementioned Prasarita Padottanasana, Parsvottanasana.  From there we went into a basic introduction to Kapalabhati, Kakasana, Utkatasana, Simhasana (of course!) and ended up with a simple seated back twist and Savasana.  We had some chuckles as people found that they just couldn’t quite hit a posture (Vrksanana and Kakasana) or they found the pose was just very funny to be doing . . . Simhasana as always!

The class time kept slipping through my fingers tonight and before I knew it, I only had two minutes of class left and we were just finishing the simple back twist!  I hated to do it but I did, I stole a few more minutes of my students’ time and we spent about nine minutes in Savasana.  I know why I couldn’t keep track of time:  It’s my oldest daughter’s birthday and I spent most of the day at the church helping with the funeral of a neighbor.  Still, I need to be able to keep a better focuse during the class so I don’t end up rushing the ends.

As I was leaving class, fall set in with a vengence.  Many people have hay fever with the attendant sneezing, runny noses, stuffy noses, watery eyes and the like but not me.  No, I suffer from seasonal nose bleeds.  The change in relative humidity leaves my sinuses parched so that even the slightest brush on my schnoz will result in a gusher.  Thankfully, I can usually stem the tide by guzzling water but guzzling and a good asana practice don’t go well together.  Teaching makes the dry sinus issue even worse; so, my question to you my dear readers is this:  What can I do to help prevent or at least minimize my nose bleeds, especially after a class as the talking just dries my throat and nose right out?  Before anyone mentions vaseline or something similar in each nostril, that’s just more than I can handle so that’s not an option.

Namasté