The Birth of ........a new pose

birth in water

It is about a week now that I have been given "dwi pada",my newest pose in the intermediate series. I am reminded how this process of  ashtanga with the introduction of a one pose at a time to a practitioner is reminiscent to me of the birhting process, each pose a newborn child to get to know. I reminded of meeting my daughter  in real time and space as opposed  to "in my dreams". I am remembering the newness and ectasy of seeing each new finger, toe,eyelash,lips,tongue,earlobe,  everything,the new sounds of a steady beating heart, whispy breathing,gurggles in the belly. It was as if  this was the very first time I really ever met a human being.There was joy,honor, gratitude, reverance, gladness.When I meet a new pose, I feel that I am getting to know myself almost for the first time again. It is refreshing to contemplate how new and old positions, movements, breathing meld together into a new configuration. It is almost as if all of the preceding poses, movements and processes were a gestational preaparation for this new process to occur  with a new pose. Like the paricipating and watching of  one's child develop, so too the pose requires patience, love , compassion, continued  interest, acceptance as to how it evolves, what it becomes in time,and what new developments ensue from this ongoing process,So for me,ashtanga yoga reminds me each time I get on my mat and practice
of renewed ,gestation, birth, maturation and change...