I’m at yoga class. It’s been a good class.
We’re toward the end of class, and we’re getting ready to go into wheel. Specifically, we’re getting ready to enter wheel near a wall — which can, for folks who have a solid foundation in wheel, be an excellent way to use the wall as a prop to inform the pose. That is, I can compare where parts of my body are in relation to the wall and can work to move certain parts either toward or away from the wall. (In this case, it’s usually bringing some portion of the upper body — upper arms, shoulders, chest — moving closer to the wall.)
Today, my teacher gives an unfortunate direction.
“See if you can bring your collar bone to touch the wall.”
My collar bone? I can’t. I’ll tell you right now.
I have these things; they are called breasts. They start just below my collar bone and sort of stick out funny — and substantially — from there. Especially when my torso is upside down, and their usual gravitational arrangement is reversed.
I’m pretty comfortable and confident in my wheel pose. I know that sans wall, I can bring my upper chest happily through the base that my arms make. I’m also comfortable and confident in my body; I know what my breasts will and won’t let me do.
So I catch her eye. I smile. And I sort of gesture. Toward my boobs.
She smiles back.
“Some of you may find that moving slightly more away from the wall helps you get the benefits of this pose.”