Mysoric Inspiration

Hello friends, I had my first yoga class today and it was amazing!!! Cate and Margie, consider "it" brought.
Class started at 5 am and was led by Sharath. Guruji is apparently recovering at home and may be coming to classes sometime soon. I thought I'd try and claim an inconspicuous spot in the back. My plans for remaining unseen were spoiled! I got to the shala and the only space left was in the front row. Sigh. Pride swallowed.
Those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, feel free to use the comments section to discuss something completely unintelligible to me, like football.
We have led class 3 days a week: Thursday, Friday and Sunday. I'm glad class was led today. I was able to concentrate on following along, rather than being nervous about forgetting a posture, or something. Happily, we practice at home pretty much how we practiced here today, though it seemed to go much faster today than at home. One difference, though, they didn't let me modify any of the standing postures. I was instructed to grab my toe in triangle, even though I can't keep my torso straight, and they wanted me to go for completed revolved side angle, even though I can't put my hand on the ground. Oh, and keep my hands together over my head in warrior 1 and utkatasana, even though I can't straighten my arms.
I got adjusted a LOT this morning. It was really nice. First pose: Sharath pushed me further into padangusthasana. Then, later he held my leg up on both sides of utthita hasta padangusthasana. The room was packed with people (our mats were inches from each other) and it was really hot. My muscles got really warm and I was sweating hot-yoga style.
Next, seated poses. The incredible-est thing happened. I bound on my left side in ardha baddha padma paschimatanasana. Sharath came around, moved my arm, and I caught my toe! With ease! Holy crap. I have never come close to binding in this pose and I figured I'd spend the next 2 months not binding in it. It blew my mind to do it my first day here!
2nd wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles: I bound in Marichiasana B! On both sides! What??? Who's body am I now inhabiting? How did this happen? The only possible bad thing: when my right leg was in half lotus, I felt a sort of crunching sensation on the outside of my knee. Did I injure myself on my first day? I hope not. I'm hoping I just moved something that needed to be moved. So far its a tiny bit sore, but nothing extreme. My right knee seems to be resting lower in easy pose than it was before. I'll report back tomorrow. It happened in an instant, it came without warning!
I was stopped after Marichiasana D (which I did not bind in--if I had we would have had to rethink all the laws of the universe). This was actually a bit of a relief. I was really tired. I sat on my mat while the rest of the class finished primary series. I rejoined when we started the finishing poses.
I went straight into the best backbend I've ever done. I couldn't hold myself up for all three, though, and had to come down onto my head. Uttana padasana was hard, but it always is.
I fell when I went into headstand. Oopies. I didn't hit anyone, luckily. I was really tired and my whole body was shaking. Sharath made a joke about it not being time for chakrasana and then held me up for the duration of the headstand.
Then it came, sweet, sweet savasana. Aaaah.
I really pushed myself to the limit today, in a way I never have before. I think the blocks I've had to these poses I've been unable to complete in the past must be mental, not physical (although, I'm sure the heat helped me physically today). I don't think I've ever given myself up completely like I did today. I didn't think about being tired, or about stopping, etc. I realized last week that the problem I have in wheel pose is mental, not physical--this revelation came after I discovered the tension I was holding in my belly. I think wheel stretches the area that was tense and it was really uncomfortable for me, so I was avoiding it. The half-lotus postures, I really don't know what to say. I assumed I would go home from here without being able to bind in any of these poses, so I guess after day one I can go home happy. Not that being able to complete poses is the ultimate goal of any of this.
I was completely exhausted after the hour and a half practice. I had to sleep for an hour after I ate breakfast.
I need to get one of those cotton, woven mats to put on top of my yoga mat. Otherwise, I will continue to slide around on my sweat.
In other news, I didn't sleep that great last night (nervous excitement). I had a bug fly in my ear while I was drifting off. Eew. I got up to use the bathroom and there was a giant cockroach on the wall. I know I've claimed not to be squeamish, but I screamed like a little girl and then tried to coax it into the toilet so I could flush it, all without touching it or going to close to it. Obviously, this didn't work. So, I lay on my mattress, on the floor, worrying that the cockroach was going to leave the bathroom and crawl all over me.
Sorry if this has been all Greek to you.
Love to you all!
Lauren