Being Kafka’s 'Metamorphosis'

My biggest yoga fear.
Getting stuck.
In an asana(posture).
I often joked about it
With an analogy of my yoga struggles-
“ Have you ever read Kafka’s ‘Metamorphosis’?”

Then one day
It happened.
In a quiet Mysore room.
Only the sound of breath.
I was working on Bhujapidasana *
“Arm pressure posture”
Curled up like a little bug.
Balanced on my arms.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Head to floor
Five breaths.
Inhale.
Up.

Well,I got my head on the floor.
Then,I froze.
“Dear Ganesh”,I thought,”It’s happened.My biggest yoga fear.I’m stuck.”
I held my breath.
My muscles locked.
I felt a little like Vincent Price in “The Fly”
“Help me, help me”
Caught in my web of fear.

I tried to get the attention of the woman next to me.
“Psst.Psst.”
No response.
She was too damn focused on her practice to notice.
I was stuck.
“Kafka’s ‘Metamorphosis’  This is it.” I thought.
I laughed.
Crash.
I collapsed.
The floor shook.
My teacher came over,looked at me and raised an eyebrow.
“I got stuck in Bhujapidasana” I said.
“Oh.Head up your ass”,he said
And walked away.

Now,many practices later
Yoganidrasana*
“Yogi sleep posture”
Lie down.
Ankles crossed behind the head.
I recently saw a photograph of a young boy in this asana.
On the cover of “The National Enquirer”
I thought,”I see people do this everyday.”

And so, I attempt it.
With block and blanket.
A little bug on her back
Wiggling into the modification to cross my ankles
Behind my head
“Right over left or left over right?”
I can never remember the prescribed order.
All those legs behind my head!

I laugh
Once again.
Kafka’s “Metamorphosis”

*to see these asanas and others,please checkout the website of my current teacher-David Garrigues -www.davidgarrigues.com and YOUtube his fantastic Asana Kitchen videos.