Being Challenged

This morning in pratice Maria helped me, as usual, in Marichy C. I just felt how I cramped in my hips. We started talking about this, and she said that since I've been doing this pose for four years, and not much has changed, she did not think it was a physical obstacle, but a mental one. Well, not like it was in headstand, where I was scared of falling, but that probably there are emotions stuck in the hip. When pushed too fiercly in the posture, the muscles automatically cramp as a way of protection. The way out she thought, could be to have a more gentle approach, telling the body that it's ok, if you relax and let go, it's going to be fine. Relearning the body how to respond. Every morning before practice, I should do Baddha Konasana and Supta Virasana to open up the hips.
Also in Urdhva Danurasana I have issues in my shoulders....(who doesn't!), when she pulled me back so that I got deeper into my shoulders, wow, lots of emotions were coming up! Sometimes you need to be challenged for things to change, but in a warm and loving way, so that you don't tighten up even more! It's so easy to stay in a safe space. Let's see what happens!