Yang 64: Shaky Stances and an Open Heart

I'm working through sections 1 & 2 of Yang 64. My focus today is getting my stances firmly underfoot. Its all starting to come back to me. I've found bow and feel rooted. My stepping isn't graceful; I'm totally bobbing up and down, not staying level at all. But that's okay -for now. My cat stance is shaky too. Outside of tree pose in yoga, I haven't had a need to balance on one foot. But again, its all coming back to me. My body is remembering -quickly- what its supposed to do and where its supposed be.

As I'm moving through the postures, focusing on my feet and legs, I notice at some point during section 2 that my hands are all up in my face. That's a no-no. The hands in this form (dare I say all forms) are supposed to guard the heart. My heart is completely open to anyone's strike at this point. As a writer, I really want to go off on a tangent on that one, but I won't. At least not today. I've decided that I can be vulnerable today; ignore my hands (in their need to guard and write) and leave my heart open. I need to get my footing straight. Tomorrow, I focus on protecting my core.