Downward dog in Paris

I really don't know where to start this post... I guess, by saying (admitting) that practicing in Paris was really challenging for me... on both a physical and emotional level.

So to give a little background, I've got a sore shoulder and hamstring which meant I'd not done my full practice for a couple of weeks before practicing in Paris. The hamstring issue is reoccurring but my painful shoulder is a new injury. I've been working on strength, maybe I over-did it? Or maybe it's just a culmination of shoulder stress and finally when it did go crack enough was enough and I was forced to slow down. Who knows...

The teacher in Paris identified that I needed to work on strength in practice and that my flexibility was actually a hindrance and that by practicing the way I do, I'm damaging myself. She told me that if she was my teacher she would have me only practice primary and make that solid before learning any second. She also said that after a year and a half of daily practice it was WAY too soon to learn second. She said she could see I wasn't engaging bandhas which acted as the brakes to protect myself from going too far in postures. She came from the prospective of staying safe in asana rather than experiencing uncomfortable places.

She told me my Chaturanga looked like an insect.

I'll leave it there, you get the impression, I hope. My practice was dissected. My attachment to my practice too.

So now I'm confused. I guess I'll talk to my teacher and gather her opinion.

All really hard shit to hear. But maybe someone had to say it...