My first problem in a pose

I encountered an issue today in a pose that made me uncomfortable. While in shoulder stand, I felt like I crunched something in the front of my throat. It didn't hurt, but it didn't feel right. I released, took a few breaths, and tried again, only to have the same exact problem. I adjusted my position, and tried once more, to no avail. I've balanced in shoulder stand many times before, and have never experienced this sensation, so I'm not sure what's happening.

I've been toying with the idea of a private yoga session, and this is making me consider it even more. I'd like to work with someone on fine tuning my problem areas. Practicing every day seems like it might exacerbate any bad habits I'm unaware of.

I had been hoping to sign up for a Yoga Basics workshop that goes into each basic pose in depth, discussing alignment, contraindications, etc. It's a series of two hour sessions for four consecutive Saturdays. But it's just not working out with my schedule. Since I won't be able to attend the workshop, I'm thinking one private session might give me the tools I need. This is where practicing at home gets dicey, when something doesn't feel right and there's no instructor to ask for guidance. I definitely can't afford to take a class every day, but I think one private session might give me a better base of knowledge to work with at home.

On another note, today's Meditations from the Mat said something interesting. According to the author, a guru was asked, "What will be the undoing of humanity?" and he answered, "The separation between you and me." The author continues to say that the first yama - ahimsa, or nonharming - requires us to abandon the notion of that separation. This concept boggles my mind, because I've always considered it a good thing to separate myself from those I feel have undesirable character and morals. Catholic education drills that into your head and your heart. It's almost too foreign a concept for me to really grasp, and I'll be thinking about it in the days to come.

Namaste