Krishnamacharya, teacher of all yoga teachers

Ever since I reviewed Gregor Maehle's second book, I could not but wonder about Sri T. Krishnamacharya who, for the first time gets to be fully and exclusively acknowledged as the first pioneer and original leader of Ashtanga as we know it today (even all of yoga?, he is after all BKS Iyengar, Indra Devi and Pattabhi Jois' teacher).

Last weekend while browsing books on 14th street I came across his son's "The Heart of Yoga", where we can actually rerad (in the last chapter) one of his very own books: "Yoganjalisaram".

left: Krishnamacharya (picture from aynyc.org)

I was taken by how simple: "Never be in debt. Never reside near enemies. Never trap the body through disease", yet how deep.  Did you notice  he mentions "debt" in the same context as disease?

How down to earth: "Rid your body of  its impurities, let your speech be true and sweet, feel friendship for the world, and with humility seek wealth and knowledge".  Wealth and knowledge? that could probably clarify things for people that think that yogis don't eat, or should not charge for services.


His explanation of detachment:  "Knowing all objects to be impermanent, let not their contact blind you. Resolve again and again to be aware of the Self that is permanent".  And of course, do what you must do, but seek the real self... 

Aparently he wrote many other books but only a few have survived.  The Yoganjalisaram is one of those treasures.
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Hanumanasana, here comes the split

Inspired by fellow UK blogger Grimly I attempted Hanumanasana today after supta padangusthasana.

It is not meant to go there, heck it is not meant to be practiced at all until the third series, together with walking in water, speaking in languages and passing through walls,  but I wanted to so I did, don't tell my teacher.



Things that surprised me:

1. It came much easier than expected, a revelation really
2. I saw that the asana is not complete, there is a forward bend after the split, oh well, next time
3. The videos keep on coming rather blue, I need to check the camara settings

Is the front foot supposed to be pointing? and does the video from vimeo take longer than the youtube ones?

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I took the non-violence vow in 2007, have you?

Chopra has been inviting everyone to take the vow of non-violence, in mind, speach and action...  here is a short video of him talking about it at the bottom of this post.  I took it in 2007... it is quite a vow...   :)

I have a big respect for him, here is why... In the spring of 2007 I went to meditate at noon (during lunch hour) at the Chopra Center, on 54 and Broadway (on the dream hotel).  He has a meditation room in the basement that anyone can use... anyone that is, who is in the KNOW... like you are now.

Left: the meditation room

Anyway,  one day I was meditating my lunch hour away and suddenly I hear his voice and that of another Indian man, then they proceeded to come into the room, and walk the long hallway to where the seats lay on the floor.  As I heard them come in I imagined they probably wanted to have a private meeting and started making mental preparations to leave.

When I finally made eye contact with Chopra (the man behind him was tall, Indian and had a bright red turbant on him, which was a picture in itself)  my body language signaled that I was leaving, however he stopped me, made the sign of silence (index finger in front of his lips) and directed me to sit down again and keep meditating.

That was when it finally dawned on me that he is real, his commitment to have others meditate and detach themselves from suffering and misery is not just words in books.  I aspire to be just like him.

Anyway, here is the vow, dare you?  I have to ask...

Take the Vow of Non-Violence | I Take The Vow
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Oh, the places where I've "DONE IT"

In an airborne plane, two international airports, the bathroom at work...   I am talking about the (ashtanga yoga)  primary series (or some of it), of course,  what were you thinking?!

Left: Urdhva dhanurasana by the planetarium of Buenos Aires

The odd places where we do our practices while travelling came to me during practice this morning, which was lovely by the way.  I run a mental list and many occasions came up, until I realized I was not focused on Ishwaraha, and dragged myself back into the infinite.

Left: Downdog by the Tower Bridge of London

So this is my list:

1. The bathroom at work, when I had a "job". Mostly I did the whole standing sequence of the primary series whenever 5:30 would refuse to come around
2. Bangkok airport, February of 2009, on the way back from teacher training.  I just could not, would not, dare not skip.
3. Ezeiza airport, in Buenos Aires, before leaving to come back home in the spring (down there as in the Souther Hemisphere spring) of 2008
4. On the plane, while airborn, on the way to Buenos Aires in November of 2008, I went half in the kitchen and, when the flight attendants kicked me out, I continued by the door.  I managed most of the standing AND some light backbending.  This one got a lot of attention and people came to talk to me upon landing asking for private lessons.
5. In the open terrace of my brother's place in Buenos Aires, also in November of 2008, with about 300 spying on me (or so I'd like to think) from behind the infinite number of windows all around.
6. In the botanical gardens of Buenos Aires
7. In Battery Park this year, a  few poses of the primary

How about you,  what odd places other than the shala have you done it [primary, intermediate, third, fourth] in?

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I Am my Deepest Desires

Following a twitt from Bob Weisenberg, I have been reading the Upanishads, by Eknath Easwaran, a writer who never pursued the speaking/traveling career, yet whose books are far reaching and inspiring, and make the Upanishads feel like a cafe conversation.

One of the polarities I find almost right away is that of "desire". Easwaran says:

"In the end, all achievement is powered by desire. Each of us has millions of desires, from big to trivial, packed witha  certain measure of will to get that desire fulfilled.  Imagine how much power is latent in the human personality! with just a fraction of that potential, young Alexander conquered continents..."

That is the same power that got me as a 20 year old to leave my country of origin, and eventually find my way into the US with no money and no friends, and build the "american dream", of college/homeownership/big corporate job, only to OF COURSE, realize that was not IT, leave it all behind and turn into yoga...  but I digress

Desire is a POWERFUL thing, innate in us, it is what moves us, what drives us,  the force behind the videos we make about putting our legs behind our backs or dropping back or getting into hanumasana. The force that got us (well rather those clever guys at Nasa and other intelligent people) to the moon. The force that made a small toaster land on Mars.

YET, on the other hand, we have the Gita.  I thought that the Gita was all about renunciation, that "desire" would not really occupy a place in it. Is that right?

Note 3.8

"Do your duty; such action is better than nothing. If you attempt to renounce all actions, it would be impossible to maintain your body"

and 3.10

"After creating humankind together with yajna (sacrifice), the Creator said: Through sacrifice you will increase yourself and get everything that you want"

So, as much as the Gita invites renunciation it is not really the type of not wanting anything. Even the wondering swamis that leave everything behind WANT something: "liberation".

My understanding is that desire is the force that gets us to move, that inspiration we feel when we hear amazing stories of epic achievments.  So essentially is to be embraced, but the fruits of which be given to the Divine.  The effort must be put into going with what drives us, but then we let the outcome and fruit be oblations unto Thee... Higher Power.

I have been blessed with the manifestation of many, many desires, ESPECIALLY during 2009, when my life began to feel like an adventure of cosmic proportions.  Much of it I owe to reading things like this, and others like "the Spontaneous Fullfillment of Desire" by Deepak Chopra, and then practicing what I read.

I am glad to get grounded in the knowing that this is good, it is evolutionary, it is the path to be followed, with all my might,  whatever my heart  deeply desires, that is where I aim, wholeheartedly, with all my passion.  What outcomes may come, that is up to HP, and all dedicated to it.

‘You are what your deepest desire is. As you desire, so is your intention. As your intention, so is your will. As is your will so is your deed. As is your deed, so is your destiny.’  The Upanishads

More on the Gita (job advise by Krishna), and tips on how to die, also by the God himself.

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Feed the World

Recently my boyfriend has been playing this song a lot, and perhaps because I was raised in a Spanish speaking language, even though I knew the melody I never quite paid attention to the lyrics. I kind of wondered for years who would not know it's Christmas time?.

And speaking of Africa, my friend Daleela is about to venture into Kenya with her organization to co-create with local women a fashion line of clothes that will be later displayed here in NYC for fashion week. Whatever the proceeds go to the women.  I have permanently added her link on the "places worth visit".

Anyway, it makes the hairs in my arm stand up, which reminds me of a movie I saw last night in my new "half Jewish Christmas tradition" (BF was brought up jewish, me brough up catholic). To make things more confusing we went to see a Spanish movie, Broken Embraces, and it was good, very good. Highly recommended.

and Feliz Navidad

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8 Things I liked about Gregor Maehle's "Ashtanga Yoga, The Intermediate Series"

I liked Gregor Maehle's second book Ashtanga Yoga The Intermediate Series a whole lot.  I had liked his first book too and even wrote a review on it, but it must have been in my old blog, which unfortunately no longer exists.

In true 8 limb form, these are the 8 things I can say surprised me and delighted me about it, here they are:

1 - Dedication/Acknowledgments
The first thing that called my attention in a big way is the dedication to "Mother India", and his acknowledgment to the "modern master of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Shri T. Krishnamacharya and those who studied under him and continue his work".  He also thanks his wife, nice.  However, back to the first sentence, do you see something missing?  I certainly did, the no mention of Patthabi Jois was new.  I don't remember if he mentioned him on the first book, (he does not, he also thanks all teachers) but it made me wonder.  It certainly puts the whole Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga concept in a new light.

2 - The Amazing Visuals along the 8 limbs path description

I have never heard a teacher or read such a vivid and clear description of the journey through the 8 limbs (branches) before reading his first chapter.  After guiding us through how is it that Karma Yoga (yoga of action) is the type we are practicing, he embarks on a voyage of what actually happens as we travel through the yamas, niyamas, and so on.  And he gets down to the very specifics of it, no second guesses about it.

For example, his description of what is it exactly that one does while on Dharana (concentration):

"Practically, dharana is done in the following way you assume Padmasana ... and commence pranayama until breath retention (kumbhaka) is reached. Once in kumbhaka you rest the mind on your chosen location, beginning with the base chakra..."

Or what actually may happen when reaching Dyana (Meditation):

"The fascinating opening that happens when you get to this stage [Dhyana, Meditation, page 11] is that you can "download" or "log on" to the Deva, or Divine form, that resides in or presides over each respecctive chakra."

I have to say that it left me wondering weather he speaks from personal experience or from the vast amount of studying he has done.  So I asked him that, via e-mail, I hope he replies (he did not).

3 - His case for using Indian myth to deepen the practice in chapter 2

"In the course of this discusion I show how the study of myth can change the way you practice yoga and live your life..... you can create your own private hotline to and from the Supreme Being" 

4 - His convincing case for why studying Sanskrit is important for us on the path.

He uses the story of how Krishnamutri dedicated his latest days (he was 95 and was not able to do so before because of selfless service, of course!) to learn Sanskrit.

He goes on to have a side note on English vs Sanskrit and then invites the reader to go back to the original texts rather than current yoga texts, and to make our own conclusions of what the sages were trying to say.  He also gives warnings about them attacking other schools or reading things always within contexts since, it seems the old sages had a trickster side to them, just for the benefit of the students.

5- The Mythology of the poses of the intermediate series had me going.

Especially his interpretation of Pashasana as an asking to Lord Shiva for a "boon".  I think anyone can relate to this process of waiting for a teacher to grant us the passage into intermediate, however, seen in this new light I somehow relate to the imagery of it, and wonder weather I could ask Shiva directly.  He goes on to clarify that the REAL boon we are asking for is not just pashasana (which would be nice), but rather the understanding of immortality. Of course, it is all always much deeper.

6 - The actual mythology behind every pose is a must read

I particularly liked the few stories around Kapottasana, out of them this one was cute:

"The Skanda Purana informs us how Lord Shiva received the name Kapota. He once undertook severe tapas in the form of living only on air and avoiding all pairs of opposites.  Although he was the master of the eight forms (five elements, moon, sun, and Lord) he shrank to the size of a pigeon. Henceforth, he was known to his devotees by the name of Kapota"

How is that shrinking to pigeon image next time you are warming up to the idea of Kapo?

7 - His standing up for the antiquity of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga was reassuring.

Not so much on the other hand, the idea that we are actually loosing asanas.

8 - The poses

Just like in the first book, the actual asanas have great pictures with detailed vinyasa explanations and anatomy charts. There are also tips spread out throughout in orange squares just as he had on the former.

---

A book like this leaves me more interested in the inner path of yoga, in its depth, in the possibilities.  It makes me want to feel whatever samadhi is, to understand how can one actually surrender to such an extent and reminds me that reading the sacred texts is of vital importance.

Karma yoga, he says, is for those of us who are not ready to give up the "what's in it for me" part of life, that is why we are not ready for Bhakti (devotion), which requires it, and not even close to near the Jnana yoga (Intellectual yoga), which is only for a few geniuses.

As per me, I am happy to be brought closer to the feeling of what is important after all, drop back or not. that is not to say I am abandoning my intentions though, my new year resolution still holds... I might as well make full use of the fact that I am a karma yogi.

Have you read it? what do you think?
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My Yoga New Year Resolution 2010 Is: Drop Back

I found this courtesy of this post from Laruga of peaceloveyoga in Sweden. Thank you!

The Bheemashakti Institute, running out of Mysore (Gokulam to be more precise and out of all places) has videos on how to build up to the dropbacks.  The first exercise includes half dropping back, grabbing the back of my legs, and building to 100 kapalabati breaths (starting with 10).

Trying it, as per video I noticed a few things.  A) I needed to warm up a bit,  yes I know what Guruji told Richard Freeman. B) I felt for the first time the upper portion of my thighs really extending.... hmmm... different.  C) the kapalabati part was hard and in the video I only did a few. D) My arms could probably be straighter and go lower. E)  I leave E open



Another video in their site of a student called Isabella, shows a before and after, with a giggly and happy woman dropping back at the end, although her feet are wide apart and well into the forbidden Charly Chaplin position, but, "happy" is key here.  It says this can be achieved in two months.

This is the first time I see something so systematic.  Made me wonder if these are like well kept secrets that nobody talks about... anyhow, I decided to start trying.  Two months, you are ON.
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Why we should take the Bikram out of yoga

Bikram, the guy that tells us that we dont know anything about yoga in the West, while parading his rolex and showing off his rolls royces.

The unexplainable anger this guy awakes in me was brought back to the front page of my mind recently by means of a fellow blogger, YogaDork,  whom I mentioned in my last blogwatch, and I could not but start thinking about WHY? What is this feeling of anger, why do I hate him?, and is "hate" really the word?

So I came up with some deep breathing and watched some of his interviews and looked at his page, writtings about him, and even talked to some of his students. I wanted to get to the bottom of what is it that I feel.

The truth is, he is right in some instances.  When he says "America is not ready for meditation, they must enter through the body",  he is quite right,  I mean, what do I, let alone anyone else,  know about discipline?.  As much as it pains me, the "get on the mat" and "do your practice as you are told", is kind of necessary, at least for me (a typical westerner), to come back to some sense of discipline, to establish a routine, to get some benefit from regular practice.  

The thing that I don't like about Bikram, is his "tone", "the way in which he says things", his arrogance, and his total conviction that he is the only one who holds the truth of anything.

When he says that all yoga teachers are "clowns", he is implying that he is the only one who knows how to be a yoga teacher. I mean come on!, he even scorns Iyengar (props that look like a sex shop) and Guruji when he says that Ashtanga yoga is not real yoga (and yes, I am paraphrasing).

He might have healed people, and I know lots of people who swear by his practice, and I think this is good, yoga is a way to spirit, and I am all for whatever works.

I guess I am glad to be able to identify what it is I "dislike" about Bikram, and that is,  his extended ego.  Now this is not to say I will hate him,  no need, that takes too much energy,  I am just contented in my understanding that all we need is to take the delusion out, not his sequences, not whatever it is that heals people, just the attitude.
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Siddhis - The Power to Speak in Languages

Lately I have been exploring the powers or Siddhis exposed on the Sutras book number 3 and the concept of Samyama which is the pre-requisite for the Sidhis has captured my imagination.

Samyama  is said to be the culmination of the last three branches of the ashtanga, concentration, meditation and samadhi, only all togehter.  Once Samyama is attained, that is when the super powers become possible.

The second one (right after knowing the past present and future) is that of speaking in languages.

III.17  Words, objects and ideas are superimposed, creating confusion; by samyama, one gains knowledge of the language of all beings. 

Words are basically spells, some more powerful than others.  But what gives a word power? if I say the word "no",  most of us agree on its meaning, even if we do not want to hear it, or want to transform it into something else, pretty much universally we know what is meant.  However, when we take a word like "love",  wow!, how do we ever agree on what THAT means.

I wish I could have seen the disciples of Jesus when they spoke "in languages".  I wonder weather they really sort of downloaded the languages of everybody.  Or, perhaps used a mix of languages, some from latin, some from Aramaic, some in Hebrew, and they just had enough awareness and were so present  that they could pick and chose the words that would have:

1- The least level of confusion in interpretation
2- The right vibration
3- Were easily understood because they came with clear intention

When I think of modern times good communicators I think of Tolle or Chopra.  They tend to speak very much in "sutras" or short sentences, with carefully crafted sentences, balanced words, premeditated intention as in what it is they want to convey.

A recent Tweet from Chopra, speaking on how to make our desires come true and in the context of least effort, read: "choiceless awareness, subtle intention".  How is that for consice, to the point, right intention.

This yogasutra super power is one that I love, perhaps because I love to write, and would love to perfect this act.  I may not be near samyama, but I can intend it.

I know we are not supposed to get carried away on this, however, what is your favorite superpower?  walking in water? becoming small? walking through walls? omnipresence?  one that is not even mentioned in the yogasutras?
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12+ Excellent web resources I use to deepen the practice

For pictures of the poses in each series
I use this Arjuna's excellent website where you can find the primary, intermediate, and Advanced A and B.  I noticed that his photographs appear in many blogs, (including mine), whenever trying to convey a point.  Arjuna is a medical doctor, and and authorized teacher of AYRI. Here he is, in his own words.

For very advanced poses, when I am curiuos, I look at Absolute Ashtanga from Sacaramento, California, who has a page with pictures of the 5th and 6th  series.

For instructional/inspirational videos
Last month I stumbled upon Carl Horowitz blog and found many videos on key things like how to jump back or through, how to jump back from frog pose, and lots lots more.

Kino MacGreggor youtube videos are always an inspiration, I love the ones in Goa because I can hear nature in the background and they have a peaceful effect on me.  I especially enjoy  this one that I keep on watching again and again to learn about backbending and dropping back.

For the yogasutras and philosophy of yoga
I always keep coming back here for information about the sutras, this site is very complete and has lots of extra information and links to philosophy.

I own the CD that plays the yogasutras as sang by Dr M.A. Jayashree . If you do not have the CD, you can hear them on Kimberly Williams' page, they play automatically on loading.

For workshops 
I find the ashtanga domain to have one of the most comprehensive lists of workshops offered by authorized/certified teachers.

Podcasts
The Ramakrishna Vedanta Society up in Boston, has hundreds of archived podcasts that are very useful on the path towards meditation. You can also find them on I-Tunes and download to your pod.

Kino Macgregor has podcasts and so does Richard Freeman, from his Yoga workshop in Boulder, Colorado.  Both are free and worth listening.  Richard's talks are not very frequent but when he posts I make sure to listen, sometimes more than once, he is a true poet-teacher.

For everyday inspiration
I read and follow countless blogs from fellow yogis,  there is a roll with links to most of them on my blog list, on the right, scrolling down a bit.

Also, when I can afford it I get a copy of Namarupa, an amazing magazine on yoga/philoshophy/travel and more.

And I read  Yoga Journal in print and online.

Resources added post publication due to the generous comments of yogi readers or by continuing to look around.  This list will likely keep growing.

This Institute, running out Mysore India, mind you,  (in Gokulam out of all places), has great yoga videos on how to build up to the drop backs.  Thanks to fellow yogi blogger Laurga, who tipped me off with this post.

Lew mentioned the bulletin board for ashtangis,  worth looking at.

And Anna pointed out a great resource indeed, Michael Stone website, specifically his podcasts

For more, including suggestions on where to practice in a few international cities, visit the USEFUL LINKS page.  Enjoy.

Have I forgotten something?  Do you see something missing?  what do you use?
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How to Die, Four Simple Tips

I always thought that all this yoga we do is simply preparation, and the preparation is for the moment of truth, or, the moment of "death" because as Mexican artist Freeda Kahjlo put it: "I hope the exit is joyful - and I hope never to return".   Those could have been my words.

So I wondered, what does the Gita say about this?  and it gives four bullet points, consider this:

8.5 If you are thinking of me at the time of physical death, you will leave your body and come directly to me; there is no doubt about it.


8.6 A person goes to whatever he is thinking of a the time of physical death, Arjuna, because his mind established that direction.


But then it gets even more specific...

8.12 This is the effective yoga technique: At the time of leaving the body, mentally withdraw attention from the gates of the body into the heart area, and from there direct the prana into the head.


8.13 Then say aloud or think of the sacred word, OM, which is the manifestation of Brahman; and you wil lleave the body and achieve the supreme goal.


Easy, I suppose it might just take a lifetime of preparation.  Do you have any other tips?

Here is also Krishna's advise should you find yourself without a job (like I did), before you die.
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Why did you start practicing yoga?

Here is the thing, but don't tell anyone, I started yoga because I thought the men looked really good in class AND because I believed I would look really good if I did yoga, you know? all peacefull, and beautiful, and elegant and centered, and tanned, and I would have a real gorgeous boyfriend.

Funny thing is, all of those things came true rather quickly and even my modesty went out the window!, but then I found there was more to yoga, I found the silence, I found out that there is no you and me but rather we are one, and began to understand all of this in a somewhat deeper level,  although I am not nearly enlightened yet.

I know that some of you out there have been practicing for a long time, can you remember what was the thing that got you to get to a class for the first time?  Was it looks?  was it that it was just offered in the gym? was it to relieve stress?   do you have a really interesting sweet story?

Very, very curious here...
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Krishna's advise for the recesion ... from the Bhagavad Gita

The Gita as we all know starts with this man and warrior, Arjuna, who is getting ready for battle but is getting cold feed because, oh dear!, on the other side there is his own family.  Will he kill his causins? his neighbors?

The more I explore the Gita the more I see how revolutionary it is,  because it directs me (and Arjuna) to follow my own nature, to do the work I am supposed to do, what I am drawn to.  "What color is your Parachute" is how he could have coined it if he lived in America in 1978 (yes that book is that old).  Consider these sutras:

18.46 When you do the work that by your nature is your calling, you are worshiping the creator of all beings who is omnipresent, and thus you attain perfection.

18.47 It is better to do your own dharma imperfectly than to excel at another's dharma.  Whoever accepts the duties of his own nature is free from sin.

Free from sin, which I understand, not as doing something bad, but rather as not recognizing what our true value is, not allowing our real life force to shine.

I believe that this recesion has gathered lots of people, me included, taken us out of our jobs and re-shuffled us, leaving us a bit disoriented but with an opportunity to look into what is it that makes us tick.

Has anyone out there lost there job this year? or, as I prefer to think of it, was "one of the chosen ones"?

photo credit

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Does a picture speak 1000 words?

I have only been tracking numbers since 2005,  I wish I had started in 2000... note to self for next life time.

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December 2009 Video diary of my backbends - urdhva dhanurasana

Here is the December edition. This time on a dress, it is Friday after all

This is how it was coming in November, and oh ! the hair!

And by the way, suggestions are welcome... I do want to drop back one day!

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Friday is For Fluid

So Friday it is and nobody is doing the contortionist impressive third/second series poses.   Nobody is showing off anything and everyone is chilling, doing "just primary". But where does that leave me???  a regular mortal primary series practitioner?

Where is the fun for ME?

So I tried something different, and I decided to just flow,  never mind working on ANYTHING, just turn the mind off and let the yoga do its thing through me.

Amazing!   all jump troughs and back showed up, knees cooperated (sort of), backbends were easy (all things considered), by the end of it I was pretty close to belching "The hills are alive...".  Did I just say that?

So that is how I take it easy on Fridays, at least this Friday, lets not run away from the now, now.

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12 Yoga things I learned in 2009

1 Trusting in God works.  When I returned from Thailand in March and was inmediatelly laid off, still having to pay a $2000/month mortgage,  I looked up at the sky and talked to God directly. I said: "Dear God, I will continue to put one foot in front of the other, but you will have to take care of the big picture, my friend, because this is a BIT MUCH!".  And He/She did, I am actually quite alright.  Picture credit

2 In order to change the body, the mind must be very quiet.  This was courtesy of my teacher at the shala, E, whom I respect inmensely.  Since I heard this I have put it in practice always and realize how powerful a statement it is.  It is only in the NOW that I can change anything.

3 Renouncing the fruits of actions and becoming an instrument to the Divine, is what Krishna tells me to do in the Gita, and I want to.

4 The Course in Miracles has a lot to do with yoga.  Just to give you a taste, one of the workbook tasks invites you to consider that "Infinite patience delivers inmediate results",  try it and see for yourself, next time someone is going way too slow for your taste tell them to "take their time" and mean it, say it with love, watch the immediate results manifest. (www.acim.org)

5 I am grateful to all yoga teachers. I've been exposed to over 100 of them over the years.  I can pretty much name who gave me what tip for what asana, pranayama, chant, meditation.  All of them, teachers, assistants, thank you!

6 Yoga is about being nice to the cashier at the supermarket, the woman in front of me who will not walk faster as I want to get out of the subway, every doorman, and even to the people who annoy me.  Essentially it turns out, they are also God.   And by the way, that also goes for myself, being nice to ME too, yes.

7 Having a network of close friends is life insurance.   As I come out of my shell through yoga I realize how valuable it is to have the opinion and thoughts of others whom I trust in life. It turns out that in some areas they are also much smarter than me, and I thought I knew it all, not!  

8 Allowing true love to come into my life, this year, has been the most amazing, beautiful, rewarding experience EVER. I highly recommend it.

9 Maybe I will never get Pashasana. It was given to me, then taken away, then I got it again! then it went away again... its like a wave. And is all good.

10 The Gayatri Mantra is incredibly powerful.  It is said that it brings to you the things that you desire more deeply, even the ones you are not aware you desire.  Highly recommended to get clear about what you want before chanting. More on it here.

11 Starting the day with 10 minutes of meditation purifies me.  I cannot quite put my finger on why my days are so much better when I meditate in the morning.  I guess its one of those things you just have to try and see for yourself.

12 The life of a monk is NOT for me.  After my 10 day free silent meditation retreat in the tradition of Vipassana (I did it in Chicago in the summer), I realized loud and clear that the life of a monk is not for me, I like people thank you very much.  That being said, nothing like silence for an extended period of time to put things in perspective.   For me it's a "once in a while" thing.

How about you?  what have you learned?

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Knee

So my knees open and close as a door would, while my hips rotate.


I am finally understanding at the body level, that it is the hips that need to rotate open. 


The knees, as much as they hurt, (say, in the Janus) don't need to do that much.

The fact that I don't have meniscus's does not help... 

This is what I have been trying:

• Baths, after practice for now, although I have now been inspired by Boodiba 's post (and comments, all of them) to take them before practice as well...
• I am of course, not forcing anything
• I am using vata oil (as recomended by teacher)

Has anyone have any other suggestion?  the pain seems to really want to "teach me something", and it is sticking with me...

I wonder if the knees have some kind of an "emotional" thing going... what is it I need to release?

photo credit

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So today I really paid attention

I stayed with it, in the moment, opening up, relaxing what I could.

I tried "floating into Bakasana"  before my bhuja pindasana, and in hopes of getting the "Vinyasa in" once and for all.  The videos from Carl Horowitz, whose blog I just came upon proved very useful!

Now I am sore.  I cant move.

It the "good" pain of course.

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Keeping Quiet

Pablo Neruda, Poet, Chile

Keeping Quiet

And now we will count to twelve

and we will all keep still.

For once on the face of the earth

let's not speak in any language,

let's stop for one second,

and not move our arms so much.

It would be an exotic moment

without rush, without engines,

we would all be together

in a sudden strangeness.

Fisherman in the cold sea

would not harm whales

and the man gathering salt

would not look at his hurt hands.

Those who prepare green wars,

wars with gas, wars with fire,

victory with no survivors,

would put on clean clothes

and walk about with their brothers

in the shade, doing nothing.

What I want should not be confused

with total inactivity.

Life is what it is about, 

I want no truck with death.

If we were not so single-minded

about keeping our lives moving,

and for once could do nothing, 

perhaps a huge silence

might interrupt this sadness

of never understanding ourselves

and of threatening ourselves with death.

Perhaps the earth can teach us

as when everything seems dead 

and later proves to be alive.

Now I'll count up to twelve,

and you keep quiet and I will go.

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I'm in a New York state of mind

Very inspired by the depth of the Yoga Sutra talk from Eddie last night at the shala,  today I tried to focus,  I tried to see weather I was capable of maintaining at least the third state of mind (as we learned, and as Vyasa explained them).  What follows is of course my own experience and interpretation.
This paragraph I copied below in green en comes from Swami J's website, an incredible resource to which I come back again and again, and it clearly explains the five states.
So the third one, is the one that we, practitioners, tend to have, as in our minds are present but then go away, then come back, then go away.
As I paid attention I realized that my mind was indeed very much "here and there", and that as I got closer to the back bends it was a lot more "there" than here.  it makes me wonder about reaching the "one pointed", do I even know what that is like?  
I feel a stronger invitation into meditation, like a pull.  The more I ponder on the sutras the more "invited" I feel

Five states of mind: In describing this sutra, the sage Vyasa names five states of mind, of which the one-pointed (ekagra) (1.32) state of mind is the desired state of mind for the practice of Yoga. These five states of mind range from the severely troubled mind to the completely mastered mind. (These five are also described in the five states section of the Witnessing article.)

	Kshipta/disturbed Mudha/dull Vikshipta/distracted Ekagra/one-pointed Nirodhah/mastered
To position the five states of mind on the fingers is a good way of learning to remember them.

Foto and text credit

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Cold Practice

The Shala was cold this morning, very cold.  On the other hand, because I arrived earlier I got to see the chanting session and it was really inspiring.

I also had a few minutes of meditation today, and it has such an effect.  The focus is so different, the nuances of the practice much clearer.

Now I will take a bath, the inspiration comes from fellow blogger boodiba.
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People who blogged... Until India happened to them.

I have noticed a trend lately, of people who go to India, love it, and .... do not come back.... or at least they  stop blogging.


What happens to these people?   


Some of them say goodbye to the blogging world, as in the case of the owner of this blog who embarked on her adventure to the Kaivaladhama Institute in August of last year...  


Some say they will be "off for a while", her "blogging days coming to an end" as in the case of this blogger whose trip coming up sounds just delicious.


Some say nothing, they just misterioiusly dissapear.... and of course, I cannot find the post I was looking for to link on this. 


I guess he might have really dissapeared.  It was a blog called something like "Road to Mysore", written by a man who lived on the West Coast,visited Mysore very often, and for years he dreamed of quitting his job and moving to the far east.  By the time he finally confessed in the blogshpere that he had done it, he disapeared... I think his name was Joey


I will link if I ever find him again.

photo credit
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Yogic Blog Watch

This is my periodic blog watch of four notorious things I found from fellow interesting and cool bloggers.   They are worth re-twiting but we are in blog world so here is linking to them, great stories!


I cannot believe the angry reactions I get about the latest on Bikram here.  OK, so I guess I am still human and far from englithened


I have been enjoying inmensely reading about what Sharath had to say and the general experience of his visit to Syndey on this blog


For those of you visiting Mysore there is a new tailor in Gokulam, who makes great pants and keeps her timing promises!


Test your open mindness reading this thought provoking post about the dilema of how one practitioner will call his practice

Practice was stiff today, the teacher said "it's called life", he actually said it in Spanish "se llama la vida", which sounded funny to me and I laughed the stiffness off.   

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Post vacation yoga sutra excitment

The shala is offering free classes on yoga theory and they come with the booklet "The Yoga Sutra Workbook" from the American Sanskrit Institute.

I am excited about it.

They are open and free.  Next one is this Sunday from 5 to 6 at the Ganesh Temple.

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Knees

OK, now I get it, I probably have issues with my knees so that I will eventually be able to couch others on it.

I had surgery on both and hence no meniscuses...  the left knee recovered almost completely, but the right one has its days.

Today Mari D was difficult,  the extreme pressure on the folded leg leaves it humbled, and all I can do is go slow, breathe into it, let it be where it is.
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Almost five days without practice!

All this travel and the moon has made practice a bit erratic. It is probably obvious by the amount of posting, too much energy!

I even miss pranayama and udhyana bandha, Gosh I miss it. Cant wait till tomorrow.

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