Dracula definitely puts the cherry on the top on this Friday the 13th. I suppose Sharath is the last person I would have thought would compare himself to such a dark, night character, but there you have it.
Here is the Questions and Answers from today, and yes, I had a pen and paper on me, about time!
Q: Yoga Sutra 1.33 says that when people are mean to you, you need to be indifferent, does that mean not talk to them at all? - [You may be rightly guessing who asked this - [yes, me]]
Sharath: The Yoga Sutras are difficult to understand, not easy [laughter]. And they are to be taken in context with other texts too, like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the Gita, the Upanishads. So if you have a question ask me in general, not about the Sutras.
Q: OK, suppose a person is mean to you, like they say something really mean and not true to you, and you are working at your yoga and keeping your peace of mind, what do you do?
Sharath: Life is not plain, it is like Lombard Street in San Francisco. Have you been to San Francisco? How are the streets there? [he gestures hills and ups and downs]. Life is happy and sad, it is not up to us, it is not in your hands. How we deal with it is important.
As a yogi nothing must disturb you, when things are happy you remain undisturbed, when things are difficult you remain undisturbed. You are always comfortable. So yes, you ignore.
If you look around there is discomfort everywhere, even for our planet, we humans are destroying nature, destroying forests for new construction. As yogis it is our duty to make this world a better place for our children, for future generations.
People always like to talk, they have their problems and they want to put that on you, but if you are a yogi you know you have peace in you, in your mind, so you ignore and you keep your peace.
Anyone else? Any personal problems? [laughter]
Q: Could you talk about the different energetics of the different series?
Sharath: You go deeper into your practice to be healthy and to keep peace of mind. There are as many asanas as there are human beings in the planet. There are some you will not do because in order to do some of them you have to follow many observances, you have to have proper diet, celibacy, or the asanas won't be possible.
If you are dedicated you will be able to do the asanas but you have to be very diligent.
Guruji taught me so many asanas, some that people have not even seen. So many years of practice with him. 18 years! So, for you, to get to all the series, 108 years! [laughter]
Because being Guruji he expected more of me, and me being his grandson he expected even more. Being his grandson was difficult, he wanted perfection.
For you, you have to work with your body, and to where it allows you to go. When you come to Mysore you progress in asana.
Nadi Sodhana (Nerve-cleansing and also the name of the intermediate series) will not happen just because you do second series. Nerve cleansing happens through vinyasa. It will happen through primary series too, because the blood will circulate properly to each organ and all toxines will come out through sweat or exhalation.
Asanas with Vinyasa remove toxins. Vinyasa is the main tool to get nadi sodhana.
Q: Do you practice all the series every day? Tell us about your practice
Sharath: While I am travelling it is different, it is difficult, but when I am in Mysore, especially for long periods of time as I am planning to be, then it is possible. Don't ask about my practice, you won't be able to sleep.
Q: How early do you wake up?
Sharath: I'm like a ghost, I get up at 1 o'clock. I am like Dracula [laughter]
Q: Do you recommend pranayama? [Breathing extension exercises with or without retention and internal locks]
Sharath: There are thousands of pranayamas. Some basic pranayamas are recommended, for example inhale through the left and exhale through the right nostril, you can do this.
But kumbkaka [retention of breath with or without bandhas (internal locks)] has to be taught properly and by a teacher that has been taught properly and knows the practice.
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika says that you can cure all diseases from pranayama, it has a lot of cleansing effects on the nervous system. But if you do pranayama wrong you can get diseases.
In the Yoga Sutras it says that pranayama should be attempted when firmly established in asana, only when you have mastered asana. Many people don't pay attention to the scriptures, the shastras.
But you can practice the basic inhalation through one nostril and exhalation through the other one (he demonstrates] to get proper oxygen. If you get dizzy for example it could be because the blood is not circulating properly, and practicing this basic exercise can help you with that. Also when you practice asanas, make sure to take long breaths.
---
Final Words:
Sharath: I want to thank Sonia and Paul for this beautiful place which has been created in honor of Guruji. I hear that there is not that much ashtanga available in this area, so this is a good place to come and enjoy. [The studio will have ashtanga classes around the clock every day]
Practice should be blissful, and that happens when you put your all into it, devotion, dedication. You may wonder why are there so many pictures of Guruji on the walls, that is beause sometimes you forget your guru.
As a yoga family is good to practice in groups, I don't like community, but rather groups, and this is a good place for the ashtanga family to practice in.
Related:
The Easiest Yogic Breathing Exercise to Balance the Mind Nadi Sodhana
32 Ways to Start Paying Attention to Your Breath
Here is the Questions and Answers from today, and yes, I had a pen and paper on me, about time!
Q: Yoga Sutra 1.33 says that when people are mean to you, you need to be indifferent, does that mean not talk to them at all? - [You may be rightly guessing who asked this - [yes, me]]
Sharath: The Yoga Sutras are difficult to understand, not easy [laughter]. And they are to be taken in context with other texts too, like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the Gita, the Upanishads. So if you have a question ask me in general, not about the Sutras.
Q: OK, suppose a person is mean to you, like they say something really mean and not true to you, and you are working at your yoga and keeping your peace of mind, what do you do?
Sharath: Life is not plain, it is like Lombard Street in San Francisco. Have you been to San Francisco? How are the streets there? [he gestures hills and ups and downs]. Life is happy and sad, it is not up to us, it is not in your hands. How we deal with it is important.
As a yogi nothing must disturb you, when things are happy you remain undisturbed, when things are difficult you remain undisturbed. You are always comfortable. So yes, you ignore.
 |
| Lombard Street in San Francisco: Life! |
People always like to talk, they have their problems and they want to put that on you, but if you are a yogi you know you have peace in you, in your mind, so you ignore and you keep your peace.
Anyone else? Any personal problems? [laughter]
Q: Could you talk about the different energetics of the different series?
Sharath: You go deeper into your practice to be healthy and to keep peace of mind. There are as many asanas as there are human beings in the planet. There are some you will not do because in order to do some of them you have to follow many observances, you have to have proper diet, celibacy, or the asanas won't be possible.
If you are dedicated you will be able to do the asanas but you have to be very diligent.
Guruji taught me so many asanas, some that people have not even seen. So many years of practice with him. 18 years! So, for you, to get to all the series, 108 years! [laughter]
Because being Guruji he expected more of me, and me being his grandson he expected even more. Being his grandson was difficult, he wanted perfection.
For you, you have to work with your body, and to where it allows you to go. When you come to Mysore you progress in asana.
Nadi Sodhana (Nerve-cleansing and also the name of the intermediate series) will not happen just because you do second series. Nerve cleansing happens through vinyasa. It will happen through primary series too, because the blood will circulate properly to each organ and all toxines will come out through sweat or exhalation.
Asanas with Vinyasa remove toxins. Vinyasa is the main tool to get nadi sodhana.
Q: Do you practice all the series every day? Tell us about your practice
Sharath: While I am travelling it is different, it is difficult, but when I am in Mysore, especially for long periods of time as I am planning to be, then it is possible. Don't ask about my practice, you won't be able to sleep.
Q: How early do you wake up?
Sharath: I'm like a ghost, I get up at 1 o'clock. I am like Dracula [laughter]
 |
| I wake up at 1 o'clock |
Sharath: There are thousands of pranayamas. Some basic pranayamas are recommended, for example inhale through the left and exhale through the right nostril, you can do this.
But kumbkaka [retention of breath with or without bandhas (internal locks)] has to be taught properly and by a teacher that has been taught properly and knows the practice.
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika says that you can cure all diseases from pranayama, it has a lot of cleansing effects on the nervous system. But if you do pranayama wrong you can get diseases.
In the Yoga Sutras it says that pranayama should be attempted when firmly established in asana, only when you have mastered asana. Many people don't pay attention to the scriptures, the shastras.
But you can practice the basic inhalation through one nostril and exhalation through the other one (he demonstrates] to get proper oxygen. If you get dizzy for example it could be because the blood is not circulating properly, and practicing this basic exercise can help you with that. Also when you practice asanas, make sure to take long breaths.
---
Final Words:
Sharath: I want to thank Sonia and Paul for this beautiful place which has been created in honor of Guruji. I hear that there is not that much ashtanga available in this area, so this is a good place to come and enjoy. [The studio will have ashtanga classes around the clock every day]
Practice should be blissful, and that happens when you put your all into it, devotion, dedication. You may wonder why are there so many pictures of Guruji on the walls, that is beause sometimes you forget your guru.
As a yoga family is good to practice in groups, I don't like community, but rather groups, and this is a good place for the ashtanga family to practice in.
Related:
The Easiest Yogic Breathing Exercise to Balance the Mind Nadi Sodhana
32 Ways to Start Paying Attention to Your Breath
Interesting comments on pranayama, a promising shift perhaps.
ReplyDeleteYes I guess we could say, at least is something!
ReplyDeleteHi - I have never done Yoga before, but just bought a mat and was wondering if I should go to the NYC workshop tomorrow for led Primary class with Sharath & Saraswathi ? Would it be ok to start like this, or too much for a newbie?
ReplyDeletethanks
Hi Anon, I appreciate your enthusiasm, the problem is that if you have never done yoga you will feel lost. The series is guided but you won't know what to do and you would be around 100 people who do...
DeleteI feel for you, I wonder if you could go and just watch but I am not sure they would allow that...
They are certainly coming back next year, perhaps you could get started with a teacher, see the FAQ in my blog for places around NYC and try it. Then next year you can go :-)
You could also go to the party in Greenwich tomorrow (CT) for the opening of Jois Yoga, they are very easy to reach from NYC, that way you can meet them :-)
ReplyDeletehi Claudia-
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing Draculas' insights ;)
"As a yogi nothing must disturb you" Somehow I've forgotten this. Question: How do you know when you are a yogi/yogini or just someone who practices yoga. I can tell you when I'm on that mat I'm not feeling the yogini part at ll, it's such a strugle.
ReplyDeletePriscilla, that is a good question. It truth we are all aspiring yogis... we get to be yogis once we attain the goal of yoga, when the struggles end, up until then we are "practicing", so yes, it is difficult at times and not quite so easy to remain undisturbed...
Delete