So the Saturday led class took place in New York City today with Sharath and Saraswati. I was not there but my friend Judith [here is her Facebook Page] was, and she was sweet enough to take notes for all of us from the conference.
She says the place was packed. She happened to run into Sonia Jones in the bathrooms as they were getting ready to begin and Sonia said she calculated 200 people in attendance at that time, with more to come. That is one full class!
All photos come fromt he Jois Yoga Greenwich CT Page, see more here
Ashtangis of New York showed up with flying colors, perhaps a sign that they would like for them to stay a little longer next time? I am sure Sharath and Saraswati will make accommodations when they read this post. I wish.
As per the conference there was not much. It was another "mini" conference. Sharath said he was pleased to be back in NYC. He finds it to be a place with great positive energy.
The notes from the conference that Judith sent me are very similar to his first conference in Greenwhich, for example:
As you know in the Upanishads, it says that Yoga is practiced for Liberation. The Yoga Sutras state that yoga is practiced to control the mind with the ultimate goal of Self Realization. Before thinking of self realization and liberation we must first dedicate ourselves to daily asana because asana brings stability to the mind and body.
Guruji used to say, said Sharath, that when the sun rises, its rays are very strong especially in the mid to late morning. At the end of the day, the rays get softer. When a yogi is in the 3rd limb all the senses should be withdrawn. This is best done in the early morning. When the mind has been strengthened, thoughts of liberation will automatically appear. We have to adhere to the yamas and niyamas as our spiritual practice grows, this nourishes the mind.
He then reminded everyone of the importance of parampara (having a lineage, following your teacher).
And right now I imagine they are celebrating the opening of Greenwhich. Encinitas next week.
Thank you Judith for sharing the experience!
She says the place was packed. She happened to run into Sonia Jones in the bathrooms as they were getting ready to begin and Sonia said she calculated 200 people in attendance at that time, with more to come. That is one full class!
All photos come fromt he Jois Yoga Greenwich CT Page, see more here
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| packed gimnasium |
As per the conference there was not much. It was another "mini" conference. Sharath said he was pleased to be back in NYC. He finds it to be a place with great positive energy.
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| More than 200 people... |
As you know in the Upanishads, it says that Yoga is practiced for Liberation. The Yoga Sutras state that yoga is practiced to control the mind with the ultimate goal of Self Realization. Before thinking of self realization and liberation we must first dedicate ourselves to daily asana because asana brings stability to the mind and body.
Guruji used to say, said Sharath, that when the sun rises, its rays are very strong especially in the mid to late morning. At the end of the day, the rays get softer. When a yogi is in the 3rd limb all the senses should be withdrawn. This is best done in the early morning. When the mind has been strengthened, thoughts of liberation will automatically appear. We have to adhere to the yamas and niyamas as our spiritual practice grows, this nourishes the mind.
He then reminded everyone of the importance of parampara (having a lineage, following your teacher).
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| A sea of practitioners |
And right now I imagine they are celebrating the opening of Greenwhich. Encinitas next week.
Thank you Judith for sharing the experience!
Claudia, you are a marketing master. bringing in the NYC practice to your blog in an insightful way even though you weren't there. You are the only blog I need but of course I'm biased.
ReplyDeleteI want to comment: After a week of the Astanga workout, I AM BURNT! I like the idea of being fit and sweating like a pig BUT,
I do feel the most important part of yoga is the most underrated: the part of the first limb (the niyamas) that just says "be honest". Even white lies. Nobody is completely honest. And yet your words get infused with infinite power once you begin to practice it. I see it in my own life although i am just at the beginning of this practice.
Thanks James, and yes of course you are biased :-) I agree with you on the importance of being honest, especially with ourselves, at least to begin with. The real goal is to have enough peace so we can see things as they are and be present, and being honest has a lot to do with it.
ReplyDeleteOf course, as I just said to you into the other room, I also believe that the other yamas/niyamas are very important, but will grant you that starting with honesty is as good a place as any other.