After full moon practice is.... so so...

Woke up at 4.35 AM. Was full of energy, very confident to go on my mat and to start the practice..... and then after the first Suraya Namaskara realised that my mind was here and there, looking front and back, not focused at all.

I am not a superstar of the jumping back and jumping front but today it was a total disaster.

Urdhva Mukha Paschimotanasana was fully pathetic as I tried to roll back and forth keeping my legs completely straight.

However my Kukutasana lift up right after the last roll down... however number 2, I was rolling back straight, not in circle.... half cheating.....

I think my practice last for 1h30, with shavasana.... 

Tomorrow will be another day!

- Namaste -

Back to Ubud and with Iain Grysak!

On February during Iain Grysaks' Ashtanga Immersion course I asked him: "when do you know you have find your teacher?". He laughed.

Today I can make a statement. I have found my teacher and it is Iain Grysak.

Why? and do how I know?

First of all I think he is an absolutely wonderful dedicated practictioner. 

And second thing, the most important, I do feel safe when I am practicing under his guidance. I am trusting him 100%. 

Then how do you know when you have find your teacher? People usually replied that "It is the teacher coming to the student when the student is ready". Actually for my personal experience I came to Iain Grysak after reading his blog, and I do believe I kept an open mind during the first month of practice with him.

It is very comforting to know that I have found my teacher :-)

Morning practice was great, the shala was packed and I realised that a lot of people from Mysore where there. The seasons has ended on March in Mysore and a lot of practictioners are now here to practice with Iain. Then the level of practice is high which give me more strength and more motivation to improve my practice.

My jump back and jump through are slowly improving, I feel like an elephant but gently it is improving. The day I will be able to do a jump back without my feet touching the floor I will post a video!!!

I did hit my 2 yoga mat neighbours in Garbha Pindasana (15 Vinyasas) while rolling.... then Iain was watching me.... I tried to cheat by lifting up after not been able to roll properly but he asked me to do it again.... and again.... and again..... therefore I hit the back of my right neighbour and the leg of my left neighbour..... basically after 15 rolling back I was saying "oh excuse me, so sorry".... it was pathetic... I did lift for 7 breathes but the all the process was really painful.... only for my ego.... even thought I was smiling and laughing internally.... 

Hopefully tomorrow I will do it better and hopefully Iain won't be watching me for this one....

Happy to be here, looking forward for the next practice!

- Namaste -

Practicing Yoga when you are sick is not a good idea....

I have been sick since the last 2 days, I skipped two practices. So today I have decided to finish the week with the led class, at least, give me one practice ! And it was not a good idea at all..... as soon as my head reached down my brain was pushing against the skull.... horrible headache.

I caught a cold. Now I am not sneezing anymore however I am coughing.

No need to say that my practice was not the best.

On the other hand I met Iain Grysak today and I gave him my registration fees for the intensive Ashtanga immersion in Bali on February. So yes definitely I will be in Ubud by the end of January till the end of February.

Even though I am sick I am missing the practice. The benefit of a regular Ashtanga Yoga practice can not be explain, it has to be lived! It is all from the inside to the outside. I feel great and happy.

I am lucky and bless to have this life, travelling and practicing, teaching and learning. It is a good quality of life, it is the best time of my Life!

Love & Light,

- Namaste -

Mysore Practice with Sharat - He is remembering me!!!

I know it sounds stupid and I might sound like a wannabe but to my big surprise Sharat remembers me. I was in Marychasana D, having an adjustment that was not working with one of the assistant as she was pressing my knee down. Sharat came stopped her and told her "she is having knee pain, I'll do the adjustment"...

And he did, very gently, very carefully, I was able to hold my hands, knee was okay. He did both side. Honestly this made my day. 

On the other hand I am having the flu.... but during the practice was able to breath and while doing all the closing series it went very well. Now after the class my nose is running and my ears are completely blocked. 

Will feel better tomorrow.

- Namaste -

Week 7, Led class with Sarawasti

This week number 6 is my last week of practice with Sarawasti. I was off the mat theses last three days, first of all the adjustment I received on my last class (July 13th) killed my upper back and my neck was blocked and then I had my periods..... So today after 3 days off was my come back to the mat.

Sarawasti does not teach 10 Sun Salutation but 4 Sun Salutations A and 3 Sun Salutations B. When I am practicing I do at least 16 to 20 Sun salutation because it is a good warming up for my body, therefore I think that my bodys was not ready or maybe the last 3 days made my body lazy, but my hamstrings were painful during the all practice.

Sometimes I do not know what to think about my practice, some days are very awful while other day are just amazing.

On the other hand I have received my confirmation to practice with Sharat from October 5th to December 5th, 2016:

"Hi,

This is your final confirmation to study with Guru Sharath at KPJAYI, we have received your online registration form and it has been accepted by us. You can come according to your dates that you have mentioned in your online form.  Please don’t make any kind of changes and don’t reply to this email ID.

Do bring this Confirmation print out, photocopy of passport & visa (1 each) and 1 passport size photo. You will have to provide these on your arrival to register in person at KPJAYI, Mysore."

So I am happy :-)

On August and September I will have to practice on my own and will attend some yoga class. At first I wanted to continue with the Mysore Class in other Yoga Studio in Paris and New York as I will be travelling to theses places the next few months but then I realised that maybe it will be better for me to practice other style, Vinyasa Yoga, Iyengar and Back bending classes during this time.

I don't think I will lost the Primary Series and do believe on the contrary that it will give a new improvement to my practice.

Basically I want to give a break to both of my knees, I do believe that the pain I am having in my hamstrings are because of my knee issue, my body is compensating too much and it is a chain reaction that is happening.

Tomorrow back on my mat for my Mysore practice at 4.45 AM.

As of Yesterday it has been 3 months....

I started my Ashtanga Yoga journey on April 10th, 2016. I took a vow and decided to practice DAILY the Primary Series.

I was not new to the Ashtanga but I was not a regular practictioner. Now I am falling the full moon cycle, the new moon cycle and my period cycle.

I am following the rule. I have started my regular practice with John Scott in Goa, then practiced on my own, then joined KPAJI in Mysore under the guidance of Sarawasti and David Roche.

I can tell the difference with my practice, more flexibility, more lightness while doing asana, more stamina.

I also eat more and sleep more :-)

However I have lost my balance due to my knee that are getting worst day by day.

The Primary Series will be the perfect practice for me without the Arda Bada Padma and all rotation of the knee, this is my weakest point. Outside of the knee problem everything is getting better and today I have started to practice the dropped back bending with David Roche.... and it was a really huge back bending, I don't know how but my lower back can handle it perfectly, no pain at all and actually it felt very great while doing it.

I still have 9 days of practice at Sarawasti Shala, after this I will go back to Paris and North America for 2 months. If everything is okay then I shall practice with Sharat by October until December 2016.

After December 2016 I am planning to practice in Mysore with Ajay Kumar.

I am still not sure I am "fitting" in the Ashtanga Yoga world, a couple of asana are now out of my reach because of my knee. This morning I felt in Ardha Bada Padmotanasana because I am losing the proprioception in my both knee. Which is not good.

I also felt in Shirshana ;-) but I believe it is because of the intense back bending, my pelvis was going everywhere while lifting up, however I came back right away in Shirshasana.

After 3 months I am still happy to practice, some morning I just want to sleep but still as soon as I am on my mat I am feeling great.

Yoga is a discipline, right now I am practicing the 8 limbs of Yoga and experimenting the "Tapas". The Asana and the practice of the Asanas is all about Tapas (discipline), becoming stronger than our mind.

Ends of Week 5, Saraswati Shala - Mysore Class

Starts: 5.00 AM
Ends: 6.15 AM

Today I practiced in "economic mode", did a lot of variation and even though the practice was in slow motion for some asanas I shorten the breath.

I felt good and tried no to think about my knee.

At the end before changing the room to do the closing Series, Sarawasti came and asked what I did, I told her Setubandhasana, Urdhva Dhanurasana and Paschimottanasana. She told me from Monday to do the back bending (means dropin back bending).

I am not sure now I really want to do it, tomorrow is the day off and I won't do the same as last week, I will really take a day off, no practice at all. If I have to be assisted during the drop back bending then hopefully I will not be push to do it... So will see on Monday.

After all I really enjoy my practice, it is just that now I have several limitations....

June 17th, Led class by Sarawasthi - KPAJI

Starts: 6.30 AM
Ends: 8.30 AM

Led Class with Sarawasthi is always a blessing. She is counting all Vinyasa and it is a time for me where I really focus on her voice, where I glue my breathing to her instructions, where I lift my head up and inhale deeply to bend forward on the exhalation, where I am following all vinyasa count and it is also where my body is moving in a flow motion. Easy.

It was a really good class.

From Sunday morning David Roche will take the class as Sarawasthi is leaving to Norways for 2 weeks.

Happy to be here!

June 8th, Day 3 - Practice with Sarawasthi KPJAYI

Starts: 5.00 AM

Ends: 6.30 AM

Stops at Gharbapindasana

Actually I should have stop before but my ego was bigger than me. Sarawasthi came to a student today who was at Supta Padanghustasana. She asks her "Have you done Marychasana D?" the student says yes. Sarawasthi: "Show me".

The student did Marychasana D. She was not able to twist or grab the hands.

Sarawasthi: "Why going further into your practice if you can not do a proper Marychasana D?"....

Student: "...."

Sarawasthi: "Stop here, go to backbending".

The only reason I want to do the all series is to reassure me that I can do it. But technically if I look deeper into my practice and if I am honest and MOST OF IT if I follow the tradition, my practice stops at Marychasana D. 

I can do the half lotus no problem, therefore I can not do the half lotus and then twist at the same time as required with Marychasana D.

If I do the variation then I can twist, but the variation IS NOT THE PROPER ASANA.

David Roche asked me: "Where did you stop yesterday" as he was helping me in rolling back in Gharbhapindasana. I told him "Supta Kurmasana". Then he looked at me and said "then your practice is stopping there".....

Acceptance: I have to accept and deal with my limitations.

Practice: And it all comes, I should not go further if the practice is not done properly.

Satya: I should not cheat. Because I am cheating me and doing prejudice to me not to Sarawasthi, not to David Roche, just me.

And everybody else is following this so why should not I? I am not better than anyone else, unfortunately my ego is still in my shadow.

Was it a good class today? Damn yes, I learn a lot and tomorrow if I can not twist properly (which will be the case) I shall stop my practice at Marychasana D and honore Marychasana for what it was, a GREAT YOGI!

- Namaste -

May 15th, 2016

Duration: 1h30 of full Asana practice, no pranayama, no meditation

Asana skipped: Yes skipped and not forgotten, Urdhva mukha Paschimotanasana and Urdhva Dhanurasana.

Observation: I don't understand why by my hamstrings have become shorter, tights, very very tights, it is painful to bend forward and Paschimottanasana still bending the knees.

So this week is the beginning of the sixth week, yes I can see some improvement but mostly not that much. I can make a list of what I am not able to do.....

My mind was not calm during the practice, it was going up and down, in and out, I was thinking of many things and not only good things.

- To be continued -  

April 14th, 2016 - Improvement

Duration: 1h46

Pranayama, Nauli and Agnisara Kriya: 15 Minutes

Shavasana: 10 Minutes

Asanas practice: 1h26

Asana forgotten: Tryanga Mukha Eka Pada Shirshasana (damned!!)

Improvement: 

• Janu Shirshasana C: Able to do it on both side without any props - Satisfied
• Marychasana A - Grabbing the wrist on both side :-) Happy!

Mind was disturb when I came in the shala. So I decided to start the session with Pranayama and Kriya. It really helps for the practice.

However the Standing series was kind of crap. Could not straighten the legs properly, and had pain in my knee during Ardha Bada Padotanasana.

So then when I came for the sitting postures it was a joyful surprise that the rest of the practice was not too bad.

Did not do any drop backbend but works my hand stand and Shirshasana without the head on the floor. 

It was not the best practice but it was a good one :-)

April 20th, 2016

Okay back on track, practice all the primary series with all Vinyasa, all backward vinyasa, did a half hand stand from Supta Kurmasana and did all drop back (with assistance).

DID ANOTHER PRACTICE IN THE AFTERNOON, yes baby, practice all hand stand, head stand, shoulder stand, elbow stand. Practice my new Shirshasana and…. Why do I need a wall, I hate the wall… the wall is not my friend, I am becoming addicted to the wall….

April 14th, 2016

Ô my Hamstrings, what did u died for?

Hamstrings said nothing at all

Quote from Jim Morrisson “American Prayer”.

The real quote is “Indian Indian, what did u died for? Indian says nothing at all”)…. 

So while bending forward in the first Uttanasana I am thinking of Jim Morrisson……. 

Yes I believe he was a Yogi….

Too much pain bending forward I then did the drop back  after Dhanurasana(with assistance of course), 5 times, was happy.