KPJAYI - Week 2 with Sarawasti - Dedication!

This morning it was a Led class with Sarawatiji.
This morning I learned what "Dedication" is.

I usually do not like the Led Class but lately I started to really enjoyed all of them and specially led classes from Sarawasti. Her vinyasa counting is not too fast, not too slow, to me it is perfection. I just put myself in autopilot mode and follow all instructions without even thinking. 

I am 200% focus on her voice, not looking around at all, my mat is my world, my space in which I am moving and only her voice tone makes my arms rising up and body folding front.

I stayed in Chaturanga Dandasasana for all chatwari even when some students are not there and that the chatwari become a very long one.

I am not in a race competition but as Usha used to say I am completely surrendering to the practice.

This morning Sarawasti counted twice the left leg for Supta Padanghustasana and everyone followed without a flinch. Dedication.

The practice can not come without any dedication.

Dedication to a "guru" why not? If this word does not suit you then start the dedication toward yourself.

Tapas will follow :-)

Have a good practice!

- Namaste -

What did I learn after 10 Weeks of practice at KPJAYI

Your practice stops here!

Well it is obvious to me that after 10 weeks my practice stops at Supta Kurmasana. During these last 10 weeks I haven't been given any new asanas neither the authorisation to practice the full Primary Series.

Led Classes.....

There are two led classes one on Saturday and one on Monday morning. Everyone was fighting to come first inside the shala to have the "privilege" of practicing IN the shala and not in the changing room or in the hall. As for me I did not care, I prefer to practice in the changing room, more spacious so I was not fighting for anything.

The beautiful thing is that at the end of November students organise themselves and start to do a line up, so less rushing which was good to me.

No offense to the big fan of Sharat but led classes really suck. Counting is fast, breathing is fast and basically some days the Primary series was taught in 45 minutes..... or 55 minutes... no shavasana, no closing mantra. Don't see any interest to it.

In the end I was not even coming to the monday led class, why wasting my time driving 30 minutes from home to practice a class that is taught mechanically?

No variation at all.

To my very big surprise practicing without any variation really improve my practice. Instead of looking for an alignment I was looking for going into the asana and then the alignment is coming. I completely got that point and really like it. I have improved a lot and my knee pain is completely gone. For the last 5 years Marichyasana D was not accessible to me and in the last 10 weeks actually after the first week I was able to manage it because I was not allowed to do the variation.

So yes, if this is the way Ashtanga has to be practiced I completely surrender to it. This is the best indication I never have.

Sharat adjustments are just wonderful

Second big surprise to me. When I was practicing with Sarawasthi I have received the worst adjustment ever, it was so awful that I needed to go to the chiropractor to be fixed.

However Sharat adjustments are just perfect, soft and precise. Of course he is scolding you "why you are not breathing, why you are not relaxing, what are you doing with your hand here, don't push, why you are rushing etc..." but in the end his adjustment was very good to me.

It takes a lot of bravery to practice under the guidance of Sharat

Oh yeah, big time!

First of all the level of practitioners is high, when I say high I mean really really really HIGH!!!! The dedication of the practitioners is over the top. 

So when you heard "one more" and it is your turn to unfold your mat in the middle of people doing Primary, Intermediate or Secondary series you have a moment where you just feel that you are not in the right place at all.....

Honestly speaking for the last 10 weeks when I was waiting my turn I thought "what the hell am I doing here, I should go home, I am not one of them".... 

But I never gave up, some days were worst than ever, especially when Sharat told me "your thighs are too big, that is why you can not catch in Supta Kurmasana" and this in the middle of the shala.... I was like "oh okay, thank you" then I left completely puzzled....

But in the same time it gave me a new energy, I was feeding myself from all of them. I had really good practices (to me there were good) and I felt completely good after each of them. 

During the Conference don't ask questions!!

Or if at all you want to ask a question try to ask a "good" question. So what is a "good" question?? No clue, just ask and you will see ;-) if it happens that your question was on the black list question then be ready to be scold like hell.....

There is no Ego

Don't even try to show off when you practice with Sharat, he doesn't care.

Don't leave the Shala without saying Namaste to Sharat

If you have to wait for his eyes to meet your eyes wait. Why? Because when you do that he will smile at you, and his smile is priceless!

Will I come back to Sharat? Why?

Of course I want to come back. Not because I want any authorisation but because practicing with high calibre practictioner gave me the guts to deepen my practice and also after 10 weeks there are so many changes in my body and in my practice that I really want to see until where I can go.

By looking at those practitioners I learned a lot, where to put my arms in Parshvakonasana B for instance (slightly front of the knee and not side of the knee), where to put my foot in Marichyasana D (lower tower the pubic bone and not at the navel level), how to backbend correctly from a standing etc. It was very inspirational to me so absolutely if next year there is a chance to apply for October 2017 I will definitely!

What's next?

As for tomorrow I am starting my personal Mysore Practice in our shala at 4.30 AM and sorry Sharat but I will be practicing the full series!

Then February I will be practicing for one full month in Ubud, Bali with Iain Grysak and from April 2017 in Montreal with Mark Darby.

It is just the beginning.

- Namaste -

Parshvotanasana

Today Sharat corrected my Parshvotanasana. Basically the gap between the two legs is not hip width but larger, closed to the one of Trikonasana and the back foot need to be at 90°. Never practiced Parshvotanasana that way, it opens the hips more and the balance was quite challenging while bending forward.

Marichyasana D was quite laborious today.....

And Supta Kurmasana, well what could I say about it? I completely stuck to that asana.

After all it was a good practice but could have been better.

For next month practice my time will be changing, today all students are required to be in the shala between 3.00 PM and 4.30 PM to get their new card.

I think I will get earlier practice. Will see :-)

- Namaste -

Mysore Practice, 3rd day - He said Navasana!!!

It was a very good practice.

I am scheduled for the 9.30 AM practice but have to be there for 9.00 AM. I came at 8.45 AM, the traffic was good. No line up outside, the line up is inside before entering the main shala.

I sat there with other yogis. We were all observing others practitioners and I was thinking "what the hell I am doing here? I am not like them? I am not advanced at all!!!".... I was very intimidated. 

Then Sharat said "2 more" and something very weird happened. Everyone was looking at each other saying "oh you arrived before me, just go" and the other replied "no you go...". Then Sharat came at the door and said "so you are all there but no one wants to practice?". Then finally 2 more came inside.

Yes we are all there, we are waiting to come in but when it is time to go no one moves because by watching others we are getting shy.... the human being is extraordinary!

After 10 minutes it was my turn.

I started my practice trying to focus on my mat but could not restrain myself to watch other beautiful yogis practice. If you want to practice with high level Yogis this is the place! So many advanced practictioner it is insane, I never experienced this before. After a couple of Sun Salutation (I did 14), I forgot everything and was really into my practice.

Then Marychasana D came.... and one of the assistant came and adjust me. No pain at all, beautiful adjustment, I grabbed my fingers and managed to stay there for 7 deep breaths, it was very comfortable. She helped to do the other side. I felt good, it felt  good, I was happy.

Sharat asked the student "is she grabbing?" student said "yes, with help" then he said "Navasana"..... and at first I did not record the instruction. After my Marychasana I started doing right away Urdhva Dhanurasana. Then I realised that he was telling to go to NAVASANA!!! and I was "Wtf??? am I stupid or what? he told me Navasana and I am doing the back bend.....". Anyway it was too late, I folded my mat and went in the other room to do the closing series.

So tomorrow I will go until Navasana and I do believe that I will be stopped to Supta Kurmasana as without any help I can not bring my foot behind my head.

I will highly recommend to anyone who really want to commit into a yoga practice to go there, the energy is awesome and having the privilege of practicing with such good practictioners give you wings. 

Can't wait for tomorrow, my schedule has changed I am now for the 9.00 AM practice.

- Namaste -

Week 7, Mysore practice

Starts: 4.35 AM

Ends: 6.35 AM

Improvement: Gharbapindasana and the 9 rounds. Was able to roll on my back in circle for 9 times while my hands where inside my calf muscles, so it is a huge improvement as lately I was able to roll on my back but straight, not doing the circle.

Since the adjustment of my cervical spine and thoracic with the chiropractor I have lost my center, therefore when I am doing Shirshana I have the feeling that I am not straight at all and I can't realign myself. Even worst in the shadow of my asana I can see that I am lining on my left side and I have no clue how to come back straight as I do fell straight.....

Back bending is also improving and my sun salutations just rock. Now I start the practice with 10 Sun salutation A and 10 Sun salutation B, why? because I like to sweat during my practice and also the sun salutation are getting lighter and lighter to do, so in the end why not?

Tomorrow no class, it is the birthday of Guruji and all students are required to be in the main shala by 10.30 AM; also it is the moon day, so no class.

Back on the mat on July 20th, in the end I think I will enjoy this day off :-)

May 10th, 2016 - Evening Practice

I just did a couple of Sun Salutation and worked on my hand stand, jumping back and jumping front. I feel it is coming. I did not use the wall at all as I do believe I have to go over my fear of falling down, the result is a bit tragic. My left leg goes up and my right leg is too shy to meet the left one.

By "mistake" sometimes my pelvis is moving forward but as I feel it is moving I got scared so back to an horizontal hand stand... it is kind of pathetic.... 

I practiced the backbend such as Ustrasana going completely down, however I can not bring the elbow on the mat, only my hands, I guess I need more space into my thoracic so I push the floor with my hands on the floor, contract the gluteus and try my best to bring my pelvis up as it is completely collapsing when I am bending backward.

However Bekasana went well, no pain at all in my knees which what a very good surprise to me.

Bhujangasana slowly but surely is really improving, now I can keep my 2 legs completely glued together and working with an internal rotation of my femur bone toward the mat. It is really helpful in order to keep my pubic bone on the floor.

Hopefully tomorrow morning I will have light practice.

- To be continued -