Fast led class.... better than nothing???

So we start the week by a led class.... taught is less than one hour, no closing mantra, no shavasana. Utpluti finish then Vinyasa then lie on your back then move on....... that's it!

No comment. Just looking forward to my Mysore practice tomorrow....

- Namaste -

Namaste "In", Namaste "Out" and Om Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi

Today was the led class...... and I did not like it. Sorry Sharat Ji but the Led class looked like a fast food class. Duration of the led class: about 50 minutes...... 8 Sun Salutations, body is not ready at all for the series, even the last Om Shanti has been eaten. But at least now there is the closing mantra as for the first week no time was given to it.

Monday we are starting with a led class.... and as there are 3 led Classes on this particular day I feel that it will the same as last week, too fast.

If at all you have to led classes please bring more savour to it. I understand that it is hard to fill the request for everyone but practicing the Series in 50 minutes does not give any benefit to my body.

But of course it is a personal opinion.

- Namaste -

"Technique was not good" - Sharat Jois

Today I was almost able to manage alone Marychasana D. I was in the first row and Sharat was looking at me as I was smiling of happiness, he told "You see, technique was not good, that is why it is better to learn from the source!".

I was happy :-)

In Supta Kurmasana wether I can grab my fingers or wether my feet are crossed, but both at the same time is not possible. Needs to improve, slowly but surely it all comes which make me very happy.

It was a good practice. Tomorrow is a led class.

- Namaste -

Breathing in certain part of the body is very helpful - Mysore Practice

Starts: 8.45 AM
Ends: 10.10 AM
8 Sun Salutation A for 10 Sun Salutation B.

General Feeling: AWESOME PRACTICE!!!

Yesterday could not go, I had to skip it because of the flu, it was very bad, could not breath at all. I slept a lot and went to bed by 8.30 PM. As a result this morning was awesome, still a bit of a flu but nothing to compare.

I deeply sweat, the shala was sticky, the winter is coming in Mysore which resulting in a lot of rain and humidity, therefore the floor in the shala was sticky, the windows were full of water inside and outside. As soon as I was on my mat after 3 Sun Salutation I was completely wet, even sweating on the front mat.

I have been helped for Uttitha Hasta Padanghustasana, it was nice, I can now do a full split standing up, no pain, just a nice stretch.

Janu Shirshasana C was easier than before, rotation of the ankle without any problem.

Marychasana D has been adjusted, I am grabbing perfectly my hand and can hold the asana for longer breathe, still I can not manage how to do the twist without any help.... don't understand it.... but it will come.

Supta Kurmasana was my limit, can not grab the hands, can not cross the leg properly so directly backbend series and closing series.

It was a beautiful and awesome practice.

I still have the feeling of "wtf am I doing there", while I was waiting my turn to come in I was watching all of the beautiful awesome advanced practitioners and it brings me down... even thought when I was on my mat the energy in the shala is so high that it is bringing me up.

I shall not look and compare myself to others but inside of me, deep inside of me there is the child I was when I was looking for attention from my family and could not get it. Same feeling, not that I want the attention but more that I do not feel myself at my place surrounding by all of these Ashtangis. 

Practicing with Sharat is not an ego booster, practicing with Sharat is more about stepping back/down and learn about humility and how legitimate we are by teaching Yoga. Am I really eligible to teach it to anyone? I should not even ask the question to myself as it will dragging me down....

Better to stay on the feeling about my practice, it was a beautiful and enjoyable practice, can't wait for tomorrow morning!

- 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 -

Led Class with Sharat - Week #2

Woke up at 4.30 AM, at 5.00 AM was in the car. The sky was full of stars, it was beautiful, it is just too bad that I can not take any picture of it. It was absolutely beautiful.

At 5.20 AM we were all going into the shala. I have no clue when the practice started but to my big surprise at 7.00 AM I was back in the car!!!!

Does it mean that Sharat taught the Primary Series in less than one hour? The Led class was supposed to start at 6.00 AM, 3 students arrived late and he told them to go back as we were already practicing.

Anyway today was an heavy morning, heavy body, heavy mind, heavy muscles. Practice was kind of crappy, did not enjoy it at all and actually I was really happy to stop at Marychasana D. Did not even bother to do Navasana, just did the vinyasa in between each asana and wait for the backbend.

Shavasana was about 2 minutes because the 3rd led class was waiting. So it was kind of Namaste "in" and Namaste "out", thank you very much. 

Hopefully tomorrow my practice will be better than today, it still can be worst (unfortunately) but today was one of my worst ever practice.

Ashtanga is the healing medicine for our body, no variation allowed!

And of course the shala was fully packed. I practiced with other 7 students in the hall and it was fine. At the beginning there was an Indian woman with all makeup who was sitting back on the bench which was 50 cms from our mats, then after Parshvakonasana she understood that she was not at the right place, basically she was bothering us, and finally she left.

Today the class was filmed. At one point during Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana we had the camera right below our nose, don't know the purpose of it, during Sarawasti class the same happened. So at least I will be on of their movie if they released it ;-) wow, am I getting famous?? not at all! just kidding.

After the practice there was a conference with Sharat, he spoke about the fact that Yoga is not from a book, not in a book and not in a manual, yoga is inside of us and only by practicing we can explain what it is and experiment it.

Asana is the door to Yoga, because through Asanas we start understand how to breath then the Pranayama comes.

I asked a question about limitation and variation. If we can not do an asana because of a physical limitation due to a surgery are we allowed to do the variation?

The answer is of course no. As per Sharat Ashtanga is healing the body that is why we should stop when we are not mastering an asana, the body takes time to record it and to understand it. The pain is part of the process.

I don't know if it is right or no, I can only take my personal experience. Last June and July both of my knees were screaming, at one point even Janu Shirshasana was painful. I then stop to practice for 3 weeks the primary series and focus on something else (for instance I was working teaching Hatha Yoga), then I have to admit that since I am back to the Ashtanga Practice bot of my knees are totally okay even though I still do not have any meniscus in my left knee. It is not painful at all and I can manage to do the Parshvakonasana B without any variation.

So can I say that Ashtanga has healed my body by opening my hips more or will it be the fact that I took a break from the Primary Series and practiced more Hatha? I have no clue, in both way the asana has healed my body but from which practice I don't know.

He underligned also the fact that we are NOT YOGIS OR YOGINIS because the foot goes behind the head, that WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED to have flat back in Janu Shirshasana for example as we are loosing the essence of the asana which is to give internal massage to the internal organs and that NO ONE IS ADVANCED PRACTICTIONER because of the jump back and jump front.

Actually the hand stand before jumping back and jumping front is worthless because it is not good for the shoulders.

I can not agree more with it. He also mentioned (and I really like it) "Come in the shala as a student, do not come to show off. Yes you can jump back and jump front but you are not a Yogi because of it, you are a student".

Finally is spoke about the dress code. Last time I was saying to Rakesh and Trupta that I am one of the student who is wearing more clothes!!! Most of the ladies are in short and tiny top and some men are just in bathing suit.

Sharat said it was disrespectful for the practice, for the shala and for the country. He said "as a student you are wearing this kind of clothes and you go out people can see that you are almost naked which is bad for my reputation and the shala".

Once again I can not agree more. Beside adjusting someone when there is not cloth is not convenient at all as sometimes you have access to part of the body that you would definitely rather avoiding.

It was a nice talk from him. Tomorrow is the day off and my body is thankful for it!

- Namaste -