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Ashtanga Yoga Project Went To Mysore: How was it?
I got home from Mysore last Thursday and I feel great. My body clock is slightly off but I feel good. I am ecstatic to be back at home doing things that I love with people I love. Since I have gotten home, and frankly throughout the whole trip, people have been asking me about the experience so I am going to write this article in an FAQ format based on the questions I have received. If you have any questions, I did not answer here, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. How was it? The overall experience of Mysore was good. Was it worth it…
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A.P.P Goes To Mysore: Ashtanga Yoga Pre Social Media
Sharath told us that he was glad that he started practicing Yoga before Social Media because he could concentrate on his practice. I started practicing before Social Media as well and there are definitely some differences pre and post Social Media. These are some of the things I feel have shifted in the Ashtanga world post social media. I would also love to hear what you feel has changed. The Pose that Everybody Wants When I first started Ashtanga, the skill that everyone wanted to know was how to Jump Back and Jump Through. Whenever anyone did a workshop, there was usually a segment on it. I am not talking about…
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Adventures in Mysore India, Alignment and Injuries, Ashtanga Adaptability, Ashtanga Quotes, Conference Notes, Pose How To, Teaching Ashtanga, Uncategorized
A.P.P Goes To Mysore: Mysore Backbending aka Catching
Urdhva Dhanurasana is important at Sharath’s shala. Sharath says that catching keeps the spine from getting hunched in old age, opens Granthis, which are energetic knots in the body, and it raises the Kundalini. The Granthis keep Kundalini from rising. As Kundalini rises, awareness rises. For many, it is the only pose that you ever get assisted on. “Catching” or grabbing the backs of the legs during backbending is something that almost everyone works on. Even if you don’t “catch” someone will help you walk in as far as you can as if you were going to catch. It is rare for someone to not have to attempt to catch. For most in the Shala,…
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Adventures in Mysore India, Conference Notes, Food, Teaching Ashtanga, Uncategorized, Yoga Philosophy
A.P.P Goes to Mysore: Alcohol in Mysore
If you like to get your drank on, you will not find it easily. I have seen alcohol at 3 places. The airport (like 3 hours away), Big Bazaar Grocery Store (about 20 minutes away) and at the Green Hotel. I have not seen anything within walking distance. There may be more but they are not a part of the usual Mysore student shopping and restaurant circuit located around the Shala. There is a temple or Yoga school on every corner, but liquor stores….not so much. Ashtanga and Alcohol don’t really go hand and hand. In the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a yogic text that we study at KPJAYI, Chapter 1 vs 59 places alcohol on…
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A.P. P Goes to Mysore: Everything is Energy. Energy is God
Everything is energy. Energy is God-Sharath Jois This is probably no surprise to those of you that have been following my blog over the last month but I went through a very brief (thank goodness) period of confusion. I had stopped listening to the still voice within. The ego is an amazing story teller and I had begun to listen to its harrowing tales. Many teachers say, if you really want to see if you have overcome your ego, go spend time with your relatives! Well, I am used to my family so that wasn’t much of a trigger. Coming to Mysore was a huge trigger. I often share these…
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A.P.P Goes To Mysore: New Beginnings, New Start Times, New Jokes
Diwali brings new auspicious beginnings and that is definitely the case for me. I don’t know if I found my stride, got over myself, or what, but the energy has shifted and I feel like myself again. We went to Sharath’s farm for Diwali and he and has family sang for us. He also gave us a tour of the farm. He touched my heart when he said that he wanted to use the farm as a way to have a deeper connection with his students. At the end of last month, I got Pasasana from Sharath. Who knows how long I will be there or if I will get…
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A.P.P Goes To Mysore: Keeping the Mind Stable Under Any Conditions Is Yoga
The 411 Nothing new with physical practice. Sharath says that Primary Series is a healer. It helps the organs to function properly. My organs should be looking pretty good by the end of this trip LOL!!! Sharath also says that, keeping the mind steady under any conditions is Yoga. I am not very good at Yoga!!! My mind vacillates wildly throughout the day. One moment I am glad to be here, the next I am not. One moment I am loving the city, the next moment I want to go home. One moment I am in love with Ashtanga,the next moment I am questioning why am I even doing this.…
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APP Goes To Mysore: 3 1/2 Hours Without Pain & The Medium Girl
The 411 The Yogic Scriptures and Sankrit teacher at KPJAYI, Lakshmish, tells us that a Yogi has mastered Padmasana when he can hold it for 3 1/2 hours! Only then can the Yogi do Pranayama. He also says that for most of us, that aint gonna happen so, for the modern Yogi, 30-45 minutes is reasonable. At KPJAYI, you have plenty of opportunities to master this skill. Classes and conferences can be so packed that it becomes almost impossible to stretch your legs out. There is also the traditional Indian rule ( I don’t know if it is all of India) of not showing the bottoms of your feet to…
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A.P.P Goes To Mysore: Dazed and Confused
The 411 Mysore pushes my buttons. I love structure. I am a straight forward person who lives a straight forward life. I like things to be scheduled and regimented. I love having a clear straight forward path to follow. That is why I love Ashtanga. It is clear, straight forward and regimented….or so I thought. This is the first time in my 14 years of practice where I feel like I don’t know what to do or what to expect (not counting when I first started of course). For a person who loves adventure, it is exciting. For a person like me, who has every moment of their day planned…
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A. P. P Goes To Mysore: Unnecessary Shoulder Movements In Ashtanga
The 411 This morning was great. Lots of joking and laughing from Sharath. He dropped me back. Everything was good. Mysore Musings Information filtered through my citta Last week, Sharath talked about unnecessary movements. He spoke about how “doing jump backs like handstand” can cause stiff backbends and tight shoulders . He said that some people are working on handstand before they need to and that it is not needed until advanced series. He also said that straightening the arms in Marchi is unnecessary. He said that when we bind, we bond with the body and we should be moving towards it and not away from it. It also puts…
