Healing Injuries with Ashtanga Yoga by Paul Mitchell Gold

Authorized Ashtanga yoga teacher Paul Mitchell Gold of the Ashtanga Yoga Shala, Toronto writes on the healing power of a daily Mysore practice and how to work with injuries.  (See also "Should I Practice If...?")

Healing Injuries with Ashtanga Yoga
Originally published September 22, 2012, Ashtanga Yoga and other things
Republished with permission 

Yoga practice is not an exercise class and it’s not a workout. Sure, it’s vigorous and physically challenging, but that’s just the means rather than the end. However, as with any physical endeavour, aches and pains are unavoidable and injuries can happen.

If one gets injured practicing yoga, the yoga practice is the best way to heal and rehabilitate. Also, if one gets injured doing some other activity, yoga practice is the best way to heal and rehabilitate. Finally, if one begins yoga practice with a preexisting injury, the yoga practice is the best way to heal and rehabilitate. From my experience, yoga practice is an amazing healer.

Healing an injury with Ashtanga Yoga is possible and requires daily practice. Taking days off regardless of how one’s feeling is ultimately detrimental to the healing process. Unlike working out, the effects of yoga practice are cumulative. The body’s natural reaction to injury is to contract and armour. Yoga encourages the afflicted area to move when it wants to petrify. Taking days off between practices just makes the body stiffer under normal circumstances, but even more so with an injury or chronic condition.

Students often wait until their aches and pains are gone before returning to class. They’ll disappear and return saying they needed to rest their injury. The truth, however, is that the pain is not gone and the injury hasn’t healed. The problem simply went underground while they were resting and was patiently waiting to return. Whatever imbalance or bad habit caused the pain or injury hasn’t been addressed or corrected. The pains and injury return as soon as the student is back on the mat.

It is a shame that some students who aren’t willing to follow the prescription for daily practice end up quitting and saying that “ashtanga yoga doesn’t work” or “yoga made my pain worse.” This just isn’t true.

The first thing a student must do when using the practice to heal and rehabilitate is adapt. It is necessary when injured to scale back practice so that it’s appropriate as therapy. That very often means having a very basic and short practice for awhile where the level of sensation to the injured area is deliberately kept at zero.

Both Rachelle and I have had pain and injuries over the years and we both used ashtanga yoga as a means of healing ourselves. Some days, I would do only a few slow and difficult sun salutations before needing to stop. It had it’s moments of frustration and I often felt impatient and frankly pissed off. It wasn’t much fun, but I slowly healed and was back to 100% over time.

So, first off, a student needs to adjust practice to reflect the injury or pains being experienced. There’s no reason to power through or ignore the problem. In the case of an injury caused by bad habits or poor breathing, taking things slowly and scaling back helps to pinpoint where there’s a problem and re-learn how to practice correctly without causing chronic pain. One of the added bonuses of using practice to heal an injury is that we find practice is stronger once we’ve healed.

In the case of a student who starts ashtanga yoga to heal a pre-existing injury, the best advice I can give is to look at practice as medicine and follow the prescription.

If I were to develop a chest infection and went to a doctor, I would likely be prescribed antibiotics to treat the infection with instructions to take three pills every day for a week. If I follow the prescription, I will no longer have my chest infection However, if I do NOT follow the prescription and I take the medicine every few days or only once per day, I really shouldn’t be surprised if my problem hasn’t been cured.

Practice daily. Do what you can. Don’t push. Maintain zero sensation in the injured area. Be patient and have faith. Talk to your teacher when you’re frustrated. This is the prescription to heal injuries using ashtanga yoga. Students who follow this prescription heal their injuries and rehabilitate chronic problems. They transform their bodies and blow their minds in the process.

About Paul
I took my first yoga classes in 1995 and became a dedicated practitioner of Ashtanga Yoga after a short period of experimenting.

From 1998 to 2001, I studied with Noah Williams and Kimberly Flynn and taught at their yoga school in Los Angeles. I also want to thank Jorgen Christiansson, an early teacher and good friend, who first taught me to trust this practice.

In 2001, Rachelle and I made our first trip to Mysore, India. Since, we have returned annually to continue our studies with Guruji and Sharath.

I received authorization to teach the Ashtanga method in 2004 and was a member of the first group to receive Level 2 Authorization in July 2009. I have the blessing of KPJAYI to teach students the full Primary and Intermediate Series of Ashtanga Yoga. 

Dedication to daily practice is the cornerstone of my teaching philosophy. I encourage my students to develop the virtues of patience, faith, diligence, compassion and non-attachment using the integrity and genius of the traditional Ashtanga system. As these virtues are cultivated over time, students are well on the way to living fuller, happier and more balanced lives.  More

{Video} Interview with Saraswathi Jois & Sharmila Mahesh

Ashtanga yoga is not athletic.

More information:
Saraswathi Jois
Sharmila Mahesh

Moon Days 2012

In keeping with the tradition of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, the Albuquerque Ashtanga Yoga Shala is closed on the following "moon days" for students and teachers to have a day of rest from asana practice.

January 9th, Monday, Full Moon

January 23rd, Monday, New Moon


February 7th, Tuesday, Full Moon

February 21st, Tuesday, New Moon


March 8th, Thursday, Full Moon

March 22nd, Thursday, New Moon


April 6th, Friday, Full Moon

April 22nd, Sunday, New Moon


May 6th, Sunday, Full Moon

May 20th, Sunday, New Moon


June 3rd, Sunday, Full Moon

June 19th, Tuesday, New Moon


July 3rd, Tuesday, Full Moon

July 18th, Wednesday, New Moon


August 1st, Wednesday, Full Moon

August 17th, Friday, New Moon

August 31st, Friday, Full Moon


September 16th, Sunday, New Moon

September 30th, Sunday, Full Moon


October 15th, Monday, New Moon

October 28th, Sunday, Full Moon


November 13th, Tuesday, New Moon

November 28th, Wednesday, Full Moon


December 14th, Friday, New Moon

December 28th, Friday, Full Moon

Mysore Conference Notes: 1st Conference of Season by Suzanne El-Safty

Sharath’s First Conference of the Season 
By Suzanne El-Safty

22 October 2011

Source http://suzanneelsafty.com/2011/10/22/sharaths-first-conference-of-the-season/

 

Last Sunday Sharath gave his first conference of this season (it’s taken me forever to write this up – too many classes and too little sleep this week). The conference was short as it was the first day and Sharath didn’t want to overwhelm the new students (‘lot of new students, is good, means Ashtanga Yoga is spreading’).

He started by speaking about appropriate behaviour in Mysore – appropriate dress (not beach clothes, women should wear a shawl to cover themselves), not standing in big groups at the coconut stand, avoiding making unwanted ‘friends’.

Sharath then described how yoga first came to Mysore (I’ve added a few details here in order to be precise and complete; additional details have been taken from the book ‘Guruji’):

In the early 1900s Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (a yoga teacher and scholar, often referred to as ‘the father of modern yoga’, his students include Shri K. Pattabhi Jois, B.K.S. Iyengar and T.K.V. Desikachar) was touring India to try to spread hatha yoga. In 1927 he went to Hassan to give a yoga demonstration and, fortunately for us, watching in the audience was a 12-year old Pattabhi Jois (the grandfather of Sharath). Pattabhi Jois was so impressed by the demonstration that he asked Krishnamacharya if he could become his student and the following day began his yoga practice. At that time yoga was not held in high regard and Pattabhi Jois had to keep his practice secret from his family.

In 1929, at the age of 14, Pattabhi Jois ran away from home with just 2 rupees in his pocket and went to Mysore to further his study of Sanskrit at the Maharaja Sanskrit College. In 1931 Krishnamacharya also moved to Mysore and Pattabhi Jois was able to continue his studies with him for the next 22 years, until 1953 when Krishnamacharya moved to Chennai.

In 1937 the Maharaja of Mysore set up a yoga department at the Sanskrit College and appointed Pattabhi Jois as its head; Pattabhi Jois then taught there until his retirement in 1973. And in 1948 Pattabhi Jois established the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute (the predecessor of KPJAYI) at his home in Lakshmipuram, a suburb of Mysore.

Prior to Krishnamacharya all of the great yoga masters had been in the north of India, and people at that time believed that yoga was only meant for sadhus and sannyasis (wandering monks, renunciants), that in effect the practice of yoga led to a withdrawal from society. Krishnamacharya changed this – he demonstrated that anyone can do yoga.

Sharath finished by saying that this lineage from Krishnamacharya is not anywhere else in the world and that in order to learn Ashtanga Yoga we have to study through this lineage.



MORE CONFERENCE NOTES

 Conference – Asana as the Foundation of a Spiritual Practice – 1st January 2012 by Suzanne El-Safty

The Brave Yogi – Conference Notes from Mysore, Funny Student Questions, Memories of Guruji by Kino MacGregor

'Yogis should be honest.' Conference notes Nov 6, 2011 w/ Sharath Jois by Magnolia Zuniga

 

Video with Kino MacGregor about the Mysore Experience

Going to India, Mysore practice, yoga.

Interview with Krista Shirley by Xinalani Yoga Retreat

 Interview originally published here:
http://www.yogaretreatsinmexico.com/2012/07/asthanga-and-mysore-tell-us-more.html

Asthanga and Mysore, tell us more!

Our first retreat of the 2012-2013 season will be hosted by Krista Shirley and Elise Espat, an Ashtanga Adventure!  We wanted to find out more about Krista, Ashtanga, and the Mysore teaching method. Get excited, their retreat will surely prove to be an amazing experience!

Xinalani: Thanks for taking the time to do this interview with us and allowing our readers to learn more about you and your upcoming yoga retreat.  Tell us a little about how you found your practice.  How did it all start for you?  

Krista: It all started at a World Gym in Altamonte Springs, Florida my junior year in College. I decided to try a new yoga class that appealed to me because it appeared to be quite a challenge. It was a modified led Ashtanga Yoga class and I loved it. After a couple of weeks of classes at the gym, my teacher introduced me to Winter Park Yoga where she practiced each day and where they taught traditional Ashtanga Yoga in the Mysore method. I committed to come six days a week for one month and then I was totally hooked. The transformations I went through mentally, spiritually and physically were truly life changing. The rest is history…I eventually started teaching this method because I live it each day and it seemed a natural progression for me to share this passion with the world.  I love waking up each day and doing my practice, then teaching this practice to others. I feel truly blessed in this life to have this yoga to help me be the best me I can be, and to be able to do what I love for a living.

Xinalani: You teach Ashtanga Yoga. Can you tell us about this particular style of yoga?  

Krista: Ashtanga Yoga is a 5,000 year old discipline that explores, develops, and integrates the body, mind and spirit. Ashtanga Yoga purifies the body, the nervous system, the internal organs, and the mind through the use of vinyasa (breath with movement), asana (physical postures), deep breathing, and drishti (looking place or gaze). Practicing Yoga Asanas purifies the body and strengthens and gives flexibility to the body. Performing deep breathing purifies the nervous system. Drishti is the place where you look while performing asanas, or postures in order for you to concentrate on one specific place; also helps to stretch the eyes. The goal of incorporating drishti to your practice is for purification and stabilization of the mind. Daily practice of Ashtanga Yoga promotes weight loss, vitality, mental clarity, stress reduction, deep relaxation, and overall health and wellness to the practitioner. Our beloved Guru, Shri K. Pattabhi Jois was the modern father of this yoga method and taught students from around the world in his home in Mysore, India until his passing in 2009. Now Guruji’s grandson Sharath is the primary lineage keeper of this yoga method and is my and Elise’s teacher. 

Xinalani: How do Ashtanga and Mysore yoga relate to one another?  

Krista: Mysore is a specific way to teach the Ashtanga Yoga method. Ashtanga Yoga is a specific ‘yoga style’ that consists of breathing, bandhas, drishti and a specific sequence of postures that make up the primary, intermediate, 3, 4, 5, and 6 series.  This ‘yoga style’ can be taught in a led setting or a mysore setting. In a led setting a teacher will verbally guide an entire class from start to finish (Surya Namaskara A to final rest). Students must start at the same time, move at the same pace, and end together.  Unlike led classes, mysore classes are very unique, very individualized, and truly the absolute best way to learn and practice yoga.  This unique method of instruction is suitable for beginners as well as longtime practitioners because every student is taught individually. In other words, each student is given a one-on-one lesson in a group setting in order that he or she can progress through the Ashtanga Yoga series’ at their own pace and according to his or her individual needs.  Timings are also flexible so people can come to their mat when it works for them and are not mandated to get to their local studio by a specific time.  For example most mysore rooms will have a morning program from 6am to 10am, for example, and students can literally show up and start their practice anytime between 6am and 9:00am as long as they finish practice by 10am.  This allows students flexibility in their schedule, and helps in the natural functionality of the mysore room because different students need help with different asanas and the spread out timing allows teachers the ability to help all students when they need help – if it were a led class one teacher could not help 20 students in drop backs in a timely manner but in a mysore room he/she can.

This is the way that yoga is taught by our teachers, Shri K. Pattabhi Jois and R. Sharath Jois in Mysore, India and why it has come to be known as “Mysore Style” teaching. For more information on Ashtanga Yoga please visit www.kpjayi.org

Xinalani: In the fitness world, experts often say you need to change up your workout in order to constantly challenge your muscles in new ways so they don’t become accustomed to the same movements.  Why is Ashtanga different, even though you follow the same series repeatedly?  

Krista: I’ll try to answer your question from a purely physical perspective:  In Ashtanga Yoga asana practice you do repeat the exact same series of postures in the primary series until you master those asanas (postures) – until you are indeed accustomed to the movements and your body has not only physically mastered the ability to do the movements with grace but also mastered breathing fluidly without strain while doing the postures with grace.  This is not cross training, this is yoga and one of our goals is to steady the body by training the body and breath so that we can then work to steady the mind.  But it takes a long time for a person doing the Ashtanga Primary Series 6 days per week to truly master that series and be ready to move onto the next.  During that period of working towards mastery the student is doing the same sequence each day struggling to find balance and agility, stamina, control, coordination, build strength and flexibility and much more.  And over time, doing the practice consistently, for a long period of time, without break, a student will eventually become master over those movements that make up the primary series – as that is part of the process.  If we took the approach of the general fitness world, we would never master any yoga postures– to me there is little benefit in that.  While physical fitness is certainly a benefit of yoga practice, it is only one of many – the process should take us deeper and deeper, not keep us on the surface level.  But please don’t mistake me, this asana practice is an intense physical challenge.  Once a student does master primary series he or she will slowly build up second series postures and later 3^rd and so on, and each series is progressively more challenging and demanding on the body.  One thing that really makes this yoga method unique, even for fitness buffs, is that the student can gauge their own progress in their practice each day – as they get deeper into postures, attain more balance and flexibility they can see that on the mat because they are repeating the same sequence over and over until it is ‘mastered’ so that their body and mind is ready to embark on the next series of asanas to continue to challenge their body, mind and spirit.

Xinalani: Is there space for creativity in an Asthanga practice?  

Krista: Absolutely!  I can guarantee that not one day is ever the same on your mat.  Let’s say you are working to master primary and have three poses left in the sequence.  Sunday-Friday you do your practice exactly the same each day, but on Sunday you focus on keeping with the Vinyasa count, Monday you are extremely tired and move much slower than the count and holding postures a few extra breathes, Tuesday you are short on time so you have to leave out your final three seated postures before moving to finishing, Wednesday your mind is all over the map thinking about a deadline at work and you are not very focused on asana but you show up and do anyway, on Thursday you are totally connected with your breath and bandhas and nothing in the world can distract you in practice and you attain a true moving meditation session on your mat, and Friday your teacher leads your class through primary series with proper Vinyasa count and you end in final rest with your eyes closed, clothes drenched in sweat, smiling knowing tomorrow is a rest day.  Every single day is different and YOU make it what it is.  You put in the effort or you don’t, show up and do or you don’t, allow the distractions in the room or in your head to affect your practice or not, go to classes outside your local studio when traveling or chose to roll out your mat in your hotel room…While Ashtanga yoga does not allow for creativity in sequencing of postures in the series, that doesn’t mean the practitioner cannot be creative within the structure of the sequence in each series.  If Ashtanga did allow creativity of sequencing, then it would no longer be Ashtanga Yoga – it would be power yoga or flow yoga or power flow yoga or Vinyasa or any of the many names people have made up in recent years to describe their own creative diversion from this traditional Ashtanga yoga method.  In Ashtanga yoga the creativity comes from within you.  Each day is a blank canvas and you get to color it how you wish. I see my practice exactly the same way – my Ashtanga yoga practice is my canvas – I get on my mat and take my prescribed practice and the outcome of that practice is totally up to me – the lessons I learn, the stuff I release the thoughts I have or don’t have…New styles of yoga that ‘mix things up’ remind me of today’s toys for children.  Toys today are so detailed and so intricate there is little room for creative freedom on the part of the child.  Today’s yoga classes are so mixed up and flavored with this and that, there is little room for yoga practitioners to go deep within themselves to have their own creative experience.  Simple is best – allows more room for growth, change, transformation and joy.

Xinalani: Each year you go back to Mysore, India to practice and learn.  What are some of the more valuable bits you have taken away from your recent trips?  

Krista: Ha, funny question for me personally because my most recent trip with my son (then 1 and a half), and the trip before I was six months pregnant with Kaiden.  Regardless of my condition, I can say with certainty that India is a magical motherland that feeds your soul and each trip I make fills me to the brim with adventure, mystery, struggle, joy and faith. 

I return to India each year to study with my teachers at the Krishna Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga institute to ensure my practice is progressing under the correct path.  Doing my practice alone at home all year, it is a true gift to get to return to Mysore and ‘check in’ with Sharath for a few months, to be a student only, to surrender to India, allow myself to be vulnerable, and to soak in all that India has to teach me.

The valuable bits truly are the ones words cannot describe.  Taking yourself out of your comfort zone, putting your faith and trust into a practice such as this, allowing yourself to be open to learn from every single interaction and experience – these are the things that make each trip so special.   Be it India, Mexico, Morocco or anywhere on this globe that you consider an adventure or something on your bucket list, something that excites you or moves you – remember life is short and you deserve to live it to the fullest.  So whatever it is you wish to experience, wherever it is you wish to travel – do it now!  You might just learn something along the way!

Xinalani: You and Elise Espat will be holding a yoga retreat at Xinalani this fall.  How did you two meet?  What makes you two a good match to lead a retreat together?  

Krista: Elise and I met in the fall of 2007 in Mysore, India.  We were both studying at the Krishna Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute in Mysore with Guruji, Sharath and Saraswathi.  When I met Elise I loved her spirit.  We hung out that year in Mysore, have stayed in touch through the years, and have met up when we can in India, New York and California.  We cherish our friendship with one another, enjoy the chances we have to see one another, practice and learn together, and we both love travel and adventure.  So when Elise came up with the idea of doing a retreat together I was totally on board.  This will be our first of many retreats together because we know it will be a week full of fun, adventure, hard work, dedicated practice, relaxation, and exploration.  We both love this practice, are both deeply dedicated to our teachers and this lineage, both own our own yoga schools, both work hard, play hard, and practice with devotion.  We enjoy adventure, challenges, problem solving, and fun; we work well together and care deeply for each other and I know our retreat participants will benefit tremendously from our co-contributions as well as our individual ones.  I am very excited about this week at Xinalani with Elise and am eager to share our friendship and passion for this yoga with our group.

Xinalani: What will your group experience during your Yoga Retreat in Mexico?  

Krista: ADVENTURE!  We will start each day with our Ashtanga Yoga practice followed by chanting.  We will then enjoy a wholesome group breakfast.  Participants will enjoy some free time to relax, explore, read or rest until lunch at 1:30pm.  After lunch each day Elise and I will facilitate excursions for the group from body boarding, kayaking, shopping, mule rides, swimming with the dolphins, trekking and snorkeling.  These excursions are optional so participants can join in or do their own thing.  The group will reconvene back on resort property at 5pm for meditation, chanting, lectures and much more and we will end each day with a group dinner at 7:30pm.

After a week of yoga and adventure with me and Elise at Xinalani, our group will leave with some stellar memories, new friendships, and a new found or re-discovered love for travel and adventure!

Xinalani:  What advice would you give from your own personal experience to our readers? 

Krista: Don’t ever look back wishing you had done something…Do…and do without regret…even if the outcome is not what you envision, the experience is wisdom gained to carry forward to the next opportunity…So DO and by doing you will live your life to the fullest.

Xinalani: Is there anything you wish to share with our readers that we have not covered?  

Krista: Define your life by your actions, not your words :)

Interview with Guy Donahaye by Elise Espat Part 2

Part two of my interview with Guy Donahaye on his book "Guruji: A Portrait".  And beyond.

Originally posted here:
http://yogamindmedicine.blogspot.com/2012/07/reflections-on-guruji-portrait.html

Reflections on "Guruji: A Portrait" 
- Interview with Elise Espat - Part II

Everyone you interviewed spent time with Guruji in Mysore.  Why is making the time to practice in India so crucial? Or is it?  

If you want to go deep into a subject, you have to go to the source. Spending time in mother India is an incomparable experience and having the opportunity to study closely with a master such as Pattabhi Jois is a priceless opportunity. I believe that it is almost impossible to understand yoga without spending extended time in India, so for a deeper understanding I think it is necessary.

Practicing with Guruji, especially in the intimate setting of the "old shala" in Lakshmi Puram was a very powerful and transformative experience. Receiving the asanas from Guruji and being adjusted in them by him on a daily basis also has a profound impact. Beyond the effectiveness and beauty of the sequences he created, the nature of his adjustments and the way in which he engaged with each individual were teachings on a daily basis. Much more is conveyed through teaching asana than is at first evident.


He would observe our personalities, mental and physical states and engage with us accordingly - teaching us yama and niyama and other yogic truths indirectly or in a practical way. For instance, in some students he was always trying to curb ambition and break down an over inflated ego, in others he was pushing, encouraging, demanding more effort. For each individual on each day it was different. This often caused a lot of confusion, intense emotions and outbursts of anger - either in private or in the shala - one day you though he loved you, the next he seemed to despise you. This caused a lot of self reflection and self analysis.

Prior to 2002 Guruji's yoga shala was very small. In the beginning there was space for eight yoga mats - two rows of four. As the numbers grew we squeezed an extra mat in each row and then eventually there were two in the middle - making twelve. In '91, when I first arrived, Sharath was just beginning to assist, so there were two teachers and eight students in the room. Prior to this and during the summer months there were only a handful of western students, sometimes only one or two - they would get private lessons from Guruji.

With the new shala there was space for sixty students to practice at the same time so the teacher student ratio changed radically. By this time there were many of Guruji's students teaching around the world and students coming to Mysore already knew the practice, so the teaching in the new shala for most students was more about quality control and less about one-on-one teaching. At times there were as many as 300 students present in later years. However, Guruji's commanding presence continued to have a powerful impact on everyone present even though he did not necessarily engage with you directly. It was a common experience that when Guruji spoke to one student - he would shout "straight(en) your leg!" or "touch your chin" - other students in the room felt spoken to also and even though his prompts were not directed at them, they were able to use them also.

Much is made (with good justification) of the ashtanga sequences, however, it makes a huge difference who you learn from and the environment in which you learn. Some say the practice is the teacher. I feel the practice is more like therapy. The guru is the teacher. Even though the teaching may not be explicit, by investing the teacher with a real or imagined superior knowledge, he causes us to reflect on our own limitations. When you are in close proximity to the Guru, these reflections take on a much greater intensity. We used to call mysore a karma accelerator - we felt that enormous transformation was taking place.

How does Mysore influence the practice?  Or does it?

Going to India can help by making practice the central theme of one's day for a period of time. It is also an opportunity to allow the transformations which want to take place in the mind/body to unfold in an environment which does not elicit one's habitual (conditioned) responses. Somehow India has the effect of opening people to greater acceptance and transformation.

I believe it is easier for those who spend time in India to become less materialistic and to start to guide their lives on the basis of a spiritual purpose. While churches in the West are closing, in India every tree or road side rock is a temple to a deity. While many indians crave the same material rewards as westerners, the celebration of and devotion to the divine is everywhere.

The traditional Hindu culture as primarily propagated via the Brahmin caste is based on the same principles as yoga. Guruji's old shala was in Lakshmi Puram, a neighborhood hardly touched by the twentieth century, where people lived much the same way they had been living for hundreds of years. We lived simply without furniture other than a mattress on the floor, intermittent electricity and water. We went to bed when the sun set and got up long before it rose. All around us the local people were all also involved in their early morning rituals, chanting, cleaning, bathing, etc. The target of life for the Hindu is liberation, yoga's target is the same.

Yoga is only one of 64 arts, each of which can bring a practitioner to samadhi and Self realization. Many students learn a musical instrument or study Sanskrit or philosophy - these pursuits take one deeper into an understanding of the science of Self realization.

Guy Interview

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

 

Guy Donahaye in New Mexico

Ashtanga Yoga weekend intensive with certified teacher Guy Donahaye
October 19-21, 2012
Albuquerque Ashtanga Yoga Shala
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Register
This event will fill up. Register now here.

Question?
eliseashtangayoga@gmail.com 

SCHEDULE:

Friday
Fundamentals of Practice
7:00 - 9:00 pm

Bandhas and breathing in asana and Pranayama practice. This introductory session will explore the fundamental building blocks of asana practice, focusing mainly on bandhas, breathing, alignment and vinyasa. Through learning uddiyana, agni sara and eventually nauli, a deeper awareness of the bandhas arises. Through this awareness we will explore the expansion of breath, correct alignment and find balance, "sweetness" and strength in the asanas and pranayamas.

Saturday
Mysore Practice
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Mysore style practice allows you to breathe and move at your own speed. The verbal instruction is minimized to allow you to sink deeper into the internal aspects of the practice. Much of the teaching comes through the application of hands-on adjustments, which is a form of body work that enables the student to understand how to move beyond apparent limitations. The adjustments show the body how to move with selective effort using the appropriate muscles and allows the parts of the body which need to release to do so.

Mind Medicine I & II
1:00 - 3:00 pm
Two talks on Ashtanga Yoga theory, philosophy and practice. Followed by Q&A and Pranayama.

Sunday
Mysore Practice
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Mysore style practice allows you to breathe and move at your own speed. The verbal instruction is minimized to allow you to sink deeper into the internal aspects of the practice. Much of the teaching comes through the application of hands-on adjustments, which is a form of body work that enables the student to understand how to move beyond apparent limitations. The adjustments show the body how to move with selective effort using the appropriate muscles and allows the parts of the body which need to release to do so.

Mind Medicine I & II
1:00 - 3:00 pm
Two talks on Ashtanga Yoga theory, philosophy and practice. Followed by Q&A and Pranayama.

ABOUT

Guy Donahaye met Sri K Pattabhi Jois in 1991 and continued his studies with him, mostly in India, over a period of eighteen years until Jois' death in 2009. He is one of only 40 students worldwide who has been awarded a teaching certification by Jois during his 70 years of teaching, and has been conducting yoga classes in this traditional method since 1993.

Guy's interest in yoga is equally therapeutic, philosophical and spiritual: He came to yoga with the desire to improve his ability to meditate and found in yoga a deeply therapeutic tool, which facilitates spiritual evolution through healing body and mind.

In 2009 he published "Guruji" - a tribute to the teachings and life of Sri K Pattabhi Jois with Eddie Stern - a collection of 30 interviews he had conducted over a twelve year period with Jois' senior students and family.

He has been the director of the Ashtanga Yoga Shala in NYC since 1999 and before that in the UK from 1993-1998. He teaches regular workshops on Yoga Philosophy and Practice in New York and internationally.

More information and registration www.AshtangaYogaAlbuquerque.com

 Related:

Interview with Guy Donahaye by Elise Espat

How to clean your yoga mat by Elise Espat

Revisiting an essential topic.

Daily

• Clean your feet before practice. 
  Much easier than cleaning a mat.


• Use a rug over your mat. 
  Much easier than cleaning a mat, just pop the rug in a washing machine or hand wash.


• Wipe your mat as dry as possible post-practice. 
  Makes drying time faster.  Much easier to prevent bacteria than to eliminate it.


• Hang your mat to dry completely everyday post-practice.
  Much easier to prevent bacteria than to eliminate it.

Weekly/As needed

• Wash your rug. 
  If you do not use one, wash your mat.

Once per month/As needed

• Deep clean your mat.
  Check out the Eco Yogini for green tips on how to wash your mat and a recipe for an anti-bacterial spray that you can make at home. To expedite the drying process (from Wai Lana):

To dry your yoga mat, lay it on top of a dry towel and tightly roll mat and towel together like a cinnamon roll. Squeeze out excess water by pressing with your hands or feet. Unroll and hang to air dry.

The ingredients in these DIY sprays tend to be similar (vinegar, water, witch hazel, tea tree, etc.)

Note:  If you have a Manduka mat (from Manduka):

We recommend using Manduka Mat Renew or any non-solvent household cleaner and a damp cloth or sponge. Hang to dry in the sunshine. DO NOT clean your mat with the garden hose, put in the bathtub or shower, or put it in the washing machine- it may break the machine and ruin your mat!

{Moon Day} Tuesday, June 19 New Moon

Next Moon Day: Tuesday, June 19, 2012
No classes, take rest!
Full list of 2012 Moon Days

Why?

From Shri K. Pattabhi Jois via the Ashtanga Yoga Shala:

"That day is very difficult day. Two stars one place (conjunction) is going. New moon also, full moon also. That day very dangerous day. You (take) practice (on that day), anyone can have a small pain starting. That pain is not going very quickly. Long time he is taking. Some broken possible. That is why that day don’t do." continue reading

{Videos} Sharath & Saraswathi Tour Greenwich, New York, Encinitas 2012

Encinitas

 

   

 

 

 

New York

 

  

 

 

Greenwich

 

 

4-week Ashtanga Beginner Course June 4 - 28

The Albuquerque Ashtanga Yoga Shala is a unique space specializing in traditional Mysore-style Ashtanga yoga in the lineage of Shri K Pattabhi Jois. This method comes directly from Mysore, India and emphasizes personal development, dedication, and a strong student-teacher relationship. Mysore is ideal for beginning students.

Under the watchful eye of a highly trained instructor you will learn in a gentle, safe, and supportive environment. Students are taught gradually, ensuring correct understanding and time for integration of each asana, concept, and technique before the next is given. In this way, students progress on their own truly personal path of yoga.

All classes are taught by Krishna Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute Authorized teacher Elise Espat. Students will work individually with Elise, slowly developing a daily Mysore practice according to their abilities. Each session will build upon the last. To receive the most benefit from the course, it is recommended that students attend classes 4 days per week. If this is not possible, at least once or twice per week will suffice.

TIME: 8:30 - 9:30 am
DATES: Monday, June 4th - Thursday, June 28th
DAYS: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
LOCATION: Albuquerque Ashtanga Yoga Shala 206 Dartmouth DR NE @Monte Vista in Nob Hill 
TUITION: $108

Pre-registration is required: eliseashtangayoga@gmail.com

AshtangaYogaAlbuquerque.com

ASHTANGA YOGA / MYSORE FAQs

Real student questions...



Q: I don't know any of the series in order, I don't have a cheat sheet and I know Mysore is without instruction, how will I know what I'm doing?

A: Actually, Mysore is completely with instruction. Each student is taught a sequence of asanas appropriate to their individual abilities. Every day one comes to practice and repeats that same sequence of asanas until they are mastered. The teacher is always supervising and assisting as necessary. When the moment is right the teacher adds the next asana and the process is repeated. So it is not necessary to know anything on your first day. You will be taught what you need to do. You don't need a cheat sheet. Each person learns gradually. The only thing you need is a sincere interest and commitment to practice.

Q: 6:15 am is really early, do I have to show up right at 6:15?

A: Students are welcome to arrive at their convenience within the designated practice hours. What this means is that students may arrive for practice as early as six am when the doors open -- the teacher is in the classroom from 6:30-9:30 am -- and they must be finished by 10am when the doors close. So if someone has a practice of one hour, they must begin their practice no later than 8:45 am to make sure they are finished by 10 am.

Q: How long will I be there for practice every morning? (I need to know so I can plan the rest of my morning accordingly.)

A: Budget 45 minutes to 1 hour per day for your first month. It might be less than that, but it is good to have the extra time just in case.

Q: I'm a little overweight / out of shape / weak / not flexible / old / young / etc... Can I still do this practice?

A: Absolutely anyone can do this practice. Come as you are!

Q: What should I wear?

A: Close-fitting breathable clothing. Whatever you are comfortable in. Just be sure it is clean and fresh every day.

Q: What do I bring with me?

A: A yoga mat if you have one or you can purchase one here at the Shala. $30-$100 depending on which you choose.

Q: Do I buy a month at a time? Do I come everyday or is there a 3 day a week card?

A: Tuition is paid monthly. You'll receive the most benefit the more you practice. So try to come as often as possible. You take Saturdays, moon days, and the first three days of your period off from practice.

Q: What do I eat/drink before I come? Can I drink water during practice?

A: Try to arrive on an empty stomach. It is best to not take water during practice.

Got a question? Email eliseashtangayoga@gmail.com

Guruji clip from "Yoga Unveiled"

Movie: Mysore Magic

http://www.mysoremagicfilm.com/

Magnolia's Conference Notes: Obstacles in Yoga Practice

'Yogis should be honest.' Conference notes Nov 6, 2011 w/ Sharath Jois
By Magnolia Zuniga
Posted 11/8/11
Source blog.mysoresf.com

Every Sunday afternoon at 4pm (shala time) is conference with Sharath Jois. This is a time for him to talk about the practice, the philosophy, etc and answer questions from students. Conference on Nov 6th, 2011 Sharath spoke on the many obstacles that come along the path. I touch on just a few...  

Obstacles in Yoga practice...

On Doubt - The practice of Hatha Yoga is not easy and requires sacrifice of many things. Many people have doubt about the practice, the lineage. Instead of surrendering they want to argue. As life changes we have new doubts and new challenges. Guruji used to say 'Practice and all is coming' but if there is no practice how will doubt be cleared? 

In college we must prepare and study. To find answers we read books. But in yoga we practice to find answers. We can read Bhagavad Gita, and Hatha Yoga Pradipika but this is intellectual knowledge. We continue practicing Hatha Yoga to find better answers to the questions...

What is God?

What is yoga?

What is spirituality?

What is life?

On Carelessness - Our carelessness brings lots of problems and our minds get distracted. When we're careless we're not thinking properly. Students come to Mysore, do yoga one month and turns into a gym. If you come to surrender yourself to practice, the effect will be totally different. When you come to Mysore your aim should be to practice yoga. Then mind is clear and focused. Many times it happens students lose energy...

too much talking...losing energy...

too much talking...losing energy...at coconut stand...talking, talking.

On Confusion - Confusion kills yoga practice. Students learn tradition and someone tells them 'oh what they are teaching there is not correct, do this yoga, this is better yoga' then 6 months same thing, and they do another type yoga, then 6 months later another type yoga, and it's like this. Then they say 'Oh I did this yoga, and that yoga and this yoga.' They should also say they are confused. Yogis should be honest.

Question: 'Sharath, why if we're supposed to be relaxed in a posture do you push our limits?'

Answer: [Smiling] You're misunderstanding relaxation. Relaxation in a posture means that if I count it for 2 hours you can stay. You have to reach your limitations longer. You should steadily take to your posture. Bring stability then you can hold for long time.  

[laughing] I feel happy for you Guruji is not there. 

Magnolia started practicing various styles of yoga in 1991. She began practicing Mysore Ashtanga Yoga in 1997 with certified teacher Noah Williams and authorized teacher Kimberly Flynn. She first met and studied with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and Sharath Jois in 2004 on her first trip to India. Since then she has traveled and studied in Mysore 7 times and taught Mysore Ashtanga Yoga in Hong Kong, Tokyo, France and is currently running a traditional Mysore Ashtanga School 'Mysore SF' in San Francisco. She continues her studies with Sharath Jois in Mysore South India each year.

Magnolia received blessings to teach in 2007 and is now an authorized level 2 teacher.

For more information about Magnolia please visit her website www.magnoliashtanga.com

republished with permission

Reminds me of this:

Mysore Conference Notes: Practice, Food...

Conference – Asana as the Foundation of a Spiritual Practice – 1st January 2012
By Suzanne El-Safty
Posted 13 Jan 2012
Source suzanneelsafty.com

This conference was being filmed. This was also the day that I started to feel unwell – so I’m probably going to look very miserable and a bit green on film. Oh well! My notes are mostly okay I think but tail off towards the end as I began to feel worse and worse:

In Ashtanga Yoga we always do so many asanas. Not only in Ashtanga Yoga but in Krishnamacharya’s lineage in general. If we are following that lineage then there are lots of asanas. Many people have that question: why do we have to do asanas? Many teachers say that you don’t have to do asanas – you can just sit. But, if you see the yoga shastra - the Hatha Yoga Pradipika or even the Upanishads – they all say why asana is so important – to control our minds.

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika says that before we can think about getting enlightened we have to stabilise this body and mind. We have to practise asanas to stabilise our body and mind, to discipline this body and mind.

Now the mind is very chanchala – not in your control. The thought waves are so strong, the mind is like a monkey, a drunken monkey. To control the mind we need to bring some sort of discipline. You need to bring discipline to asana practice. It doesn’t come at once, you need to do for a long time – ‘sa tu dirghakalanairantaryasatkarasevito drdhabhumih’ (Yoga Sutras I:14). Asana is the foundation for the spiritual building; the foundation needs to be strong otherwise the building will fall. That is why asana is very important – it is the foundation to build the spiritual building.

It is only when you practise asana for many years that you realise how spiritual it is. To others it looks only physical. Other people who say that asana is just gymnastics, I call them sailors on the ocean – they don’t know about diving. They can’t see the beauty of the ocean – the colourful fish, the beautiful whatever animals you get in the sea. It is only if you know diving that you can see. Yoga is also like that – if you just sail on top of the ocean you will never get anything.

When you experience through the asana practice you can relish the purity of this practice.

Even in the Upanishads they talk about asanas. They compare consciousness to the sun. When the sun rises the rays of the sun are too harsh, at 12 o’clock they are too powerful; but as the sun sets it withdraws its rays and becomes very calm. This is like when a yogi sits in the third limb – in asana – he doesn’t have any mental disorders. We can feel that when we are practising everyday. We are totally concentrated on our mat – we forget all the nonsense happening around us. When we practise, day by day we get more focused, more concentrated.

Questions:

1) Which Upanishad was that?

Answer – the Kena Upanishad.

This system that we do, this vinyasa system, is very special. Only Krishnamacharya’s lineage knows this system. No one else knows this system. Three things are very important in this practice:

(i) Breathing

(ii) Posture

(iii) Gazing.

These are the three pillars which we need in our practice. I have not included bandhas – bandhas are to be done all of the time, not only in asanas.

For example, Surya Namaskara A has 9 vinyasas, this means 9 breathing techniques – 9 times you have to inhale and exhale. Surya Namaskara B has 17 vinyasas. Like this each asana has a certain number of vinyasas. This allows the breath to circulate in the body and activate the jatar agni (digestive fire). There are 72,000 nervous systems in the body – they must get purified – but how? by practising asanas with vinyasa.

The basic asanas – in the primary series – are very good to cure all diseases. Medical problems can be cured by doing the asanas in the primary series.

2) Should students put as much effort into the drishti (gaze point) as into say posture?

Answer – yes, these three things are very important. This develops your focus and concentration. So when you go to the next step – pranayama and dhyana (meditation) – these things will help you, they will help you to concentrate. This is dhyana what you are doing, it becomes like that.

3) Is a seated meditation practice then redundant in this system? or is it something we are striving towards?

Answer – first you have to understand what is meditation. Meditation is not something where you go somewhere, you close your eyes and sit. It looks very nice. But inside the mind is very disturbed – it goes to your country or to your boyfriend. First you have to control your sense organs. Then automatically meditation will happen within you.

First you need to bring the sense organs under control. That is why Patanjali says ‘yogascittavrttinirodhah’ (Yoga Sutras I:2) – yoga is to bring the sense organs under control. Once you still the mind – that is meditation, yoga or union.

For that we need to develop certain qualities within us. For this we have to practise certain asanas. I can go into a meditative mode when practising asanas.

Some people say they go to do a vipassana for 15 days, they go every day and they sit like this. For the first two days they have lots of enthusiasm; after the third day the mind starts wandering.

To reach the higher levels in practice first you have to build the foundation, that is asana, and then think about yama and niyama. It is a process which should happen day by day, year by year. A real yogi does not need a certificate saying he is enlightened. We have seen so many yogis in the past – nobody has a certificate.

4) When we practise, how do we keep a state of dhyana and also some awareness of where our legs and arms are?

Answer – that will automatically come. In practice your mind is thinking about your body – not about the nonsense outside. When I say kurmasana (turtle posture) your body will automatically do that. When we are practising our focus should be on our asana through our drishti and breathing.

When you are out on the street you see lots of street shows, like in Covent Garden. Like that in India we also have, lots of shows on the street – they are called games. In one game, there are two pillars and one rope between. One girl walks from here to there on the rope with 5 or 6 pots on her head and a bamboo stick in her hand. With hundreds of people watching. When she walks her mind is so concentrated on the pot. If she thinks about the people watching her she will fall and the pot will fall. See how beautiful that game is. Like that see the beauty of the asana.

5) If the purpose of the basic postures is to cure diseases then what is the purpose of the more advanced series?

Answer – to show off (laughs).

Primary Series is chikitsa vibhaga - to cure diseases. If yoga is used as a therapy then you do certain asanas to help, so that the body gets purified.

Then it gets more advanced – nadi shodhana (intermediate series is known as nadi shodhana) - to purify the nervous system. But nadi shodhana happens in all of the series.

In the advanced series there are lots of different postures – arm balances, back bends.

They allow you to see your limitations, in body and mind. When you are young it is easy to do all the postures. When I was young I used to practise for 3 hours – from 3.30am to 6.30am. Now I do just 2 hours.

6) Was the system designed by Krishnamacharya? or did Guruji design it?

Answer – Guruji put the asanas into different levels. It is the same thing he learned from Krishnamacharya, just more refined.

7) Can you talk about diet?

Answer – vegetarian food – that’s all. It is very good for the body. Non-vegetarian will give you stiffness, it will give you more muscle, that’s all.

8) What is the difference between doing lots of postures for 5 breaths each and fewer postures but for more breaths?

Answer - you can try both. If you sit in one posture then only certain organs will get exercise. If you do more postures then more organs get exercise. When you do more postures you generate more heat and the blood becomes warm and can circulate properly.

republished with permission

How to wake up for yoga

At the beginning I would show up to practice as everyone from the first class was leaving and I remember just thinking to myself how impossible being up that early seemed.  I would tell myself that they were just special somehow.  Like they were built for it and I simply wasn't and that was the way it was.  Years later I have realized that getting up "early" is not only relative, but also simply a decision one makes.  Even so, there are still many ways we can make the process easier on ourselves and this post breaks it down for the skeptic and devotee alike.

How to wake up for yoga.
by Angela Jamison
posted 11/2/11
source AY:A2

After a little while, you will figure out your best sleep hygiene, and the getting-up-in-the-morning program will run itself. But at first, I do understand that it can be a challenge to re-teach the body to wake up fresh. Because we’re going against the social stream by getting up early to practice, establishing this pattern might take some focus and discipline, if not a few tricks. If you fall down some days, ok. Just keep at it. This will get easier in a few weeks.

There really are techniques for making it easy. On the other hand, if you wanted to do the pure-willpower method , the strategy would begin with taking in as much sugar, and as little water, as you can during the day. Drink at least three cups of coffee (one of them after 3pm); eat a large dinner involving heavy, dense, inflammatory foods; drink some alcohol. Watch television, engage in some arguments if you can find them, and use the internet until late at night. Spend a lot of time with people who have either a lot of negative, heavy emotion (tamasic) or an unfocused, fast-moving mind (rajasic). In the morning, try to watch Fox News, write emails to make sure the verbal wheels started spinning, and start planning the work day with extra attention to envisioning difficult colleagues or situations. While doing this, leave the lights low, consume Advil, move slowly, and keep the body cold. Tell yourself that this is hard and feels bad. Then (this is the most important part), ask yourself what you feel like doing. Between getting back in the warm bed and going out to do yoga, what would give more immediate pleasure? Yes! Bed wins! If there is someone who actually makes it to yoga practice in this scenario, she is either a hero or completely out of touch with her body. I’m not sure which is more problematic.

Maybe this will surprise you: ashtanga is big in northern Japan. And across Canada, the north Atlantic, Scandinavia, Russia. People in the cold, dark north love to practice morning Mysore in the fall and winter. Last year, I contacted daily practitioners from all these places for advice about how to adjust to dramatic seasonal changes. They offered dozens of techniques, and we tried them out. Those now entering their second year are still fine-tuning this morning practice stuff, but they’ve settled on a few really good techniques.

Here’s what they suggest. Some of this is direct, and some is paraphrased. (1) Scale way back on coffee and don’t drink any caffeine after 2pm. If you are addicted to it, this might be your time to face it and detoxify. (2) I had to get rid of the “not a morning person” myth. That’s just a story the ego tells itself. Being a “night person” might point to adrenal fatigue that can be healed though practice. (3) Eat a big breakfast, medium lunch, and really small dinner. Experiment a few times with skipping dinner. Just try it. Note what your sleep is like and how you feel in the morning. (4) Get a sunshine lamp and put it on a timer to go off at the same time as your alarm. If you sleep with someone who can’t stand it, just put it outside the room and get under that light to go through some part of your morning routine. (5) Forget about drinking alcohol during the week. (6) Eating sugar makes it really hard to get up in the morning. (7) Know that coming to practice will raise your core body temperature and keep you warm all day. (8). Be accountable to someone in the group – promise each other you’ll both be there.

This all sounds helpful. From personal experience, I would add: Get under bright lights. Jump around and shake the body a bit first thing, to get the circulation running (truth be told, I often have a one-woman blues-rock dance party at 4am). It’s nice to take a hot shower on winter mornings, letting the water fall on your entire spine and crown of the head. I do a few breathing practices first thing every day, and on cold mornings add some other kriyas and somewhat different breathing during the surya namaskara. Some of this is in the “House Specialties” document at practice, and some I can just share in person if there’s a good time. But it doesn’t do anyone a favor to talk about traditional practice on the internet. This is oral tradition best exchanged person-to-person.

With “how to?” questions in practice, I look for a balance of dedicated practice and radical acceptance, which is my shorthand for Abhyasa and Vairagya.

This pair of values comes up in Patanjali’s sutras 1.12-1.16. Some commentators say that either Abhyasa or Vairagya should be primary: that one or the other is most important. This is like Christians debating the relative importance of grace and works, or German philosophers debating about will and spirit, or tender teenagers trying to decide whether they find more meaning in what they do with their lives or who they are as people. There is usually a school of All Action! and a competing school of All Being! Hello. Ashtanga yoga is a school of not-two. Samkhya; Tantra; what’s the problem? 99% practice, 1% theory.

In a practical, embodied way, the practice sets us up to do (1) practice and (2) acceptance all of the time. Like this. It’s getting late in the evening, so I can feel that tomorrow’s asana practice is already starting. How I go to sleep is the last major determinant of how I get up. So I’m going to extract myself somewhat painfully from the laptop now and power it down. In the kitchen, there’s an oatmeal-choclate chip cookie that part of me wants eat while watching last night’s Steven Colbert, but what I’ll actually do is let habit draw me sort of inexorably upstairs to sit and do some breathwork. Setting things out for the morning, there is usually some spontaneous excitement and gratitude for both sleep and morning practice, and that will make cookies and Colbert seem boring. Both sleep and (tomorrow) practice will do themselves once I get into position… but I do have to get there. Falling asleep, I’ll notice if there’s a tendency to reel off into discursive, fantasy, or emotionally negative headspace, and choose some higher quality feelings or thoughts instead. If the neighbor is making tons of noise, or I have a headache, or Zelda Spoonbender (the cat) is licking my nose like usual, I’ll see about just rolling with that. And then pretty soon, sleep is here…

Good night, everyone. Sleep well, and see you on the mat.

full post at AY:A2 

About Angela
My name is Angela Jamison. I was introduced to ashtanga yoga in 2001 in Los Angeles, and have practiced six days a week continuously since 2003.

In 2006, I completed intermediate series with Rolf Naujokat before learning from him the ashtanga pranayama sequence. I maintain a relatively modest pranayama practice.

Later in 2006, I met Dominic Corigliano, who taught me the subtler layers of ashtanga practice, and eventually, slowly, taught me to teach yoga. During 2009, I assisted Jörgen Christiansson.

After retreats in the Zen, Vajrayana and Vipassana traditions, I began working with the meditation teacher Shinzen Young in 2009. I meditate daily, confer with Shinzen about my practice every few months, and take annual silent retreats.

I have made four long trips to Mysore to practice ashtanga with R. Sharath Jois, and to study the history and philosophy of yoga with M.A. Narasimhan and M.A. Jayashree. I will return to Mysore regularly.

In 2011, Sharath authorized me at Level 2, asking me to teach the full intermediate series.

 

 

republished with permission