Here are notes from Sharath's Moscow Conference (2013 July 28) hosted and posted by Ashtanga Yoga Moscow. There is also a livestream of Sharath teaching a led class here.
Next stops: Stockholm: August 11 – 16 Helsinki: August 18 – 23 London: August 25 – 30
Saraswathi in Helsinki: September 22 – 27
Saraswathi in Kiev: September 29 – October 4
Thanks to the participants and organizers of last weekend's Anahata Yoga Festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was a wonderful event and there is already talk about the next one...
Here are a few articles, posts, and conference notes worth a read:
Yoga: Changing The Brain's Stressful Habits by Alex Korb, Ph.D. in Psychology Today "As a neuroscientist, despite my initial incredulity, I came to realize that yoga works not because the poses are relaxing, but because they are stressful. It is your attempts to remain calm during this stress that create yoga's greatest neurobiological benefit."
Ellen Williams Kympton, 68: Practicing with Gratitude, Living Gracefully with Cancer by Robbie Norris in the Richmond Private Blog "I teach a 78-year old woman who has experienced major revitalization during two years of daily practice. Her 40-minute (and growing) practice has dramatically changed her body, increased her overall wellbeing, and enlightened her sense of humor with moments of childlike bliss.
People who know only a little about Ashtanga Yoga (including many who might say they've tried it) often characterize it as fast yoga, athletic yoga, yoga for the young and healthy, or a practice that is too strict with no room for innovation. When you hear someone speak about Ashtanga Yoga in that way, be assured they know virtually nothing about it, and let a red flag go up -- because it will be a person who assumes authority about that of which his knowledge is slight."
For the home practitioners, there is also a new live stream of Sharath teaching in Moscow:
I'm heading to Mysore in the fall to practice and study with my teacher R. Sharath Jois. Here is a glimpse of a led intermediate class at the shala a couple of years ago:
Lastly, I've opened up an online shop to help raise funds for my trip and also for Uttarakhand disaster relief. Check it out!
Me and Guruji at his birthday celebration on my first trip to India
अज्ञानतिमिरान्धस्य ज्ञानाञ्जनशलाकया ।
चक्षुरुन्मीलितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥
ajñānatimirāndhasya jñānāñjanaśalākayā |
cakṣurunmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||
I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who has
opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with
the torchlight of knowledge.
This year Guruji's birthday is on Monday which is also a moon day and Guru Purnima. I remember that we were trying to learn to the Gurustotram (below) so we could chant it for him at the celebration but we were too nervous to make mistakes and didn't do it. Jayashree schooled us after by explaining that we should want and be grateful that our teacher corrects our mistakes because that means he cares and he is teaching us and then we can learn. The photo above was taken by Elena De Martin of La Yoga Shala, Milano...
I recently opened an online shop featuring my artwork in hopes of raising funds for India. 50% goes to the work being done to help the people in Uttarakhand. The other 50% helps fund my trip to India to study with my teacher Sharath in the fall. Please check it out and support! http://artbyelise.storenvy.com/
ON JUNE 16, 2013 DISASTER STRUCK IN UTTARAKHAND!
An early monsoon brought days of torrential rain, bursting dams, landslides and floods. To date the death toll is well over a thousand with many still missing. Whole villages washed away. Places that had existed for hundreds of years gone without a trace. Those who had not perished were left with the shreds of the clothes they were standing in. The papers have been filled with stories of the disaster and survivors are trickling home with harrowing tales. Much has been written about the terrible plight of the many pilgrims in the area.
Life happens. Relationship troubles, financial troubles, work troubles, the weather, illness, digestion troubles, injuries... In yoga, all these things and more are summed up as the "three miseries" or "three obstacles". They are:
adhyātmika --miseries of body and mind
adhibhautika --miseries from other living creatures adhidaivika --miseries from natural/supernatural disturbances
These names are old and the miseries timeless. They will always come to us and they always have. If we wait to practice until the obstacles stop, then we will probably never practice. It is easy to do some asanas when we feel nice and there is a nice view and the teacher is nice and there was no traffic and we get the spot we like and everything is going well. We should definitely be grateful and notice when we have it easy. But often it is when things are not going well, when things are very hard or seem impossible when the true meaning of yoga is there for us to realize. It is then when we have the opportunity to really practice and to rise to the occasion.
Eventually, practice becomes the baseline, the steady beat of our lives. Before that, each time an obstacle arises, we ask ourselves "should I practice if...?" It is in this moment when we begin to explore our intentions and the meaning of the practice. This is the moment when a lot of people - confusing yoga with the mere performance of asanas - quit. This is also the moment when others start to question their motivations and show up anyway.
To anyone who has ever shown up anyway, started from the ground up, or who has fallen to rock bottom from the highest cliff knows the feeling. The infinite sorrow, the despair, the irrational impossibility... and then when we are patient just a few moments later, the warmth of humility and the curious strength of complete surrender. It is the relief of having nothing to prove, no expectations, and nothing but the here and now. All of a sudden it all comes together - the showing up, the exploration of what the asana practice is really asking, the patience of being sensitive and receptive - and it starts to seep into every other part of our lives. We start to make connections between all of our actions throughout the day and the world around us. The definition of asana as a "steady and sweet seat" becomes the establishment of a constant steady and sweet connection with the earth. We start to realize that we can always practice and that the effort toward steadiness of mind is what we have been cultivating all along.
In times of injury or bodily obstacle, our asana practice may change, but it is important to remember that there are 7 other limbs of Ashtanga yoga that can be practiced all the time. But this post is about injuries and here are some sources of inspiration if you are finding yourself grappling with bodily obstacles:
One final note: everything is relative. An emotional blow feels 100% as devastating to the person experiencing it as a broken arm feels to the person experiencing the broken arm. Just show up. Identify with the true nature of the self. Let go of the asanas. Make showing up to practice about others and something larger than yourself (Ishvarapranidhana). Showing up anyway is a chance to add to the group energy, to inspire others who are also having a tough time. It is a chance to be grateful and for tapas... for it often takes some serious obstacles for us to open to the possibility of yoga.
Sat. 8:30AM – 11AM Led Primary
Traditional Sanskrit count of asanas and vinyasas we well as each and every inhale and exhale. Ride each breath in and out, allow your mind to sink down, and surrender to the current. We will finish with deep relaxation and chanting.
Sat. 1PM – 4PM The Strength to Surrender
When we untether ourselves from mental chatter we are able to soften the heart, trust fully, embrace faith, and open to possibility. We begin to experience a lightness in the body and mind and an ease in practice that flows into all areas of our lives. Spend the afternoon with Elise delving into this topic to gain insight into where you are in your journey, what is holding you back, keeping you stuck, or bringing stuff up. Learn how to tap into the tools you already have to help you trust this process, let go, and feel more joy in life. Elise will touch on the mental and physical aspects of heat, resistance, purification and sweet sweet surrender.
Sun 8:30AM-11AM
Mysore & Chanting
The weekend culminates with Mysore practice and chanting that shakes us to the core and aligns all aspects of our being with the light within.
"Disease,
dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, sensuality, false perception,
failure to reach firm ground and slipping from the ground gained --
these distractions of the mind-stuff are the obstacles. Accompaniments to the mental distractions include distress, despair, trembling of the body, and disturbed breathing. The practice of concentration on a single subject [or the use of one technique] is the best way to prevent the obstacles and their accompaniments."
Krista Shirley is a level 2 authorized Ashtanga Yoga instructor and founder of The Yoga Shala in Winter Park, Florida. Krista teaches traditional Ashtanga yoga classes in the Mysore method Monday-Thursday mornings 6:30-8:30am and counted led Ashtanga Primary series Friday mornings 6:15-7:45am followed by guided meditation from 8:00-8:30am. She also leads asana, meditation, and self help workshops and retreats at The Yoga Shala and around the globe.
Krista has been a dedicated student and practitioner of Ashtanga yoga for over a decade. She found this practice in college and it touched her so deeply she traveled down a path different than what was originally laid out for her. After graduation she started traveling the world delving deeper into her yoga studies. After meeting Shri K. Pattabhi Jois in a workshop in New York in 2004 Krista knew she had found her Guru – his essence was undeniable, his spirit light and loving, and his vast knowledge of asana, Sanskrit, chanting and philosophy was an endless well to draw from. Krista has made eight trips to Mysore, India to study at the Krishna Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute (KPJAYI) in order to study with Guruji and Sharath, connect to this lineage and feel the essence of this living parampara. Guruji passed away in May of 2009, the same month The Yoga Shala opened its doors. This space is a living, breathing dedication to Guruji, to his life’s work, and his never-ending passion for Ashtanga Yoga.
Krista’s dedication to her personal yoga practice and the Ashtanga lineage shine through in her teaching. Her energy is contagious and inspiring! Krista specializes in meeting each student where they are, helping them not only create a habit of daily practice, learn the sequence of asanas, work towards physical mastery of the postures, but also helping each student go inside themselves to heal old wounds, forgive old hurts, let go of the things in their lives that no longer serve them. Krista is here to help you begin or advance your Ashtanga Yoga journey and looks forward to sharing this transformational and enriching practice with you.
Spring is a lovely time to shift gears, shed tired habits, and start fresh from the inside out...
The quote above is from "Yoga and Vegetarianism" by Sharon Gannon. It is a quick and inspirational read that navigates food choices using basic yoga philosophy. I definitely recommend it.
While most Albuquerque growers' markets won't start until late April/May, the Corrales Growers' Market is open once per month in the off season with the next chance to get some super fresh food coming up on April 7th. In the meantime, here is a list of what's in season.
For life and space organizing check out "Organizing from the Inside Out" by Julie Morgenstern. Much more than a quick tips guide, the book gets you to do some reflecting on what is important to you in life and moves from there. Super helpful.
And while we are on the subject of mats and feet... Foot warts happen. Take care of them now. Athlete's foot too. And if you find yourself slipping on your mat a bit more than usual try this tip from Yoga Journal:
To avoid slipping around on your mat, brew two black tea bags in one
pint of boiled water for 15 minutes. Add two quarts of cool water and
soak your feet for 20 to 30 minutes. The tannic acid in the brewed tea
will change your skin's pH level and help prevent unwanted odor-causing
bacteria.
Yoga Stops Traffick 2013 was a great success. You can still donate online here.
Here in Albuquerque we chanted "Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu" 108 times. Some people counted with their own japa malas, others counted with their fingers, and we all followed the count of 108 New Mexico pinto beans dropping into a jar.
Before we began chanting, I gave a short talk on "ahimsa". Often defined as "non-harm", an easy way to practice ahimsa is to avoid violent or harmful situations. As we deepen our practice the definition grows to not only avoiding painful actions but actively working to end suffering. Perhaps it could even evolve to healing.
People sometimes wonder how can we say that we practice every day when we take so many days off (moon days, Saturdays, ladies' holiday). The answer is simple: asana is only one component of Ashtanga Yoga. While we practice asanas for just a short while on most days, opportunities to practice ahimsa are always available, both on and off the mat...
Here is a lovely video from the 2013 Ashtanga Yoga Confluence with Dena Kingsberg discussing ahimsa:
Next Saturday, March 9th is the worldwide 2013 Yoga Stops Traffick event which aims to raise awareness and funds to fight human trafficking in India.
Find an event near you.
Here's the info for our event in Albuquerque.
Lastly, be sure to like The Yoga Comics on Facebook. Word on the street is a new comic is coming out shortly...
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
"May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all."
"Stephen Theodore Schaffer, known to most as Shyamdas, was killed in a
motorcycle accident in Goa, India on Saturday, January 19. He was 59.
Namarupa has published a special 36 page issue containing an obituary,
photographs and memories of Shyamdas and all the articles that Shyamdas
ever wrote for Namarupa."
Download the special issue "Shyamdas :: In Memoriam" for free here.
“All forms of Yoga lead us to bhava – the enlightened, inspired state
of pure being. Bhava creates in us a direct experience of the unity of
all things. This journey of kirtan (sacred chant) introduces the subtle
relationship between non-dual vision and loving devotion as the
foundation for the yoga experience.”
– Shyamdas (1953-2013)
This week we have conference notes from July 8 and October 21 as well as the appendix to our local conference which focused on breathing and awareness.
Kate O'Donnell writes from India on how waking up early for practice can bring the breathing to the spiritual and back again.
Meditations on food and practice continue with David Life's video on why diet matters and the conversation continues with Life and Sharon Gannon's discussion on the yamas and the connection to food.
T. Colin Campbell presents the science around why food matters and we end with a recipe for Super Easy Vegan Ice Cream and a thumbs up for The Yoga Cookbook.
In this Weekend Edition we've got the week's post popular post on ujjayi vs free breathing which goes along with tomorrow's local conference theme on breathing in asana practice.
You've probably noticed an abundance of food-related posts. The topic has been big around here the last few weeks and rightfully so. What we eat has a massive impact on how we feel and on our yoga practices (not just asana)...
How Digestion Works includes a basic primer on your insides from one end to the other. There's an infographic and short video, but there are also a couple of longer videos that you might find interesting that includes footage from a full-length Berkeley biology course.
A Strategy for Health "Many people confuse pleasure with happiness. This can be a big problem
and can lead to some very unhappy results. It is imperative that we
recognize the difference between pleasure and happiness."
The Kind Diet explains how to transition to a kinder lifestyle, become vegan, and explore macrobiotics. Really great and simple recipes as well as clear and digestible information. And pretty pictures.
