Jun 12, 2014

Moon Day Tomorrow and Some Inspiration

The week in review: 

Albuquerque Ashtanga Yoga Shala resident teacher, Elise Espat, is teaching this week at The Yoga Shala in Winter Park, Florida.  More information and registration here.

http://theyogashala.org/eventsPJ Heffernan is the current teacher in Albuquerque. PJ comes to us from Wisconsin where he teaches at his shala just west of Milwaukee in Waukesha.  Yes, that is the same guy from the documentary "Mysore Magic".  He'll be here through next week so be sure to get ye to practice. View schedule and register here.

Tomorrow is a moon day.  All classes are cancelled and do take rest from asana practice. 

Some moon day reading from around the web:

“Through practicing asanas, your mind should change.  That is the transformation that happens within you….Then you are a true Ashtanga practitioner, not just bending your body…Practice should not be just two hours, this practice must be for the whole day, whole life…Then there will be meaning to your practice.” 
- Sharath Jois, Krista Shirley's conference notes 

http://ashtangayogaalbuquerque.com/"Don’t hurry, this practice take time, the more you try to rush it, the more you will miss what it is actually about.... Everything has its own time."
- Saraswathi

"It is very important to understand yoga philosophy: without philosophy, practice is not good, and yoga practice is the starting place for yoga philosophy. Mixing both is actually the best."
- Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, "An Interview with K Pattabhi Jois: Practice Makes Perfect"

"Yoga teachers say: Practice once a week, and you’ll get sore. Practice three times a week, and you’ll get FIT. Practice every day and you will transform your life."
- The Purple Mat Blog

"[Mysore] provides the space to be learn directly and almost privately from a teacher, but within the context of a group environment. A student is introduced to the practice at the appropriate pace for them. Poses are taught in a way that is right for that specific body, with its own limitations and strengths. It’s a very individualized process, yet firmly rooted in a tradition and a community. Mysore offers the opportunity to be inspired by other practitioners, of all levels, without practice becoming a competition, since everyone is practicing the poses that were given to them, at their own pace."
- Frances Harjeet

"It was harder NOT to practice actually. I realized then that you could chop off my arm or leg and I would still practice. I don't do it because I should. I do it irrationally because I love it.
- PJ Heffernan


 

Jun 9, 2014

PJ Heffernan in Albuquerque

Visiting Teacher: Pj Heffernan
June 11-22, 2014
PJ will be leading the shala's ongoing morning Mysore practice.

View Schedule.
Not a current student? Register now.

Beginners and new students are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Book a private session:
heffernanwellness@hotmail.com

PJ is a KPJAYI Level 2 Authorized ashtanga yoga teacher from Wisconsin.

Jun 6, 2014

Incredible India {Documentary}



Welcome to India
"Learning how to survive on an increasingly crowded planet is probably our ultimate challenge. But there is one place, home to over a sixth of the world's population, which is already making a good shot at adapting: welcome to India. This extraordinary observational series casts aside the usual preconceptions about the sub-continent, and lets a few of India's 1.2 billion show how their world really works. With astonishing access into the densest districts of Kolkata and Mumbai, it celebrates the impressive resourcefulness, resilience and absolute pragmatism of those living and working there, and reveals the psyche needed to get ahead in the biggest of crowds. This follows two main characters as they employ all their ingenuity to carve out a home. With more people moving to cities in India than anywhere else on Earth, securing that place you can call home is vital for nurturing your family's future. Kaale has come to Kolkata in search of gold - incredibly, he earns a living by sweeping the streets of the jewellery district for stray gold dust. But to fulfil his business ambitions, he must escape his landlord and rent a room of his own. His plan pushes even his resourcefulness to the limit: dredging for gold in Kolkata's drains. Rajesh and his wife Sevita have created their home on a Mumbai beach after their controversial love marriage. They support their kids' future with some impressive improvisation, including running their house as a makeshift beach pub selling cane liquor. But then eviction by the Mumbai council threatens their home for good."

Jun 5, 2014

Trouble Sleeping & Intermediate Practice

Via: Mysore SF's Magnolia Zuniga 

Q.

Since I’ve started practicing intermediate series I’ve had trouble falling asleep. I also wake up in the middle of the night and have a hard time falling back to sleep. Do you have any tips?

A:

The intermediate series is a stimulating and dynamic practice. It is not uncommon for students to experience many changes in their lives as the postures begin to weave themselves into the subtle body. Before we go into this, let’s look at the primary series and go from there...  continue reading at Mysore SF


Jun 3, 2014

A glimpse of Mysore

New video documenting moments from led primary, led intermediate, and mysore practice at the KPJAYI (Mysore, India).

Jun 2, 2014

Inspiration: Krista Shirley

Success cannot be attained by adopting a particular dress (Veṣa). It cannot be gained by telling tales. Practice alone is the means to success. This is true, there is no doubt. -2.68 Hatha Yoga Pradipika



KPJAYI Authorized teacher Krista Shirley practicing third series before teaching her workshop in Panama. May 24, 2014. The video demonstrates Bhairavasana through Galavasana in Advanced A series of Ashtanga Yoga.

May 30, 2014

Summer schedule, how to get back in the game, and a short video intro with David Robson

http://www.ashtangayogaalbuquerque.com/


Q: I haven't been practicing... With the holidays, and work, and life, and the cold weather I just stopped. Now I dread coming back because I think it will be too hard and also I am a little embarrassed and disappointed in myself. Should I come back?

A: Yes, of course you should come back to practice! Practice is effort toward steadiness of mind. Don't worry about completing some acrobatic feat. What is really interesting, really what it is about is just showing up. So okay, you got a little distracted. You can have a fresh start tomorrow. In terms of asanas, just start small and slowly do a little bit more each day, couple of days, weeks, or even months. It depends on how long you took off... No matter. It will probably take some time for things to feel natural again and to get into the daily rhythm and that is okay. While time off is not recommended, the good thing about it is that when you start practicing again you'll quickly realize why you missed it so much and it will probably be more difficult to let it go again when life gets stressful. No fearing, you come!  (Original post here)




Read David's post on "ujjayi".

And learn more about initiating your practice.

May 27, 2014

Moon Day

Wednesday, May 28.
No asana practice, just rest!

Upcoming moon days:
Fri 6/13, Fri 6/27, Fri 7/11, Fri 7/25, Sun 8/10, Sun 8/24

May 18, 2014

Shri K. Pattabhi Jois - 5 years ago today


We created this week's comic in deepest gratitude and loving memory of Shri K. Pattabhi Jois.
Happy birthday Guruji and may your story continue to inspire!


Please visit this link to the KPJAYI website to read more about Guruji's life and legacy:
http://kpjayi.org/biographies/k-pattabhi-jois



The quote is from "Yoga Mala" by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois.


About The Yoga Comics
Editors: Jessica Walden and Elise Espat
Illustrator: Boonchu Tanti
Facebook: facebook.com/TheYogaComics

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