Jul 18, 2012
Jul 15, 2012
Ashtanga Retreat Interview with Elise Espat by Xinalani
Interview with Elise Espat
From
March 3-10, 2012 we are honored to receive Elise Espat and her group of
yogis! We wanted to know a little more about her before she came down
and she was gracious enough to answer some questions for us. There is
still space on her retreat so contact us if you want to come down and
join her!
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. How did you find out about Xinalani Retreat and why was it important to you to bring your group to our retreat in Mexico, Puerto Vallarta?
Elise: Thank you! Well, Xinalani has a fantastic location, which is totally ideal for a week of intense yoga practice, and it is eco-friendly which I feel is pretty important.
Xinalani: Tell us a little about how you found your practice. How did it all start for you?
Elise: Jane Fonda, actually. I think I thought yoga could be a workout alternative but soon realized that something else was happening. Something bigger. Just to be clear, I wasn’t athletic by any means. I was just self-conscious and confused. From the tape I eventually got the courage to go to a “real” yoga class where other people would see me! I
was pretty worried about sticking out and looking silly and the teacher
pointing at me, laughing, and announcing to everyone that I didn’t
belong. Happily, that isn’t what happened. I
think I was in some very gentle, very basic yoga class and was having a
very hard time, but I made it through and afterward felt this sense of
peace and clarity and I felt fantastic in a really clean way and knew I
found something real that I had to hold on to.
Xinalani: What was it like to practice with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois ?
Elise: I was really nervous when I first practiced with him in New York. He really had this presence, this glow. There were so many people in that room and it would get really quiet and you could hear his feet coming toward you…
Elise: I was really nervous when I first practiced with him in New York. He really had this presence, this glow. There were so many people in that room and it would get really quiet and you could hear his feet coming toward you…
Xinalani: What is Mysore Yoga? What about it draws you in?
Elise: Mysore is a method of teaching yoga where students work one-on-one with a teacher over a long period of time. Once
your teacher shows you some things to work on, you practice them on
your own with supervision and the teacher monitors you and helps you
along the way giving you verbal queues, adjustments, asanas, etc. It
is a bit chaotic from the outside because there are a lot of students
doing their practice at the same time and all of it seems so different. One person is doing surya namaskar, another is resting, another something else… But it is actually quite organized.
It
is really beautiful to watch students struggle and blossom and shine –
to step into possibility and all of that. Of course, I am a student as
well and go through all those same things and it is an amazing
experience.
Xinalani: After years in NYC, why did you choose to leave such a large yoga community to head to a much smaller environment?
Elise: New Mexico is a magical place. The landscape is so vast, kind of moving in a way, spiritual. I like being close to nature.
Xinalani: Tell us about your classes.
Elise: Fun, honest, and probably sweaty. The heart of the retreat will be the traditional Mysore practice with complementary workshops in the afternoons. We’ll go over technique, tips, and tricks, theory… all that good stuff.
Xinalani: What is your mantra today?
Xinalani: What is your mantra today?
Elise: Love!
Xinalani: If you could change one thing about your past life, what would it be?
Xinalani: If you could change one thing about your past life, what would it be?
Elise: I
probably would have liked to be a little wiser but I suppose that
“wisdom” implies “experience” so I guess I wouldn’t change a thing.
Xinalani: What is your main goal for the next year ahead?
Xinalani: What is your main goal for the next year ahead?
Elise: Read more books!
Xinalani: What will your group experience during your Yoga Retreat in Mexico?
Xinalani: What will your group experience during your Yoga Retreat in Mexico?
Elise: A thigh-slapping good time and a whole lot of sunshine.
Xinalani: If you could spread your love of life with the world, what advice would you give from your own personal experience?
Elise: Follow your heart.
Xinalani: Is there anything you wish to share with our readers that we have not covered?
Xinalani: Is there anything you wish to share with our readers that we have not covered?
Elise: Xinalani rocks!
Originally posted here:
http://www.yogaretreatsinmexico.com/2012/02/interview-with-elise-espat.html
http://www.yogaretreatsinmexico.com/2012/02/interview-with-elise-espat.html
Jul 13, 2012
Interview with Guy Donahaye by Elise Espat Part 3
Part 3 of my interview with Ashtanga yoga teacher Guy Donahaye, author of "Guruji: A Portrait".
Originally posted here:
http://yogamindmedicine.blogspot.com/2012/07/reflections-on-guruji-portrait.html
http://yogamindmedicine.blogspot.com/2012/07/reflections-on-guruji-portrait.html
Reflections on "Guruji: A Portrait"
- Interview with Elise Espat - Part III
- Interview with Elise Espat - Part III
Did you ask any of the questions to
clarify a question you had? For instance, whether advanced asana meant
advanced practice? Or what was mulabandha? Was there a satisfactory
answer?
I believe there is a general misunderstanding of the purpose of asana
practice - which is therapy. Advancement comes through perfecting yama
and niyama, pranayama and the internal limbs - asana practice is the
foundation of that process. So no, I was not curious - I had the desire
to get the subjects to speak about this so as to dispel this general
misconception.
Mostly the questions were not asked out of personal curiosity but with
the intention of getting the interviewee to speak on a subject of
interest. However, I was certainly interested to hear their different
perspectives and feel that my own understanding has been enhanced
through the process of making the book.
In the Guruji book, it seems that people agreed that advanced asana
did not necessarily mean advanced yoga practice. Do you think that is
true? Through asana, with the tristhana and a good teacher and time
wouldn't that lead to advanced practice? Would a student automatically
start doing self-study and such?
Asana practice is therapeutic,
purifying and strengthening - both for mind and body. How much
purification or therapy is required depends on the individual and what
end result is desired. I don't think anything will happen automatically
through asana practice alone, but if you have a good teacher, he or she
will teach more than asana.
Dena Kingsberg: "Some of us have to drag our bodies a long way in
order to facilitate the cleansing process. Those of us with stubborn,
egotistical natures may need to drag ourselves further and twist
ourselves harder and bend ourselves deeper in order to appreciate that
at the end of the day we just need to focus the attention and open the
heart."
One of Guruji's most capable students (not interviewed in the book) was
given a practice of 12 Suryanamaskar A and 12 B morning and evening -
this he was told was for treating "insanity of the mind". So there is no
apparent correlation between being able to do postures and a particular
level of spiritual or mental development. However, developing a
practice with Guruji into advanced series and practicing the asanas over
time gives enormous benefits.
If the student has not gained some control of the bandhas by the end of
Intermediate Series, she will have no choice but to master them
progressing into the advanced asanas. Perhaps this is why instead of
teaching the pranayamas after intermediate, as he did in the early 70s,
later Guruji wanted students to be established in the advanced asanas
first.
Westerners have such a strong attachment to their bodies and body image
that practicing asanas can easily lead to greater vanity,
competitiveness and other distractions from the goal of yoga. Sri
Shankaracharya warns in his Vivekachudamani:
"Whoever seeks to realize the Self by devoting himself to the
nourishment of the body, proceeds to cross a river by catching hold of a
crocodile, mistaking it for a log…
…desire, like a crocodile, instantly seizes the aspirant who tries
to cross the ocean of samsara and reach the shore of liberation without
firm detachment, and straightaway drags him down."
One has to consider: what is the goal of practice? After overcoming
health problems, our aim is to be able to sit still and quiet with a
concentrated mind. For some this can be attained easily, asanas are not
required, which is very rare today. Some need moderate exercise and
purification, others need deeper cleansing and more rigorous training
for the mind.
Guruji taught that Ashtanga Yoga was a step by step method but that yama and niyama could not be perfected
until the stage of pranayama. However, in spite of the fact that it is
very challenging or maybe even impossible to perfect yama and niyama, an attempt to do so is required,
and our success in yoga will be much more closely related to our
progress in the first two limbs than the third alone. In a certain sense
the yama and niyama encapsulate the whole path - it is said that
liberation can be achieved through perfection of any one.
As far as asanas go, what is important in the immediate moment is a
practice which gives us a sense of well being and freedom from pain. If
we are sick, then we need to purify and strengthen the body. In
preparation for pranayama we also need to purify the nadis further
through Nadi Shodhona and to be able to sit comfortably in padmasana or a
similar asana for a long period of time.
Where did the notion come from - that advancing through the series would
lead to advancement on the path of yoga? It seems like there should be a
logical correlation. However, the purpose of the asanas is therapy. As
long as we continue to fall short of following the yamas and niyamas
perfectly, our system will require continuous correction from practicing
asanas.
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
http://yogamindmedicine.blogspot.com/2012/07/reflections-on-guruji-portrait.html
Reflections on "Guruji: A Portrait"
- Interview with Elise Espat - Part II
- 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.
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.
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.
Jul 8, 2012
Where to find a cotton Mysore rug online by Elise Espat
First off- you should ALWAYS support your Shala and buy a rug locally. If they don't carry something you want, just ask! They will probably be happy to order one for you. It might take a little longer and cost a little more than going online, but you are contributing to the community. This is a big deal!
Secondly- if you carry rugs and would like to be listed, email eliseashtangayoga@gmail.com.
Last- this is simply a list of what is out there. Trial and error, find what you like.
Also, some of these are affiliate links. While opinions are always my own, deciding to purchase through an affiliate link helps support this blog. Thanks!
(Updated as of 2/20/20)
Towels
Gaiam Yoga Mat Towel https://amzn.to/38NmCMl
Prana Maha Yoga Towel https://amzn.to/2SUW5WA
Jade Yoga Towel https://amzn.to/37MQQh4
Hugger Mugger Yoga Towel https://amzn.to/2v6ltRx
Rugs
Hugger Mugger Cotton Rug https://amzn.to/3bUspBE
Bliss Peak Cotton Rug https://amzn.to/2V4ptfY
Nysa Yoga Rug https://www.nysayoga.com/collections/frontpage/products/organic-mysore-yoga-rug
Jade Yoga Cotton Mysore Rug https://amzn.to/37Jrj8O
Yogasana Yoga Mat https://amzn.to/32nVBgl
Bheka Rug http://www.yogalifestyle.com/GECottonYogaMatRugSolid.htm
Pink Namaste https://www.etsy.com/shop/PinkNamaste
photo: elise espat
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Popular Posts
-
"I was disappointed to find that so many novice students have taken Ashtanga yoga and have turned it into a circus for their own fam...
-
This cheat sheet features twelve wonderful students who were willing to be photographed practicing the sun salutations. They range from ...
-
"Prof. Dean Brown points out that most European languages can be traced back to a root language that is also related to Sanskrit - ...
-
The Amazing Surya Namaskara!! Doing “salutes to the sun” renders life heavenly and blissful and is the secret to everlasting youth!...