Saturday, May 31, 2008
Photos
We've added a more permanent link to our Photobucket, which we'll update as we can. It's at the top of the right-hand column. Enjoy!!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
All about the yoga
Disclaimer: If you want more information about all the Ashtanga nonsense contained in this posting, please poke around here.
So, this is basically how it goes.
You show up in Mysore and register at the shala. You are given a time to show up for practice the next day, probably either 5, 615, or 630 (am). We're 630.
The room is packed at 5, maybe 50-60 people, maybe more. Hard to estimate. They all practice for about 90 minutes, give or take, and when we walk in it looks something like this. As they finish, those clustered in the waiting room outside go in one at a time. Sharath says "One more," and the group works out who goes. Sometimes he calls a person by name, for some mysterious reason. He's the only teacher there the whole time.
So, eventually, you go in and set down your mat, maybe 4-5 inches of space on either side. A change in the locker room and you go at it. Sun Salutations, Standing poses,...you know the jist of it. Sharath wanders around and adjusts this or that, or maybe tells a person to stop at this pose for the day. When he tells you to stop, that means one of two things: a) if it's a lead class (keep reading) you sit (or lie) there and wait until everybody gets to the finishing poses and then rejoin; b) if it's a self-practice you go straight into the finishing poses. Generally, once you get the go ahead to do the full series, that's not taken back - you do that each day, if you can.
Sundays are a lead class, Monday through Thursday is self-tort...ah, practice, Friday is another lead class, Saturday rest. The lead classes are not for the feeble hearted. India, 60 people in a room, 90 minutes - you do the math. It's a greenhouse in there. And he really does count slowly. "4" is a very long number in India. No pose modifications, either. I mean, you can make them if you dare, but he'll tell you "Hand down" in Parvritta Parsvokonasana, "Leg up" in Utthita Padangusthasana, and, worst of all, as he said to me, "Knees straight" in Navasana.
*shudder*
Oh, and don't even think about skipping a vinyasa or just lifting up or any of that business we do in the QC. You'll jump back, my friend. By the end of it all, you are jelly. So the week starts with a humbling lead class, then stretches out through four self-practices so that then on Friday, when your tank is empty, he's got you right where he wants you for another lead class.
All that said, we are doing pretty well, we think. On the second day of self-practice we both got the go-ahead to do the whole first series. Of course, that means we had to do it the next day, and the next day, and the next.
Some remarkable yogis here. Most everyone is doing the first series - which is no small feat, and some of them do it very well - but there are a few others who are doing far more. I think the process is that eventually you start adding poses on to the end of the first series, so you'd do the whole thing and then the first pose from the second series. After a while another, and another. All of this is at Sharath's say-so, of course. So there are people here who do the whole first series and then most of the second. Or, practically superhuman, those doing the second and then most of the third. If you haven't looked at that one, the third, you should. It's a doozy. Anyway, I don't know when you stop overlapping - at what point you switch over and drop the first series and start your practice with those poses you've been doing from the second series, but I bet that point is a relief.
Anyway, when you're done with your practice, you "take rest," Savasana, for as long as you like. Then gather your things, give Sharath a quick namaste and you're out of there.
We're still adjusting to the environment and the frequency of practice, but the body adapts quickly. You just get up, go, and do it. Somehow it's a much different experience because it's mostly self-practice. More on that later, I suppose.
Sharath cracks the whip during the lead classes, but he's very nice and funny. Toward the end of the morning he often has his kids there running around, bumping into people and "helping" him adjust. It's a good vibe, overall. We can see why people come back and back - everything is put aside and yoga comes first.
It's a good gig if you can get it.
So, this is basically how it goes.
You show up in Mysore and register at the shala. You are given a time to show up for practice the next day, probably either 5, 615, or 630 (am). We're 630.
The room is packed at 5, maybe 50-60 people, maybe more. Hard to estimate. They all practice for about 90 minutes, give or take, and when we walk in it looks something like this. As they finish, those clustered in the waiting room outside go in one at a time. Sharath says "One more," and the group works out who goes. Sometimes he calls a person by name, for some mysterious reason. He's the only teacher there the whole time.
So, eventually, you go in and set down your mat, maybe 4-5 inches of space on either side. A change in the locker room and you go at it. Sun Salutations, Standing poses,...you know the jist of it. Sharath wanders around and adjusts this or that, or maybe tells a person to stop at this pose for the day. When he tells you to stop, that means one of two things: a) if it's a lead class (keep reading) you sit (or lie) there and wait until everybody gets to the finishing poses and then rejoin; b) if it's a self-practice you go straight into the finishing poses. Generally, once you get the go ahead to do the full series, that's not taken back - you do that each day, if you can.
Sundays are a lead class, Monday through Thursday is self-tort...ah, practice, Friday is another lead class, Saturday rest. The lead classes are not for the feeble hearted. India, 60 people in a room, 90 minutes - you do the math. It's a greenhouse in there. And he really does count slowly. "4" is a very long number in India. No pose modifications, either. I mean, you can make them if you dare, but he'll tell you "Hand down" in Parvritta Parsvokonasana, "Leg up" in Utthita Padangusthasana, and, worst of all, as he said to me, "Knees straight" in Navasana.
*shudder*
Oh, and don't even think about skipping a vinyasa or just lifting up or any of that business we do in the QC. You'll jump back, my friend. By the end of it all, you are jelly. So the week starts with a humbling lead class, then stretches out through four self-practices so that then on Friday, when your tank is empty, he's got you right where he wants you for another lead class.
All that said, we are doing pretty well, we think. On the second day of self-practice we both got the go-ahead to do the whole first series. Of course, that means we had to do it the next day, and the next day, and the next.
Some remarkable yogis here. Most everyone is doing the first series - which is no small feat, and some of them do it very well - but there are a few others who are doing far more. I think the process is that eventually you start adding poses on to the end of the first series, so you'd do the whole thing and then the first pose from the second series. After a while another, and another. All of this is at Sharath's say-so, of course. So there are people here who do the whole first series and then most of the second. Or, practically superhuman, those doing the second and then most of the third. If you haven't looked at that one, the third, you should. It's a doozy. Anyway, I don't know when you stop overlapping - at what point you switch over and drop the first series and start your practice with those poses you've been doing from the second series, but I bet that point is a relief.
Anyway, when you're done with your practice, you "take rest," Savasana, for as long as you like. Then gather your things, give Sharath a quick namaste and you're out of there.
We're still adjusting to the environment and the frequency of practice, but the body adapts quickly. You just get up, go, and do it. Somehow it's a much different experience because it's mostly self-practice. More on that later, I suppose.
Sharath cracks the whip during the lead classes, but he's very nice and funny. Toward the end of the morning he often has his kids there running around, bumping into people and "helping" him adjust. It's a good vibe, overall. We can see why people come back and back - everything is put aside and yoga comes first.
It's a good gig if you can get it.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Quotastic
"You get stopped because you doona knoow wha's nex', no' because yooou're crrraaap."
Jacqueline, Mysore Ashtangi and Scot (Glasgow, originally), on practice at the shala
Jacqueline, Mysore Ashtangi and Scot (Glasgow, originally), on practice at the shala
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Jack Fruit Nightmare
Ok so we've just recovered from our first sick. I've made it out of the place, Evan has not yet. When confronted with the question, Should i have the 1 rupee jackfruit or the two rupee jackfruit? I would recommend the two rupee jack fruit. In general though we like the food. Today Evan made some rice at our place, it was the first we've eaten since Friday night.
We have a place to stay. It's a room in the first floor of a house, currently we share with one other person but I think someone new will move in soon.
We had our first practice on Friday morning. It was awesome. So much energy you feel like you could do anything. When we finished, we were very tired. He wants everything just so. Hand here, head there. You are asked to quit when you don't get something quite right. I didn't put my head down in Bju and Evan rolled the wrong way in garbapidasana. As out roommate says " you get knocked out for not knowing what you're doing, not for being crap." Refreshing ;) When you're asked to stop, you just wait there on your mat for the finishing poses. He really does count crazy slow in headstand. Fridays and Sundays are led classes with Saturday off. Tomorrow will be our first day of Mysore style. I'm not sure how far we'll make it before the fatigue of this illness takes over. This was fine with me. It will take a while before I'm used to the heat.
Hope all is well!
Peace and love
Kelly and Evan
We have a place to stay. It's a room in the first floor of a house, currently we share with one other person but I think someone new will move in soon.
We had our first practice on Friday morning. It was awesome. So much energy you feel like you could do anything. When we finished, we were very tired. He wants everything just so. Hand here, head there. You are asked to quit when you don't get something quite right. I didn't put my head down in Bju and Evan rolled the wrong way in garbapidasana. As out roommate says " you get knocked out for not knowing what you're doing, not for being crap." Refreshing ;) When you're asked to stop, you just wait there on your mat for the finishing poses. He really does count crazy slow in headstand. Fridays and Sundays are led classes with Saturday off. Tomorrow will be our first day of Mysore style. I'm not sure how far we'll make it before the fatigue of this illness takes over. This was fine with me. It will take a while before I'm used to the heat.
Hope all is well!
Peace and love
Kelly and Evan
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Mysore - HO!!
Hello friends. Thanks for all the messages of support.
Two or so days in Bangalore was more than enough. The crush of the city was rough on us farm folks, but we did manage to purchase a train ticket (there is a separate counter for "Seniors, Handicapped, and Foreign Tourists") and try some street food with no problems. Overall, what we saw of B-lore was all very western - McD's, KFC, and a booming shopping district. Yesterday, Wednesday, after a few hours squatting at the train station we headed out for Mysore on a very nice A/C train.
Mysore is a lot more...India. Autorickshaws and yoked cattle share the street, fruit stands and markets are everywhere, it's dusty and overgrown, and the food is hotter than sh*t. We had a great time eating the hottest masala dosa of our lives yesterday, with tap water taunting us from tiny cups. Instead, when we just couldn't stand it anymore we ordered chai, which was so hot we couldn't hold the cups at first. Refreshing.
Anyway, the youth hostel is very simple, as you would expect. Very nice grounds - you can take a look here. Walked outside this morning and there was a cow and a tiny "street dog" peeking through the gate. We have the key to small place for tonight. We'll share it with two others and it's within spitting distance of the shala. Maybe we'll begin official practice on Monday as originally scheduled or maybe sooner, if they have room for us. We spot the occasional yogi (aka "white person") at the market, but it's not overrun w/ Ashtangis as we expected. With the arrival in Mysore and the securing of a place to crash, there's a feeling that we're almost "there," and can begin to settle a bit.
The fruit is spectacular. No durian yet, but something called jackfruit that's good enough to almost make whatever intestinal disruptions may come worth it (though nothing has come so far). Also some kind of juice this morning was excellent - mumbasi, or something like that.
We have yet to find an Internet cafe w/ a computer that has a USB port, but we'll post pictures if/when we can.
Two or so days in Bangalore was more than enough. The crush of the city was rough on us farm folks, but we did manage to purchase a train ticket (there is a separate counter for "Seniors, Handicapped, and Foreign Tourists") and try some street food with no problems. Overall, what we saw of B-lore was all very western - McD's, KFC, and a booming shopping district. Yesterday, Wednesday, after a few hours squatting at the train station we headed out for Mysore on a very nice A/C train.
Mysore is a lot more...India. Autorickshaws and yoked cattle share the street, fruit stands and markets are everywhere, it's dusty and overgrown, and the food is hotter than sh*t. We had a great time eating the hottest masala dosa of our lives yesterday, with tap water taunting us from tiny cups. Instead, when we just couldn't stand it anymore we ordered chai, which was so hot we couldn't hold the cups at first. Refreshing.
Anyway, the youth hostel is very simple, as you would expect. Very nice grounds - you can take a look here. Walked outside this morning and there was a cow and a tiny "street dog" peeking through the gate. We have the key to small place for tonight. We'll share it with two others and it's within spitting distance of the shala. Maybe we'll begin official practice on Monday as originally scheduled or maybe sooner, if they have room for us. We spot the occasional yogi (aka "white person") at the market, but it's not overrun w/ Ashtangis as we expected. With the arrival in Mysore and the securing of a place to crash, there's a feeling that we're almost "there," and can begin to settle a bit.
The fruit is spectacular. No durian yet, but something called jackfruit that's good enough to almost make whatever intestinal disruptions may come worth it (though nothing has come so far). Also some kind of juice this morning was excellent - mumbasi, or something like that.
We have yet to find an Internet cafe w/ a computer that has a USB port, but we'll post pictures if/when we can.
Monday, May 19, 2008
...didn't get to bed last night
With our first doshas and chai in our bellies we are trying to shake off the jet lag, here in a nice recessed spot off of MG Road in Bangalore. The flying was something, absolutely disorienting, with mandatory lights on/lights off times and meals marking the otherwise non-existent circadian rhythms, but it all became real when we walked out of the airport very early Monday morning, the 19th. All is green and blooming, dogs and cows wandering the streets, and a crazier traffic situation than Grand Theft Auto. If you're driving in India, doors, lights, windows, and a drivers license are optional, but you'd better have a functioning horn.
We are overwhelmed - in a good way. The room is quite nice, considering - screens on the windows even! - and a bed with no shortage of...support. Tomorrow some exploring and the answer to the most burning quesion of the evening - how will this meal work out???!!
Stay tuned friends, for this and other exciting news.
We are overwhelmed - in a good way. The room is quite nice, considering - screens on the windows even! - and a bed with no shortage of...support. Tomorrow some exploring and the answer to the most burning quesion of the evening - how will this meal work out???!!
Stay tuned friends, for this and other exciting news.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Lots of pictures!!
Wrapping up classes in the area these last few weeks. We've had guest teachers (thanks Betsy), new students, the regulars (shout out!!), and support from all. Thanks to everyone. It looks like - somehow - life (and yoga) will continue in the area while we're gone. There are some new Ashtanga and Power yoga offerings, so check your local listings. We'll expect handstands and legs-behind-the-head (not necessarily at the same time, but extra points if you can!!) by August. For out part, we're going halfway around the world to find out, once and for all, where to put the in- and out-breaths during Surya Namaskara A and B (Sun Salutations). You're welcome.
We hope to be adding some classes in the fall, maybe offer Ashtanga and vinyasa classes throughout the week. This stuff is just too fun not to spread. Maybe we can fan the flames of the yoga already going in the QC and start a real pandemic. (We can only hope that its the only pandemic we bring back from India). It's catching on already. No vegetarian cafes just yet, but it's growing. Once we get our Lululemon store, we'll know we've arrived. Until then, let's all just thank Vishnu for online shopping and, in case of emergency, that Target has a yoga section.
We had a great time at Mark's Power class on Tuesday night. It was a great turnout, a great energy. It's a bit like Monday Night RAW with Mark, and he's declared himself the undisputed champion for the summer. We're currently engaged in a yoga teacher game of "chicken" with Mark, to see who can hold Warrior poses the longest without getting sued. He's winning, but after Tuesday I'm calling my lawyer. From my wheelchair.
We start at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute on Monday, the 26th (unless they let us in early). Can't wait to meet all the yoga bums.
Some final words of wisdom: when in doubt...vinyasa.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Quotastic
Jars of spring water are not enough anymore. Take us down to the river!
- Rumi, 1207-1273 A.D.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)