there is a saying is asia: ”same same but different.” meaning things are kind of the same, but they are different too. maybe at heart they are the same, but the external form may be different. this is the experience i’m having being back at yoga thailand.
it has been some time since i’ve written, I am mid week of the second week of my ayurveda retreat. the days are intense, i teach for three hours in the morning with Paul in the asana and pranayama, then have three hours of solo teaching on the subject of ayurveda. at first i was intimidated by this, i haven’t given such an extensive course before, only weekend intensives in different countries. after the first couple days i got into a nice rhythm, and have really enjoyed the teaching. the group is fab. people are engaged and interested. there is a wide variety of nationalities, probably at least 20 different nationalities out of 30 people.
it is very nice teaching at yoga thailand again with paul. this was the first place that i taught full time starting back in 2004, and i can feel how much we all have grown. yoga thailand has grown immensely to a bigger and more beautiful spot. paul has also evolved in this teaching style, and i have gained experience and confidence since those early days. I’ve taken many trips to Mysore to study with the late guruji, and now completed the level 2 authorized training. i love teaching yoga even more now because i feel like i have more to share and offer to the students. the years of growing in my own practice and expanding what i do has helped to cultivate this feeling in me, that yes, the yoga is a gift that must be shared. it is not to be kept for myself.
Now i have a studio in new orleans and many ayurveda clients there, and come here as a guest teacher. still, it feels familiar and like a type of home. this is a place where nature flowers and flourishes. we are on the beach, surrounded by coconut trees, nestled amongst lush tropical flowers, with geckos, lizards, birds, crickets and frogs all making their homes here. there is something amazing about what is happening here. i will post photos this weekend, when the cours is done, promise!
i am the same at heart, and so is yoga thailand, paul and all those who make the place special, yet we are all different. that is how it works. things constantly change whether we like it or not.
it has been a little over a week since I arrived at Yoga Thailand. I still want to call it “the new” yoga thailand, because although it has been open for a year and a half, it still seems new and beautiful to me. It took me a few days to get settled, India has a way of taking things out of you….had a little head cold, felt quite fatigued. The ashtanga yoga practice helped to sweat away those toxins.
My first major activity here was training five of the thai massage therapists in the ayurvedic treatments of shirodhara and abhyanga. that was fun and completely different teaching challenge than i’ve faced before. There level of english is basic, making translation a necessity. And still it was funny to see their reactions to ayurvedic concepts. in the end they did understand, and especially picked up the massage techniques quickly. abhyanga is an oil massage done with long, calming massage strokes and ayurvedic medicated oils. shirodhara is a pouring of warm oil on the forehead. It is very calming and relaxing to the whole nervous system.
It was also very interesting for me to see how easy it is to offer these treatments, if one has the right space. There are a few complications like the potential messiness of the oil, but if you can get around this, they are not so complicated. And these therapies especially help to eliminate the residual effects of deep rooted stress, especially when it creates patterns of stress in the nervous system. Who knows, maybe this is something we will see in New Orleans soon.
I left you last in India, at the end of the Level 2 Training with Sharath. It took us 5 hours to get to Bangalore, where I had a strange very Indian experience checking in. First I have to go to Thai Airways ticket counter, which is handled by Air India. They are the most unhelpful airline staff ever. They ignore you then frown when you try to get help. Finally they called someone from Thai Airways, who proceeded to take my passport and ticket and told me he’d meet me at the airport entrance. Sounds dodgy, right? We aren’t allowed to enter the airport unless holding proof of an upcoming flight. He comes out to get my credit card, then returns to the check in counter, while I wait outside. Then finally he brings me in, directs me to a check in counter, where they do everything quickly, I barely have time to think. Then they tell me I need to pay an outgoing airport tax. Of course I don’t have enough rupees, and they won’t take credit cards. So I end up borrowing money from a friend. Finally I’m checked in. Next comes immigration, then security….then finally the departure gates.
All this to give you an idea of how nice it is to arrive in Thailand. First I stop in Bangkok which is noisy and chaotic. Then arriving in Koh Samui is already special. The view of the island and water from the plane is incredible. The airport is open air, like something out of fantasy island. It is quiet, no beeping horns.
I arrive at Yoga Thailand, and I get the feeling that things are steadily improving. Familiar smiling thai faces are everywhere. The place is quiet, beautiful and tranquil. There are sounds of birds, that’s about it. I can see the sea from my window. The gardens are growing in beautifully from the last time that I was here. My limited thai vocabulary has even come back. The weather is humid but breezy. Its great to have the windows and doors open, no AC and no pollution coming in.
Today I start to train their Thai staff in Ayurvedic Treatments. This should be a true test of my communication and teaching abilities.
Due to an imminent strike on July 5th, and threats of road blocks, travel distruptions, etc. I am leaving this evening instead of tomorrow evening. So this ends the Level 2 Authorization Training. It has been a great month spending the time with Sharath learning from him. My last trip to Mysore before this one was in 2007, three years back. I feel like this trip re-grounded and centered me in the Ashtanga tradition and practice. Sharath’s closing words this morning focused on the importance of living the yoga, adopting a yogic lifestyle with the yamas and niyamas. He also emphasized that yoga comes from India, and it is not a possession. Those who start their own brand and style of yogas are stealing it from a tradition that cannot be possessed. In the west especially we really try to do this. There is a tendency to want to be the best, to outdo your neighbor. So people invent their own brands of yoga. But really this goes agains yoga doesn’t it? Yoga cannot be possessed, and trying to start a brand of yoga is a form of possession. Yoga is constantly evolving, this is what gives it longetivity, but to claim responsibility for its change and evolution is more about the ego of the claimer. Sri K. Pattabhi Jois could have invented “Jois” yoga, but he didn’t, he taught from the tradition as he learned it from his own teacher.
I don’t know when my next trip will be, this depends on many things, however, I’m sure there will be one. I’m grateful for Guruji and now Sharath for passing this tradition on, and helping us to spread something so powerful and life-changing.
As I was in my last practice of the training, I had a sudden thought. It so simple: the moral of the story is practice! Although it may not be a cure for all ailments, it can certainly do a lot to heal. Guruji was so adamant on the benefits of a consistent daily practice. We can learn a lot from this simple philosophy 99% practice 1% theory.
Just getting on your mat each day, trying to have an open mind, neither elevating or condemning yourself….these things are the most important.
the past year or two i’ve had this persistent pain in my shoulder. Not enough to call it an injury, but enough to be quite irritating and make me want to get massage, try to massage my shoulder with a tennis ball or do other crazy things to stretch it out. coming here i had really no expectations for what would happen. maybe better maybe worse. i’d also tried limiting my asana (posture) practice in different ways, not doing certain postures in second series that might aggravate it (nakrasana), or doing only primary series.
my first week here it was still there, annoying and niggling as usual. then two weeks ago i realized that something had changed. it is hardly there. i usually want to constantly press my behind my shoulder with a tennis ball or something hard to massage out the knots but that little urge wasn’t happening. i wonder why?
what am i doing or not doing here that i do in my teaching life back home? one thing is adjusting students, another is a lot of driving. but i really don’t thing those are the links. the past week or two i’ve been talking to other friends who have had similar experiences with different sore body parts. my gut feeling in this is a small per is a link to less stress. my life at home isn’t terribly stressful, but there are daily stresses about running a studio and teaching while being in school full time. i think the heart of the reason are a couple characteristics about practicing in this shala, which is the center of the ashtanga universe. even though our ashtanga guruji has passed, his energy is definitely still present, and lives on in sharath, his grandson and saraswati, his daughter. guruji possessed a magnificent combination of sternness, strength, compassion, love and understanding that really i’ve encountered in only one other teacher. he knew to push and make us do more, but for me personally never in a way that was injury provoking. i have felt that through sharath. his way of adjusting is so skilled and so light, that he can get us to do amazing things, especially in backbends. perhaps my shoulder is loving the deep backbending that it gets here, because i don’t have a teacher at home. Whatever it is, i’m very happy to have had the experience of practicing here this year, and over the years. And what a gift to have studied with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois!
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. (Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, II, ii 1-2)” What does it mean to you to be a yogi? Do you call yourself a yogi, or do you just do yoga? And what is “doing yoga?” is it performing crazy looking postures? is it sitting for hours in meditation? is it levitating? is it chanting?
this is a personal question, although in the classical sense, there are eight limbs “ashtanga” to yoga. sharath gave a nice speech about this on friday. ”asana (postures) is only one limb of yoga.” he talked about those who could do fancy postures, but what does that mean? people in the circus can do that better, so can gymnasts. “if we don’t practice the yamas and niyamas we don’t become yogi” he said in conference. the yamas and niyamas are the first two limbs of yoga. the yamas are five in number, and guide us in how to act in society: ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truthfullness), asteya, (non-hoarding/stealing), brahmacharya (conservation/channeling of sexual energy) and aparigrahaha (non-coveting). The Niyamas guide us in personal conduct, how we treat ourselves saucha (cleanliness), santosha (contentment, happy on the inside), tapas (leading a disciplined life), svadyaya (self reflection & study) and isvara pranidhana (dedication, devotion, surrender).
I was very glad to hear this talk. Some of these are clear: not doing harm to others, but also talking negatively is doing harm. And being truthful is sometimes easy, but it is hardest to be truthful with yourself, especially about difficult things, or parts of yourself for which you are not proud. Earn what you deserve, don’t take more and be happy with what you have. How often do I forget how lucky I am? Even to be able to reflect upon these things.
Cleanliness on the outside is easy, but on the inside is harder. Thinking pure thoughts that are positive and good. Keeping the mind pure. To be happy on the inside, not just showing a happy face on the outside, this is contentment and it is being truthful. And leading a disciplined life in society, not just going away into the forest, but being in society and living as a yogi can be a challenge. Self-reflection, looking at oneself and making changes where we can are the harder things to do, harder than those arm balances or backbends.
Many things to think about, its much more than what we do on the mat. How we interact with others, are we kind, patient and loving, even when this is hard. Can we set limits where we need to, this is a way of being truthful too. As Sharath told us “yogi’s lifestyle is important; this is how we become a yogi through the yamas and niyamas”
what is being a yogi to you?
dve, exhale, trini head up, chattvari, jump back, pancha up, shat exhale, breathe five times, sapta jump inhale, ashtau exhale, nava inhale, hand up. this is surya namaskara A, counted in sanskrit with the correct vinyasas. I was the first to lead the class on sunday, though sun salutations A & B, and the first standing posture. Then I led again later on in the class, supta padangustasana. The five of us who led rehearsed together on saturday, then practiced together on sunday morning before the class. I think it bonded us and made the energy of the teaching group more coherent. I think also those participating like it…..Even with all this preparation we were nervous. it is amazing how nervous I got….then once i started counting it was okay. the anticipation was much worse than the act itself.
I have more to say but will have to continue tomorrow. I have to be up early to practice before adjusting in the shala tomorrow.
How weird, to be teaching/adjusting where it has only ever been Guruji, Sharath, and Saraswati!!!
How to describe the past few days? There were some very sad moments, hearing that Joseph Dubham had passed on. We was a friend who had been very devoted to Guruji over the past 18 years, and even used to travel with the family. He was in Cambodia waiting to get his visa and had a sudden heart attack. He used to ride around Mysore on his enfield motorcycle with his dog right in front. Wednesday the shala was closed in his honor.
Friday night I watched the USA vs. Slovenia world cup match with a few friends. Funny that here in India I have a TV and cable, something that I don’t have in New Orleans. We had potato chips (freshly made by Krishna’s Hot Chips) and Dominoes Pizza, and homemade cookies from the sweetest little shop around the corner. The little man also makes chocolate. So I’m not going hungry as you an see….While here, mostly I don’t eat dinner so Friday’s are a treat.
The training progresses. Tomorrow I will be leading the class with five other people. We are expected to know the exact Vinyasa count in sanskrit. We don’t know which part we will lead, so we need to know the counts for the whole series. I feel like I know it but get nervous nonetheless. At least we all seem to be in the same boat.
Watching the world go by here is fascinating and one of my favorite things to do. Early this morning I woke up and went out for chai, a little place up the hill from me has come highly recommended. This chai is from Krishna’s Sweet Shop. It was sweet and delicious. I decided to head to the coconut stand afterwards. The coconut stand is at an intersection, and kind of the center of lots of activity. Perfect place to watch the world go by. And it is owned by a lovely man and his two sons (Guru and Sons) They have those beautiful, unashamed and unguarded smiles that I love to see here. This evening I was there and the goat herder came by with his flock, there were many baby goats, the cutest thing you can imagine. They come to feed on the coconut scraps from the coconuts that we drink. Its nice how that works….the cows also feed on organic scraps from human households.
goats having dinner
Bananas at Mysore Market
Today will be more of a photojourney. Many of these are on facebook, however there I can’t tell the story of what they mean. We’ve completed the first week of training. I’m not sure I feel that much wiser. I’m very much enjoying the time with other yogis from all over, learning from their experiences in teaching, running studios, trying to act on the eight limbs of yoga, when those around them aren’t. And I’m enjoying being in India…..I’ve mentioned this in the past, but more of the learning comes from the ordinary people, who make so much out of so little and have the most beautiful smiles that i’ve seen. I’ve been going to the Indian places for breakfast, where indian people eat. there are also breakfast places which cater to yoga students. the food is amazing, and i usually have fantastic dosas (pancakes made with rice & lentil flour) with coconut chutney and fabulous chai for 50 cents. i’ll have to photograph these tomorrow.
i want to share a couple photos around the shala with you….one is of Saraswati, Guruji’s daughter in the doorway of the shala, another of students having post-practice coconuts, and the entry to the shala. And there is also a cool photo of a cow trying to run over my friend Mary….it also tried to knock me over, or at least it was determined to walk down the street….past us all. That’s enough for tonight….more tomorrow.
A few of us after practice having coconuts
Saraswati (Guruji's daughter) at the door of the shala
Door to Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Shala
Cow crossing
