108 salutations to Patanjali

Today in India is Patanjali Jayanthri - the celebration of Patanjali (21-Oct-2014).   We touched down at Bengaluru International Airport at 2:30 a.m. this morning.  I was with my wife Kate and some other yoga friends from Pleasanton/Brentwood area. We jumped into two cabs from the airport and by 4:00 a.m. we were in our hotel. A "Best Western" believe it or not - and it is brand-spanking new! Almost unheard of here in Bangalore.  New towels, new bed, new sheets and HOT WATER - oh yeah!

At 5:45 a.m. we walked the few short blocks to Arunji's studio and attended a packed 6:15 a.m. class. We were greeted by many friends from near (India) and afar (students from Canada, Germany, South America and New Mexico, USA).

Arun started class with the classic chant to Patanjali (Yogena Cittasya Padena Vacam...) but he ended it with 108 "call and response" chants to Patanjali.

Pranamami Patanjalim, Pranamami Patanjalim
x 108

After class Kate and I walked up to the vegetable and flower market as it was opening. This is a very celebratory week in India as it is the Diwali Festival - a festival of lights and blessings.

The light rain cleared the air and the fragrance from the flowers cleared our mind.

We're back in India!

More to come.

Bound for Bengaluru

Arun resting in a pose

Heading back to Bangalore this afternoon.  All packed and ready to go.   Kate and I will be there for 3-weeks.  We will also be spending 5 days or so in the very south tip in the state of Kerala and the city of Cochin.  

It's my teacher Arun's 60th birthday on Sunday 10/26.  Diwali celebrations are all this week - and - we land on the 21st of October which is Patanjali Jayanthri - the celebration of Patanjali the scribe of the yoga sutras.

I'll post more when we arrive

AUM (in Sanskrit)

Bon Voyage!

Focus on the CORE

Everyone talks about "The CORE" but what is it really?

People want to work the core, strengthen the core, get down to the core, shake the core, move from the core - but finding the core is the challenge.

The core is far more than a physical location - it is a mindset.  Most people think the CORE is their gut - and in some respects it is just that.  It resides deep inside you - just like your gut.

I'd rather look at the word "CORE" as an acronym for how we experience the world.  Let me explain:

C.O.R.E. = 

C = your CONSCIOUS awareness of what's going on within your mind.

O = the underlining OPERATING systems through which you move through the world - the OPERATING system includes all your conscious (but mostly unconscious) beliefs, perceptions and viewpoints about how the world works.  Just like a computer - it's what runs your "applications" - it's how you apply yourself in your life, in your job, in your relationships, etc.  How you apply yourself is based on your underlying operating system.

R = your (perceived) REALITY as a result of seeing the world through your particular lens that has been shaped by your operating system (i.e., the voices in your head- the mind - the internal dialogue).

E = your EXPERIENCE of the world as a result of being shaped by your perceived reality.

So what happens in life?   We have experiences.   We get jobs, lose jobs, change jobs.  We get into relationships, lose relationships, change relationships.  We get money, lose money, earn money.  We get healthy, go out of health, get healthy again.   The experiences are what they are - shaped by our perception of reality as determined by the underlying operating system which runs our life and view of the world.

When the experiences aren't to our liking we try to change only the surface experience.  For example - when we don't like the job we have - we try to get another job.  When we don't like the person we're with - we go try to find someone else.  But what usually happens?  We find the same job with the same problems and the same relationships only they have different names.  Nothing  really changes and it feels like we're living an episode of the Twilight Zone where the same thing happens over and over again.

In Yoga we call this the cycles of Samaskara.  These are patterns that will repeat ad infinitum until we get to the CORE and understand the underlying principles that are manifesting them.

It's only when we realize that our perception of REALITY - the way we think the world is - is the problem - that our problems can change.  It's not the external experiences that need to change - it's the internal OPERATING SYSTEM that's creating the lens through which we see the world that has to change.

Thus, we have to delve deeply in the CORE and become CONSCIOUS of the OPERATING system that's creating our perceived REALITY which brings forth our EXPERIENCES of life if we want to make any profound change into our lives.

This is what yoga offers - an opportunity to train the mind to reflect - to observe and to watch.   It takes time, practice and patience - but it can be done.

OM Mani Padme Hum

Yoga - it's not a workout!

At the Mysore Palace in the early 20th Century, Yoga Master Tirumalai Krishnamacharya was teaching yoga to young men.   The yoga he was teaching to these teen and pre-teen boys looks much like calisthenics of today (see picture). 

Since young pre-pubescent boys are so active and physical (and limber), they took to Krishnamacharya's teaching right away.  Many students seemed to master the poses early on.   Some students continued to practice these "active" asanas for many years to come. Two of these young boys where BKS Iyengar (Krishnamacharya's brother-in-law) and the late Pattabhi Jois (pictured).

Pattabhi Jois passed away in 2009 at the age of 93.   Mr. Iyengar (born in 1918) is now 94 years old and still practices several hours of asana a day.   Krishnamacharya (born in 1888) lived to 101 years of age.   The longevity of these yogis is interesting since the life expectancy of India prior to 1950 was less than 36 years old!

The yoga these men practiced in later years changed dramatically from what they practiced as young school boys.

Mr. Iyengar is quoted as saying..."When I was young, I played. Now I stay."   Mr. Iyengar's practiced changed from active movements to long "holding" of poses. 

In fact, in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (approx. 200 BCE) the main sutra on "asana" (2:48) says that the pose should be steady, firm, fixed and happy (Sutra 2:48 - Sthira Sukham Asanam).

The next two sutras of Patanjali's Sutras state that  "...perfection in asana is not an outward appearance - but rather that perfection occurs when the effort to do the pose becomes effortless and the infinite being within (the atman) is recognized.   Then, once that is accomplished, the practitioner no longer will suffer from duality."

Thus, asana is "work in" not a "work out" - a meditation on the infinite being within.  

This is why I hold the pose in my practice.   .

The use of props enables me to hold the pose longer - and to give "life" to the prop (the chair, the block, the belt, bolster, blanket). 

I'm not interested in "getting a sweat", in "working out"... in getting "tight abs" - but all those things happen (except the sweat).  I am stronger, firmer, more flexible than I've been in 40 years.  But that's not why I do the practice.  I do it for my mind - and to explore the deepest depths of my being, my soul.  I practice yoga to discover the atman within.   My yoga is a "work in".... - a work in progress!

Namaste.

 

 

 

The 7-Truth's of Being a (Consistent) Yoga Teacher

I've been reading quite a few blogs lately about "being a great yoga teacher"   After reading these I realize that I'm probably not that great of a yoga teacher - at least according to other blogs I read.  

Yet I think I know a few things about being a consistent yoga teacher.  

I think being consistent is everything.  Especially when it comes to yoga.  The entire practice of yoga is predicated on constant and sustained practice over a long-period of time.  (Yoga Sutra 1:12).   That Sutra is my definition of consistency. 

So here's my 7-Truths of Being a Consistent Yoga Teacher

#1 - Do your own personal yoga practice every day - even if it's only 10 minutes of asana a day

#2 - Teach a Yoga class every day - even if it's a free community class

#3 - Always start and end every class on time

#4 - Always teach what you practice

#5 - Do you best to work with everyone in the class equally - showing no favoritism or avoidance

#6 - Do your best to use individual names and treat everyone with dignity and respect

#7 - Always thank everyone for coming to your class.  Not because you need the attendance numbers - but because they are a gift to you - to make you a better teacher.

Do that every day - for a year and write me back and let me know how it worked for you.  It's been working well for me.

 

Great Souls live among us

I returned home early this morning from a two-day Yoga Alliance Leadership Conference in Palm Springs.  What stands out the most for me as I reflect upon the weekend were all the amazing and wonderful people who I met. People that are so dedicated to the practice and business of yoga in the United States. These are people who are yogi's in all areas of their life.  They are flowing with integrity and with the joy of living.  They are alive and vibrant.  The prana moves forcefully through them all and it shines through their eyes and smiles.  They are yogi's in how they run their businesses, how they develop relationships in their lives, and how they interact with the world at large.  Oh, and they're pretty good at practicing poses on the mat too!

There are 6 people in particular that I want to share with you.  Two of these people I knew before I went - but now I know better.  One person I knew of - a facebook friend, but we never met until this weekend.  And three people who were unknown to me before the weekend, but now are destined to be intertwined in my dharmic journey

Two I knew - but now know better:

Baxter Bell, MD - Many people know Baxter as he is a nationally recognized yoga authority, teacher, author, blogger and wonderful musician.  I truly saw Baxter's joy for living and child-like energy when the after-lunch cookies came out and he grabbed three.  Baxter continues to travel throughout the country and to local studios offering solid yoga to a hungry community.

Diane Valentine -  Diane is a loving, caring yogi.  A cancer-survior, studio owner and daily practitioner she quietly goes about her practice.  She knows that constant practice will bring the results.  Diane has a wonderful story which I hope all can read about some day.  Diane??  That's you're hint to get the outline on the book done this week (hint, hint).

One I sort of knew - but finally met:

Cora Wen-  Cora is an international yoga teacher who offers 500-hour yoga trainings among other yogic services.  Cora, orginally born and raised in Hong Kong, became a very high-powered commercial banker prior to turning to yoga to heal.  Cora is driven and passionate and is committed in the deepest recesses of her heart to insure that the purest yogic traditions and practices are preserved for future generations.  Soon she'll be off to Asia including the countries of Malasia and Bhutan.

Three I never knew but know now:

Bhava Ram is a former war correspondent who after a broken-back, failed surgery and stage-4 cancer dove deep into the abyss where many never return.  Yet, Bhava Ram found yoga and has truly been reborn.  I am honored to call him my brother and my new found friend.

Joan Dwyer - Joan understands.  Those two words say so much to me.  Joan lives in Rhode Island and started her yoga business and healing center "All that Matters" in 1995 and in 17 years has become the spiritual, economic and community hub of her Downtown in Wakefield, RI.   She understands the practical application of spiritual principles in a way I've never seen.  She realizes that each person's vision is the seed to their creation and joy.  She is a mother of five grown children and she's seen it all in operating a healing business.

Scott Klienfield - Scott exemplifies the yogic tradition of discernment combined with ananda (bliss).  He is a sharp, insightful business man who deeply examines truth.  That could be the truth in what your students are telling you, the truth about what your numbers and trends tell you about your business - or the truth about whether your practice is honest or not.   Scott completed his "Life of a Yogi" training with Sri Dharma Mittra.  Scott is a very smart young man with a very solid yoga practice. I'm looking forward to get to know Scott more in the future.

Each of these 6 people moved me deeply and have already had a profound impact on my life.  They make me realize that great souls live among us - and are us.  We share a common joy and we all face our demons and challenges - but as yogi's - we face them with grace, dignity and with the practice and incredible power of yoga.

Yoga Alliance Leadership Conference 2012

I am attending the 2012 Yoga Alliance Leadership Conference this weekend (Oct 25-28, 2012) at Indian Wells, CA.   The theme of the conference is "Transformation through Yoga".  This event is for yoga teachers only.   I'm especially looking forward to attending the business "break-out" sessions.  Some of the topics include:

• Tapping into your vision and purpose for your studio
• Are you running your business or is it running you (I think I know the answer to this!)
• What it means to run a yoga business
• Holistic Marketing: Transform your Income and Beliefs about your Yoga Business

Additionally - there is a "movie night" on Friday night with The premiere screening of

“The First Tribute to Professor Sri T. Krishnamacharya in America”

And - a Kirtan on Saturday night called "Rhythm of the Heart" with the Mayapuris

So needless to say, I'm super excited.  

See you all back in class on Monday morning!