We practice every morning at 6:15 a.m. Except Sundays which is an 8:00 a.m. class.
Arun (my teacher) says that you should learn to have yoga for breakfast. That if your practice in the morning the yoga will nourish you. Nice thought!
I'm on the last stretch of my most recent trip to India. It's Friday morning here and I fly back on Sunday. So many wonderful classes I can't even begin to describe them all. I fell asleep in class this morning it was so comfortable. We were holding a reclining backbend over a bolster and it was just heaven.
I trust you're all practicing.
Namaste
Jim
Bangalore
9:15 a.m. IST
Friday - 8/24/07
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
The DEEPEST forward folds!
Yes - today we did some of the deepest forward folds I've ever experienced. As I was driving home from class tonight, I realized that it's so hard to share the "experience" of the class - that just describing the poses and the sequences really doesn't give you - the reader - the experience. Therefore, I recommend you just come to my classes when I get back and I can share some of this with you.
Regardless - here are the poses we did in class today:
Uttanasana - Adho Muka Svasana - Padotadasana (then back and forth between those three about three to four times). Then Parsvotanasana. Then Ekapada Pascimotanasana (with one leg in Virasana and one leg forward). Then Krounchasana (three different times and variations - each variation getting deeper). Then Paschimotanasana with a block at the feet holding the block. Then Urdhva Paschimotanasa (on your back). Then Supta Padangusthasana II. Then a few seated twists - and all done!
Lovely class. Great forward folds - very deep. You'll have to experience it.
I'm back on 8/27 - Monday - and I'll be at the 7:15 p.m. class.
Namaste -
Jim
Bangalore, India
8/22 - Wednesday - 9:30 a.m. IST.
Regardless - here are the poses we did in class today:
Uttanasana - Adho Muka Svasana - Padotadasana (then back and forth between those three about three to four times). Then Parsvotanasana. Then Ekapada Pascimotanasana (with one leg in Virasana and one leg forward). Then Krounchasana (three different times and variations - each variation getting deeper). Then Paschimotanasana with a block at the feet holding the block. Then Urdhva Paschimotanasa (on your back). Then Supta Padangusthasana II. Then a few seated twists - and all done!
Lovely class. Great forward folds - very deep. You'll have to experience it.
I'm back on 8/27 - Monday - and I'll be at the 7:15 p.m. class.
Namaste -
Jim
Bangalore, India
8/22 - Wednesday - 9:30 a.m. IST.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Calmness of Mind - Safety - and Leopards
I've been practicing calmness of mind in every pose these last few days. Arun says you have to feel as if you're going to sleep in every pose - that you're that relaxed - yet still active. I know that it's hard to understand that unless you've experienced it. Yet, you can start to feel it in supported poses like Sarvangasana and Setubhandasana. Get comfortable in the pose, relax - extend - stay active - yet soften your breathing, then soften your mind - let your body be firm, yet still your mind. Let your mind be aware yet not active. This is moving towards perfection in asana. Feeling this feeling in Headstand, triangle - every pose - it's great.
A side note - Safety First! A woman broke her fingers (I think two - defintely one) in class yesterday. We were doing down-dog hanging from ropes and straps. She didn't buckle her strap right. She was a beginner. She fell on the marble floor with a crash and when she got up her fingers were snapped. Arun's wife took her to the clinic. Morale of the story: "Pay Attention to what you're doing - if you don't know how to do something - ASK!"
Leopards on the loose! A leopard (250-pound leopard) wandered into town on Friday from the local jungle. It was apparently hunting Bangalore's numerous wild dogs for food. When it was spotted in town during daylight hours the local people and authorities tried to trap it. One woman and a police officer were badly mauled. They finally called in experts from the National Game preserve to tranquilize it. The cat was re-released into the jungle. WOW!
Never a dull moment in India - that's for sure!
Namaste -
Jim -
Bangalore
8/20/07 - 8:30 p.m. IST
A side note - Safety First! A woman broke her fingers (I think two - defintely one) in class yesterday. We were doing down-dog hanging from ropes and straps. She didn't buckle her strap right. She was a beginner. She fell on the marble floor with a crash and when she got up her fingers were snapped. Arun's wife took her to the clinic. Morale of the story: "Pay Attention to what you're doing - if you don't know how to do something - ASK!"
Leopards on the loose! A leopard (250-pound leopard) wandered into town on Friday from the local jungle. It was apparently hunting Bangalore's numerous wild dogs for food. When it was spotted in town during daylight hours the local people and authorities tried to trap it. One woman and a police officer were badly mauled. They finally called in experts from the National Game preserve to tranquilize it. The cat was re-released into the jungle. WOW!
Never a dull moment in India - that's for sure!
Namaste -
Jim -
Bangalore
8/20/07 - 8:30 p.m. IST
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Arun has returned to Bangalore
Pretty exciting stuff!
Arun arrived back in Bangalore yesterday morning and he taught both the 6:15 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. class this morning. I attended both. Full classes of 25-30 students. All his "regulars" were so excited to see him back as he's been gone over a month.
The precision and certainty with which Arun teaches is inspiring and refreshing. He notices everything. He encourages to "lift" "stretch" "move forward" "extend" "rotate" in ways that just make you expand beyond what you've ever done before. Very good vibe in class today.
Nothing fancy - here was the sequence:
Supta Padangusthasana, Upavista Konasana, Trikonasana, Parsvakonasana, Virabhadrasana I, Sirsasana (or Padotadasana), Sarvangasana and Setubandasana. Did each pose at least twice - several variations of "triko" and "parsva" - lots of spiraling of the arms and hands in triangle and parsvakonasana.
I trust you're all practicing.
Namaste
Jim
8/16/07 - Thursday
10:32 a.m.
Bangalore, India
Arun arrived back in Bangalore yesterday morning and he taught both the 6:15 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. class this morning. I attended both. Full classes of 25-30 students. All his "regulars" were so excited to see him back as he's been gone over a month.
The precision and certainty with which Arun teaches is inspiring and refreshing. He notices everything. He encourages to "lift" "stretch" "move forward" "extend" "rotate" in ways that just make you expand beyond what you've ever done before. Very good vibe in class today.
Nothing fancy - here was the sequence:
Supta Padangusthasana, Upavista Konasana, Trikonasana, Parsvakonasana, Virabhadrasana I, Sirsasana (or Padotadasana), Sarvangasana and Setubandasana. Did each pose at least twice - several variations of "triko" and "parsva" - lots of spiraling of the arms and hands in triangle and parsvakonasana.
I trust you're all practicing.
Namaste
Jim
8/16/07 - Thursday
10:32 a.m.
Bangalore, India
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Jai Hind
Salutations to India!
Today is India's 60th birthday. I feel a unique difference between how India celebrates Independence and how we celebrate the 4th of July. While the feeling of "pride and patriotism" are strong for me as an American during July 4th celebrations - the feeling of "hope and joy" is strong in India today. It's like a child's birthday celebration - with balloons and streamers - only the child is 60. There's a playful, freeing, innocence about it all.
Jai Hind translates as "Salutations India!" - and when you greet anyone in India today with that term they beam like the sun shines right out their mouth. Unlike the "average" American during the 4th of July - the India people I met with today have a personal experience of feeling free. They relish it, are proud of it, and they're excited about it. It is the one day in India where rank, caste and class make no difference - they're all Indian and they're free. It's a pretty cool thing to be here and see it firsthand.
Soon I'll write something about yoga. No class today - even yogi's get a day off. Yet, yesterday I attended two classes with lots of twists, twists, twists. Think about this...can you be in "tadasana" in every twist? Can your shoulders be broad and even? Can your chest be lifted? Can your sides be long and tall in every twist? Try that and let me know what you think. You may be suprised to feel "freedom" and a sense of "independence" in the twist.
Namaste - Jim
Banagalore, India
9:15 a.m. IST - 8/15/07
Today is India's 60th birthday. I feel a unique difference between how India celebrates Independence and how we celebrate the 4th of July. While the feeling of "pride and patriotism" are strong for me as an American during July 4th celebrations - the feeling of "hope and joy" is strong in India today. It's like a child's birthday celebration - with balloons and streamers - only the child is 60. There's a playful, freeing, innocence about it all.
Jai Hind translates as "Salutations India!" - and when you greet anyone in India today with that term they beam like the sun shines right out their mouth. Unlike the "average" American during the 4th of July - the India people I met with today have a personal experience of feeling free. They relish it, are proud of it, and they're excited about it. It is the one day in India where rank, caste and class make no difference - they're all Indian and they're free. It's a pretty cool thing to be here and see it firsthand.
Soon I'll write something about yoga. No class today - even yogi's get a day off. Yet, yesterday I attended two classes with lots of twists, twists, twists. Think about this...can you be in "tadasana" in every twist? Can your shoulders be broad and even? Can your chest be lifted? Can your sides be long and tall in every twist? Try that and let me know what you think. You may be suprised to feel "freedom" and a sense of "independence" in the twist.
Namaste - Jim
Banagalore, India
9:15 a.m. IST - 8/15/07
Monday, August 13, 2007
India and the U.S. - kindred spirits
So Indian and the U.S. have something in comon. We both kicked the British out of our respective countries. Only India was able to do it without firing a single shot.
On August 15, 1947 Lord Mountbatten handed over the Indian Subcontinent to the new Prime Minister - J Nehru. Tomorrow marks India's 60 year celebration of Independence.
Now remember, they didn't fire a single shot to achieve their independence - so they don't shoot off fireworks like we do on the 4th of July. Instead they have flag raising ceremonies and hand out sweets (because the victory was so sweet).
In 1947 - 400 million people recognized their freedom. 60 years later the population in India has tripled to 1.2 billion souls. That makes India the LARGEST DEMOCRACY IN THE WORLD!!!
More than 1/4 of the population - over 300 million people - are considered middle class. That's larger than the ENTIRE population of the United States of America.
It's hard to believe until you see it and live with it and interact with it on a daily basis.
India is free and they love it.
Namaste - Jim
On August 15, 1947 Lord Mountbatten handed over the Indian Subcontinent to the new Prime Minister - J Nehru. Tomorrow marks India's 60 year celebration of Independence.
Now remember, they didn't fire a single shot to achieve their independence - so they don't shoot off fireworks like we do on the 4th of July. Instead they have flag raising ceremonies and hand out sweets (because the victory was so sweet).
In 1947 - 400 million people recognized their freedom. 60 years later the population in India has tripled to 1.2 billion souls. That makes India the LARGEST DEMOCRACY IN THE WORLD!!!
More than 1/4 of the population - over 300 million people - are considered middle class. That's larger than the ENTIRE population of the United States of America.
It's hard to believe until you see it and live with it and interact with it on a daily basis.
India is free and they love it.
Namaste - Jim
Saturday, August 11, 2007
India and Yoga
I'm well into my second week here now. I realize why Yoga and India have so much in common. Because once you're just about fed up with both - they find their way back into your heart. Last week I was fed up with India - with it's population problems, pollution and poverty, etc. Yet, yesterday I fell back in love with the colors and the people and the vibrancy of the place. There's really nothing like it. It makes the U.S. look like a black and white movie in comparision (Pleasantville?)
The practice of Yoga is like that too. Just when you think you can't do another down-dog or triangle pose again something changes and it becomes brand new again. You find undiscovered country within your own body and psyche.
I took 3 classes over the last two days with Arun's wife Srimatha. Lots of twists, headstands with variations, forward folds (janusirsasana), handstands and backbends (not all in the same class of course). Too much to write about so you'll just have to wait until I come home on the 27th and I'll teach you some.
I broke through a few fears for myself in handstand today. We were practicing backbends in handstands - working towards "scorpion" pose - where your feet are on your head while standing on your hands. Needless to say I'm no where near expressing the full extent of that pose - yet - I could feel the dynamic nature of the pose and how to move towards it.
I trust you're all practicing. It's what will keep you young, healthy, vibrant, new and sane.
Namaste -
Jim
Bangalore 08/12/07 - 10:50 a.m.
The practice of Yoga is like that too. Just when you think you can't do another down-dog or triangle pose again something changes and it becomes brand new again. You find undiscovered country within your own body and psyche.
I took 3 classes over the last two days with Arun's wife Srimatha. Lots of twists, headstands with variations, forward folds (janusirsasana), handstands and backbends (not all in the same class of course). Too much to write about so you'll just have to wait until I come home on the 27th and I'll teach you some.
I broke through a few fears for myself in handstand today. We were practicing backbends in handstands - working towards "scorpion" pose - where your feet are on your head while standing on your hands. Needless to say I'm no where near expressing the full extent of that pose - yet - I could feel the dynamic nature of the pose and how to move towards it.
I trust you're all practicing. It's what will keep you young, healthy, vibrant, new and sane.
Namaste -
Jim
Bangalore 08/12/07 - 10:50 a.m.
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