mysore visit - injuries

[Guest guest]

i had gone to mysore with an old injury that

impeded some aspects of my yogapractice - and informed

guruji accordingly. There were some adjustments that

everyone gets which i wanted him not to do right away.

<br><br>My experience with yoga practice is that it is rare

that one person can comprehend another's physical

challenge and one has to take care of business in looking

out for your own body (this is after some things that

are perfectly fine for others during assistance by

the teacher not only have made me scream out loud in

torturous pain but have put my progress back by months

while practicing c-a-r-efully).<br><br>So in order to

overcome the language barrier and the primary presumption

(of aaaall teachers so far that I've met) that any

hesitance on the part of the student is due to fear (oh

please) i was insistent,.. ok, adamant. I was clear with

myself that if the same thing would happen in Mysore as

with other well respected and loved (by me) teachers,

it would not be due to my lacking of taking

resposibility.<br><br>Guruji, after some negotiation, said ok.. and gave me

time (3 weeks)and then carefully started working with

me. Of course there were a few daily threats of

almost getting that adjustment but in addition he

assured me sweetly daily that he wouldn't hurt me as i

left after practice. What was beautiful about his

assurances was that there was no trace of resentment or

awkwardness that some great teacher might feel when given

this kind of direction. I am deeply greatful for how

he has advanced my practice - he is a healer! and i

came back doing what i couldn't imagine before,..and

the sweetness that came along with it! I came back

from mysore with what i went there for and am deeply

greatful for this tremendous vinyasa system - no other

yoga would have held my attention or allowed my rather

stiff body to open up the way it has.<br><br>During

this visit when receiving an adjustment in Uthita

Hasta Padangusthasana A that was too up close and

personal from behind, while being primarily pushed

off-balance continuously i did say i would do it myself

(without assistance) and guruji acquiesced. (Now El

Senyore , you may cringe, but definitely not the way you

might have if you got that adjustment). My response was

not premeditated, it was not filled with resentment,

it was just the very truth right then - every cell

in my body was telling me so and my lips verbalised

it (people are probably still gossiping). I at that

moment and now feel fine and still feel as greatful and

loving to him as ever and would definitely not pass up

an opportunity to study with him - but every second

has its own truth. The enduring truth is that i will

take responsibilty for the moment and that i love this

practice and the teachers who brought it to me more than

sugar(the natural fruit kind). This practice is a gift of

liberation.<br>Amen<br><br>During that same visit in mysore someone got adjusted

in

Paschimo-(and some say "a")-ttanasana (but let's not get

distracted by yet another controversy) and the popping of

their hamstring resounded clear across the room. Oops.

(personally, I was clear that my hamstrings had to be mastered

in this pose before i went to Mysore but everyone

has to figure all this out for themselves - if you

have trouble saying something while an adjustment is

killing you and you'd rather just resist it..not the

right approach. It is best to surrender, BREATH, and

pray while you let go). I had an opportunity to learn

this advice firsthand when guruji came over during

Supta Padangusthasana C - let it be known that up to

then my leg in the air only made it just a few inches

past 90, with difficulty. That day it touched the

floor by my ear - my eyes were big as saucers and i

knew that "today is the day i have to let go and

breath more than ever before in my life". I was ok.

Ok..i was elated.<br><br>This ashtanga yoga practice is

revealing itself to me on a daily basis - I'm still

figuring it out - but always greatfully so.

[Guest guest]

Sanskrit language - controversy-free! A basic

rule of sanskrit language, is called vowel sandhi.

This means that when two vowels collide (when

combining two words) these two distinct vowel sounds form

into a third one. So for example if you wished to say

the Lord (Ishvara) was great (maha) - mahA plus

Ishvara becomes mahEshvara. So to if you wished to

explain that the west side (paschima) of the torso should

be extended (uttana) paschimA plus Uttana becomes

paschimOttanasana. <br>So, mispronounce the word from wrong

advice,lack of study, misinformation, regional impediment,

because one thinks it sounds better, from an

unwillingness to change a habit once it has been learned, or an

overt desire to challenge a systematic tradition BUT

these will not change the rules of vowel sandhi or the

pronunciation of a word.<br>So too, my friends, students of

other akin traditions which convey a higher knowledge

and meaning by way of structure, rules, codes and

details may make changes for an array of reasons

(intentionally, unintentionally, mistakenly, or purposefully)but

these do not change the facts of that sacred

tradition.<br>yours always, m.p.