RE: ashtanga yoga guruji practice

[Guest guest]

Thank you for your insight. I am learning more every day from everyone and

I am grateful.

Margee

>

> alan_little [sMTP:no_reply]

> Thursday, June 27, 2002 9:33 AM

> ashtanga yoga

> ashtanga yoga Re: guruji practice

>

> Lovely posting FBL, thank you.

>

> > Next time you are having trouble getting to practice, remember

> > that a sweet old man in M ysore, India who is your teacher, or

> > your yoga teacher's teacher (let's hope) has prayed for your

> > happiness, contentment and success already this morning

> > before you even woke up, and know that he really meant it and

> > wants you to be successful.

> ... your teacher, or your teacher's teacher (both of the above) or

> your teacher's grandfather. Although Guruji was in the room when I was

> in Mysore, it was Sharath who actually spent time working with me. And

> I have no problem with that - Sharath is a truly brilliant yoga teacher.

>

> However, it is my understanding that (quite apart from whether or not

> he "needed" to do it any more) it *was* his son's death that caused

> Pattabhi Jois to cease his asana practice. It was explained to me as

> some kind of idea that, if you involuntarily lose someone you love,

> you should also voluntarily relinquish something you love. It

> certainly isn't the case that senior yogis don't ever do asana

> practice in their old age - Pattabhi Jois' teacher Krishnamacharya did

> (see numerous photos in his son Desikachar's book Heart of Yoga); and

> I've seen BKS Iyengar on TV demonstrating very advanced asanas at age

> 80+. I don't think this makes either Krishnamacharya or Iyengar

> somehow "better" or Pattabhi Jois somehow "worse" - just an observation.

>

>

>

> ashtanga yoga

>

>

>

> Terms of Service

> <>.

[Guest guest]

If he stopped the asana practice for this reason, it is truly and honorable

one.

 

-Demian

 

-

"alan_little" <no_reply>

>

> However, it is my understanding that (quite apart from whether or not

> he "needed" to do it any more) it *was* his son's death that caused

> Pattabhi Jois to cease his asana practice. It was explained to me as

> some kind of idea that, if you involuntarily lose someone you love,

> you should also voluntarily relinquish something you love.

[Guest guest]

can you tell me how he lost his son?

 

I agree with you, it is about god and service to mankind. It was when I was

at my lowest physically and emotionally (after Sept 11/my son leaving for

Afghanistan) I realized how important my practice was to me and not just for

the physical aspect, but of how the entire process makes me stronger. It

was during the time that I was practicing that my relationship to Christ was

never stronger and my physical health was never better, which enabled me to

give more to my family and community. But, like guruji, if I was not able to

ever do another asana, I would never loose my faith.

 

>

> funkybadlady [sMTP:no_reply]

> Thursday, June 27, 2002 11:48 AM

> ashtanga yoga

> ashtanga yoga Re: guruji practice

>

> Yeah, I have heard this too, but I wanted to say that he did not

> stop because he was "indulging in his emotions" or something

> like that, in other words, saying that one stopped asana practice

> because something terrible happened might be understood to

> mean it was done for selfish reasons - out of anger or grief or

> resentment - I think the idea is that Guruji did not relinquish his

> spiritual practice just because God was working in his life in a

> way with which he did not agree.

>

> I have seen many, many people quit, change or make excuses

> for changing or ending a spiritual practice because things still

> happened in their lives that they did not want to see, or the

> practice brought on changes that they did not want to see... God

> keeps working in your life no matter what you do, yoga brings

> you closer to God's will for you and that sometimes takes

> shapes that you could never have imagined for yourself. Whether

> you like the shapes or not is insignificant because, well, it's not

> about you (surprise!). Ultimately it is about becoming fit in order

> to be of service to God and others. I am no good to you unless

> my own house is in order and I am healthy and able to be of

> service. You do the work and the results are out of your hands.

>

> It was his son's death that precipitated a change but the

> important thing is that he has never relinquished his spiritual

> practice, devotion to God and service to others as his primary

> purpose.

>

> fbl

>

>

> ) it *was* his son's death that caused

> > Pattabhi Jois to cease his asana practice. It was explained to

> me as

> > some kind of idea that, if you involuntarily lose someone you

> love,

> > you should also voluntarily relinquish something you love.

>

>

>

> ashtanga yoga

>

>

>

> Terms of Service

> <>.

[Guest guest]

I understand why you feel this way, but do you think that his son would have

wanted him to give up something he loved doing? I know that my children

would not want me to stop, ever.

Margee

>

> Demian Meyer [sMTP:dmeyer]

> Thursday, June 27, 2002 10:00 AM

> ashtanga yoga

> Re: ashtanga yoga Re: guruji practice

>

> If he stopped the asana practice for this reason, it is truly and

> honorable

> one.

>

> -Demian

>

> -

> "alan_little" <no_reply>

>

> >

> > However, it is my understanding that (quite apart from whether or not

> > he "needed" to do it any more) it *was* his son's death that caused

> > Pattabhi Jois to cease his asana practice. It was explained to me as

> > some kind of idea that, if you involuntarily lose someone you love,

> > you should also voluntarily relinquish something you love.

>

>

>

> ashtanga yoga

>

>

>

> Terms of Service

> <>.

[Guest guest]

Probably not. But I'll bet everytime he thinks about asana practice and love

that he has for it, he thinks of his son. Maybe that's why he's so dedicated

to teaching. It could very well be an expression of the love he has for his

son. But then again I have never met him, so I cannot say.

 

-Demian

 

-

"Gearhart, Margee" <mgearhart

ashtanga yoga

Thursday, June 27, 2002 1:19 PM

RE: ashtanga yoga Re: guruji practice

 

> I understand why you feel this way, but do you think that his son would

have

> wanted him to give up something he loved doing? I know that my children

> would not want me to stop, ever.

> Margee

>

> >

> > Demian Meyer [sMTP:dmeyer]

> > Thursday, June 27, 2002 10:00 AM

> > ashtanga yoga

> > Re: ashtanga yoga Re: guruji practice

> >

> > If he stopped the asana practice for this reason, it is truly and

> > honorable

> > one.

> >

> > -Demian

> >

> > -

> > "alan_little" <no_reply>

> >

> > >

> > > However, it is my understanding that (quite apart from whether or not

> > > he "needed" to do it any more) it *was* his son's death that caused

> > > Pattabhi Jois to cease his asana practice. It was explained to me as

> > > some kind of idea that, if you involuntarily lose someone you love,

> > > you should also voluntarily relinquish something you love.

> >

> >

> >

> > ashtanga yoga

> >

> >

> >

> > Terms of Service

> > <>.

>

>

>

> ashtanga yoga

>

>

>

> Your use of is subject to

>

>

[Guest guest]

My thoughts exactly, hedblown!

hedblown <no_reply> wrote: -Peace and Love??!!!!

HAH!

 

 

-- In ashtangayoga, funkybadlady <no_reply> wrote:

> It is my distinct understanding that Guruji did not "stop

practicing

> asana because of a family tragedy." He practiced asana for

> more than, I believe 40 or 50 years or so. He will be 88 years old

> in a few weeks.

>

> Part of Ashtanga practice eventually involves pranayama

> meditation and recitation of sanskrit texts. Students must

> become physically healthy before learning pranayama because

> of it's extrordinary power. It takes more time that we Western

> students think it should take to "become healthy." Usually it

> takes 5-10 years of daily asana practice. Students in the west

> learn half of the primary series in a few months and they want to

> know when they can learn pranayama and the intermediate

> series. When you are ready, it will be revealed to you. Guruji

> has a daily practice that takes about two hours or so, from what I

> have been told, and then he teaches for four or five hours. It

> involves prananyama and recitation and prayers, (probably for

> the happiness of his family and students and the world, which

> would include all of your sorry impatient, demanding, asses

> wouldn't it?)

>

> He practices, as we try to, a spiritual program, which asks that

> we do not stop practicing when the going gets rough. Rather, it

> is the time when practice becomes deeper and more fruitful. I

> am certain that this is what happened for him.

>

> I would be very surprised if a family tragedy would not effect a

> spiritual practice. However, until we have practiced asana for 40

> years, we will never know what the next step will be until we get

> there.

>

> Next time you are having trouble getting to practice, remember

> that a sweet old man in M ysore, India who is your teacher, or

> your yoga teacher's teacher (let's hope) has prayed for your

> happiness, contentment and success already this morning

> before you even woke up, and know that he really meant it and

> wants you to be successful.

>

> I wouldn't hold your breath for another tour. Usually there is a

> beginning group that only does up to navasana as well as a full

> primary group. Also Guruji loves beginners. He is very attentive

> to those having trouble and pays very little attention to the likes

of

> me who can do all of primary unassisted. We are a dime a

> dozen.

>

> When you go to a Guruji workshop, get in line, say thank you and

> ask him about his daily practice and when he stopped doing

> asana. He will at least answer you with a smile. If all you get

is

> a smile, go ask Sharath.

>

> Peace and Love,

> funkybadlady

 

 

 

ashtanga yoga

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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