David Swenson, etc.

[Guest guest]

Actually, David Swenson and his wife, Shelly, were in Mysore this past year.

David stayed for a month or so, and Shelly was there 3+months; both studied

with Guruji while they were there.

 

At a recent training with David, he talked about the way he learned ashtanga

and the way it is taught now... and how there are differences not only

between then and now, but among people who have studied with Guruji/Sharath

at different times.

 

Some examples: 1 - in Primary Series, no longer is a handstand taught

between each navasana; 2 - at one time, there were only two versions of

badha konasana, and now there are three. There are many more examples.

 

Also, David said that there were times when he was in Mysore when he did his

practice the way in which he was taught, which differs from the way it is

taught now, but he was not "corrected..." Therefore, it seems that there

are acceptable alternatives to the exact way in which the series are taught

today.

 

Another example of a difference between then and now: David Williams was

taught the standing sequence without parivritta parsvakonasana. He said

Ganga White added it in.

 

To me, it seems like we're all playing "telephone," with no "winner."

Again, imho, the idea is not to get every toe and finger, etc., exactly as

Guruji says in any given day, but to be in our breath and with our bandhas

as mindfully as possible.

 

Something kinda funny and sad at the same time: evidently, there are times

when Guruji is teaching (he teaches a led class every Friday now) when he

falls asleep, and Sharath either has to wake him up (whereupon he sometimes

starts recounting...) or Sharath takes over.

 

Just thought I'd pass along the info and my 2+ cents.

 

: )

 

 

 

Message: 9

Mon, 11 Aug 2003 09:37:54 -0700

Bill Gray <billg

RE: some questions...

 

how do you know how serious of a student david swenson is and why does it

matter how long he has been with patabhi jois.

 

jivamukti yoga rocks and david is awesome and creative yoga is not

antithetical to ashtanga at all.

 

i just wonder why some asthanga people need to be so elitist sometimes.

yoga is about expansiveness, not about narrow interpretations.

 

 

funkybadlady [no_reply]

Monday, August 11, 2003 8:11 AM

ashtanga yoga

Re: ashtanga yoga some questions...

 

 

Great, except for the fact that Jivamukti Yoga is not Ashtanga so

the book wouldn't really help directly, and that David Swensen

has not been a serious student of Pattabhi Jois for a very long

time and his book with all of the modifications presents a

teaching method that is antithetical to the principals of Ashtanga.

It is fine if you want to do David Swensen Yoga.

 

Only in extreme cases would I recommend this, but I think John

Scott's DVD is probably the best way to get it without access to

any sort of teacher. Also get the Yoga Works Primary Series

tape so you can actually see how the practice is put together and

what you are working towards.

 

FBL