Thanks to Daily Cup of Yoga, I ran across a recent audio interview with Krisha Das on CBC Radio. I've commented before that he's kinda been the soundtrack of my yoga practice. The lengthy discussion centers on his spiritual practice that parallels his experience with kirtan music. It really gave new insight into his music. I'll Krishna Das speak for himself.
Labels: music, philosophy, yoga_resource
I bought two videos produced and distributed by Pranamaya: Anatomy of Yoga with Paul Grilley and Insight Yoga with Sarah Powers. I took advantage of a 10% discount when you buy more than one video at a time. These DVDs are more expensive than most demo and instructional videos because they have a huge amount of material in. Both DVD have nearly four hours each of lectures and practice material, plus other instructional aids.
Why these two DVDs? I wanted to explore yang style of yoga with a strong fusion of Buddhadharma. The idea of slowing down the pace of my practice appeals to me. I want to understand the physical limits that the body imposes on yoga practice. I also needed to learn visually, as opposed to my normal use of reading.
Pranamaya has very high production values and seems to pick instructors and themes that dig deep into yoga practice. They don't produce DVDs for beginners. Gary Kraftsow, who heads the American Yoga Institute, has just released two DVDs on viniyoga therapy for back problems. Andrey Lappa has multiple releases that record his unique vision of yoga practice. Dharma Mittra, the NYC-based teacher who gained renown for a 908-pose chart, has two DVDs.
Labels: hardware, meditation, practice, videos
I've had a couple of class sessions this week in which I've been testing some of my understanding about my edge. I've prided myself recently in considering myself a Level-II practitioner, but to be perfectly honest there are parts of my practice that are Level I and others that are even less, as I've mentioned here before. I can "double-dip" (do a full push-up during my Sun Salutation vinyasa) and keep one-leg up in my Chaturanga Dandasana and think I'm going great. But at the same time, my balance poses have barely progressed since I started yoga. Some of these obstacles in my practice are deeply rooted in my musculature. My arm "strength" may actually hide a deeper problem in my shoulders' flexibility.
Because of this uneven quality, I've have a hard time focusing on my edge because it shifts constantly as I move through different poses. By nature, an edge is dynamic and fluid any ways so I am doubly challenged. I can be breezing along and then hit a rough patch, like riding a bike and suddenly hitting deep mud on the path). In some cases, I am actually fighting against my own muscles. I want to power my way through through the resistance. No wonder I expend a lot of energy and end up being really tired. "Ease and grace" would not describe my practice when I am trapped in this kind of negative flow.
As I've stated before, I sense that I have to slow myself down to avoid overrunning my edge, focus inwardly to center my awareness on what is happening now, and be really faithful to the pacing of my breath. It means practicing truthfulness fearlessly, rather than operating under false assumptions about what my yoga and my life should be like.
I did a Flow II class with Angela Cerkevich at Flow Yoga. I tried to slow down intentionally and focus inwardly on what was happening inside me. It was disconcerting because I found myself frequently out of sync with the class. I lost track of my breathing and even time itself because the class seemed to flash by quickly.
Wednesday evening, I took in a vinyasa flow all-levels class with Lisa Johnson at Thrive Yoga. She was video recording the class as part of her requirements for Anusara certification so she was zeroing in on good, solid form in alignment and getting the basics right. It made for a really slowly-paced class, which was what I wanted anyways. I think I did a good job of matching my breath with the class and did not get ahead of my breath. One thing that Lisa mentioned really struck a nerve with me: fear cause psoas muscles to tighten (shorten) up; a good way to counterbalance is to hollow the lower abdomen to allow more room for the psoas to lengthen above the hips.
Yesterday I participated in a workshop at Thrive Yoga about how to understand and apply the concept of "edge" in yoga. Today, at my normal yoga session at the studio, I felt that I came closer to feeling the edge and practicing close to it. Susan Bowen led this class as she did the workshop.
When we moved into the dancer pose (This example shows the most advanced stage of Natarajasana or see the Yoga Basics' version closer to what I did), I surprised myself by how easily I got into the pose. This is a pose that combines several obstacles for me: balance because I am standing on one leg and hip flexibility because I need to move from an upright position to the full expression of the pose. Normally, I would need a wall to support me or at least within reach. One reason that I managed it this time was because I did not over-think the process; I just drew back (kind of removed my ego from the picture) and focused on the experience itself. When I was in the pose, I felt an emotional surge as if I were tapping an internal source deep within my hips. I don't know if I did the pose correctly; what mattered was the look within.
I came close to the edge several other times during the session. Tonight I am really tired, physically drained so I must have dug really deep.
I took a two-hour workshop at Thrive Yoga today with Susan Bowen: "Are You Edgy?" Good question in more than one way. The premise was that any practitioner needs to find how deeply she can move physically, mentally spiritually into the flow. The "Edge" has become an almost mystical state of hatha yoga in which awareness, breath and body seems to meld into nirvana.
As I mentioned a few days ago, I tend to be utilitarian about my practice. I want to become stronger and more flexible physically, and move with grace and ease through my vinyasa. I wield my practice as a "cure" for my depression. I point towards self-realization of my full potential as a creative force. So my practice is always "out there," probing the boundaries.
So I need to find the balance between the soaring for achievement and the grounding of self-acceptance and peace. Where is the line on my mat between those two dimensions.
We were about a dozen students. These were not necessarily the most accomplished yogis at the studio. Most were mature adults who were coming to terms with the physical demands of yoga, the limits of their bodies and the aspiration to maximize the benefits of the practice. Susan led an initial discussion to find out how we perceive the "edge" and how we thought we could get there. Then we did 20 minutes of intense pranayama, which was very useful in taking me out of the normal frame of reference for practice. We then did a vinyasa practice that emphasized holding the asanas for a long, long time — downward facing dog held until my biceps, tricepts and hamstrings quiver. Sun salutations as a slow progression of endurance. We then did some long restorative poses. Finally, we ended with meditation.
Did I find my edge? I noticed that I have a tendency to overrun my edge. My breathing rhythm becomes accelerated and I just try to push through the need for more air in my lungs. I don't pull back or drop into child's pose to regain my breath. I frequently ascribed this breathing pace to my condition as a guy in his late 50s who is carrying 10-20 pounds more than his ideal and has not been doing enough cardio and aerobic exercising. But now I think it's more complicated than the mere physically. I am not paying attention to my edge.
I also noticed that my practice is uneven — my chatarunga is strong, but ask me to balance on one leg and I fall over. Because there is so much divergence in my practice, it is easy to lose track. Not only to I tend to get into a hyper mode, but when I go through a less than optimal segment of my practice, I start to think I have to catch up.
For those who like to peek in on other people's practice, check out the photographs at Yoga is Youthfulness, a San Francisco-area Ashtanga studio.
Labels: photos, yoga_resource
I wanted to mention a new yoga studio that has opened up in Cleveland Park, called appropriately enough Cleveland Park Yoga. It's only a 10-minute walk from the Red Line metro stop. I will have to put it down on my (growing) list of studios where I should take a class.
You also might want to check on the blog of one of the teacher, Purvi. She had the good taste of including Prana Journal in her list of favorites. She's just starting out blogging so this plug is a push to help her build up momentum.
Labels: dc_yoga
I've been dialing back my practice lately. A spiritual adviser told me recently that I have a tendency to be utilitarian with my yoga and meditation: I am seeking to improve my physical stamina, flexibility, mental state and the quality of my bowel movements (— just kidding on that last one). Although I don't consider myself competitive, I know that I attack my practice with the goal of changing myself. I try to cram in pranayama, meditation, reading, blogging and journaling, and then feel guilty when I can't keep up the pace. I've explicitly stated the goal of my practice in the blog more than once.
It's like those riddles in the TV series Kung Fu; Little Grasshopper has to understand the apparent contradictions in the master's teaching. Can I try to hard to be mindful? What if I inhale and exhale too forcefully during pranayama? Is grunting permitted in vinyasa?
So I have given myself a new goal — be more mellow and let my practice take care of the rest.
Labels: practice
