I finally got the chance to go back to Ashtanga Led class. It has been 1 year since I went for an ashtanga class and it was refreshing “revise” the poses again. The ashtanga teacher, Celeste is an accomplished ashtanga teacher and she is known for her strict tough discipline. I heard that she wakes up everyday at 4am to practice Ashtanga, such discipline and dedication to yoga is truly admirable.
5 seconds finally… I am ecstatic! Mere 5 seconds but felt like an eternity… rolling a bit on the head and elbows, wobbling and most likely not very straight… but yet I get the feeling of balancing. And now I know what Shirley has been telling me about being in headstand… weight is definitely on the head and elbows and you can subtly adjust the weight from head to elbow and vice versa. It’s really a pose where I need to balance, shifting weight back and forth from head and elbows, keeping my legs engaged enough, tuck in the tail bone, core engaged ( <- its hard... but the more I suck the tummy in, I feel that I am more in control of the balancing... as heebs says "Bandhaaas" ).... so many things to take care... no wonder yoga is not only physical but very much a mental exercise as well! Body and mind must be in "sync"!
I have been thinking… Since there is not much teachers’ classes I like in the studio now, perhaps it is about time I do some self practice. But of course, I cannot do it at home as it is really small and I probably will knock over items… the next best bet?
Mysore…
What is Mysore?
Yes, if you look it up on the internet, it tells you that it is a place in south India. It is! In fact, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois has been teaching Ashtanga yoga in his Mysore school many moons ago ( well, starting in 1930s ) This Mysore style of Ashtanga yoga is the traditional way that Guruji has been teaching Ashtanga yoga.
I went for 2 classes in grand total for the whole of last week. This was the first time I did not go for a class everyday. And to think I only went for 2 classes instead of my usual 6 classes minimum per week.
I used to look forward to going for class… now I dreaded thinking about which class to go. Every time I looked at the class schedule, I can’t seem to pick out classes to go…
Suddenly yoga is left at bay as I go through my life… work.
Another fellow yogi is flying back to her hometown. We had another yogi farewell party.
It was very fun and we got together to do stuff we had never done before outside of yoga. One of the yogi is from Thai and he made a few really yummy Thai dishes that everyone proclaimed that they were even better than Thai restaurants’. A few of us, the domesticated few, decided to lend a few “hands and legs”. Soon we were helping to chop meat ( some fantastic action here with fast and furious chops ), cut mangoes, mixing peanut sauce etc.
Continue reading about Another Farewell Party For A Fellow Yogi
