Jul 13, 2012

Interview with Guy Donahaye by Elise Espat Part 3

Part 3 of my interview with Ashtanga yoga teacher Guy Donahaye, author of "Guruji: A Portrait".
Originally posted here:
http://yogamindmedicine.blogspot.com/2012/07/reflections-on-guruji-portrait.html



Reflections on "Guruji: A Portrait"
- Interview with Elise Espat - Part III

Did you ask any of the questions to clarify a question you had?  For instance, whether advanced asana meant advanced practice?  Or what was mulabandha?  Was there a satisfactory answer?

I believe there is a general misunderstanding of the purpose of asana practice - which is therapy. Advancement comes through perfecting yama and niyama, pranayama and the internal limbs - asana practice is the foundation of that process. So no, I was not curious - I had the desire to get the subjects to speak about this so as to dispel this general misconception. 

Mostly the questions were not asked out of personal curiosity but with the intention of  getting the interviewee to speak on a subject of interest. However, I was certainly interested to hear their different perspectives and feel that my own understanding has been enhanced through the process of making the book.

In the Guruji book, it seems that people agreed that advanced asana did not necessarily mean advanced yoga practice.  Do you think that is true?  Through asana, with the tristhana and a good teacher and time wouldn't that lead to advanced practice?  Would a student automatically start doing self-study and such?

Asana practice is therapeutic, purifying and strengthening - both for mind and body. How much purification or therapy is required depends on the individual and what end result is desired. I don't think anything will happen automatically through asana practice alone, but if you have a good teacher, he or she will teach more than asana.

Dena Kingsberg: "Some of us have to drag our bodies a long way in order to facilitate the cleansing process.  Those of us with stubborn, egotistical natures may need to drag ourselves further and twist ourselves harder and bend ourselves deeper in order to appreciate that at the end of the day we just need to focus the attention and open the heart."  

One of Guruji's most capable students (not interviewed in the book) was given a practice of 12 Suryanamaskar A and 12 B morning and evening - this he was told was for treating "insanity of the mind". So there is no apparent correlation between being able to do postures and a particular level of spiritual or mental development. However, developing a practice with Guruji into advanced series and practicing the asanas over time gives enormous benefits. 

If the student has not gained some control of the bandhas by the end of Intermediate Series, she will have no choice but to master them progressing into the advanced asanas. Perhaps this is why instead of teaching the pranayamas after intermediate, as he did in the early 70s, later Guruji wanted students to be established in the advanced asanas first. 

Westerners have such a strong attachment to their bodies and body image that practicing asanas can easily lead to greater vanity, competitiveness and other distractions from the goal of yoga. Sri Shankaracharya warns in his Vivekachudamani:

"Whoever seeks to realize the Self by devoting himself to the nourishment of the body, proceeds to cross a river by catching hold of a crocodile, mistaking it for a log… 

…desire, like a crocodile, instantly seizes the aspirant who tries to cross the ocean of samsara and reach the shore of liberation without firm detachment, and straightaway drags him down." 

One has to consider: what is the goal of practice? After overcoming health problems, our aim is to be able to sit still and quiet with a concentrated mind. For some this can be attained easily, asanas are not required, which is very rare today. Some need moderate exercise and purification, others need deeper cleansing and more rigorous training for the mind.

Guruji taught that Ashtanga Yoga was a step by step method but that yama and niyama could not be perfected until the stage of pranayama. However, in spite of the fact that it is very challenging or maybe even impossible to perfect yama and niyama, an attempt to do so is required, and our success in yoga will be much more closely related to our progress in the first two limbs than the third alone. In a certain sense the yama and niyama encapsulate the whole path - it is said that liberation can be achieved through perfection of any one.

As far as asanas go, what is important in the immediate moment is a practice which gives us a sense of well being and freedom from pain. If we are sick, then we need to purify and strengthen the body. In preparation for pranayama we also need to purify the nadis further through Nadi Shodhona and to be able to sit comfortably in padmasana or a similar asana for a long period of time. 

Where did the notion come from - that advancing through the series would lead to advancement on the path of yoga? It seems like there should be a logical correlation.  However, the purpose of the asanas is therapy. As long as we continue to fall short of following the yamas and niyamas perfectly, our system will require continuous correction from practicing asanas.



Guy Interview

Interview with Guy Donahaye by Elise Espat Part 2

Part two of my interview with Guy Donahaye on his book "Guruji: A Portrait".  And beyond.
Originally posted here:
http://yogamindmedicine.blogspot.com/2012/07/reflections-on-guruji-portrait.html

Reflections on "Guruji: A Portrait" 
- Interview with Elise Espat - Part II

Everyone you interviewed spent time with Guruji in Mysore.  Why is making the time to practice in India so crucial? Or is it?  

If you want to go deep into a subject, you have to go to the source. Spending time in mother India is an incomparable experience and having the opportunity to study closely with a master such as Pattabhi Jois is a priceless opportunity. I believe that it is almost impossible to understand yoga without spending extended time in India, so for a deeper understanding I think it is necessary.

Practicing with Guruji, especially in the intimate setting of the "old shala" in Lakshmi Puram was a very powerful and transformative experience. Receiving the asanas from Guruji and being adjusted in them by him on a daily basis also has a profound impact. Beyond the effectiveness and beauty of the sequences he created, the nature of his adjustments and the way in which he engaged with each individual were teachings on a daily basis. Much more is conveyed through teaching asana than is at first evident.


He would observe our personalities, mental and physical states and engage with us accordingly - teaching us yama and niyama and other yogic truths indirectly or in a practical way. For instance, in some students he was always trying to curb ambition and break down an over inflated ego, in others he was pushing, encouraging, demanding more effort. For each individual on each day it was different. This often caused a lot of confusion, intense emotions and outbursts of anger - either in private or in the shala - one day you though he loved you, the next he seemed to despise you. This caused a lot of self reflection and self analysis.

Prior to 2002 Guruji's yoga shala was very small. In the beginning there was space for eight yoga mats - two rows of four. As the numbers grew we squeezed an extra mat in each row and then eventually there were two in the middle - making twelve. In '91, when I first arrived, Sharath was just beginning to assist, so there were two teachers and eight students in the room. Prior to this and during the summer months there were only a handful of western students, sometimes only one or two - they would get private lessons from Guruji.

With the new shala there was space for sixty students to practice at the same time so the teacher student ratio changed radically. By this time there were many of Guruji's students teaching around the world and students coming to Mysore already knew the practice, so the teaching in the new shala for most students was more about quality control and less about one-on-one teaching. At times there were as many as 300 students present in later years. However, Guruji's commanding presence continued to have a powerful impact on everyone present even though he did not necessarily engage with you directly. It was a common experience that when Guruji spoke to one student - he would shout "straight(en) your leg!" or "touch your chin" - other students in the room felt spoken to also and even though his prompts were not directed at them, they were able to use them also.

Much is made (with good justification) of the ashtanga sequences, however, it makes a huge difference who you learn from and the environment in which you learn. Some say the practice is the teacher. I feel the practice is more like therapy. The guru is the teacher. Even though the teaching may not be explicit, by investing the teacher with a real or imagined superior knowledge, he causes us to reflect on our own limitations. When you are in close proximity to the Guru, these reflections take on a much greater intensity. We used to call mysore a karma accelerator - we felt that enormous transformation was taking place.

How does Mysore influence the practice?  Or does it?

Going to India can help by making practice the central theme of one's day for a period of time. It is also an opportunity to allow the transformations which want to take place in the mind/body to unfold in an environment which does not elicit one's habitual (conditioned) responses. Somehow India has the effect of opening people to greater acceptance and transformation.

I believe it is easier for those who spend time in India to become less materialistic and to start to guide their lives on the basis of a spiritual purpose. While churches in the West are closing, in India every tree or road side rock is a temple to a deity. While many indians crave the same material rewards as westerners, the celebration of and devotion to the divine is everywhere.

The traditional Hindu culture as primarily propagated via the Brahmin caste is based on the same principles as yoga. Guruji's old shala was in Lakshmi Puram, a neighborhood hardly touched by the twentieth century, where people lived much the same way they had been living for hundreds of years. We lived simply without furniture other than a mattress on the floor, intermittent electricity and water. We went to bed when the sun set and got up long before it rose. All around us the local people were all also involved in their early morning rituals, chanting, cleaning, bathing, etc. The target of life for the Hindu is liberation, yoga's target is the same.

Yoga is only one of 64 arts, each of which can bring a practitioner to samadhi and Self realization. Many students learn a musical instrument or study Sanskrit or philosophy - these pursuits take one deeper into an understanding of the science of Self realization.




Guy Interview
 

Jul 8, 2012

Where to find a cotton Mysore rug online by Elise Espat


First off- you should ALWAYS support your Shala and buy a rug locally.  If they don't carry something you want, just ask!  They will probably be happy to order one for you.  It might take a little longer and cost a little more than going online, but you are contributing to the community.  This is a big deal!

Secondly- if you carry rugs and would like to be listed, email eliseashtangayoga@gmail.com.

Last- this is simply a list of what is out there.  Trial and error, find what you like.

Also, some of these are affiliate links. While opinions are always my own, deciding to purchase through an affiliate link helps support this blog. Thanks!

(Updated as of 2/20/20)

Towels

Manduka Yogitoes Mat Towel https://amzn.to/2VbhEFg

Gaiam Yoga Mat Towel https://amzn.to/38NmCMl

Prana Maha Yoga Towel https://amzn.to/2SUW5WA

Jade Yoga Towel https://amzn.to/37MQQh4

Hugger Mugger Yoga Towel https://amzn.to/2v6ltRx


Rugs

Hugger Mugger Cotton Rug https://amzn.to/3bUspBE

Bliss Peak Cotton Rug https://amzn.to/2V4ptfY

Nysa Yoga Rug https://www.nysayoga.com/collections/frontpage/products/organic-mysore-yoga-rug

Jade Yoga Cotton Mysore Rug https://amzn.to/37Jrj8O

Yogasana Yoga Mat https://amzn.to/32nVBgl

Bheka Rug http://www.yogalifestyle.com/GECottonYogaMatRugSolid.htm

Pink Namaste https://www.etsy.com/shop/PinkNamaste








photo: elise espat

Guy Donahaye in New Mexico

Ashtanga Yoga weekend intensive with certified teacher Guy Donahaye
October 19-21, 2012

Albuquerque Ashtanga Yoga Shala
Albuquerque, New Mexico



Register
This event will fill up. Register now here.

Question?
eliseashtangayoga@gmail.com 




SCHEDULE:


Friday
Fundamentals of Practice
7:00 - 9:00 pm

Bandhas and breathing in asana and Pranayama practice. This introductory session will explore the fundamental building blocks of asana practice, focusing mainly on bandhas, breathing, alignment and vinyasa. Through learning uddiyana, agni sara and eventually nauli, a deeper awareness of the bandhas arises. Through this awareness we will explore the expansion of breath, correct alignment and find balance, "sweetness" and strength in the asanas and pranayamas.

Saturday
Mysore Practice
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Mysore style practice allows you to breathe and move at your own speed. The verbal instruction is minimized to allow you to sink deeper into the internal aspects of the practice. Much of the teaching comes through the application of hands-on adjustments, which is a form of body work that enables the student to understand how to move beyond apparent limitations. The adjustments show the body how to move with selective effort using the appropriate muscles and allows the parts of the body which need to release to do so.

Mind Medicine I & II
1:00 - 3:00 pm
Two talks on Ashtanga Yoga theory, philosophy and practice. Followed by Q&A and Pranayama.

Sunday
Mysore Practice
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Mysore style practice allows you to breathe and move at your own speed. The verbal instruction is minimized to allow you to sink deeper into the internal aspects of the practice. Much of the teaching comes through the application of hands-on adjustments, which is a form of body work that enables the student to understand how to move beyond apparent limitations. The adjustments show the body how to move with selective effort using the appropriate muscles and allows the parts of the body which need to release to do so.

Mind Medicine I & II
1:00 - 3:00 pm
Two talks on Ashtanga Yoga theory, philosophy and practice. Followed by Q&A and Pranayama.



ABOUT

Guy Donahaye met Sri K Pattabhi Jois in 1991 and continued his studies with him, mostly in India, over a period of eighteen years until Jois' death in 2009. He is one of only 40 students worldwide who has been awarded a teaching certification by Jois during his 70 years of teaching, and has been conducting yoga classes in this traditional method since 1993.

Guy's interest in yoga is equally therapeutic, philosophical and spiritual: He came to yoga with the desire to improve his ability to meditate and found in yoga a deeply therapeutic tool, which facilitates spiritual evolution through healing body and mind.

In 2009 he published "Guruji" - a tribute to the teachings and life of Sri K Pattabhi Jois with Eddie Stern - a collection of 30 interviews he had conducted over a twelve year period with Jois' senior students and family.

He has been the director of the Ashtanga Yoga Shala in NYC since 1999 and before that in the UK from 1993-1998. He teaches regular workshops on Yoga Philosophy and Practice in New York and internationally.



Jul 6, 2012

4-week Ashtanga Beginner Course July 9 - August 2



The Albuquerque Ashtanga Yoga Shala is a unique space specializing in traditional Mysore-style Ashtanga yoga in the lineage of Shri K Pattabhi Jois. This method comes directly from Mysore, India and emphasizes personal development, dedication, and a strong student-teacher relationship. Mysore is ideal for beginning students.

Under the watchful eye of a highly trained instructor you will learn in a gentle, safe, and supportive environment. Students are taught gradually, ensuring correct understanding and time for integration of each asana, concept, and technique before the next is given. In this way, students progress on their own truly personal path of yoga.

All classes are taught by Krishna Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute Authorized teacher Elise Espat. Students will work individually with Elise, slowly developing a daily Mysore practice according to their abilities. Each session will build upon the last. To receive the most benefit from the course, it is recommended that students attend classes 4 days per week. If this is not possible, at least once or twice per week will suffice.


TIME: 8:30 - 9:30 am
DATES: Monday, July 9th - Thursday, August 2nd
DAYS: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
LOCATION: Albuquerque Ashtanga Yoga Shala 206 Dartmouth DR NE @Monte Vista in Nob Hill 

TUITION: $108

Pre-registration is required: eliseashtangayoga@gmail.com

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