Conference - Theme "Be Yourself!"

Another week has come and gone. This time I did NOT spend my Sunday at the hospital! Yay! Come to think of it, I actually can't remember what I did... But hey! Whatever it was it didn't involve blood tests or scans! My practice week dealing with my knee was actually really good. Injuries are great teachers if you are willing to listen. This one seemed to be telling me to slow down...so I did and my knee has been great!
Sharath has been in great form. Still teaching led class while reading the newspaper - I swear to God! I wish we were able to take pics in the shala! During the Sun Salutaltion's he is sitting on the stage reading the newspaper while calling out the poses. He's actually always reading it. Taking little breaks during Mysore practice to have some chai or a bite to eat and read the paper. Can you blame him tho? The man gets out of bed at 1am to practice. Then teaches us from 430am until almost noon these days. He needs these little breaks to keep himself sane - lol!
Sunday's conference was early, at 10am vs the usual 4pm. I actually prefer it like this as it frees up the rest of the day. I've noticed that the conference topics seem to be themed. I'm not sure if he comes up with the theme before he arrives or if it just happens as he speaks. WHatever the case, the themes have been fantastic! Last week seemed to be about energy and how to produce and keep energy positive. This week it was about being yourself! He spoke a lot about Guruji and Krishnamacharya aka KM and their contributions to modern yoga. Again, here are some notes that I took while he spoke...

Sharath: "If you study yoga but don't do yoga, books are worth nothing. 99% practice 1% theory.
- experience yoga within you
- develop yourself with your yoga practice
- when we recognize yoga within us the changes will start to happen
- Guruji and KM were great guru's bc they practiced and studied - they did it all
- asana is the foundation of spiritual practice
- yoga is not 'doing' it's 'happening'
- eventually yoga becomes part of your daily routine, it becomes necessary
- back in the day there were so many rules...ie yoga was only for Sadhus, women were not allowed to practice, etc. Guruji and KM worked hard to change that. They worked hard and studied hard to develop yoga so that we could all practice it today.
*Guruji's first student was his wife, Amma*
- the relationship between Guruji and KM was very strong, like father and son.

Story.... "One day KM was giving a lecture while some of his students were demonstrating asana. He told Guruji to take kapotasana

which he did without hesitation. While he was in the pose KM used him as a podium, as in he stood on top of Guruji's ribcage to continue his lecture. There was a sharp blade of grass poking into G's shoulder. When KM stood on him the blade punctured his skin and went inside. It was very painful but G said nothing so as not to interrupt his teacher. When KM was finished the lecture he stepped down and G exited the pose. Blood went everywhere! Instead of getting upset, G smeared the wound w some mud to stop the bleeding. Til the day he died he had a scar on his shoulder."

- Yoga becomes spiritual thru devotion
- all "yoga' is practiced in Ashtanga yoga "In the west people always say, Oh, I do Hatha yoga. I do Bakhti (devotion) yoga." Hatha yoga is just the physical aspect of yoga. Hatha yoga is Surya (Sun) Nadi and Chandra (Moon) Nadi
- when it is only physical - competing or comparing - no spiritual practice is there

- BE YOURSELF. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Don't imitate anyone. Find your own way. When you discover your path then you will become what it is that you strive for.

"If you mimic Buddha, you will not become Buddha but a carbon copy of Buddha. Find the path, discover 'the way', then you will become a Buddha."
- NEVER COMPARE YOURSELF. Find balance and develop your practice.
- if your teacher is too easy on you, you will never develop a respect for the practice

Story... "There was a devoted student, who everyday did 'seva'. He was very eager to become enlightened. But after some time he began to develop doubt. He was doing everything his Guru was doing but he still wasn't enlightened. One day he asked his Guru why he wasn't yet enlightened. The Guru told him he would give him the answer after his bath. He brought him to a pond where he got in, sat down and invited the student to join him. When the student sat down the Guru grabbed him by the head and held him under water. When he released the student from near drowning he asked him if he understood the lesson. That struggle for breath, that desperation, is how we must struggle daily! The practice is challenging but the rewards are great! Many hurdles are there, it will be difficult. You just keep going...."

- energy comes to you from your teacher
- people come here (Mysore) with so much ego! Only when you are humble can you learn. Acknowledge that you know nothing and you will learn so much!

At the end of his talk he gave time for us to ask questions. Here are a few that were asked...

Q: Is it ok to use a wall to learn inversions? You always tell us not to use props. Is a wall a prop?
A: Learning using a wall, nothing wrong in that. Better than using props. Whole life you will use a block and never reach the floor! Using a wall, no problem. You don't want student to fall and when you have many students you don't have time to help everyone."

Q: How do you manage to maintain your spiritual practice when you have so many students, as well as family, two children?
A: Marriage and children teach you much more about spiritual practice than anything else. I started to assist Guruji when I was 19yrs old. I did many hrs of asana, purely physical aerobics. After some time, Guruji taught me philosophy. That's when the practice became spiritual. When I got married and had kids, it got more spiritual! Family is important. This is a family too. The Ashtanga family. We must support one another. Everyone is spiritual! Maybe you just don't know it yet. Work at it. Study, practice, and develop it. Allow the process to happen. It's like a flower. Plant a seed, nourish it. The plant will grow and the flower will blossom. Spiritual practice is the same. Sometimes we don't know who or what we are. Only thru our practice can we learn. If you don't try, you will never know your limitations. "

"Life many times will teach you what to do."

Conference

Conference was amazing. The place was jam packed with people but you could have heard a pin drop once he started to speak.

He spoke of the first 2 limbs of Ashtanga Yoga - the Yamas and Niyamas.

The Yamas: How you treat others, are as follows:

Ahimsa -- Non-violence.
Satya -- Truthfulness.
Asteya -- Non-stealing.
Brahmacarya -- Sexual responsibility.
Aparigraha -- Abstention from greed.

Niyamas: How you treat yourself

Sauca -- Cleanliness.
Santosa -- Contentment.
Tapas -- Austerity. Deep commitment to our yoga practice.
Svadhyaya -- Self-study.
Isvara pranidhana -- Surrender of the self to God.

The following are from the notes I took during conference.

Sharath began by saying "the practice of Asana must include the practice of Yama and Niyama. Yoga is the transformation that happens within us. The reason we do Asana is to purify the body and mind. This changes how we react, how we behave, our attitude. If we have an aggressive practice we are probably an aggressive person off the mat which builds ego which goes against yoga. If yoga is not practiced with a calm mind, it is only physical. If you don't understand why you do practice - sankalpa or intention - there is no point to the practice. You must be present. If the mind is negative when you practice, then negative energy will come of your practice. Chanting is important to bring positive energy to the practice. Injury is getting rid of bad karma (action- what we do comes back to us. Ask the question, "Would I do this to myself?" If the answer is no then don't do it... )."

He then went into an explanation of the Yamas...

"Ahimsa: non violence to self & others - to be aware of our thoughts and deeds as violence can happen unknowingly ie thinking bad thoughts about someone

Satya: to be true to ourselves and others

Bhramacarya: being true to your partner and your partner being true to you.

He said that our practice should be private, not about being in the limelight.

Niyamas...

Sauca: cleanliness - Internal - of thoughts, actions, internal body, nervous system
- External - clothes, external body, mat, home

Santosha: contentment - to be happy.

Asteya: non-stealing. Greed brings unhappiness

Tapas: posterity - to follow a strict life, to follow a certain discipline in our life/routine i.e. 6am practice, food at regular times. If you want to do sadhana - practice - you must give up many things. Be careful where you go, who you associate with, who you meet, what you read, what you surround yourself with... Positive energy can be lost very easily if the mind is not stable, or if actions are done without thought.

Svadhyaya: self study - to discover yourself through guidance from your guru. Our mother is our first teacher. We learn from her by watching as a small child. The same way we learn from our Guru/teacher. We learn by their example. Discover the spirituality in your practice. Choose an "ishta devata" - diety that resonates with you - like Ganesha, Tara, Jesus, Buddha, etc...

Ishvara Pranidana: surrendering to the Divine. When you practice with a focus on your diety, you become God. God is within you. With practice and devotion you can discover that.

He ended the conference by saying "Without a Guru's blessing it is impossible for transformation to happen.""

Be well
E xo

End of week 2

Hello from sunny Mysore!
Another week comes to a close with much to report. After the whole pneumonia drama, I spent the next week taking heavy antibiotics, sleeping a lot, and practicing. Beginning my second week, I started into my full practice which is made up of full Primary and Intermediate poses up to Eka Pada Sirsasana (one leg behind the head). Normally this is the pose you're practice is split at - dropping Primary and focusing on Intermediate - but I have not been split. And I don't mind! It just means I have the opportunity to build strength. The week went smoothly, taking my time with each posture, enjoying the energy of the shala. I started to notice that my right knee was tight. It was a strange feeling. Every time I tried to flex and externally rotate (lotus) I had to apply pressure just in behind my knee to get the joint to release. I thought nothing of it and continued on. Then Sunday led practice came along. We waited outside the shala for the doors to open. Everyone pushed and shoved to get inside - embarrassing...The place is still so busy there are 3 led practice time slots to accommodate the number of people. Most years there have only been two...I set up in the lobby to avoid having to wrestle with anyone for a spot in the main room. All was good through Surya Namaskara's and standing sequence. Then we got to the floor. The second jump through I caught my right foot a little on my mat. I pushed it through to sit and SNAP. The knee gave out and that was it. I couldn't bend my leg for the rest of the practice. I went from practice back to the same hospital I had been to the Sunday before and requested an MRI. Again, being an Indian hospital I was ushered into the room immediately.

I spent the next half an hr inside the MRI drifting in and out of sleep. 6000rps (around $125) later I was done! I went to see Sharath before conference to let him know what had happened. He recommended a doctor and sent me on my way. I spent the rest of the day at conference (which I have written a separate blog about) and then with the doctor. He confirmed the diagnosis and recommended 6 days of physio along with lots of fluids and ice packs. I can still practice as long as I am mindful and go super slow. I'm learning a ridiculous amount already...

The next day it was time to go into the city for thali! Thali is a vegetarian meal with a bottomless assortment of dhal, vegetables, rice, and papad, ending (eventually) with something sweet. So after practice, we had no breakfast. We were saving ourselves for the thali at Hotel RRR.

OMG so delicious! We rolled out of there and waddled over to the market to buy essential oils. I picked up some saffron vanilla and patchouli. Gonna try them out this week.

I have decided that this coming Sunday I WILL NOT be spending the day in any hospital like I have done the last two Sundays. Instead I plan to treat myself to a massage at Indus Valley. So much is happening to my physical body here, from pneumonia, to a torn miniscus, yesterday I pulled my neck muscles, and this morning I woke up to discover I had been a buffet to some sort of biting insect. Enough is enough! I'm listening. Apparently my emotional/mental bodies are trying to tell me something. I'll keep you posted. Until next week....

Be well,
E xo

Here we go again...

Back in India....so much has happened since my last visit here....so much still happening....but isn't that the reason I'm here? I arrived after an uneventful flight from freezing cold Toronto to the warmth of Mysore. The place is a zoo! Over 300 students registered to practice at the KPJAYI which is just nuts when you think about it. There is nowhere to live unless you booked a room last year. People arriving here without a room booked are all crashing w friends - which is what I ended up doing - while literally walking up and down the streets knocking on doors asking if the home owners are interested in renting out a room! When I first started to come here in 2003, you could just rock up from the train station and call Shiva or Dev. He would arrive in his rickshaw and drive you around to different homes asking you which one you wanted. Now? Not so much...I potentially have my own room at a friends place lined up for mid February. For now I am grateful that I have friends here who will share with me! Especially this week!

The minute I landed I had a tickle in my throat which wouldn't go away. I just thought it was irritated from the insecticide sprayed on the last leg of the flight from Abu Dhabi. Or by the taxi ride from the airport with my crazy cab driver who had to keep the windows unrolled so that he wouldn't fall asleep! LOL! But after attempting to take a nap and then practicing in the Shala the next morning with everyone else sick w the flu this thing took on a life of its own. I started taking vitamins and echinacea and naps. Got worse. Stepped up to Advil and Neo Citron. Still worse. Went to the homeopathic doctor who gave me a slew of things to take, but nope, still hacking up a lung and dripping from my nose. Then to the pharmacy to see what other delights I could get my sticky fingers on...but nothing was touching this thing! After 3 sleepless nights - for everyone in the house- because of this wicked cough, I relented and went to the hospital.

I have to say...Indian hospitals rock! Walked in and said, "I need to see a doctor." I was ushered into the next room where I was attended to by two doctors. They checked my vital signs, took my blood pressure, listened to my lungs and immediately administered a Nebulizer to help me breathe. Sent me for a chest x-ray and blood tests which were all done immediately. The nurse who did the blood tests was amazing! I barely have a mark! I don't know how many nurses in the west have almost removed my arm while removing the needle after blood tests. I was in and out of Emergency in less than 2 hrs! If this happened in Toronto....well, don't get me started on "Free" health care. Anyway, the verdict is I have a lower respiratory tract infection aka Pneumonia. Damn! I've been sent back to bed w new medicine and a promise that I will be just fine in a few days. It's Moonday tomorrow so I have the day off practice anyway.

The thing that sucks is that it was Conference today. It would have been my first conference of this trip and we were supposed to be watch "Mysore Magic", a new documentary about practicing at the source. The internet connection here is not strong enough to support streaming. SO if you watch it let me know what you think! Hope all is well and you are all still practicing while I'm away. My website is acting up, not sure what's going on. So will keep you updated as much as I can.

Be well....
E xo

Back in the Motherland

As usual so much has happened since my last post....too much! Where to begin but at the beginning? I left Mysore after 5 wonderful weeks to find the beaches of Goa relatively unchanged since my last visit. There's something about the energy of Goa, the closeness of the ocean, the smiles of the locals, that speaks to me. I love it there. I could live there....some day.

I stayed at Casa Baptista, a simple and sweet guest house, right up the dunes from Candolim beach. I practiced every morning in the early morning light followed by a leisurely breakfast at Pete's shack. Coffee and fruit salad for breakfast #1. Followed a while later by an egg and cheese toastie for breakfast #2! Yummy! Lots of journalling, reading trashy novels, walking along the water singing as if noone was listening...what's not to love? It was really hard to leave. Not because I wasn't missing all of you, my family, my love....but because life there is so simple. I'm reminded constantly of how little we really need to be happy. Especially in Goa. A bikini, sunscreen, a scooter, a song, and an open heart is all you need! Coming back to the "civilized world" can be difficult and I'm still re adjusting. The weather is NOT helping! LOL!


Back in Toronto and slowly getting back into the swing of things. Back to teaching has been great! Seeing all the eager faces waiting to learn something new. You all inspire me every day to be a better teacher. There are a million things in the works for the coming months. Starting this Saturday, May 7 we're back in the Party Room at 140 Carlton St at 10am for a killer 1hr Vinyasa class! Blast away your hangover and get the most out of your weekend! $10 classes for $100! Drop in classes $12. Next month there's the Weekend retreat at Sugar Ridge June 17-19 which is going to be amazing! Only 90 mins North if Toronto and we're car pooling so no worries about how you'll get there! There will be a Backbending into Bliss workshop as soon as I can find a studio space to host the darn thing!! Any suggestions? Need something on a Sunday from 2-5. And then there is my first International Retreat to be held in Ireland August 1-8!! I'm waiting for the retreat centre there to post the details so I can attach the link. Until then here's a brief synopsis....


Join me for one week residential retreat in the Rep. of Ireland. We will be staying at Sli Na Bande, a sustainable living project and retreat centre located in the garden of Ireland, County Wicklow. Over 20hrs of yoga, 3 home cooked organic vegetarian meals per day, private or shared (max 3pp) accommodation, free time to read, journal, take a dip in the ecological pool, hike, sight see. You do as much or as little as you like. After a week in Wicklow we will head back into Dublin city to spend the weekend! All food, 5 nights retreat accommodation, 2 nights Dublin hotel accommodation, yoga, and ground transportation (from city to retreat/return, and bus to airport) included. Flights, rental cars, and sight seeing not included. Prices start at $1500/pp. Watch this space and my website for more details!

How is it that time moves so fast when we want it to slow down? I've only really settled into life here in Gokulam and now I'm leaving. Monday night I'm off to Goa to take in some much needed sun, surf, and sand before I head back to the colder climes of TO. As usual much has happened since my last post. I went to see the dentist to get my teeth cleaned and ended up getting a root canal. Holy crap! I have never been in so much pain in my life! Seriously! This is why people don't really talk about root canals once they've had them. Noone would voluntarily get one done.... At one point I seriously considered running out of the room and dealing w the consequences later. Once I finish with this ordeal, this afternoon, I don't want to have to see a dentist for a long time....sorry Roberto! All in all I've been in the dentist's chair 4 times. On Friday I got the actual crown put on just in time to attend an Indian wedding! The other morning I came out of practice and went directly to the coconut man, Imran, for my first if 3 coconuts. Delicious! After coconut #2 he handed me an envelope and said, "You come, please. My sister." When I opened it up it was an invitation to his sisters wedding. So sweet! Imran has been selling me coconuts for the last 4yrs. He took over the family business when his father, Beck (above), passed away. He is outside the shala everyday without fail, always with the most beautiful smile to great you with and the perfect coconut. I'm getting a sari made so look for pics of me dressed as an Indian Princess!
So it took me forever to settle into things this trip. I think not having a place when I first arrived threw me more than I realized. It's only really in the last week that things have fallen into place. For the first few weeks I was hanging out with some amazing people from Toronto, whom I hope to hang out with some more when I return. But this week I made a new "bestie" and we've been attached at the hip! So refreshing to meet someone who understands me in ways I didn't know were possible. It's also the thing that sucks about Mysore...the connections you make are so strong! But in the end we all have to leave so it's a perpetual lesson of non attachment. Sigh...I guess I should start packing! LOL!
In Goa I will be practicing with Rolf & Marci Naujokat in Candolim. Staying at a place called Casa Baptista just up from the beach. And checking out places for a retreat next year? Who want to come to India with me?! Keep checking this site for more info. Until then there's always the weekend retreat at Sugar Ridge in Midland, Ontario in June and my Backbending Into Bliss workshop April 17 from 230-5pm. Please book early to guarantee your space.
I'll post more from Goa promise :)

So much is happening!

My third week came to an end without much change. Well except that my shoulders opened enough for me to take my heels by myself in Kapotasana! Big relief...So now I can just enjoy my practice and not have to worry about it. I'm finally starting to settle into life in Gokulam. Have a little routine: Sanskrit class Monday, Wednesday & Friday. Chanting on Tuesday, Thursday & Sunday. Conference (lecture) with Sharath on Sunday mornings. I've actually really been enjoying these. He keeps reiterating the point to enjoy the moment. Stop looking to the future so much as you can miss what's happening around you NOW. And he's been in a great mood during these conferences, though I'm not sure if it's because he's enjoying the company he's keeping or because there is a cricket match on afterward. LOL! Whatever the reason, they've been great.



This week I actually got a lot of work done. I know I'm supposed to be on holiday, but there is always something that needs doing. One of those things being shopping! I'm ordering a bunch of cotton yoga mats to bring home to you all. There are stripy ones ($20) and solid colour ones ($25). They are great for practicing Ashtanga yoga so put your order in now! Email me and let me know which one you want, what colour (blue, red, green, navy, brown, pink), and how many you want. I'll be shipping them back so they should arrive just a little while after I get back.

I've also been planning workshops and retreats for the upcoming year. One thing I have finalised is my Summer Retreat at Sugar Ridge Retreat Centre in Midland, Ontario - June 17-19. All the info will be on their site soon and on my website. It's an amazing location, only 90 mins drive north of Toronto, eco friendly, and there are private and shared accommodation options for this place. Book early to guarantee your spot.
Ireland for August 1-8 is still being finalized. But progress is being made, I promise!

I only have 2 more weeks here before I head to Goa. Time is flying! I had convinced myself that I was away for 8 weeks but it ended up being 6 1/2. Three days are lost with travel on the way over. On top of the fact that I suck at math and I only took 7 weeks off, not 8....well, there you have it. 6 1/2 weeks. It better be warm and sunny when I get back! It's actually getting too hot here. Being outside can be a bit much between the hours of 11am and 2pm. So to stay inside yesterday I went for a massage at 3 Sisters, one of the older businesses catering to the students near the Old Shala in the section of the city called Laxmipuram (the pic is of the 3 Sisters house). It was amazing! But of course not the best idea on a Tuesday... I was so stiff today! I took my time with my practice, really enjoying the sensations in my body. By the time I finished there were very few people left in the shala. Time for a coconut! I'll write more soon. Hope you're all still practicing xo