The Impossible - Ashtanga Yoga Demonstration

"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”   

(Muhammad Ali)

Above is my latest video demonstration, filmed and edited my dear friend Alessandro Sigismondi. As always it is a pleasure to share the experience of making these films together. We only desire to inspire and declare that yes things may seem impossible but that it is only temporary. With the right mindset the impossible becomes possible. 

I've been practicing yoga for 20 years now, 18 of those Ashtanga yoga, and maybe I am a slow learner but nothing came without consistent hard work. However, it is important to remember, it isn't the asana that is the reward, but the experience inside the journey of this practice that is! 

Raw and Ready

“There are two things we should always be 1. raw and 2. ready. When you are raw, you are always ready and when you are ready you usually realize that you are raw. Waiting for perfection is not an answer, one cannot say “I will be ready when I am perfect” because then you will never be ready, rather one must say “I am raw and I am ready just like this right now, how and who I am.”

(C. JoyBell C.)


Back in Mysore and so grateful to be here. Even with it being my 9th trip I am always filled with enthusiasm to have the opportunity to practice with my teacher. So much appreciation and love arises within me to stand before him and all that this practice and path represents. To also share it with others who understand and are inspired to live more deeply, more consciously, even in the mist of making our own mistakes and follies along the way. It's a part of living. What is important is that we try and put effort forth in the process. 

The first week always feels a bit magical. So maybe I am riding high on that feeling. Every trip has it's own energetic makeup. Some trips have been harder than others and no matter what arises it is always worth it. Growth is always happening. Sometimes there are cycles within cycles. We come full circle to start over again from another vantage point. I always like to have a sense of curiosity even in the repetition in the Ashtanga practice. Bringing new eyes to what I have done before. Everyday is different and no matter how much we try to control it, life is in a constant flow of change. 

This go around I traveled to Mysore from Goa so I didn't have that initial tiredness from travel when I landed. Coming from Goa was rather seamless. I already had my accommodations sorted and priority number one when I arrived was to register at KPJAYI. Still riding high on the incredible experience at Purple Valley I've been in a positive space and have the added gratification to have a month of simply being a student. In reality I am always a student no matter what role that I play but to have time set aside to only be a student and nothing else is rather priceless. 

When I leave Mysore I definitely look forward to being home but the funny thing is it doesn't take much time for the pull of India and the desire to practice at the source takes hold, as I count the days of my return. 

This Summer

Ta

Just under a month I've been back home after an intense and transformational summer in Mysore, India. As always it took me a while to land and digest all that transpired, and in many ways I feel as if I am still digesting. I know transformational is a word that is thrown around a lot these days, and the only way to describe it is something shifted, for better or worse, who knows. I felt challenged on every level, mentally, emotionally, physically and most definitely spiritually. I cried this summer more than I had in a long time. I was broken down to be built back up. A toning from the inside out. A reckoning. The buzz of practicing there has just about worn off. It seems like the more you hold on to it the faster it goes. At the same time there is an inkling of a light that has been lit and the knowing it won't ever burn out.

Having the opportunity to immerse oneself in the way that we did this past summer was an opportunity of a life time, and really every trip I feel it, but this was on another level. I am always so grateful to have the time and space to focus on practice, ultimately focusing on the truer parts of life. I need these reminders. If I didn't I would be lost. It all goes back to the quality we lead in our hearts and minds in day to day living. Thankfully the practice of yoga helps to lead us there.

Moving forward there is so much that comes to mind. It is so easy to be swept away by the rhythm of our rushed society. I'm learning not to be so dictated by it. I too see how distracted I can be and how challenging it is to maintain this internal connection, but no one said it would be easy. It comes down to one's thirst for ultimate freedom as I contemplate what is that really? What does that look like? I'm getting the tiniest sense of it and yet it feels exciting and scary at the same time. Funny how that works. It's like balancing on the edge of a razor. 

True Love

“Love is a tremendous caring that arises in the wake of transcending the personal self. In the wake of this transcendence, something amazing arises. A deep love and caring arises from within emptiness, from nowhere. This love and caring seeks only the Truth in every moment and in all circumstances. True love is something far greater than anything that could be called personal. True love is a non-personal miracle. It is the nature of reality itself. It is the natural and spontaneous expression of the undivided Self.”

(Adyashanti)

Sādanā: In the Heart of it All

"What is to give light must first endure burning"  

(Victor Frankel)

Sādhanā is often referred to as spiritual practice. However, much more is intertwined in the term and has been one of the main themes of the course here in Mysore this summer. In another light, sādhanā is our own masterpiece we create to connect to the Divine. This in turn takes consistent effort and determination and by no means comes easy and at the same time is a worthwhile endeavor that gives more everlasting happiness and fulfillment than we could ever imagine, but first, there is a climb. Each step reaching us closer to the goal while playing with the paradox of detachment.

Sādhanā is also viewed as an ego transcending practice. The goal being liberation and freedom from bondage (samāra). The steps take daily effort where in my case includes regular asana practice, pranayama, and self study and also evening japa, prayer and/or chanting. Tapas (the effort to achieve self-realization) comes in those days where the warmth and comfort of the bed tells us better to stay put but instead we throw the covers off and take the necessary steps toward the mat. Tapas can also be viewed as discipline, an important ingredient in cultivating one's sādhanā.

The practitioner is referred to as a sādhaka, an aspirant. One who skillfully applies the learned rituals and practices, uniting body, mind and soul toward the spiritual goal. A sādhaka is dutifully committed and enthusiastic, though that can wax and wane in the beginning, and doubt part of the path for some, overtime the wavering ceases as the sādhanā strengthens and becomes a way of life. The important part being the intention behind it, something R. Sharath Jois has stressed time and time again this summer. Simply bending the body and/or going through the motions of ritual with no internal reflection often bring fruitless results. Another word for this heart/mind intention is bhāvanā. Bhāvanā can be thought in terms of planting seeds. Our sādhāna makes for fertile ground but what seeds will we plant?

"The practice of yoga, as a whole, is a profound science of internal purification which leads practitioners very gradually to the realization of the non-difference between the jīvātma, or indwelling Self of the individual, and the paramātma, or Universal Self. For this to occur, a proper intention and direction of energies needs to be established from the outset of a practice; in Sanskrit, this is known as 'bhāvana.'"     

(Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, Sūryanamaskāra)

The thirst needs to be there. Yes, there may be days we feel apathetic; however, the beauty of our sādhāna is what it is pointing us to. This keeps it alive. It must stay alive within us. We must fan the flames. Each day carving out our masterpiece of transformation. The beauty being, no amount of effort is wasted. Each step, leading toward illumination.

More Than Half Way

It's hard to believe our trip here to Mysore is already more than half way over. Like I always say, coming here feels like being in a time warp. The days go by at rapid pace and yet a deep sense of feeling at home in the practice sink in, as if I've been here for much longer. It comes at no surprise and yet it always startles me in a way. The monsoon rains have given opportunity for internal reflection and is indicative of my time here. There are periods of darkness within, a pouring out, a purging as one could say, and then the clouds part, the sun shines, drying up all that was washed away. To then see things in a new light, a new perspective. I feel filled up. I also have sense of what new areas that are present for new growth. Ever endless. An exciting opportunity to peel new layers of existence to the surface. It must not go wasted.

Third Week

Mysore, India

Just rounding out our third week in Mysore. The weather has been touch and go with bouts of daily rain and glimpses of sunshine. Most trips have been during the winter months, usually December/January. The last time I was in Mysore during monsoon was in 2007. I like it here during this time of year. It's still warm but not stifling with refreshing breezes. The rains clean the air. The dryer months are lovely too with endless sunshine. Mysore is like an oasis.

Practice has been running rather deep. With it being Friday I can feel it. A good tired. Like everything has been rung out of the body at an intense level. There are lapses in the practice where I feel as if I have no more to give but somehow I make it through anyway. More than a physical challenge it's a mental one. No matter how high the climb all you can do is take it one breath at time.

As the toughness of my practice arises there is an opportunity to dig deeper inside. To be in it, fully. Not wanting to be anywhere else.

Leaning in. Letting go.

To The Light

Finished our second week of the course, starting our third. There has been a gradual build up which has been nice. It reminds me how important it is to simply deepen the areas already visited many times before, exploring each movement with a fresh open mind. Coming to our mats with a beginners mindset everyday brings it alive. It's a way of being present within everything. More postures don't always bring maturity in the practitioner. Doesn't matter how fancy or complicated they are. It can be a feast for the eyes but the true beauty is the intentional mindset of the one who inhabits the posture. An alignment of what this practice points us to. Being here has continued to re-establish the beauty of this tradition and also the brevity of it. There is lightness in it. It brings us to the light. We can't cling to it, we can only dwell in it, because we are it.

Back in Mysore

KPJAYI - Mysore, India

I'm back in Mysore participating in a special course for selected authorized and certified practitioners/teachers of KPJAYI, directed by R. Sharath Jois. No, I won't be writing notes on the course here. Sorry to disappoint. I've actually never shared conference notes on my blog because I have always felt that no matter how well I may understand what is being spoken about it will still filter through my own lens, my own experience. And yes, may or may not always be accurate. I truly feel the path of yoga is one that is very personal in nature. One reason why I encourage many students of the practice to come to KPJAYI at some point to experience the community and the current holder of the tradition. Now that doesn't mean I never share my own insights on the practice because obviously I teach, but this usually happens with one on one contact over time, which again is born from my own experience. I think what garners maturity is the ability to tune in to each individual student through the practice. This naturally happens over time but can also come at anytime when steadfast at being open and receptive. Through that, my blog has always continued to be more personal in nature. I share things that inspire and I also write about my own experience within life and practice. Although, I haven't done so much of the latter lately. I'll explain more on why later.

Today we finished our first week and it was such a pleasure. A week of led Primary series to get into the groove and to land on our feet after for some grueling travel, and to simply feel settled. At the beginning of the week I was rather sore. Breathing and moving through Primary series is always different when done on your own no matter how you slice it. Sharath's led classes are extremely stamina building and at the same time I felt really good as the week winded down. It's true what they say, "Primary is like healing balm."

I did come to Mysore with a few tweaks that is for sure. I've had a funky right shoulder for over a year now. Also a tricky lower back depending on the day, and yeah, this temperamental right hip. No, I'm not completely broken, haha. It's just interesting how sensitive we become through the practice of yoga. Evermore receptive to the stuck energies of the body and learning how to navigate around that with more awareness and attunement. Much of it stems from adjusting students on a consistent basis. Teaching Mysore style is highly physical and demanding on the body at times, but by this point as teachers we are prepared for it in a sense from all the accumulated years of practice as well. However, no matter how you look at it it does have an effect over time. I think many teachers would attest to the fact that it is all worth it. The gift of teaching far out weighs the demands on the body.

As I prepare for my first rest day since arriving to Mysore I feel eternally blessed and grateful to this practice and to my teacher R. Sharath Jois for all of his selfless devotion and of course to Guruji. To have this time to focus primarily on practice and study is a gift and one I never want to take for granted.

Yoga Guru R. Sharath Jois

Ashtanga Yoga Demonstration by Mark Robberds

Here's an inspiring demonstration video by Certified Ashtanga yoga teacher, Mark Robberds from Australia. He'll be making his way to Stockholm for the first time this October to lead a four day Ashtanga yoga workshop. More details to come soon! Until then, enjoy the video. 

Holding Space

Outside KPJAYI

"It would be easier to roll up the entire sky into a small cloth than it would be to obtain true happiness without knowing the Self."  

(Upanishads)

I'm in Mysore. In the mist of rounding out my 3rd week today. My 7th trip and as always feels as if I'm coming into something new. I like to be in a space of discovery and exploration within the practice. It takes the edge off. It is important to touch, taste and feel every part of the experience. Even those challenging bits we find ourselves in on occasion. At this point settling in happens with ease but the practice in the shala is always full of surprises. Whether pleasant or unpleasant, witnessing the process of unfolding allows me to sit in a place of neutrality and observation. Understanding what is in and out of my control I can then ride the wave of energy that no matter what courses strong in the room like a steady march.

There have been so many things I have been contemplating lately. The process we all go through from time to time most certainly ebbs and flows in life and recently I have been feeling a flow. So many impressions and mental processes have come to light that sometimes it has been overwhelming. Within all of this I continue to place my heart in the center of it all. With countless hours of practice and study under my belt I am beginning to realize and lean on the simplicity of what it all culminates to. Can I love more openly? Can I live more open heartedly? How often do I rest on my fears and close? Do I extend a hand to the unfamiliar? Am I kind? Because it doesn't matter how many trips I make to Mysore and it doesn't matter how may complicated asanas I can do, if I don't open to the truth it is pointless.

I desire to push myself inside the unknowingness of it all. To look at everything with new eyes. To even come to my mat with a new perspective and curiosity. Because if I place too much importance on structure and the familiar I'm as good as dead, and ultimately building my spiritual home on sand. It isn't easy and sometimes you are stricken for it, but then again, everyone who has done anything of significance came to realize these challenges. Sometimes the path we take isn't accepted by the masses. The truth speaks ever so clearly and the courage to rise up to it can show itself in a myriad of ways. With this realization I can honor various paths and experiences and see the beauty in it all. No matter what differences that stand between, when understanding the truth, all walls tend to crumble.  

Mysore. Is it Magic?

Outside KPJAYI

Mysore. Is it Magic? Yes, but not magic in the way you may think. Often I don't realize what is in the process of developing or what has been ignited until I leave. Something is always working just below the surface and can manifest in ways that may surprise, delight or even scare you, because truly it is about the unknown. I always find it interesting when listening to the criticism in regards to practicing at the source. Practicing here has a way of mirroring our own inner turmoil and then people blame the place. Be happy that it does because that is where the awareness can begin to shine it's wisdom upon our blocks and projections. Within that a new freedom can be found. I've had practices where I have felt shattered and broken, and often those are the best lessons that can be learned and experienced. If it wasn't worth it then I don't think I would continually feel the call to go back no matter how arduous the work is. Work that gives, and exposes, internally washing away the chains of conditioning. 

You may ask why go then? Good question. Why? Well, I will tell you. It is like no other place to practice. May sound like a canned answer with no depth and meaning behind it, but really it is as simple as that. At first you don't even realize how deep it begins to work under the watchful eye of R. Sharath Jois, but words can't really begin to illustrate fully, and I'm not sure I am prepared to try. However, in the same light, to describe practicing at KPJAYI as about unicorns and rainbows is a fallacy. Simply put, it is what it is. What arises will be your lesson and your lesson alone. The thing that is most interesting is the intensity of practice has a way of aggravating what we cling to. We then have the opportunity to see what no longer serves us and the definitive change begins only when we decide to lean into those areas through what arises. If we continue to practice and ignore, then we still live in the same delusion. However, that in itself can be a lesson. When traveling somewhere to simply focus on practice is yes, in a sense, a luxury, but one that gives an opportunity to reduce our worldly distractions and responsibilities for a block of time to then tune into our internal landscape facilitated by the energy and focus generated in the room.  Simply put, it feels amazing to be a part of it. 

Another thing to remember is the community that encapsulates all when in Mysore reaches not only far and wide, but deep, colored by a vast array of cultures and backgrounds enriches the experience of being there. Much can be learned not only on and off the mat but also how we interrelate and learn from each other as students and stewards of this amazing process. My recommendation is to soak it up.

There will always be spinmakers and haters who will plant a seed of doubt about it all. Funny how some of the biggest critics who say it isn't for them have never stepped foot inside KPJAYI. 
It is important to remember that it's not about getting or attaining something, it's about realization and recognition. I think that can be the frustrating part for those who feel they need an immediate payback, understanding or experience. All I can say is what develops is priceless. It's so much more than receiving a magical adjustment or given validation. Here you strengthen what cannot be seen with the naked eye. Never once has Sharath or being in the presence of Guruji when he was alive (however one could say he is very much alive there), have I gotten the impression that asana is of most importance. Quickly and clearly one learns just how minimal it is and in the same light how important the ritual becomes and the attentive awareness we open to as we touch a bigger and greater part of ourselves. The magic. 

Yogi Kitchen: Behind the Scenes

Adam & Theresa

I've been lucky enough to be acquainted with the passion and the brains behind the vegan/vegetarian cooking blog, Yogi Kitchen. Don't they make a lovely couple? Both Adam and Theresa are dedicated Ashtanga yoga practitioners, as well as, healthy vegetarian/vegan food lovers. Such a great combo if I do say so myself. Based out of London, England, the one thing I can appreciate is their simple love for healthy food first. Though they eat mostly vegan they don't terrify me with their food dogma which can be a turn off. They have a beautiful way of highlighting the vast possibilities in their cooking, and leave the preaching to the wayside which is a highly attractive quality to those who may be curious in regards to all that vegan cooking has to offer. Above all, they make it fun and ooooh so inspiring! After one cooking class, I seriously couldn't wait to put some of what I've learned into practice!

The other great thing is they travel to Mysore every year, so if I am so inclined, I can pick their brains in regards to vegan/vegetarian cooking, and believe me, after eating their food my tastebuds approve. Heck, my tastebuds want to give them a standing ovation! For more information and cooking inspiration visit their highly informative blog at www.yogikitchen.com.

Also, on a important note, Adam is a highly regarded Authorized L2 Ashtanga yoga teacher out of London, Englad and offers annual retreats in Turkey. For more information visit his website at www.keenonyoga.co.uk.

Vegan Frittata 

Vegan Cheese with Cauliflower

Vegan Crème made with Cashews 

In cooking class

Doomsday

Last night I had a prolific dream. Vivid, scary and in your face. I guess all this talk of 12.21.12 seeped into my subconscious because this dream was like no other. I'm talking massive earthquakes where the Earth itself was splitting apart, buildings were being shook off their foundation, and people were in a massive panic. I felt this primal instinct to run for higher ground versus being sucked down into these massive cracks in the Earth. I made it out. I didn't think. I just went with my gut. 

Samastitihi

Mysore, India

“You need not get at it, for you are it. It will get at you, if you give it a chance. Let go your attachment to the unreal and the real will swiftly and smoothly step into its own. Stop imagining yourself being or doing this or that and the realization that you are the source and heart of all will dawn upon you. With this will come great love which is not choice or predilection, nor attachment, but a power which makes all things love-worthy and lovable.” 

— Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Finished my third week in the shala. Often, I find myself thinking after practice, wow, I made it through another one, and what a privilege it is. The depth available is never ending, and just knowing this allows me to relax into the fact there is no need to arrive anywhere. The quality and attention I bring to every aspect of practice has spoken more than the accumulation of more. In the end, it is all the same. How great is it to simply stand in samastitihi. There is so much there. On the outside it looks to be simple, but the energy and attention brought into this pose is endless. Steady awareness even in the mist of simplicity culminates into what is deemed as more advanced postures. After deeper study, I've found it is another illusion to look through as I taste the core and essence of steady awareness into the simplest of actions. It only grows from there.

More than practice, bringing quality and attention into everything I do, especially when interrelating with others has become a practice to take off the mat. When offering an open ear it is amazing what people will reveal. I'm touched when an offering and sharing of experience is given even when it isn't always pretty and perfect. In the listening, a breakdown of the barriers of I, me and my, takes shape.

I've had various teachers in my life and one from my past always spoke of the principle of softening. Back then, I didn't understand the full scope of what she was trying to relate to me. On a cerebral level I got it, but not on a heart level. Now, I've come to a point where I am not only understanding what she spoke of, but I am also experiencing it. Softening isn't about being a push over, but it is a yielding energy that holds timeless strength. It's a letting go of attachment and allowing the truth of who I am to simply be present. There are times when a resistance toward this creeps into my awareness, and I've learned to give it time to play out. The choice not to engage with it brings challenges, but when I hold steady in observation, it then starts to dissipate.

As the sweat pushes out of my pores during intense practices I think to myself, please God, wash away all that blocks my inner light and my connection to YOU. It is only through surrender and the willingness to be pushed off the cliff that my spirit can take flight. The scope of my mind is minuscule in comparison to my soul's knowing.

Why can't I always trust this?

Baby steps, I suppose. Something I'd like to sit with today or better yet, STAND FULLY IN. 

Practice, Practice, Practice . . .

 Jackfruit 

"The practice of asanas and pranayama is learning to control the body and the senses so the Inner light may come forth. That light is the same for the whole world and it is possible for man to experience this light, his own Self through correct Yoga practice. This is the natural outcome of a good practice and one will gradually learn to control the mind because one eventually will come to experience the very support of it. But the mind is indeed very difficult to control, but everything is made possible with right practice. We must therefore first and foremost practice, practice, practice for any real understanding of Yoga to take place. Then eventually we will be able to break the fixed patterns of the mind and taste the greater underlying support of it all.” 

- Sri K. Pattabhi Jois

 The Shala

 Coconut Time

First week, practicing in the shala, I'm always on a high. With feelings of comfort, exhilaration, mixed in with the energy of everyone in the room, let's just say, after a year of practicing alone, there is no other place I'd rather be. And, let's not forget the heat of tapas being burned. Settling into this breath paced practice, I hop onto the wave, and simply enjoy the ride. Second week, which I'm in the mist of now, reality sets in. The kinks in the body arise. When the high of the first week wears off, the real work begins. It will be a steady climb before I start to coast again. It always works out this way. 

It also takes a while to decompress from the pace of living compared to home. In India, one quickly learns that everything works left of center. Never quite right. Never fully efficient, but somehow things come together anyway. A good lesson in giving up control or else live the alternative of beating your head up against a brick wall. It's never fun and you'll tire of it eventually. 

Six trips, I feel blessed and thankful to have had the opportunity to come and as often as I have. I know it isn't always easy for those out there who are balancing many things to put together the trip. I know this, and it reminds me to never take it for granted. I think for me my first trip to India really put what I deemed important into perspective. Growing up in the U.S., quite frankly, I was forced fed a bunch of bullshit. Force fed good stuff too, but when young it was confusing distinguishing between my own growing intuition and knowing, and the cultural mores that surrounded me. I know this might be controversial for some, and no matter, it has brought me to this point of discovery. Freedom isn't always what we think it to be. Think on that. What does it really mean to be free? 

In the same light, I honor the balance of deepening yoga practice and creating a life out in the world of material. Some can use trips to Mysore as an escape, and quite frankly, I find dipping my toes into both worlds deems useful in honoring what it means to bring yoga into life. How can we know that the practice has done it's work? 

Through the years, with more practice, something more wants to be born. I find this exciting. I feel through yoga practice we uncover gifts, and it's our responsibility to bring it forward or else grow stagnant. In many ways, it's an offering. Our service to the world. Opening up to this there's a sense of release, and at the same time, a comfort in not knowing it all. When I'm here I like to keep my eyes and ears open as I tune into my awareness. Can I learn something new through my encounters? Can I be open and release all notions of knowing something. Because yoga doesn't work through association alone and idle gossip. It never has. 

Pulse

"Your hand opens and closes and opens and closes. If it were always a fist or always stretched open, you would be paralyzed. Your deepest presence is in every small contracting and expanding, the two as beautifully balanced and coordinated as bird wings."  -Rumi

I've been called out. Update your blog, please. Yeah, you know who you are. So, I'm getting my ass in gear. I can't call myself any semblance of a writer if I don't write. Now, I'm not saying I'm good at it. No. It's just a craft I'd like to hone in on in the coming year. With that being said, I have writers all around me, blatantly showing me where I lack. Through thick and thin you must WRITE. It takes discipline, it takes focus, perseverance. Hmmmmm. Something else comes to mind as I speak, or write, about these attributes. Oh yeah, that little thing I do every morning and share with others on a regular basis. 

So, what have I been up to, and why have I been lacking in the blogging department? Yes, I have already racked up a long list of lame excuses. For starters, there has been loads of travel in the past 6 months. Even more reason to write. Lame excuse there. Two, sometimes I feel like I've written all there is to be said about yoga through my experience, etc. Is that possible? Sometimes I feel that way, but in reality, my juices just ran a bit dry. I guess I simply needed time to re-evaluate a few things. Also, with starting our Mysore program in Stockholm it took much of my energy and focus. A labor of love in the larger scope of things. With the program reaching its two year milestone this March everything about it has exceeded my expectations. One, I've learned the most important thing in regards to building a program; at the end of the day, it's about community and connection through the beauty and spirit of the Ashtanga yoga practice. In this regard, I'm thankful to feel so full and moved by it, that it sometimes feels as if I'm busting out at the seams. Let's just say, it's a good feeling to be on purpose. 

My life in Stockholm has had its challenges which comes with simply living a life, and no matter, I am still stunned to live in a city so beautiful and graceful. I guess you can say, I feel thankful to be settled in such a place. 

Now, if I were being more realistic, Stockholm looks more like this at the moment. Although, the bottom pics were taken before the record snow fall came. 

Alas, I'm not in Stockholm at the moment, while I miss all this fabulous winter weather (I'm never sarcastic, never) Instead, I'm in INDIA!!! Mysore, India, of course. For my annual trip to deepen practice, and be in the presence of my teacher, R. Sharath Jois. Including, connecting with the worldwide Ashtanga yoga community. All good reasons to be here. More to come. 

When writing on such things, I always like keep it through the eyes of my own experience. Being the oracle from Mysore giving reports on Sharath's conferences and such is not my thing, honestly. I like to keep it personal and authentic as I see it and feel it. All the other stuff is good reason why YOU, yes you, should come to Mysore. Experience it for yourself. Feel the magic of practice from the source. I haven't yet been uninspired by it. 

Every trip, every practice, a new fire is lit, as I do my best to fan the flames, until my next return.  

Instruction from Sharath

January 2012

I was given this photo which was extracted from the film documentary, Mysore Magic, in the bonus section of the DvD. Thanks to Lu, for passing it along! This is me with my teacher R. Sharath Jois. 

WEEKend!

Taken in Mysore, India

"Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray."     

- Rumi

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Which has me thinking, I used to live for the weekend. Now, I see the importance of living what I love during the week-- finally after making changes to do what I enjoy. So much better than a race to the finish line, to then feel I can relax and enjoy.