Ashtanga Yoga Talk with Stu Girling

While at Purple Valley I had the pleasure of sitting down with Stu Girling for this interview in regards to the practice from a woman's perspective, adjustments and more. I get completely nervous doing these things but made I it through! At the end of the day, I simply enjoy sharing the experience of practice to those interested. 

Going The Distance

Ranko and I practicing at Ashtanga Yoga Belgrade. Ranko is a true inspiration and I had the pleasure of teaching a weekend intensive with his students. 

“All the while a silent laughter sings, like wind through an open window saying: be deeper still, stand at Zero.” 

(Rumi)

Over the course of the last few months I've had an intense schedule of teaching which in turn means tons of learning every step of the way. As most have experienced when teaching the learning goes hand in hand. I tend to throw myself into the abyss not really sure how I will land. Knowing if it flows from my heart how can I be faulted? In many ways I could give or take the label of teacher because what it feels like from my core is a sharing of experience and a holder of a method of practice I embrace in reverence.

This past year on an internal level was a struggle if I am to be frank. From last winter through the spring I felt the crushing feelings of exhaustion and sadness triggered by various events but also a pouring out of what needed to be burned away. Instead of acting as if it wasn't there I immersed myself in it. I looked at it. I observed the feelings and felt the insurgence of memories I wished never were. Like a flood everything rushed in filling every empty space of my consciousness. Luckily, I had the freedom to feel what it was I needed to feel and to be sad if I needed to feel the sadness. It is never an easy thing for your partner to experience but to have the freedom to simply be without expectation is truly an act of unselfish love.

As the summer approached I slowly started to turn a corner. Through all the ups and downs I continued to work because as the saying goes, life moves on and what we bring forth ultimately heals us. What is the use in holding back? As my energy slowly resurged with a few hiccups here and there then came a sense of softness. Oh how important it is to simply soften. Even though I can feel myself revert I come to understand how within the softening there is a receptivity on a much deeper level as before. There is so much to taste and open to and at the same time I have learned how important it is to keep watch over my energy. I tend to recharge my batteries in a space of silent contemplation, writing, and/or reading. Though it is still a challenge for me to say "no" I have learned how important it is to make time to recharge and be still.

With the approach of the autumn season I had many commitments planned and it all seemed to flow in due order especially in light of honoring the process of unfolding months prior. True in what they say that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. I can attest to that. Also looking back I can see how easy it is to be self identified with pain as well thinking as if we are special in some way because of a certain state of disarray. It never ceases to amaze how the importance of gratitude can pull one out of the dumps and into a clearer perspective. Given the opportunity to give space to the feelings is a luxury in which many don't have.

With the passing of the last several months many have touched me deeply as I've soaked in the wisdom of those who have crossed my path. I take it all to heart, in the workshops I've taught to our Mysore students here in Stockholm. We've built a community that has started to stand united in a very short amount of time. It's an energy wave that is headed into an exciting new direction and I feel blessed to be a part of it. It hasn't always been easy, especially in the infancy stages. It is work you must see through at every turn. Where practical experience, steadiness and passion must stand united for there to be growth, honoring the truth of each person I encounter on the mat.

Where there is quality and attention there is love. 

Let the Practice be the Guide

“Now be silent. Let the One who creates words speak. He made the door, He made the lock, and He also made the key.”

(Rumi)

Practicing and teaching I've experienced resistance  on various levels in myself and have observed it in the students I assist on a daily basis. Sometimes the resistance we face comes across quite clear as it screams at us for attention. Other times it sneaks up without a warning dressed in disguise. Resistance. It's always around lurking. I've been fascinated with the topic in that I've felt it on a personal level over the past six months. It seems to run in cycles often making itself known more prominently at certain times than others. What I have found is acknowledging its presence no matter how much you wish it wasn't there, even in the mist of feeling to simply show up takes every bit of energy you have, there is an opportunity for growth in the struggle. Afterward, when the clouds have cleared usually on the other side of it a wellspring of growth and expansion awaits. 

Allowing what is to be is one of the most arduous of internal practices we face on and off the mat. Because after we have experienced our honeymoon period from attaining the "goodies" of yoga practice have worn off some of the most extensive work is about to begin. This is the yoga. The goodies only give a small taste of the true experience. A fractional glimpse into the eye of the proverbial storm, but we have to go through the storm at some point and resistance is part of that storm. 

Not all situations will be ideal. There will be days our bodies will feel stiff, and our minds will  feel as if it sits within the depths of hell. In turn we may experience apathy and boredom as we are seduced by our expectations of how things should be. Of course, this is the play of the mind and the craving of the ego. There is really is no need to judge when resistance crops up because it is inevitable. However, what will we put in its place? A question worth contemplating. 

I know for me the practice has evolved and changed over the years. In the beginning there was an abundance of excitement and enthusiasm. Everything felt new and every challenge was something that motivated me to tread forward. I still feel this to some extent but more and more the focus rests in the quiet unchanging part of myself because after while the realization that the body is in a constant state of flux and ultimately impermanent is experienced. Change is always happening and acknowledgement of that makes the ride all the more graceful. The important thing to remember is the effort and steadfastness we put forth to practice as we rest in this quiet space of awareness is more important then any of the postural goodies we can acquire. Even in the mist of injury, apathy, boredom, fatigue, and depression, all these struggles must be faced head on and there is really no need to wish it were different. Everything in time passes. Grace happens when we let go of the need for it to be any other way. 

As a teacher it can be one of the most honest discussions I can have with a student. No, it won't always be easy, and no it won't always be fun, but I will tell you, it will be worth it. 

“Underneath all of your desires is a truer desire—the longing for the truth, the longing to be free. This realization can be profoundly liberating because it makes all other desires irrelevant. Getting what you want no longer matters as much as truth. Whether you are comfortable or uncomfortable in the moment no longer matters because what matters is the truth. What matters is Oneness.” 

(Nirmala, Nothing Personal)

Athens, Greece

Ahhh. Well, this is embarrassing. I find myself recapping past events that have already happened. No matter, I get the chance to relive some great times, and let me tell you, it has been great. I've been counting my blessings. Sharing the practice of Ashtanga yoga has been, and continues to be, a labor of love. In no way do I consider myself an expert. It seems crazy in many ways because I am constantly learning. Where there is learning there is growth. Once that stops, and once I think 'I know it all' stagnation comes. I am simply someone who loves this practice and all that it entails. I want to jump into the ocean (with a running start) of unknowing. The mystery of it. It's so vast. All of it. It continues to fascinate on a daily basis. What more can I say?! As cliché as it sounds, when steeped in the journey, nothing is sweeter, than settling into our daily existence, evermore present, and at the same time, expanding into our unlimited potential. An adventure! Learning. Loving. Learning . . . loving . . . and so on, repeat.

Greece. Wow. What a place. I know it has made the news with some of the economic issues present, but it seems to be everywhere. The amazing thing about Greece is the warm-hearted spirit of it's people.  The Greeks take you in and hold you tight, talking with their hands, passionate, and so alive! It's a beautiful thing. I was even lucky to have great weather while there too.  Hopefully, the country will be able to hammer out some of it's economic issues in the future. It's a country of many riches and I am not necessarily talking in the material.

 Athens

 The fabulous beaches of Greece

 Ruins 

Teaching in Taiwan. Highlights.

I can't believe how quickly time has passed since my time in Taiwan. I miss all the inspiring students I met during the trip. To say that my heart is full is an understatement. It is OVER- FLOWING! What an incredible feeling that is. I am humbled by the heartfelt sincerity offered, the willingness, and enthusiasm. What more can I say! It is always the students who make the experience.

 

Just Give Me This . . .

Just give me this:

A rinsing out, a cleansing free

Of all my smaller strivings

So I can be the class act God intended,

True to my purpose,

All my energy aligned behind my deepest intention.

And just this:

A quieting down,

A clearing away of internal ruckus,

So I can hear the huge stillness in my heart

And feel

How I pulse with all creation,

Part and parcel of Your great singing ocean.

And this too:

A willingness to notice and forgive the myriad times

I fall short,

Forgetting who I am,

What I really belong to.

So I can start over,

Fresh and clean,

Like sweet sheets billowing in the summer sun,

My heart pierced with gratitude.

--Belleruth Naparstek

Emptying. Over the course of the last several months I've had to empty myself. Painful, scary, liberating all at the same time. When I empty, what I cling to becomes evident. What doesn't serve me becomes clear. When I empty of all that is unnecessary I see what is then worth holding on to, and IT is what is holding me. Grace. God. Love. Whatever you want to call it . . .  What a welcome release that is. 

As my trip in Taiwan starts to wind down I am reminded how honored I am to be able to do what I do. I have worked with some of the most warm hearted people imaginable and truly I have learned so much from the experience. A part of me will always be tied to this island nation. Always. And, I have the people who inhabit it to thank. 

Full Circle

Day 5 in Taiwan. Hot and humid. I dare say it is hotter here at the moment versus KL. This go around I feel like I'm acclimating while taking the act of hydration seriously. Sweating during practice isn't an issue, obviously. Teaching, well, I sweat during that too. My last visit, for various reasons, I was thrown way out of balance and the raging heat didn't help matters. Mentally, I was in a different phase, now upon my return I feel more at ease and calm. What a difference a few years makes. Also, the fact of simply appreciating everything more, and not being so embroiled in what is out of my control. Maturity is another word for it, haha. It is always a hope that as the years go by I grow and center.

The students here are gracious and attentive. There is really no better word to describe it. Observing sincere willingness and the enthusiasm to learn can be quite infectious for a teacher. No matter what country, I can appreciate the various qualities that are brought forward. In my experience teaching yoga is about energy exchange. The synergy that takes place is often out of my control and many times I am lead by it. Or maybe a better way to describe it being a conduit of sorts. The intuitive guidance that comes seems to put all the pieces back together and fill in the gaps where needed. Often I wonder who is being healed in the process, me or them? In the giving and in the receiving there is an offering of wisdom that goes beyond what I can say in words.

Kuala Lumpur Experience

Kuala Lumpur Skyline

Great View!

Elegant

Two weeks in KL went by really fast. In a blink of an eye, I am already at my next destination, Taiwan. My second trip to the island nation, quickly I feel at home. On the inside I'm really Asian. You didn't know? Hahaha. Through the course of the last four to five years I've had the opportunity to explore various Asian cities and there is an abundance to take in and enjoy in regards to the cultures in this part of the world. Number one being the food, haha! I'm biased. 

Mangosteen! Delectable and Nutritious. Boo-ya!

Bubble Tea. My indulgence. Yum.

Green Tea. Ahhhhh. Love

Traditional Taiwanese Dessert

 Brown Rice with Hijiki. Macrobiotic and Organic

 Don't remember what this was besides a bowl full of veggies and rice. 

Throughout my travels there have been a vast number of positives taken from every place. The contrast of what I become accustomed to allows for growth and the opportunity to broaden my perspective. I welcome it even though there are times when it can be uncomfortable. Frustration can loom and at the end of the day I am simply better for the experience. 


Teaching in various countries what I find most interesting are the collective energies found in each community. Teaching in Taiwan again brings fond memories and new ones made while in Malaysia. Embracing a place enters into my cells and stays there. The sounds and smells bring it all back. 


I extend a huge thank you to Ashtanga KL for having me before my departure to Taiwan for two weeks. It was a lovely, intimate group who practice in the heart of Kuala Lumpur's city center Westin Hotel. Teaching Mysore is really where my love lies, even though I find enjoyment in the various workshops I teach. The practice is expressed in beautiful color no matter where I go. 

Chinese Buddhist Temple in KL city center

The beauty of KL is in it's diversity. An eclectic mix. A hodgepodge. Another type of melting pot. When I traveled by monorail to meet friends I was fascinated during the short ride. I saw an Islamic Mosque, a Chinese Buddhist temple, and a Hindu temple all in a short distance from each other. There's a pronounced muslim community and the city center is teaming with expatriates. I was told the Indian population was around 30%, although I don't know if that's exactly true. At any rate, it's a cool place. Even though I have never been to Singapore I've also been told KL is a bit edgier and not as organized. Travelers should be wary of bag theft as it is common place. I managed not to run into any problems. Just something to be aware of. Traffic is an issue. My only major gripe is it's not a city conducive for walking. A problem I have found with many Asian metropolises. Anyway, no two places are ever the same, it all goes back to contrast. A positive to traveling by car much of the time is I had the most lovely cab drivers during my stay. Maybe I was lucky or maybe that is another city trait that makes KL distinctly KL. 

KL night traffic from high above

Awesome KL coffee shop, Lokl

 Shopping, shopping, shopping. KL has it all.

 One of KL's many shopping centers, Pavilion