Categories
Yoga

For Yoga Geeks only … “Don’t beat yourself up”

“don’t be so hard on yourself.” – Maty Ezraty

So you’d think she’s easy mellow lalala … no way:) Yes, that “distinction between avoidance and the ridiculous”… we should know it:)

This blog is so interesting … kind of tells a tale of how yoga came to be the yoga today.

10, 20, 000 hours of practice and it comes out … Richard Freeman

& he refers to one way as the “gymnastics way”… so yoga comes easy for the gymnasts but what about for others?

Categories
Yoga

Ashtanga yoga & K. Pattabhi Jois

Oh My Goodness, Sharath Jois, son or grandson of the legend, late Pattabhi Jois is coming to Stanford?

DATES: May 7 – 13
LOCATION: Ford Center, Basketball Courts – Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
COST: $300 (6 Day Week) or Primary Series $60 per Class,
Intermediate Series $180 for 3 Classes

If you are practicing Ashtanga, you already know all this …
It’s a very physically demanding practice but many get hooked.
If you are one of those people, I imagine you’d want to be in space with this celebrity teacher …a direct lineage to witness.
Even if you are beginner, it’s a big crowd looks like so it would not matter in the primary series – the intermediate would be intimidating perhaps.
Sign up can be done through Jois Yoga studio’s events section …

What does Ashtanga look like? Ashtanga is really the basis of the vinyasa style of yoga practiced all over the world.
Here’s an old clip from the internet with Maty and all the masters in her 20’s.
Here it is – in awe, right?
& that’s the point – perfect for those in their 20’s as old footage of Iyengar’s practice looks about as vigorous.
When you are in your 20’s, you can do anything, sighed the 30, 40, 50- somthings, lol:)
It is said that even the guru himself did not practice what he taught past age 40 – he had his grandson do all the demos:)
Yoga evolves with one’s life stages.
It requires letting go of attachments and embracing acceptance … to age gracefully I think.
At least that’s what I am learning from those inspiring elders I have the honor of coming in contact with.

If you understand that some of the vigorous yoga practice was developed so that young men with raging testosterone and limitless energy can reign in the constant need to move …to get all the fidgeting and the wiggles, the craziness, “the chaos” the explosive energy to get better directed out of the body … so that the young minds can focus. Be able to channel the bursts of energy into a demanding yoga practice, enough so that they can learn to stay still enough to move onto one’s meditation practice. Yoga’s ultimate goal is that meditation practice that bridges the mind and body to give the humans that essence of the spiritual world without having to die… As yoga philosophy traveled further East in Asia, the asana/poses, mingled with other training to became “martial art” and the other “meditation”, became a more religious or spiritual practice. It’s interesting to say the least. All this an overly simplistic synopsis from couple of yogic scholars who has done extensive studies on the origin and history of yoga.

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Makes for an interesting read … here’s a recommended book by late Steve Jobs …lucky to get it for free from one of the Therapist TT cohorts – she said she happened to have an extra copy of it and as I had never read it, gladly picked it up. Piling on the must-reads, as though I don’t have enough reading assignments from this program:) The documentary is interesting as well.
stevejobsyogi

Categories
Uncategorized Yoga

Bee Breath in the hummmm

beeshoney
SOOOO many bees buzzing – My phone camera does not quite capture the crowd of bees flying about from flower to flower. Particularly under this tree, your ears sense the buzz whirling around you – sounds of oscillation taking place right here under the tree…cheerfully calming. Hard to describe but feels so peaceful closing one’s eyes under these flower blossoms …to take it all in, the delicate sounds of nature. It’s just perfect. The sun; the bees, the sounds, the sky, the sun in your face, the breeze in your hair … it’s lovely. Spring is here.
Under this tree, there’s a BUZZ as bees fly about busily.  The hum of buzz is so centering. Surround yourself in the nature’s buzzzzzzoxox🎵

There’s a yogic breathing = pranayama technique called “Brahmari” to bring about that sense of deep calm. It’s like clearing the cobwebs in your mind so that you can access that golden honey within. 

The mudra to cover the opening on your face is called the Shanmuhkhi or the “womb” 💕mudra … allowing the sounds to vibrate to the bones.  Clear your own energy pathways !