This summer I was fortunate enough to take a week long intensive with … the living legend … Ramaswami Srivatsa.
So happy to find this on Utube! There’s part 1, 2 and 3 … from a learned authentic yoga teacher who humbly says “I am an old man.” at age 78. I garnered some laughter from the class and him, when he looked at me smiling wide eyed – and answered, that’s why I am the teacher:) when questioned, HOW does he keep track of the rather complex pranayama breath count – How does he do it? (obviously with great deal of concentration and years and years of … practice.) That is, he has this incredible “one-pointed focus”, probably much more than those much younger than him, that comes from years of training. The fact that all those sutras and mantra chants are in his head, readily shared is … amazing. I cannot believe he’s also 500 hrs. Yoga Alliance as he’s in his own league – Shouldn’t he be more like million hours educator? I mean who can actually certify him – he stands alone as a master. So so so blessed to have had the opportunity to have the health (thanks yoga!) to go through his intensive although that just touched the surface of what this yogi knows. Luckily he shares knowing he must leave behind as much as possible what was passed down to him…
A different teacher for every student, adapting to become a teacher a student needs … Vinyasa Krama.
Really love the way he stops after speaking very fast – he literally just gushes – and then stops when he feels that some may not be following, and then checks in.
“In the olden days, they believed that life span was predetermined” by the number of breaths … In Japan, there’s the similar belief about one’s “fate”. Can one change that through actions and practice? Yes, you can. I sincerely believe that if anything, change is easier than not changing – because “change” is the natural law… it’s …inevitable.