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| M. bought home flowers for the shala to celebrate it's opening |
A week with Manju whatever the name of the course does not to my mind, nor I imagine to anyone else's, authorise me to teach Ashtanga in his name. The certificate I received at the end of the course was merely a certificate of attendance, of participation, 25 hours of teacher training.
I consider it a beginning, a first I hope of many similar trainings, intensives and Mysore classes with Manju and hopefully with Kristina also. One of the things that most struck me about the course was how many of the other participants had come back again and even again to take the same course, to re enforce and deepen their understanding of Manju's presentation of the practice as well as their connection with him as a teacher.
I found this quite inspiring.
Studying with Manju I feel that my own practice, as it has developed over the years and in some degree of isolation, is more in keeping with traditional Ashtanga practice, as Manju presents it, than I had perhaps imagined.
"Manju's TT showed me that my idea of Ashtanga practice, a long slow breath, a flexible approach with the focus on Primary and Intermediate series, integrated with pranayama and meditation, with chanting, was in fact, 'traditional practice'. good, honest, common sense Ashtanga".
from my previous post
I'd tended to think of myself ( liked to think of myself no doubt) as, if not outside the tradition and the lineage then perhaps on it's edges. It turns out I seem to have a more traditional practice than I'd perhaps realised ( or wanted to accept) and this makes me more inclined to share this practice I love while seeking to continue developing and deepening my own understanding of it. Perhaps this development of the practice in isolation, working things out myself, offers an interesting perspective (despite the inherent irony) and is worth sharing, we'll find out.
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Ramaswami has always encouraged me to pass on his teaching of Vinyasa Krama, I've tended to feel that Ashtanga (as I understand it and my understanding of how Manju at least presents it) and Vinyasa Krama are complimentary ( I tend to practice Ashtanga in the morning, Vinyasa Krama in the evening), that they can inform each other. At times they feel far apart at others they seem to almost meet such that I find it hard to distinguish one from the other. Given that both ultimately derive from Krishnamacharya that is perhaps not surprising, there is a consistency there.
Offering Ashtanga Mysore in the morning and Vinyasa Krama in the evening I would not be surprised in a crossover, finding an Ashtangi in a Vinyasa Krama class or somebody from Vinyasa Krama occasionally attending morning Mysore, that would be interesting.
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I was working on this post this morning, while drinking my coffee, only to hear M. get up and head on into the shala, I hadn't turned on the lights, lit the incense, turned on the moon, hadn't made it welcoming.
There has been a growing realisation these last couple of days that my life is, or will be, no longer my own. If people begin to come to the shala for practice ( and some have already got in touch - thank you) then I can no longer be away for the day, to go on a course say or take a full day out somewhere with an early start and just not open the doors for practice that day
One has it seems responsibilities.
Hug your teacher this morning if you have one (perhaps mentally) , they make small as well as large sacrifices it seems, more than perhaps you/I realise or seem obvious.
Perhaps there will be less time to blog, for social media in general ( not necessarily a bad thing, we all seem to think we indulge more than we should) but also to read, to study as I'll need to get up around 4am to do my own practice before opening up, assuming anyone comes for morning practice. Either way I'll need to get my practice out of the way just I case.
Moon days, yep, already decided to change my view on this, will look forward to em, study days.
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Another version of that Ancient Greek song that Kristina sings so Beautifully at the end of Alessandro's video ( see previous post).
Can't get this tune out of my head at the moment, found myself humming it in the bath last night and jumped out, still in my towel to try and play it first on the flute and then finally my neglected tenor sax ( it's actually excellent on the sax, Ancient Greek Jazz).
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| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seikilos_epitaph |
7 comments:
...interesting you (used to) think of yourself as at the edge of the Tradition Anthony, as I always considered you very traditional in your jnana path and your dedication to all aspects of the practice.
And even if you do not have a regular teacher you go to every day/week/month, your respect for your longer term teacher Ramaswami transpires from every pore.
If you are concerned about pieces of paper, use your 200h TT in Vinyasa Krama to open your shala and just think that Ashtanga Vinyasa is but a small part of that (ah! I said it).
That's how I see it (ah! I said it again)
Your practice may/will have to change, and yes you will have responsibilities.
At the Chandra Cuffaro Klee workshop I was the other week she recalled something Krishnamacharya said "spirituality begins when you do not distinguish between your students and your children and when you only see Purusha in each one of them".
But, as she also reminded us, as you see that you gradually develop an affection you will have to apply vairagya, become a mirror for them and make sure they can walk with their legs.
No, not concerned about pieces of paper, quite the opposite.
Did you know there are two views on tradition, ancient and recent.... So what are we saying when we talk about a traditional practice. I think here I was suggesting that I felt outside recent tradition but felt in line with an older tradition, for me Manju eases that distinction for me.
Yes, having been a teacher for years in a different field it's curious how dedicated and devoted you get to those you feel some responsibility for and how important it is to ease back on that, the whole enabler idea.
you can go to a workshop, still. Your students will understand. The workshop will enrich their study as well as yours.
True I guess.....can always get M. to open up for anyone who still wants to come.
I bumped into my teacher (looking very sleepy) on the bus the other day and had a small chat (there is no chat in the Shala) He told me that he gets up at 100am in order to practice, eat and shower and get down to the Shala for the early birds. I felt humbled and very greatful that someone would do this and make such a commitment.
Re Sharat's 'workshop'I left feeling that it was interesting and challenging experience but that I wouldnt do it again but as time has past I now feel I didnt make as much of it as I could (I hid at the back for example) and that I would be keen to do it next time with a more mentally commited attitude
Good luck with the Shala, congratulations, what a big step!
B
I bumped into my teacher (looking very sleepy) on the bus the other day and had a small chat (there is no chat in the Shala) He told me that he gets up at 100am in order to practice, eat and shower and get down to the Shala for the early birds. I felt humbled and very greatful that someone would do this and make such a commitment.
Re Sharat's 'workshop'I left feeling that it was interesting and challenging experience but that I wouldnt do it again but as time has past I now feel I didnt make as much of it as I could (I hid at the back for example) and that I would be keen to do it next time with a more mentally commited attitude
Good luck with the Shala, congratulations, what a big step!
B
6 September 2013 12:33
1am !
Hopefully not that early, 4am should be OK, thinking of a pranayama circle like Tim Miller has, perhaps at 6am , that way I can do my pranayama then rather than before anyone arrives. Tim's smart ; )
Thank you re Shala, see how it goes.
re Sharath, frount row next year!
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