Who's In the Pictures?

Recently a student asked about the identity of the people in the pictures at Kentucky Street and what is their connection to Yoga East and Ashtanga Yoga?

At the front of the main practice room are two large photos of Swami Muktananda (1908-1982) and Swami Chidvilasananda (Gurumayi). The photos belong to Yoga East and have been hanging in the studios since I began taking classes with Maja Trigg, Yoga East's founder, in 1990.  Muktananda was Maja's guru.  A mediation teaching certificate given to Maja and signed by Swami Muktananda hangs in the small practice room.  While a student of Maja's in 1991, I met Gurumayi and continue to be her student.  Gurumayi no longer makes public appearances, but people can study her teachings through her books and recordings.  She still has an active organization.

Siddha Yoga has no connection to Ashtanga Yoga of K. Pattabhi Jois other than both being traditional yoga teaching traditions from India.  Mr. Jois did not speak of himself as a spiritual teacher, but rather as a student and teacher of Ashtanga Yoga as it was taught to him by his teacher, T. Krishnamacharya.  Siddha Yoga is a meditation and philosophy tradition and Ashtanga Yoga is an asana tradition.  Both traditions have been meaningful for me and contributed to my understanding and practice of yoga in immeasurable ways.

Conference with Guruji July 9, 2006

Before this conference Guruji announced that students could ask questions pertaining to yoga.
The first student asked, "What is Sauca (cleanliness - from the niyama limb of the Yoga Sutras)?"

Guruji answered, "External cleanliness and internally thinking of God. Makes a good mind. Always think good thoughts towards yourself and others."

Second question was about self-practice as opposed to practice with a teacher: Guruji answered, "Study with one teacher until perfect, then self-practice is okay."

Next question about food: Guruji answered, "Not much eating. Milk, have two litres everyday; good ghee; rice; fresh food; fruit. Not too spicy or hot... sattvic food; sattvic thoughts. Through Maya (illusion) we are attracted to things including food. Only way to overcome this is by thinking of God.

A few days before the conference, Lakshmish, our Sanskrit teacher, shared some things that Guruji had discussed with him:

Age - must practice appropriate for one's age. Whatever age - one can always start practice.
Place - must practice in one place.
Timings - morning or evening only - not in the hot sun. Morning is better because the mind is calm.
Eating - consider the condition of the stomach.
Talking too much is not good.
Practice yama/niyama.
Avoid groups of people - too much is distracting.
Smoking, drinking, etc... are not good.
Utsaha - maintain enthusiasm and a positive mind.
Study the Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
To be avoided:
Using heaters for practice.
Too much walking.
Getting too tired.
Massage - no massage because it damages the nadis (channels through which prana flows).
Good:
Ghee with rice or rice with sugar and milk.
Oil bath once or twice a week.
Rub sweat in - don't wipe it with a towel.

Muscle Injuries Associated with Statin Drugs

A student told me this week that she learned her persisent leg pains might be due to Lipitor, which she had been taking for the past eight years.  I researched what she told me and found that some dangerous side effects have been reported for statin drugs such as Lipitor.  These side effects include myopathy (muscle injury) and rhabdomyolisis (breakdown of damaged skeletal muscle).  Both types of injury to the muscle can also occur or be worsened by overheating, exertion, and holding a position too long.  Some muscles, such as the quadriceps muscles, are enclosed in tight compartments of fascia. When the muscle is strained or injured and swelling occurs, permanent muscle injury can result because blood flow is impaired.  When blood flow is impaired to muscle tissue, the muscle cells die and do not regenerate.

If you are taking a statin drug and you are experiencing muscle pain, please consult with your medical professional.  Also, do not hold yoga poses so long that your blood flow is impaired.

For more information about statins see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atorvastatin

Kim Esteran Leaving Yoga East to Pursue Yoga Therapy Training

On June 6, Kim Esteran met with me to tell me she is resigning from Yoga East.  We will miss Kim's presence and her teaching, but we wish her the very highest as she continues her journey of yoga.  As both yoga teachers and practitioners, we go through different phases. It's so important to follow where our heart leads.  I want to share Kim's resignation letter with you:

June 6, 2011

Dear Laura,


Early Spring 2000, just about 11 years ago, I walked into Yoga East - Kentucky Street and signed up for the 90 Days for $90. I knew I needed yoga but I didn’t know then how much yoga needed me. I fell in love.

The following year, 2001, I enrolled in the Yoga East Teacher-Training program and you said to me at the graduation ceremony, “Now, you teach.” And I have been ever since and I fell deeper in love.

In June of 2002, not long after graduation, you and I and Terry, Kari, Kelly and Rob went to Mysore for the month of June. I met Guruji. We practiced at the old shala and we were there for the opening ceremony of the new shala. I even celebrated my 42nd birthday during that time, going to both a palace and the home of our rickshaw driver and his wife. I remember so clearly all of us crammed into their little house on their little couch. I remember so many things from that trip. It changed my life.

When I look back over the journey of the last 11 years, I am deeply grateful for all the blessings yoga has brought into my life. And you have been an influential part of that journey. Thank you for the teachings and the introductions to many teachers. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to teach at Yoga East. You have always been so supportive. The time I have spent here has changed my destiny.

An aspect of yoga I have always been interested in is Yoga Therapy. Recently, I have begun to study about teaching yoga to people with cancer under Jnani Chapman through the Integral Yoga Institute in Yogaville, Virginia. I am also starting to pursue Doug Keller’s Swatantrya Program for Yoga Therapy. Toward that end, I leave for Asheville, North Carolina, June 17-20, for his Therapy Fundamentals Intensive and then will continue to study with him in Dayton, Ohio, for the In-Depth Therapy Training.

I tell you these things because I want you to know how you, Yoga East and yoga have impacted my life. And also because I want you to know that I am changing my focus on teaching. The Yoga for Cancer Program requires an internship in which I teach yoga classes to people with cancer and have a certain number of private clients. Doug’s program offers the opportunity to specialize in a particular area and I am choosing cancer as my specific interest, in particular the cancers of the blood and bone; leukemia, lymphomas and multiple myelomas.
 
All this as a way of saying that my cup is full and I need to change some things in order to make room in my life for these other interests. So, please accept this as my letter of resignation from the teaching staff of Yoga East. I would be grateful to have June 30 as my last day.


It is with the deepest love and sincerest appreciation to you and Yoga East and the gifts I have been given as both a student and teacher that I continue to make my way out into world to teach. “Now, I teach.” Thank you.

Much love always,

Kimberly K. Esteran
EYRT-500

Kino's Workshop - June 3-5

Thank you to all of the students and teachers who came to the workshop this weekend.  Nadia Duran won the Longest Distance Traveled Award.  She came from Amsterdam, The Netherlands. It was wonderful to spend the weekend in the Ashtanga community. How fortunate we are to have such a strong practice community.

Ashtanga Yoga is a challenging form of yoga. As Willem Dafoe said in the documentary "Ashtanga, NY", "Ashtanga Yoga expects you to rise to its level."  How grateful I am to have this practice and the guidance of such great, committed teachers like Kino MacGregor, Pattabhi Jois, Sharath and Saraswathi.  One thing they all share is the "You can do it!" attitude.  And you also get the feeling that they are behind you all the way, cheering you on. 

I invite all the participants to write your comments about the workshop.  It's helpful to share our experiences on this path... our challenges and our triumphs.

Conference with Guruji - July 2, 2006

While going through my Sanskrit notes, I found notes I had made on two conferences Guruji gave in 2006. These are my notes on the first conference.  (Please be aware that it's possible I heard something incorrectly or wrote something down incorrectly - these are just my notes, not stone tablets brought down from the mountain.)

First four limbs (yama, niyama, asana, pranayama) are the foundation, the external practices (bahya); the second four limbs (pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi) are the internal practices (antara).  If asana is not correct, the second part (antara) is not possible.

First do asana, then yama/niyama. Yama/Niyama is very difficult.  Ahimsa (non-harming) means no one is troubling you (not even in your thoughts).  Yama/Niyama is gradually coming.

Asana - body/mind is perfect, then you are always telling the truth (satya).

Asana is perfect, then pranayama you are taking.  Vata dosha (imbalance in air/akasha elements) - shaking, body is shaking.  Rechaka (exhalation) and Puraka (inhalation)... regulation of these is pranayama.  Vinyasa - same (sama or equal) breathing system: 10 seconds inhalation and exhalation.  Then yoga is coming: yogascitta vritti nirodhah.  Then mind control is coming.

Breathing and looking (drishti) - if not done, mind control is not coming.  Breath control is mind control.  Body becomes steady - not shaking.

All the circulation must be correct (in asana).  The spine must be straight - not bending.

Bandhas - four inches below the navel, the muscles. Then the vayu goes through the branches of the tree of the nervous system to one nadi - the Brahma nadi to the Sahasrara - then moksha (liberation).

Strong body, mind, good thoughts one must have.

One by one correctly practice the asanas. They are coming.

How to Prepare for Your First Mysore Class - Detailed Instructions

Preparation for your first Mysore class is very simple - don't do anything! 

Many students have given me reasons why they think about coming to Mysore class, but haven't come yet:

I haven't learned the series yet.

I'm still a beginner and I think I need to go to more led classes first.

I'll be embarrassed because everyone else will be so much better than me.

Mysore class is a come-as-you-are party.  In fact, we get many students who have never done yoga.  They don't know the series and they don't even know how to do downward-facing dog. Sometimes students come to Mysore class after having tried other yoga classes and felt they didn't belong because they are older, stiff or have a hard time doing the poses.  Mysore class welcomes all kinds of students, even those students with severe medical restrictions. Two students have come to class using walkers because they were waiting for their hip replacement surgery to be scheduled.  Students with severe arthritis or late term pregnancy can use chairs in Mysore class.  In India, our teacher Saraswathi taught a student whose legs were amputated at the knee.  I've seen a student practicing in Mysore with a cast on one leg.

Mysore class is for anyone.  You do not need to know the series; you do not need to be able to do anything.  All you have to do is make a committment to attend Monday-Thursday classes three days a week for one month.  Students who are new to yoga should not go to the Friday and Sunday led classes for at least two weeks after starting Mysore class. The teacher will tell you when you are ready to go to a led class.