I have a major gripe...which I've never mentioned here...but feel very much like doing today. Someone mentioned to me that I go to too many different teachers. This person also seemed to think that I will not be able to progress unless I declare myself as so and so's student and stick with one teacher.
I don't know what to say about this. I personally think its very unreasonable to expect me to practice only with one teacher, especially since I live in a place where I have hardly any access to good Ashtanga teachers. Who am I supposed to go to for adjustments, advice and community, if I have to limit myself to only practising with just one teacher??
In a way, I feel almost obliged to comply with this, or risk not being able to move forward in my practice. On the one hand I respect this person who said this to me very much. On the other hand, I am left feeling a little disappointed that I am hearing this from this particular person.
I personally don't care if my teacher is certified/authorized or whatever, as long as I learn something useful from them, I consider them my teacher. And in this case, the only real guru of Ashtanga is Pattabhi Jois and everyone else is simply teaching HIS teachings. So why is there this exclusivity thing going on about who is whose teacher etc etc. If all my teachers have been to Mysore and studied with Guruji, then all they are teaching are his methods, and no one should or can claim that people that they teach can only practice with them and no one else!
I guess being exclusive to one teacher may be the case for someone who has access to many shalas and hops around those different shalas..but I haver NO access...and ANY teacher is better than none...
Sigh..this is putting a dampener on me at the moment..and although I know it will pass, I'm still feeling rather troubled by it right now..
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Just the breath..
I've never been that attentive to the breath...but lately, because of my wrist injury, I've had to slow down everything alot..and sometimes even resort to lowering down all the way to the floor and not do chatturanga etc. The wrists are much better now, but these few weeks has been a great opportunity for me to observe my breath.
And surprisingly, I found that I really enjoyed my breathing. I never realised it, even when J pointed it out to me..but my breathing is really pretty smooth, deep, long and even. I noticed it a little after John Scott's workshop, but didn't pay that much attention to it, but now that I've been really counting my vinyasas, there is a huge difference in the way I breathe now and back when I just started.
I think I owe it very much to John teaching me the vinyasa count and counting us through the led classes. Now, I'd practice with his DVD once in a while too, and it really seems to make a lot of difference in the pace and depth and sound of my breath.
I'm talking about this mainly because I'm down with a bout of cold rite now, but I still practiced the last 2 days through my runny nose, and it felt so darn good, like the ujjayi breath was cleaning out my lungs and sinuses. I've been feeling the breath much more recently in my back body, and I feel that it has as much effect of stretching out my back as actually doing an asana.
Another part of ujjayi that is helpful is that when I breathe and not think too much about anything, the practice becomes smooth and very flowing. Almost floating. I didn't feel tired out nor feel strained in the poses...and this was despite getting back into all the chatturangas, vinyasas and arm balances.
One thing I can't seem to get though, is coordinating my breathing with vinyasa. I mean all through the suryas, its very natural. When it comes to jumping through, I always feel wayy stronger jumping on empty, which J told me is definitely a nono. I can jump through on inhales, but the lift is not as strong. I'm not sure if I'm missing something here, but my connection to uddiyana bandha is way stronger when I've just exhaled.
Jumping back, which by the way I think I've kinda figured out (because I did it again!!! yippee!) I lift on inhale and exhale back to chatturanga. That seems to work pretty well though.
About jumpbacks, I did them again yesterday! hehe. Not the floaty variety, but I think the key is to lift to lolasana and then bend the elbows so that the hips lift to counterbalance the head and shoulders, and then my legs just go back without that much strength involved. I know its probably not the best way to jumpback, but for the time being I'm pretty pleased with this discovery;)
Gonna skip practice today cos its ladies holiday and the cold is still pestering me, so will take a rest.
And surprisingly, I found that I really enjoyed my breathing. I never realised it, even when J pointed it out to me..but my breathing is really pretty smooth, deep, long and even. I noticed it a little after John Scott's workshop, but didn't pay that much attention to it, but now that I've been really counting my vinyasas, there is a huge difference in the way I breathe now and back when I just started.
I think I owe it very much to John teaching me the vinyasa count and counting us through the led classes. Now, I'd practice with his DVD once in a while too, and it really seems to make a lot of difference in the pace and depth and sound of my breath.
I'm talking about this mainly because I'm down with a bout of cold rite now, but I still practiced the last 2 days through my runny nose, and it felt so darn good, like the ujjayi breath was cleaning out my lungs and sinuses. I've been feeling the breath much more recently in my back body, and I feel that it has as much effect of stretching out my back as actually doing an asana.
Another part of ujjayi that is helpful is that when I breathe and not think too much about anything, the practice becomes smooth and very flowing. Almost floating. I didn't feel tired out nor feel strained in the poses...and this was despite getting back into all the chatturangas, vinyasas and arm balances.
One thing I can't seem to get though, is coordinating my breathing with vinyasa. I mean all through the suryas, its very natural. When it comes to jumping through, I always feel wayy stronger jumping on empty, which J told me is definitely a nono. I can jump through on inhales, but the lift is not as strong. I'm not sure if I'm missing something here, but my connection to uddiyana bandha is way stronger when I've just exhaled.
Jumping back, which by the way I think I've kinda figured out (because I did it again!!! yippee!) I lift on inhale and exhale back to chatturanga. That seems to work pretty well though.
About jumpbacks, I did them again yesterday! hehe. Not the floaty variety, but I think the key is to lift to lolasana and then bend the elbows so that the hips lift to counterbalance the head and shoulders, and then my legs just go back without that much strength involved. I know its probably not the best way to jumpback, but for the time being I'm pretty pleased with this discovery;)
Gonna skip practice today cos its ladies holiday and the cold is still pestering me, so will take a rest.
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