Day 2: My first-ever Mysore class

I was given an 8:30 am schedule but arrived at Saraswathi's shala a bit earlier. Her shala is about 2 to 3 blocks away from the main shala.  Already, there were a number of people practicing, about 3 deep and 7 across. There was space for me by the wall and I started with my sun salutations, 5 of each, continued on to the standing poses, then started with the primary series. 

This is my first-ever Mysore style class ever. One needs to know the sequence of ashtanga asanas to make the most of it. It was a good thing that I had prepared for this 4 months before by practicing, reading and watching videos. You have to know the suryanamaskara A, the suryanamaskara B, the standing poses, then about half of the primary series ( until Navasana) then the finishing sequence.  It was great to be assisted with utthita hasta padangushtasana. I was able to stand bending forward from my waist, 5 breaths, then exhale up, move leg to right, face left 5 breaths, then leg front again, exhale from waist 1 breath, then up.  I am having problems with my left knee, I think related to a tightness in my hamstrings and glutes, possibly even my quadriceps, and have a  pretty hard time with doing the ardha baddha padmotanasana or standing half lotus. I try to really externally rotate my thighs before getting into this pose. I have yet to catch my foot with my hand across my back ( although I had an assist and finally know how it feels! )  I also had help with both Maricyasana C and D.  I still need to do a modified D without the foot in half lotus, but I can now bind with some assistance.  I need to remember on the first side to relax my left arm,  work my shoulder armpit area to my right knee, twist right back from the waist, slowly internally rotate my left arm, bend the elbow and reach my left hand twisting back to connect with my right hand crossing back from around my waist. I went all the way to navasana at my own pace, and did the finishing sequence. I am still having problems with holding my headstand and had assists also in this. 

All in all, it was a great class for me, and hope to make more progress in the next classes.

Day 1: Ashtanga yoga led class in Mysore

Today is March 1, the first day of my ashtanga yoga classes at the Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute in Mysore ( www.kpjayi.org). I am taking classes under Saraswathi, the daughter of Jois. I heard that she is 74 years old. But what a sprightly sweet-smiling strong woman!

I had been preparing for this day since I decided to come to Mysore in late October of last year-- 4 months now. I had been taking a weekly vinyasa class for more than a year with a terrific teacher who was generous and kind and who helped me a lot on my postures, making me more interested in yoga.

  I discovered ashtanga yoga when I decided to come for yoga to India.  From several types of yoga available in India --hatha yoga, iyengar yoga, vinyasa yoga, ashtanga yoga; in different places -- Rishikesh, Bihar, Pune, Khajuraho,Mysore; and with different commitments-- 200, 500 hour teacher training, 2 week yoga retreats, time-limited classes -- I finally narrowed down my interest to ashtanga yoga ( which I honestly had not heard of since then). I decided to take yoga classes for 1 month -- straight from the source-- direct from the lineage of Pattabhi Jois. 
What drew me to ashtanga yoga?  I think it was the strength yet stillness that I saw in the moves.  The rigor and patience and persistence that promised boundless rewards.  Practice, practice and all is coming -- the words of Jois --- this was a mantra that stayed with me in moments when I thought it was not possible to do any more of the poses, and countless pains and  injuries that seemed miraculously to go away when I did more yoga.  After much reading, including blog articles of beginning ashtangis, I began a home practice based on videos I found on youtube, and myyogaonline -- gravitating towards those of Kino Macgregor, an ashtanga  yoga presence online. I learned a lot from watching and listening to her videos. And in truth when I started to attempt the primary series, I could hardly do the sun salutations in flow with the vinyasas or breath. It was like running a marathon without any training. I was breathlessly trying to keep up, hardly able to hold my upward-facing dog.  Although I am a spontaneous person and pretty much do things without any planning -- seemingly in paradox to that I also like being in control. I am actually drawn to the structure of ashtanga yoga and the set sequences that lead to an attainable ( with practice) goal and there are 6 series that one could possibly achieve --a lot to work on and aspire for.

I came very early today, arriving at 5:15 am for the 6:15 class. It was still dark and I was the second person there.  We were allowed into the shala around 6 am and the class began at 6:30 am with Saraswathi leading the opening chant. Ekam, inhale... Dve, exhale... Around 50 individuals moved as one, only the steady ujayyi breath resounding in the room as we went through 5 suryanamaskara A and 3 of B.  You could feel the energy building in the room and I felt my body responding, giving and taking from this spring of energy.  Drops of sweat dripped down my face as we flowed through the primary series. I got an assist from Saraswathi to bind into my Marichyasana C which I was so thankful for.  My left knee is still hurting.  I still had to do some modifications for some of the poses, incorporating the suggestions given in David Swenson's book Ashtanga Yoga Practical Guide, but I was able to keep up with the class. On the closing sequence, I think it was the first time I was able to extend my legs up in headstand for about a second or so before I rolled down-- later, Saraswathi passed by again to help me with the pose. What a great class! Pretty much what I had come here for. I am also so happy I spent so much time to prepare for this trip by learning the half primary series, and hoping that I will have completed the whole series by the end of my trip.  Looking forward to my first-ever Mysore style class on Monday!