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October, 2004 |
Faith & Patience |
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Study Guide 3 –5 minutes each Use whatever props are necessary for the posture to be comfortable.
The three language formula: Body teaching the mind and breath Breath teaching the body and mind Mind teaching the body and breath - Prashant Iyengar
Manohar’s Moment of Enlightenment A “Yes, Sir to God” Anytime, anywhere: 1. STOP suddenly 2. Observe - 20 seconds or so This gives you the opportunity to awaken fully to any moment of your day, as often as you like.
Every drop of our experience contributes to happiness. But unlike a tank we do not get fulfilled, we remain still empty. - Swami Satswaraopananda
Neither shall they say, Lo here! Or lo, there! for behold, the kingdom of God is within you. - Luke 17:21
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Three weeks into my trip to India I was thinking about leaving, possibly never returning, at least not to the Iyengar Institute. In 2003 I made my first trip to India to study with the Iyengars. As I had resided in Pune for 10 weeks during that trip I felt like I was returning to an often visited vacation spot where I would comfortably ease into the flow of life. On that first trip there were so many unknowns. As far as I was concerned, this time the only unknown was how my health would effect my participation in classes at the Institute. I was still weak from last year’s chemotherapy and radiation treatments for cancer. I was hoping that Geetaji would help me regain my strength and give me direction for the remainder of my healing from the physical and emotional gashes of cancer and its treatments. Geetaji was herself ill and unable to teach many of her classes. There were students who walked up to her for answers to some questions, but she looked so ill, and, as I wanted much more than a response to a question or two, I decided that it was worth waiting for a promised private interview. I did eventually receive an interview and it was dense with information, support and love. That interview was 8 weeks after my arrival in Pune. By that time Geetaji was feeling better and teaching more classes. The majority of those 8 weeks I was impatient and fearful that the trip I believed would provide me with so much would be dismally empty. On my
other trip to India my days were a flurry of activity and information. I
spent nearly all my time at the Institute. Six days a week I was either in
the library, taking or observing a class, or practicing nearly all day .
This trip I was tired. I went to class every day. I went to practice most
days. On days I did not go to practice I would practice in my room. My
main reason for not going to practice was usually that I just didn’t want to
get up and go at my assigned time. Practice at the Institute is one of the
most rewarding times to be there. We practice alongside Guruji,
Geetaji and many other students with various tenures as Iyengar yoga
students. You can’t help but pick up pointers. Often Guruji will give a
discourse on this posture or that which makes the practice more like a
class. While in practice the pace is slower and you have time to look over
the huge variety of props and learn more about their use. You can take time
to contempla My first week at the Institute Geetaji gave me a sequence to do everyday during class and practice. It was very nearly the same sequence she had sent me for my practice during cancer treatments. I wanted more. I wanted to be active. The sequence is mostly passive restorative postures. I ached for more activity—aching to do more, yet tired most of the time. I was clearly a confused individual. I asked her if I looked ill, was that why she gave me this sequence again. She said I looked healthy in body, but my face was very tired. It wasn’t until over 5 weeks later that she gave me more active postures in my sequence. As I lay in my restorative postures week after week I watched those around me in the back of the room with their sequences. I listened to some of the class instructions. I kept my eyes open—I had been told that closing the eyes during poses can contribute to depression. And, I was getting depressed. I had traveled around the world to do postures I could be doing in my little yoga room at home. The bits and pieces I was picking up from the classes were mere fragments of what I would be learning if I were participating. I told myself I should leave before the end of the month. I should go home.
I did leave before the end of the month. I
took a trip to Bopal and met with a Devi healer. I stayed with the family
Shenoy for 10 days and visited with the healer twice. This period of time
was even quieter than in Pune. I got more sleep than I can remember ever
having. The family took care of my every need. My yoga practice was an
abbreviated 30 minutes several times a day. I spent the majority of each
day with the Grandfather of the house and their dog, Rocky. The three of us
could not carry on conversations, we did not know each others’ languages.
Still, we enjoyed each others’ company. We all liked naps. I was by
myself a lot. Want to know yourself—that’s the way to do it. My own little
meditation retreat. Ten days to myself was about all I could stand, now I
ached to return to the comfort of the Institute and my Pune roommates.
Funny how something that had been irritating a
I returned to Pune to a change in my sequence, an interview with Geetaji, a few philosophy sessions with a Mari Kari healer and a Swami. All of my experiences began to come neatly together. My visit to India was more than I could have expected. I just had to live through some discomfort first. Before leaving Pune I began to notice a pronounced improvement in my strength and decided I would have to return to the Institute for further study after all. Upon my return to Arkansas I was asked to teach in a yoga facility which comes complete with the usual props plus a trestler and wall ropes (one of only two such facilities with these characteristics in Arkansas). It is a hospital based facility where I am encouraged to design classes for special populations. After 23 years of teaching, I am delighted to be in a position where I am able to share more of the lessons taught to me by the Iyengars, their assistants and fellow students at the Institute.
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Volume 1 Issue
3
te
the large plates of the photographs from 
couple
of weeks before now looked like salvation.