Geeta’s Gift

Geetaji’s Ladies Class 

July 11, 9:30-11:45am

When Geetaji arrives, she finds her seat and sits straight despite her age and ailments. She is sharp, witty, direct, and seems omniscient in the way she can detect students problems and foresee future problems. She is catching us in our mistakes, and our lack of understanding in the poses. She rightly gets frustrated that some basic points have not been understood, so she clearly points out how to improve. She sees the missing links. And not only reinforces them, drives them into us sometimes with a loud voice, sometimes by explaining the damaging effects of improper actions. She cares so much for our wellbeing, that she hammers into our heads what we are supposed to be doing, and doesn’t let us off the hook until we do it. At least she says “ok some of them are doing.” And for a moment she seems satisfied. 

Today she spotted a young woman (in the back of the room) and asked her to come to the front. She asked her what her problem was. The young woman said she didn’t have any problems. She had her do Adho Mukha Svanasana, and she first pointed out her uneven buttocks. Like a detective, she asked the teachers why the buttocks were uneven. I wish I spoke Marathi, as some things get lost, but some things get lost in English as well, so we catch what we can while we are here.

Then, with a sparkle in her eagle eyes, she showed us (from the base) how one arm was falling down, the same shoulder blade was moving outward, and on the other side, the back was moving away from the spine. She was teaching us how to look. She then instructed Raya to help the student bring sensitivity to the areas that weren’t working properly. Then we saw the buttocks get adjusted, although that was not where the problem was. She explained to us that the young woman’s ida and pingala nadis (energy) was not even. Although it seems she was teaching alignment, she was correcting the faulty energetic current in the woman’s pose. She explained that most people don’t understand that Guruji wasn’t just teaching poses. He was teaching us the whole of yoga using the poses. She then had her come down into adho mukha virasana, and Abhijata adjusted her femurs back and down. Geeta the asked Abhijata what the difference was in the woman’s femurs. Abhijata felt how one femur was up and one femur was down. This is what we need to observe. The differences in the sides of the body so that we can adjust and have our energy be balanced. 

It is not only eye opening and inspiring to be in Geeta’s classes, but it is an added bonus to be a witness in an ongoing mentorship. To be in a class with Abhijata and Raya, in the presence of their beloved and wise aunt feels very special. To have Abhijata and Raya add their own words, or point to a particular body part to help us in our understanding feels so effortless. In the evening, Geeta was speaking to a group about how mass teacher trainings were never Guruji’s way. That they are turning out teachers who are unqualified, and creating problems in the students. One should be a student for a long time before even thinking about teaching. That the right way is how Guruji taught. A long time mentorship after a deep understanding of the poses as a student. This is how yoga has to be taught and understood.

I feel so grateful for all their generosity in sharing all their knowledge. I remember taking a class with a teacher once who said that she didn’t share all of her knowledge with her students because she wanted them to keep coming back to her. It felt very petty. On the contrary, I keep coming back to Pune because not only Guruji shared everything he discovered even up until his last breath, but his family continues to do the same. They give so much, and we may not realize at the time what a great gift that is. And we have a choice when we get home. First, to assimilate and hopefully integrate what we have been given. And then we can keep it to ourselves, or share it with an open heart, and lots of passion. 

Just like Geeta.