Yogarosa Blog

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...

Day 2 RIMYI Prashant’s class today left me feeling what I think are the processes he was speaking about. Our teachers tell us to evacuate our bladder and our colon before practice. That is the obvious evacuation. Defecating purifies and cleanses. Urinating flushes out our system.  As such, we should also observe what else needs evacuation when we enter the pose. At first, the body is doing and doing to get into the pose. Get into the pose and watch. What do you have to evacuate? In the mind? In the organs, in the breath? As we watch the breath, the exhalation helps us to evacuate. So exhale further and further. In Savasana, he had us flush out and wash the brain, as the brain is fed so much information all the time. And further and further like mouthwash, we cleansed and purified, until everything disappeared. When he said to come out, I didn’t want to. And as I sat up, I felt refreshed and quiet.  Please understand that this is just a summary of the many gems Pr...

I Just finished a yoga class taught by a master. I could say taught by the granddaughter of a master, but in her own right, she shines on her own. I am talking about Abhijata, grand daughter of legendary yoga master, BKS Iyengar. After 6 weeks in Pune, I have taken many classes, with different teachers, and have been inspired and have learned and deepened my practice with all of them. Each and every teacher has something to offer. But it is not so much about what they give, it is really more about what I have received, as Prashant Iyengar says. My eyes, ears, and mind pay attention. But I offer myself as a student full of samskaras, or imprints from past lives. In addition, I have the imprints and the scars of this life. So I come with some knowledge, or my own perceived knowledge. As a student, I am not fortunate to have the opportunity of taking classes with a regular teacher in my hometown. Perhaps this has been a blessing in disguise, as well as a curse, as I am forced to figure...