Farewell Mysore

Tomorrow is our last day in Mysore. Before we head back to Sweden, we decided to spend one day in a small village outside of Mysore, called Srirangapatna. We will stay at an old colonial-style villa, famously restored by an artistic spanish lady of 85, who welcomes guests wanting to escape the city buzz  and looking to indulge in fabulous own-grown organic food.  We will take full advantage of the last chance to soak up some sun, swim in the river and simply relax.

I am struggling with the fact that my month at PAVI (Sheshadri's shala) is over.  To be honest, I am not ready to leave. It feels like I just started.  Seems, I have just found my rythm here, even allowed for the comfort of routine to creap in.

 I will miss the honest, straightforward approach to yoga, which is oftentimes lacking in the west.  I will miss Sheshadri's famous intense adjustments. I will miss the amazing shavasana adjustments, his walking on the spine and his grueling backbending routines. I have felt nothing but pure trust in his teaching skills and his deep knowledge of the body. Most of all I have been inspired by finding a teacher who not only teaches yoga, but lives yoga. 

Although I've learnt and grown in more ways than one during this month, the fact is, I have just started.  Some say, yoga takes many years to master. I think, one can never master yoga, it is not a goal we arrive at. It is rather a journey, a lifestyle we choose in attempt come closer to who we trully are.   I feel blessed to have found this path to self and look forward to the lessons I have yet to learn.

Asatoma Sadgamaya

Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya

Mrutyorma Amritangamaya

OM Shanti Shanti Shanti

The Goal of Yoga

Why yoga? What's the craze about? What is it that gets us totally absorbed in this ancient art of body, mind and soul?

I have been around countless yogis now for four weeks and have heard their stories of falling for yoga.  I've watched their faces glow after the morning practise, I have seen them tear up as they leave Mysore to return to their "normal" lives.  It is obvious: yoga does wonders to those who dedicate themselves to a regular practise.  When you arrive at a point when it is more difficult to skip a practise than to do it, you start wondering, "how did I do without"?

It starts with a wish to live a healthier life, to become stronger or more aware of your body, or even as a stress therapy. What it turns into is something most of us have not anticipated at all.

The father of yoga, Sri Patanjali, who lived sometime between 5000BCE and 300CE and produced the single most important account on yoga called Yoga Sutras, writes:

"The goal of yoga is not to obtain something that is lacking: it is the realization of an already present reality. Yoga practise does not bring about Samadhi [the higher state of conciousness] directly - it removes the obstacles that obstruct its experience" (Yoga Sutras, Sutra 2.2)

And there it is.  The love, the beauty, the peace that we so desparately search for is already there. We just need to remove the layers of our conditioning, our past experiences, fears and dogmas that we are taught to follow and it slowly unveils itself, like a delicte flower in the morning light.

In the depth of a breath, in the intensity of the moment, when the ego takes a step back and the ignorance looses its hold, we get a glimpse what it's all about. And that one moment is what keeps us coming back for more.  That moment when love is stronger than fear, when we learn to surrender and let go, the moment when stillness takes its bloom, that is yoga.

Of course, there are many ways of arriving to the destination. For me, getting out of my head and getting into my body, works.  Asana (yoga postures) is a good help to achieving the rest.. and there is much more to achieve than reaching your toes or even perfecting an advanced sequence.  Physical practise of yoga without the other "limbs" is just acrobatics.  Living the life of love and kindness is what it's all about. Letting go of the need for material posessions to make us happy, letting go of craving for status and authority, letting go of fears that stop as from being who we truly are, is the goal of yoga. 

As the constant chatter of our minds subsides, in the moment of stillness, we can see it more clearly. 

It is all there.  We just have to be brave enough to face it. 

Lessons of Ahimsa

We have recently paid a visit to Sheshadri after a fabulous lunch  at Sandhya's house just a few streets down from the shala.  Andy being the man of plenty questions, asked Sheshadri if yoga was similar to martial arts. "Oh no, big difference.  Yoga is ahimsa ", he said smiling.

In sanscrit ahimsa means non-violence.  It is one of the Yamas (moral codes) of the Ashtanga Yoga system.  Ahimsa is a term that stands for non-harmful actions, words or thoughts towards all living beings.

To be a yogi does not simply mean mastering asanas or pranayama techniques, it means living yoga - cultivating a compassionate attitude towards others.  Ahimsa is also the reason behind many yoga practitioners choosing vegetarian/vegan diets.

In Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga, the importance of practising ahimsa towards ourselves is quite obvious, as too often the overachieving ahstangis will allow their egos to push them beyond their body limits.

I'm guilty of it. On numerous occasions.

Since I have started practicing in India, I have been too careless and ego-ridden believing that in just a few weeks I can fix the problem areas that I have struggled with for years.  The good thing is that your body will tell you when you go too far, as did mine.  For the last week I have had to work around a sensitive right knee, caused by "overindulgence" in hip opening postures. 

Lesson learned: Every set back in your practise is a chance for growth, as it will teach you not only the importance of ahimsa, but also the ways of working around your problem areas.  I mean,  lesson areas. 

Letting go of ego, which pushes us to compete with ourselves is an important aspect of yoga.  Listening to your body, respecting the boundaries, and enjoying exactly where you are now is as vital for a yogi as practising non-harmful actions towards others.  Every morning as I am practising modified version of Marichyasana B and Marichyasana D on the left side, I enjoy the tremendous potential for growth, breathing into my "lesson areas", feeling the ego chip away one layer at a time.

In the quiet surrender to my body, I feel it open, release, heal.  

An inner smile lights up my face - I´m starting to get it. 

    Marichyasana B, performed by BKS Iyengar

Yogic Diet

One of the best things about India is surely its cuisine.  I have been a vegetarian for a while now and have found it fairly easy to be one in Stockholm.  In India, there really seems to be no reason to eat anything but veg. The dishes are so varied, plentiful and rich in flavour, that the excuse of a vegetarian diet being "bland" just doesn't cut it.  My husband Andy who is an occasional meat aficionado has not had a craving for anything carnivorous since we have arrived two and a half weeks ago. 

Everything we choose off the menu (in most cases having no idea what we are ordering, as our Kannada is limited) is simply delicious.  The only question we repeatedly pose is : "Spicy? No Spicy, please". They smile expectedly.  But of course.  We are westerners, who will tear up from  "mild spicy" before we even get to swallow the first bite.

Despite the endless chances for culinary adventures, the amount I consume here is significantly less than in Sweden.  For the first time in my life I am really watching the clock when it comes to planning our meals.  Having the luxury to practise in Sweden at 8 or 9am, I have never had to think much about what time I should have my dinner.  Starting the practise at 6am, makes it fairly burdensome on the system with the previous night's dinner lingering on. The intense spinal twists will remind you of that everytime.

 It only took me a few days to tune into what my body needed in order for the vinaysas to flow just a bit more smoothly - empty stomach. Since  I arrived to Mysore, I have fallen into a habit of having lunch as the main meal of the day. For dinner I usually have fresh vegetables and fruit.  Somehow, the more yoga you practise, the more your focus becomes purely on quality and nutritional value of what you consume rather than quantity.

One of the reasons why we chose Anokhi Garden, the guest house that we stay at, was for their breakfast cafe. They prepare the most amazing ecological vegetarian and vegan morning delicacies, with a French twist, of course (the owners are two French ladies).  Vegan  pancakes, vegan crepes with hommade hummus, tomatoes and spinach, french toast, bruschetta, porridge with local bananas and cinnamon are just a few of the many delights.  Flora's fruit salad with papaya, watermelon, banana, dates, pomegrante, frech coconut shavings and fresh mint or basil is to die for!  A few lovely shakes with spirulina (blue-green algae, rich in nutrients and essential for vegan diet) and local fruits, as well as freshly squeezed juices are a must after an intense morning yoga routine.  And of course, masala coffe  - a divine blend of coffee, milk, cardamom and cinamon. 

Having devoured my breakfast, I am usually not hungry until 2 or 3 pm, at which point Andy and I ride the scooter over to one of our favorite spots in Gokulam. Many of them are simply people's homes that welcome hungry yogis providing not only fabulous home-cooked meals, but also authentic Indian family atmosphere. 

However, one of my favorite meals so far was a breakfast that my teacher Sheshadri and his wife served for us students after the morning practise last Friday.  I must admit, I cannot even start to identify what ingredients were in some dishes, but they were the most aromatic, savory combinations, packed with important proteins and adorned with fresh herbs and spices.  Bananas and papaya from Sheshadri's own garden as well as home made chai topped it all off.  All served with love.

Tomorrow, Andy and I will be going to Sheshadri's house where his wife will give us a cooking lesson, an experience I'm looking forward to.

The Beauty of Morning Practise

We live in a quiet area of Mysore, called Gokulam. Quiet in Indian terms, that is. The honking and the loud car, truck, scooter racing continues late into the night. Last night the usual traffic adventures were accompanied by a stray cat chorus which seemed to have rehearsed all major arias of Verdi's masterpieces, followed by the neighborhood dogs angrily dismissing the quality of the harmonies performed.  Not sure if it ever calmed down, or if my ears just got accustomed to it, but I seem to have dosed off towards midnight.  I kept on waking up throughout the night to a distant dog fight, or an occasional honking (who are they honking at!? - I am sure the street is absolutely empty) finally to give in and turn off my alarm at 4.25am. I was ready for the practise.

Morning is my favorite time of the day in Mysore.  As the four-legged inhabitants are taking a morning doser before their daliy activities will have to resume, the place seems to be totally quiet. Not even the scooter drivers passing me silently without their headlights (!) have the energy to honk. I walk about 500 meters to the coconut stand where I am picked up by a rickshaw and driven accross town to Lakshmipuram,  to Sheshadri's shala.  The ride takes about 15 minutes and as we bump along Mysore roads, I watch the city slowly awaken. 

The chai kiosks are boiling their famous wake-up elixir, the fruit and veggie stalls are being loaded with the day's offerings, the flower stands are being prepared for the fresh pickings of the day.  People, alone and in groups walk silently on the wide roads, heading to work, or just taking a morning stroll, who knows.  Cows are lazily moving about in search of their morning meal.

The students are to arrive about 30 minutes before we start the practise, so that everyone can settle in and take the time to mentally prepare for the practise. As I enter the shala, my teacher Sheshadri is always sitting in a deep meditation after having completed his own morning practise. He is totally motionless.  His son Hareesh sits on the opposite side of the room.

We quietly settle in and follow the lead. As I close my eyes, I listen to the birds outside the window.  A distant wake up call from a rooster.  Fresh air fills the room and light starts to slowly seap in.

Suddenly a quiet but powerful OM vibrates through the room, echoed by a heartful response from the group. And another OM, this time louder and stronger. And the last. We repeat. After a beautifully sounding Sanskrit chant, I have yet to decipher, Sheshadri leads the class throught the first few Sun Saltuations, the rest is up to us.

As I go through the yogic dance of saluting the raising sun, I can't help but feel that this is one of the most natural things to do,  float with the rhythms of nature, feeling as much a part of it as we humans are meant to be.   I don't feel sleepy, I don't feel tired, the sun has risen and I am ready to seize the day. 

 

Note: We recently asked Sheshadri why we are meant to practise early in the morning (besides the sun saluting ritual).  He explained that the energy in the early morning hours is most suited for yoga practise.The air has more oxygen and is cleaner and the mind is more calm and pure.

My Teacher Sheshadri

Sri V. Sheshadri belongs to a handful who have had the privilege to study with the founding father of modern yoga Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, as well as with Pattabhi Jois, BKS Iyengar and BNS Iyengar. Sheshadris' teaching style is very much "hands on" with students receiving plenty of adjustments, some of which can be quite intense. 

According to atmashaktiyoga.com, in his early yoga teaching years, Sheshandri "expanded his practice to include volunteer  teaching at a local school for blind children. It was here where having to rely mainly on touch to articulate the postures, he  developed the extraordinary teaching  style that he has become best known for."

Sheshadri teaches Mysore style only, with a led class about once a month.  Mysore style is a particular asana practise, where students go through their own assigned sequence at their own pace, while the teacher assists with physical adjustments and verbal ques, based on each student's individual level.

Besides being a phenomenal yoga teacher, Sheshadri, as he says, is a farmer. He has a large farm outside of Mysore where he grows anything from rice to bananas. A large part of the proceeds from his harvest goes as donation to the community.  His generousity and honesty in everyday life is very much apparent in his teaching, as he gives each class 110 percent.  He even gives adjustments in Savasana.  "Lay face down", he says and climbs on a students spine walking and pressing with his feet, cracking, adjusting, releasing, healing.

At the end of the class he sits outside the room and awaits students questions, or just engages in a friendly chat.

Tip:

As of 2007 Sheshadri has been teaching one month a year in Europe, usually France, Germany and Austria. This year he plans a visit in May, schedule to be confirmed.

Footnote:

By Fernando Pages Ruiz about Sri Krishnamacharya in Yoga Journal, 2001

"Whether you practice the dynamic series of Pattabhi Jois, the refined alignments of BKS Iyengar, the classical postures of Indra Devi, or the customized vinyasa [of Desikachar], your practice stems from one source: a five-foot, two-inch Brahmin born more than one hundred years ago in a small south Indian Village."

Flexible Spine - Flexible Mind

Sri V. Sheshadri adjusting

The alarm went off at 4.30 am, Mysore time. I have barely slept in my excitement. 

The plan was to meet up with some of Sheshadri's students at the famous coconut stand, where someone would pick me up and drive me to Sheshadri's shala. Precisely at 6am the practise started with a powerful OM and a Sanscrit chant I have not heard before.

Into my 3rd Sun Salutation I received Sheshadri's first adjustment. My downward dog has never felt better. The adjustments kept coming. Strong, precise, powerful, plentiful, and just amazing. Everytime I got an adjustment, I felt my body being molded, transformed, blockages released, channels opening. Even the breath seemed to be flowing more freely.

As intense as the adjustments were, I just instictively trusted this amazing yoga teacher and allowed him to lead my body where it was meant to go. By Janusirsasana A, I told myself: This is it. I have found my Guru.