tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post1858588631661383384..comments2024-03-21T00:30:14.738-07:00Comments on Yoga in the Dragon's Den: David Garrigues on Guruji, pain and injury; Sharath on not being able to go to IndiaNobelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00655577410721103577noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-34498155954727995232016-02-14T10:40:19.190-08:002016-02-14T10:40:19.190-08:00I agree that you can and should go to India to stu...I agree that you can and should go to India to study at AYRI especially if you plan to "teach" ashtanga yoga. I hear all kinds of excuses, but these people are those who refuse to give up their idea of what they think Ashtanga should be and just are not interested in being told to do things differently (correctly). So therefore, they are NOT teaching Ashtanga. Ganeshamdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03322057339855547152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-86153673512719887112013-01-26T12:30:30.507-08:002013-01-26T12:30:30.507-08:00I can imagine that it takes a certain kind of pers...I can imagine that it takes a certain kind of person (and I mean this in a good way) to be able to interact and hang out with people who are just diving in without feeling superior or self-important in any way. Very humbling.Nobelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00655577410721103577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-33179992303167219882013-01-26T12:27:55.970-08:002013-01-26T12:27:55.970-08:00This is interesting information, Susan. Will keep ...This is interesting information, Susan. Will keep this in mind if I suffer from pain when in Mysore :-)Nobelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00655577410721103577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-78207930778402461102013-01-26T01:35:11.294-08:002013-01-26T01:35:11.294-08:00Oh gosh.... I don't know if I can bring myself...Oh gosh.... I don't know if I can bring myself to pay enough attention to Elephant to occupy it ;)<br /><br />Yes, there do seem to be some angry and/or bitter senior teachers. Although I'm reframing my definition of 'senior teacher' somewhat after the last conference.... I tend to agree that just because you came here in the 1960s, it doesn't make you one.<br /><br />Yes, dinner was wonderful last night, and it was especially interesting to talk to someone on her 11th trip, who is so utterly without a sense of self-importance, and still enjoys mixing with those of who are just diving in. Remarkable.susanandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07608125527941228200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-26128742825483987122013-01-26T01:29:11.467-08:002013-01-26T01:29:11.467-08:00I don't know about lepers, but a friend of min...I don't know about lepers, but a friend of mine had pain and scheduled some time with Sharath. She was given some special exercises to do outside of practice, and something to pick up from the Ayurvedic store. For me, that falls under 'therapeutics'.... although, given the name of the primary series, so does the practice itself....susanandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07608125527941228200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-54081305199847236222013-01-25T15:17:20.941-08:002013-01-25T15:17:20.941-08:00I'm not saying this to be mean, but what does ...I'm not saying this to be mean, but what does calling yourself "Nataraj" tell us about you, other than the possible fact that you like to dance? I mean, I could call myself "Ganesh" (not that I would want to...). How about something that would give me an idea of what you are or what you do when you are not trolling comment threads? ;-) Nobelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00655577410721103577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-55805038964570523032013-01-25T15:13:02.980-08:002013-01-25T15:13:02.980-08:00Karen, thanks for sharing. All I can say is: I wis...Karen, thanks for sharing. All I can say is: I wish I were there!Nobelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00655577410721103577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-78608524863873313332013-01-25T15:11:02.503-08:002013-01-25T15:11:02.503-08:00Thanks for sharing, Angela. Big love to you too. I...Thanks for sharing, Angela. Big love to you too. I guess I have the, uh, good fortune of never having studied with any of those angry senior teachers of whom you speak. My first major Ashtanga teacher (PJ Heffernan) was and still is fiercely loyal to both Sharath and Guruji. As is Kino, of course. <br /><br />But--and I know many people have made this observation before--perhaps the blogosphere and its hinterlands of comment threads have a way of bringing out certain minority views and magnifying them and bringing them up for endless debate. Kind of like an Ashtanga version of a filibuster, if you will.<br /><br />I like the idea of Occupying the Elephant. To be way, Elephant does have some good contributors (Kino, Tim Feldmann, David Robson, to name just a few), but maybe there aren't enough to make up a critical mass. So yes, Occupying Elephant sounds like it may be a good idea. Except that I am still quite hung up about what I know about Elephant's editorial and management practices, and am reluctant to be seen as putting my weight (or, more precisely, whatever weight I have) behind a periodical with questionable practices. Nobelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00655577410721103577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-52220551329715277432013-01-25T09:29:20.845-08:002013-01-25T09:29:20.845-08:00Just home from a pre-moon day dinner at Green Hote...Just home from a pre-moon day dinner at Green Hotel. A big table -- people from everywhere; some who had been practicing for less than two years, some who'd been practicing for close to twenty; some on their first visit; one on her 11th. A remarkable community of practitioners. An experience that can not be fathomed via cyber-means or abstract projections. If someone is curious, they should come and visit. If not, no worries.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02687048821987802646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-70359134153903571472013-01-25T05:40:51.653-08:002013-01-25T05:40:51.653-08:00Oh, and in Elephant Journal. Fissures seem to exis...Oh, and in Elephant Journal. Fissures seem to exist (get manufactured) there too. The yoga editor there recently departed, and with him some great contributors. Meantime, gotta get content somewhere.<br /><br />Karen, Susan, maybe the next turning of the wheel involves us pirating elephant? Occupy...(0v0)https://www.blogger.com/profile/01354310899232411435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-11078727466997038822013-01-25T05:27:15.406-08:002013-01-25T05:27:15.406-08:00:-):-)(0v0)https://www.blogger.com/profile/01354310899232411435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-10428458883133845282013-01-25T05:26:47.349-08:002013-01-25T05:26:47.349-08:00Anonymous comments have the feel to me of coming f...Anonymous comments have the feel to me of coming from teachers who are worried about their turf and/or legitimacy.<br /><br />But that may just be my enormous projection! Haha! So take it with a grain of salt. Same as anyone trying to get in Sharath's head, or to characterize his teaching on the basis of... uh, no direct exposure whatsoever. Not helpful for clarity or for loving-supportive community.<br /><br />I'm with Susan on the relationship of practice and Mysore. I practiced for 7 years before my first trip. I went to check it of a list, and with a high degree of skepticism as well as passive aggressive critique that I didn't even realize I had on-loaded from senior teachers angry about their guru's decline and the fact that things were moving on to a new era. Once I cleared out these teachers' mournful, fearful and passive aggressive from my own emotional body (that took quite a bit of time - my "this is BS" thoughts stayed strongly engaged the first couple of weeks in Mysore), I recognized that what is being mind into there is golden and freaking brilliant. And I changed my life-situations and reorganized my manomaya kosha (thought patterns) to enable myself to tap into it more deeply.<br /><br />And I still went to the Ashtanga Confluence. And took students with me all the way from Michigan... ;) By now, the weird community fissures around "correct method" have long since healed. It's only in these hinterlands of comment threads that they may seem to still exist.<br /><br />Big love. Angela(0v0)https://www.blogger.com/profile/01354310899232411435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-53038672332802013452013-01-24T21:05:48.372-08:002013-01-24T21:05:48.372-08:00oh forgot to mention... those interested in my ide...oh forgot to mention... those interested in my identity. I'm Nataraj! Anyone care to dance?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-49484540821936831572013-01-24T21:04:36.648-08:002013-01-24T21:04:36.648-08:00Yes indeed, we are very blessed to have all of Gur...Yes indeed, we are very blessed to have all of Guruji's teachings preserved in such capable hands. Parampara!<br /><br />About that, I was wondering... Guruji's practice of therapeutics... I'm curious to hear about those in need of therapeutics, how they are faring at the Mysore shala these days. Like, the students suffering from leprosy. Guruji was legendary for his ministrations with lepers. Is Sharath doing as well the lepers? Perhaps we can get an eyewitness account from one of our friends in Mysore.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-75847791476162720272013-01-24T16:51:47.112-08:002013-01-24T16:51:47.112-08:00Good to know the cups are small :-)Good to know the cups are small :-)Nobelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00655577410721103577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-51576167567361738272013-01-24T14:24:34.892-08:002013-01-24T14:24:34.892-08:00I keep a quotation on a sticky note at work -- to ...I keep a quotation on a sticky note at work -- to try to keep myself in check. "My concern shows my ego." Yup, all that stuff we express "concern" about: worth examining intentions a bit...Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02687048821987802646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-51150001354254871642013-01-24T14:18:28.342-08:002013-01-24T14:18:28.342-08:00You're on. The cups are small. :-)You're on. The cups are small. :-)Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02687048821987802646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-26905956398081717302013-01-24T10:40:48.608-08:002013-01-24T10:40:48.608-08:00Thanks for chiming in, Susan. Yes, I don't thi...Thanks for chiming in, Susan. Yes, I don't think Sharath meant to say that everybody who has ever thought of going to Mysore should just drop everything now and be there within the month, either. Although I have to admit that it's a little hard not to get that kind of feeling when you read about everybody's powerful Mysore experiences in the blogosphere (including yours...). <br /><br />I just read your latest post. Keep working on those tic tocs; they are coming... Nobelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00655577410721103577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-3194798158390954112013-01-24T10:36:33.452-08:002013-01-24T10:36:33.452-08:00"I hope we can have a cup of chai together in..."I hope we can have a cup of chai together in Mysore one day."<br /><br />Likewise :-) Actually, I was told that it is a tradition in some parts of South Asia to sit down and have three cups of tea with somebody before transacting business or talking about anything serious. So maybe we would have three cups of chai, and then talk "yoga-shop"? :-) Nobelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00655577410721103577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-57003375756802017402013-01-24T10:31:30.819-08:002013-01-24T10:31:30.819-08:00I don't know about commodification. All I know...I don't know about commodification. All I know is that Sharath is doing his best to pass on what he's being taught by Guruji, and everybody I know who has been to Mysore (especially everybody else who has commented here thus far) are also doing their best to learn and absorb as much as they can from him. Why use big words to describe something that is really very straightforward? <br /><br />P.S. Btw, you might want to think about identifying yourself here; in other words, "de-anonymize" yourself, if there is such a word (ha! talk about using big words...). I normally have nothing against anonymous comments. But it just seems a little unfair when all of us are putting our names out here and stating our honest heartfelt opinions while somebody is hiding behind a veil of anonymity and sniping at everybody else with big words...Nobelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00655577410721103577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-49810883024677161252013-01-24T10:21:51.544-08:002013-01-24T10:21:51.544-08:00Anyone believing my intent is to deny the authenti...Anyone believing my intent is to deny the authenticity of their Mysore experience, be assured that is not the case. Quite the opposite. What I am concerned with is commodification, specifically the commodification of that authentic experience. Commodification of yoga. Commodification of education, of healthcare, food, clothing, communication, now all of it is equally subject to the economics of supply and demand. Are you down with this? What does the ethicist have to say?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-77149788236484393352013-01-24T02:20:11.081-08:002013-01-24T02:20:11.081-08:00Hi Nobel
I'd like to second what D said, I pr...Hi Nobel<br /><br />I'd like to second what D said, I practiced for around eight years before I made it here, but now I intend to come every year. Don't give up. I don't think Sharath's comments were meant to imply that everyone should drop everything now, overcome every obstacle immediately and be here within the month.<br /><br />But the experience one has here is priceless. <br /><br />I find it amusing that the most vitriolic and absurd comments are usually made under the banner of 'anonymous'.... <br /><br />In any case, someone with 'anonymous' 's attitude is quite right not to come, because they'd be incapable of getting anything out of it and would simply be an energy drag on everyone else.susanandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07608125527941228200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-56373615971948287842013-01-23T23:26:32.058-08:002013-01-23T23:26:32.058-08:00My online persona is wiser than I am. ;-)
Specula...My online persona is wiser than I am. ;-)<br /><br />Speculating about what Sharath thinks is great sport, but in the end (at least in my experience) he always surprises you. So best to come here (when you can) and see for yourself.<br /><br />I hope we can have a cup of chai together in Mysore one day. (Perhaps that can be the new Ashtangi greeting...)Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02687048821987802646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-39911771863574957002013-01-23T15:40:35.120-08:002013-01-23T15:40:35.120-08:00How do you go about measuring shaktipat?
As for ...How do you go about measuring shaktipat? <br /><br />As for the rest of your comment, I refer you to OvO's link above to Karen's post.<br />Nobelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00655577410721103577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1449952380128375575.post-23277262032056460222013-01-23T15:38:45.193-08:002013-01-23T15:38:45.193-08:00Well, from what I know, chitta vrtti nirodha is bo...Well, from what I know, chitta vrtti nirodha is both free AND priceless :-) <br /><br />While I do find the idea of a samadhi installment plan quite amusing, I don't think that's going to work...Nobelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00655577410721103577noreply@blogger.com