Day #10 - Yoga Education

I feel like a fraud, or rather an imposter.

This week they are hosting a meeting for assessors/mentors/teacher trainers from around the world to discuss the current assessment model.

Because of this meeting, they have closed RIMYI for the week.

But what to do with the international students who have come for the month?

So we have been given a program for the week which includes us in some of the teacher’s meeting sessions.

Now you will understand why I feel like an imposter.

If you feel intimidated being a class level that’s a bit over your head imagine how I felt in a convention hall with hundreds of the most senior teachers from around the world.

Everything that was being spoken about is in the context of assessment and teacher training.

I just came to Pune for a good yoga class, but since I am a student in the assessment process, my ears did prick.

It was encouraging to hear the senior teachers talk with such humility. To hear of their concerns on their position of having to ‘judge’ students is reassuring.

Actually just the fact that this conversation is being had between the Iyengar family and the world associations leaves me feeling hopeful for me and my peers.

Prashant said many things, I have 8 pages of notes, I will leave you with his most repeated sentiment

Which was something along the lines of… The importance of education, not training. A teacher is not a teacher because they know the technical requirements of a pose, but what makes a teacher is a maturity that comes from practice and exploration and self-study, this is how we get educated.

While the senior teachers are solving the problems of Iyengar assessment, I was shopping for bloomers.

Day #9 - Pranayama with Prashant

The pranayama class was taught by Prashant, but actually I should not say ‘taught’ because Prashant is currently not teaching.

He says I am not going to teach you anything you have to learn for yourself.

So that is what we did.

He took us through a series of postures and requested we learn something for ourselves about pranayama from our observations.

It is both a refreshing change and a shock to the system this new method of learning.

He is essentially telling us to not do and in the not doing we can learn about the process through observation.

Clever… although frustrating at times.

Especially because we have been conditioned to listen and do. We are so used to being told what to do and how to do, and now this man is telling me to learn on my own.

In a moment of thought… of which there were many during the class, I was thinking but who is going to teach me kapalabhati?

I guess not Prashant.

But what he did say and I experienced and hence learned is that…

Pranayama is not so much about the chest and thoracic region and that we put all our emphasis there.

And we are missing the pelvic region and how important this area is for breath.

He talked about the organs of the pelvic region being organs of exhalation while the lungs and chest are organs of inhalation.

In each posture swastikasana, virasana, supta baddha konasana and setu bandha we did simple uninstructed breathing and simply observed how the breath was different in each posture because of the different pelvic positions.

Day #8 - Flavour of the Month

I observed a class with Raya this morning at 5.45am. It was a real struggle to get out of bed, but well worth the effort.

The thread was clear and strong and I want to share that with you.

Last time I was in Pune (2 years ago) there was a theme in the teaching from all the teachers that I picked up.

It was about enjoying our practice. Loving it and being passionate about it, not robotic.

I have only been here 8 days and already this month’s theme is coming across strong.

Is it a coincidence the teachers are all talking about the same thing? Is it just that I am picking up this thread because it resonates with me?

I will never know.

First Prashant, now Raya.

There is a strong message coming across about the asana not being fixed.

This morning it felt like Raya taught one pose only, rather he taught many poses but all with a similar structure.

Triplets of poses.

Utthita Parsva Padangusthasana, Vrksana, Trikonasana

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana, Parsvottanasana, Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana

He finished the class talking about the fluidity of thought in every posture. If we restrict the asana to one structure or shape we are going wrong.

There are multiple, multiple, multiple of every asana and there are similarities of structure between asana.

To explore in our practice, not just to do random things differently, but to look for the commonalities in the asana, to understand what is gained and lost with the different variations.

For example all the hand variations in Paschimottanasana and then to practice those hand variations in Utthita Hast Padangusthasana and to find the similarities, the link and to better understand the postures.

So a bit like an Indian restaurant menu there are many things to choose from, many of the dishes have the same base and you need to figure out which go together.

What better way to do this than in our own practice.

Day #7 - The Power of People

Practice has never been so easy… with 80 people in the hall practicing with me.

It can be so hard and a chore to get on the mat alone in your living room and make a practice come to life.

To conjure up what to do, in what order and for how long.

Here it is so easy, for the sheer fact that you are not alone, that there are 80 different poses happening in the room at one time there is no shortage of inspiration and the practice hall is only open for a set time, so you don’t want to miss it.

This confirms why I created Yogabranches. I’m just revising my mission statement.

1. So you don’t have to practice alone

2. So your practice can be inspired

3. So you have a set time to practice

I question 'why doesn’t this happen at every studio around the world?'

Why are we not all getting together to practice, it will make it so much easier.

Then I am called to my current reality.

I do not have to work, make school lunches, clean, cook or do anything for that matter other than practice yoga, go to a yoga class, watch a yoga class and somewhere in between eat and sleep.

That is why it is not happening around the world because life is getting in the way of our practice.

I also have to remember that everyone in the practice hall has been doing Iyengar yoga for at least 8 years and many of us are teachers, so we know what to practice, which I think is one of the biggest challenges.

But I am not going to let these two factors of busy lives and not knowing what to do get in my way.

I am more inspired than ever to continue my mission to inspire people to practice together.

So until I get a revolution happening at least just practice with a few friends, that will be the start of the revolution.

Day #6 - Raya's Class

I am reluctant to speak directly of anything here in Pune and the going on at the Institute because one thing more than anything that is conveyed in the teaching is that nothing is fixed, nothing is as it seems and we have to constantly remind ourselves that ‘it is my perception’ and my perception is coloured by so many things.

That’s my disclaimer.

Perhaps my recollection of the sequence Raya taught is not exact but for sure my understanding of what he taught is very much coloured by my perception and my experience is different from that of my neighbour.

This always becomes very apparent when I write class notes with someone. What I think the teacher said or meant or what I understood is different from my peer and recognising this helps us to remember that nothing is fixed and as soon as we say ‘we know’ we quickly realise we do not know.

Do you want to ‘know’ the sequence that Raya taught?

I ask this question because a sequence of postures is just a list without knowing the focus or the thread of actions that accompanied the sequences.

And I can’t share the thread and details in a blog post, I would need to teach the class and I am afraid I would do a poor job of it after Raya’s articulate execution.

The linking of actions in each pose was masterful and so detailed and thorough.

I will attempt to share some of the teaching points in 2020 when we start back with live classes online in the Yogabranches membership.

Until then, this is the sequence and I will leave you with a clue to the thread ‘broaden the back’.

Day #5 - Food Shopping Has Never Been So Fun

I miss my family very much, my 10-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son would marvel at everything I am experiencing here in India.

So today I invited them along for masala tea and to come food shopping with me.

Thanks to What’s App and video calls on a reverse camera, they walked the streets with me, they asked what the funny cars were (3 wheelers) and I talked them through as I bought my groceries which I believe was entertaining for the shop keeper as well as my kids.

Milk comes in a bag, yogurt is scooped out of a big bowl and sold in a bag, there are more sweets than a child could dream of and I am sure it was torture for my son who has a sweet tooth like mine to see so much and not have any.  

I will make him gulab jamun when I get home.

The ripest, juiciest figs are 10 cents each, the carrots are the orangest orange you will ever see and so hairy.

I love a well-stocked kitchen when I am in India so that I don’t always have to eat at restaurants, which is the last thing you want to do after a class with Raya at 7.30pm.

So eggs, cucumbers, tomatoes, easy to fry vegies, fruits, sweets, banana chips, spiced buttermilk drink boxes, and paneer to fry like halloumi are some of the simple snacks I make for a quick dinner.

Having a fridge and basic cooking equipment is one of the benefits of an apartment instead of a hotel when you are here for a month.

P.S Class was with Raya, not Abhijata and I will tell you about that another day… I am still compiling my notes on the class there was so much in it, my arms aches from handwriting 7 pages of notes.

Day #4 - Prashant's Words Hit Home

I was a bit excited about attending Prashant’s class today.

I realised I would enjoy it much more if I didn’t go with expectations.

Like anything in life, we are disappointed when we have an expectation that is not met.

Attending Prashant’s class expecting to be taught the actions of an asana was where I was going wrong, and why felt so frustrated shall we say:)

So today I went with keen ears to hear his words.

Luckily he repeats himself throughout the class with different words and analogies so that the layperson like myself can manage to glean one or two sprigs of wisdom by the end.

With respect to his poetic words which I can’t recall I will share with you the few sentences, I picked up that resonated for me.

He spoke about practitioners being stuck on the condition. I had to look up the word condition to check my understanding of his use of the word in this context.

Condition - the state of something with regard to its appearance, quality, or working order.

So I understood that he means we are stuck on achieving the appearance of the classical asana and we are missing the process.

He suggests that if we can be in the process of practicing an asana then we will see there are many processes of practicing an asana and also many conditions of an asana.

Which makes practice infinite.

So if you are ever thinking I don’t know what to practice or I am bored with the asana I practice. Shift your focus from doing the asana to discovering the many different ways or processes for the asana and you will never get bored.

His classes really give the opportunity for you to explore the process, because he does not fill the room with instructions to get to the final pose, rather he gives you the opportunity to look within and observe the process you are in at the moment in any given pose.

I think he summed it up nicely by saying something along the lines of.

We need to be in exploration of the asana, not an exhibition of the asana. 

Gold, right?

Day #3 - Prashant's Class

What would Prashant have to say about these sweets made to look like a strawberry?

Our first class this morning was with Prashant.

If you have been to RIMYI I do not need to say anymore, but for those of you yet to visit, let me share with you a little about his class today and in general.

He talks about many things in class, it is very different from any Iyengar class you will attend in the west.

He does not give instruction on the asana rather he speaks on the mind, intelligence and experience and many other things I do not understand... yet.

I will be honest, Prashant’s classes are the most challenging for me.

To hold an asana for up to 15 minutes while he speaks in a language I can barely grasp although it is English, is the norm in Prashant’s class.

For someone so physical, I question my physicality and strength when I struggle to hold the asana for long timing he demands.

During the class, I am silently cursing and wishing it to be over.

It is a fascinating experience.

1. You hold an asana for longer than you ever will in any class or practice

2. The mind is oscillating between what we ‘know’ and ‘understand’ of the pose… the actions and then Prashant’s lecture which often speaks of knowledge, understanding, doing, not doing.

3. You ‘think’ you are doing the asana correctly so long as you are in your own story about what that means but as soon as you tune into Prashant’s wisdom you quickly realise you ‘know’ nothing and start to question what you are ‘doing’

After the class when I have time to reflect on his words I am left hanging for more.

See why I use the word fascinating to describe his class?

It is utterly fascinating, mind-boggling and all-round confusing.

Luckily he has a humorous nature and breaks the mind boggle with a joke we can all share.

Today he joked about how we have all been doing yoga for at least 10 years and we know the actions for Trikonasana yet when we come to class we still want the teacher to tell us what to do.

He says in class today something along the lines of “Why don’t you tell the teacher to shut up and that you know what to do”

That explains why he does not give us instruction in class. Glad I understand that now:)

Day #2 - Inspired Practice

We had our first practice at the institute today and OMG, the energy in the room was incredible and distracting.

Students rehearsing for a demonstration was the backdrop to our practice. The variety and choreography of poses were inspiring and I couldn’t help stop and watch every now and then.

My favourite thing about practicing in the hall is the energy of all the practitioners and the inspiration that comes. 

Imagine the RIMYI hall empty and then one by one people dribble in between 9-12 for their practice and claim their spot.

Because it is the end of the month the hall was not mat to mat as I recall, but with the 30 extra bodies in there working on their demonstration it was full of energy.

With so many people around you practicing you are given so many ideas for your practice. While you don’t want to just copy one pose from one student and another from someone else, I love how what others are doing around you inspires how you approach the poses you had planned or perhaps the few that sneak in on account of what you have seen.

If you wonder how all the timber props and equipment can be used, the practice hall is an eye-opener.

I am curious, who attends a studio where you have open practice sessions? Where the door is open and you can come and use the space and practice between a certain time?

We have tried this at the studio I teach, but it has never succeeded. There is a gap between going to class and knowing what to do on your own.  I want to help fill that gap.

Comment below, does your studio have open practice sessions, do you attend, do they work or why don’t you go?

Day #1 - Logistics

Getting to Pune, finding accommodation, eating safe food and registering at the Institute are some of the biggest things people worry about and that deters them from making the journey.

So I thought I would begin at the beginning.

I’m not going to rewrite the Pune Guide, although it could do with some updating:)

I will give you some essentials. I will put prices but they are always changing so keep that in mind.

1. VISA for India. It is as simple as applying online, but where you apply will change how much you pay. I learned the hard way and paid more than double my friend. Visit your countries government travel alert website to make your online E-visa application. For example, https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/ and you won’t be overcharged. $59AUD - $124.

2. Money. I like to get my USD in my home country. However, once you pass through customs there are Money Exchange desks if you need to change $. There are also Automatic Teller Machines you can withdraw Indian Rupiahs. They limit you to 10 000 Rp.

3. Mobile Phone. Don’t get your SIM at the airport which is right next to the money exchange teller it is much more expensive than getting one at a shop in Pune. Walk or get a 3 wheeler to an Airtel shop. It needs to be a proper shop not a hole in the wall. You need a passport, visa. Ask for a new sim that you will recharge for 28 days ONLY. Cost around 250 Rp. (Shop No 4 & 5, Shivanandan CHS, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak Rd, Sadashiv Peth, Pune, Maharashtra 411030)

4. Transport from Mumbai to Pune. If you fly into Mumbai there is a fantastic shuttle service that takes you to Pune and is very reasonably priced. I like it because you share a car with others traveling to Pune, so reducing the cars on the road, which is a pretty funny thought when you see how many cars there are in India, but one less car does make a difference especially if everyone were to do it. The shuttle company is Sandis and you can make an email booking sandis@sandis.com. 1200 RP

5. Accommodation. When you rent an apartment for the month you will not be able to check in until the 1st of the month because tenants will be there until the last day of the month prior. You can find apartments on Airbnb or Facebook groups or recommend by friends. I always like to arrive a couple of days early to get settled before starting classes, so I book into a hotel for those first few days. Chetak, Ambiance, and Ambassador are the three closest and most popular for Iyengar students that I know of.

6. RIMYI Registration. Open from 9-11am and 4-7pm daily. NOT Sunday. Pandu will be there ready to register you and take payment. $590 USD to attend classes for the month + $100 USD for observing classes for the month. You need to fill in a registration form and have a copy of a passport, a copy of visa, a copy of C form from hotel or landlord and a passport photo. They will give you a timetable of classes you can attend and times you can practice. There is a full timetable laminated on the wall in reception which you can take a photo of so you know which classes to observe.

P.S No matter how small the hotel room, you can still practice.