阿斯汤加(Ashtanga)介绍（八）Mysore之旅
2013-03-27 04:16阅读：
2012与2013年交替的时候，我背着瑜伽垫子在印度游荡。去过Mysore的人都知道一个词，Mysore Magic.
Mysore到底是什么样子，所有的Ashtangi一生一定要去一趟才不妄此生与Ashtanga结缘。
此次旅行见闻也好，收获也好，实在太多，不是一篇博文就能说清的。众所周知，2013年三月Shala关门，此年度告一段落。之后Sharath和他的家人会访问欧洲和美国的一些重要城市进行授课。
以下是在最后一次例会上面，Isabella的会议笔记，推荐阅读。原文地址：http://isabellanitschke.com/2013/03/24/the-last-conference/
The last conference…
March 24, 2013 by admin |
8 Comments
It’s the last conference of the season 2012/2013. Sharath
has been teaching non stop since the beginning of July last year.
But he’s in good spirit and smiles a lot today. One would think
because
the shala will close and he will get some rest from
all of us demanding students
. But oh no
&nd
ash; already on Thursday Saraswati and Sharat’s whole family travel
to the US to teach in April and May.
No rest in sight.
However, with us Sharath is firm. It is important to rest and to
keep a balance in life he says.
“Day off” should mean DAY
OFF! It doesn’t mean stretching exercises or doing other sports.
The body needs to recover and repair itself. If we overdo practice
the body will break down due to repetitive strain. Practice needs
to be balanced. Just like food intake, work or sleep needs to be
balanced, Sharath reminds us (he spoke of this at the
last conference too). Too much
or too little of each will lead to depression.
Limitation (and a balance of
Tapas, Svadhyaya and Ishvara pranidhana)
in all areas of life is the key to
happiness.
At the start of the conference Sharath comes and sits down with a
big smile on his face and says: “If you have any questions this is
your last chance”. “I don’t have any because I’m not in doubt” he
laughs. He is indeed in a good mood and the “show” is made even
happier when Sharath’s son Sambhav joins the stage and performs
some of his Bollywood dance talents
.
Despite the happy atmosphere, there’s a kind of sadness or
sentimentality in the air. Sharath even becomes kind of “fatherly”
when he, at the end of the conference, encourages us to keep up our
practice when we go home. It is the practice that will help us
remain steady in the ups and downs of life. Life is never just
smooth or easy but by embracing both the good and bad times in
life, just like the Indians savour Bevu and Bella on New Year’s Eve
(these symbolize the fact that life is a mixture of different
experiences such as sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust,
surprise that should be accepted together and with equanimity
through the New Year) we will be happy. Also, Sharath reminds us
that one cannot know happiness if one has not experienced it’s
opposite.
There needs to be a balance – in this as in so
many other things.
Many issues that have been discussed over the weeks and months come
up again today. Sharath is aware of this but he underlines that he
does this on purpose so that we remember. And every time a question
is raised that has been on the agenda before, Sharath adds new
dimensions in his replies. His new book that was released this past
week is a summary of many of the issues that come up in
conference.
“By being truthful, whatever action you take will be
successful”
In the book Sharath’s for example outlines the Yamas and Nyiamas. A
question in today’s conference related to Satya, which means
truthfulness and is the second Yama. It means being truthful in
both words and actions. In today’s conference, Sharath stressed
that we should follow our Dharma.
Dharma is what is
true. Though, everyone makes mistakes – that’s only human.
There is not always time to reflect upon one’s actions, but yoga
practice will help one slow down and think and judge what is right
and wrong. However, not all people use yoga for honest purposes. If
they misuse it it will lead to no good and it will backfire upon
them. Nature will take it’s course and reveal the “bad guys” in
scandals or in other ways (maybe this was a reference to recent sex
scandals in a number of modern (and traditional!) yoga
styles).
”Protect yoga and it will protect you”
It is important how you use the tool of yoga, Sharath underlined.
Any tool can be used with different purposes. A knife can peal a
sweet mango, but it can also be used to stab someone.” If you use
it to stab you will end up in jail – if you use it to peel the
mango you will be able to relish the sweetness of the fruit. If you
use yoga for proper reasons it’s like eating the mango. It will
make you a better person”, Sharath said.
“Protect the truth and the truth will protect
you”
Come and practice with your Guru once a year Sharath says – if I
could decide I would stay here all the time. But nothing lasts
forever
. Here I am
in the obligatory picture in front of the Shala in Gokulam –
sincere and sad that the season is over.
Try not to get disturbed what other people around you do in or with
yoga, Focus on yourself and protect your path, your Dharma. It is
easy to be influenced by the people around you – therefore surround
yourself with people who also follow Satya – the truth. Do your
duty and come and see me once a year, Sharath said. But remember
that the Guru can only guide you and help you get the knowledge.
The Guru cannot bring you to Moksha (enlightenment) – you need to
walk the walk yourself. Once you have the knowledge it is important
that you adapt it to your life – then only you will be on the track
towards Moksha.
Asana stithi – steady posture, “citta
bandha” – mind control
Again Sharath reminded us that asana practice is not merely a
physical exercise. “If you do your practise properly you will
experience something within you – you will develop dhyana”, he
said. By “properly” he meant making the asana practice stable,
steady and focused
and being totally absorbed in the asana.
This would lead to meditation – dhyana.
How does one make asana practice stable then? By properly using the
bandhas (in addition to tristana: breath, dristhi and asana).
Mulabandha, located in the Muladhara chakra is source of all the
five elements in us (earth, water, fire, air, and ether), the
source of the divine and the source to control the mind. When we
engage Mulabandha properly Uddyiana bandha will come automatically.
When Mulabandha and Uddyianabandha are applied correctly, Jalandara
bandha will also be complete. It is not possible to to Jalandhara
bandha without the other two. Only when the three are applied then
the energy of energy Kundalini – pictured as a coiled serpent at
the bottom of the spine will flow up through the main nadi sushumna
(the main nadi). This free flow of energy will make us stronger and
lighter and will make our asana stable. As an example Sharath
demonstrated Karandavasana, from Intermediate series (in particular
the one I had struggled with during this mornings’ led class – not
so much due to lack of strength but because I can’t keep my nerves
under control and so I lose my bandhas and become very shaky).
“It’s s very difficult asana which requires the use of your
abdominal strength (not so much your arms or shoulders) and the use
of your bandhas”, Sharath said before lifting up in to the posture
(see video below).
At the end of the conference we all lined up to have our book
signed, to say our thanks and good byes and have our picture taken
with “the Boss”. Tomorrow morning is the last practice, led Primary
series for all. And then it’s time to get on a plane and go home to
do our Dharma. It’s been a blessing to be here for three months and
I can’t begin to summarize the feelings and thoughts that I have
about the time that I’ve spent here this year. But it’s not over
yet so I will save that for yet another posting. Until then -
Namaste!
The “Boss” and I after the book signing and the goodbyes
