My first class at AYRI

I woke up this morning at 4am again. I tossed and turned. This time I think more from being anxious and excited than from jet lag. The first class of the morning was at 5am and it was like part of me new that people were up practicing. Saturdays there is no practice. It was a moonday on Saturday, but here they applied it on Sunday. As Sunday is usually the led class day and we had this Sunday off, today (Monday) was led day.

Definitions of mysore and led style ashtanga yoga click here.

The first led class as I said was at 5 am. I think that up until today they actually do a led second series in that session, but apparently there just weren't enough 2nd series people and A LOT of first series people, so they did 2 1st series classes.

Anyway, I took another bucket shower and I tried to take a picture of the setup but the digital camera isn't adjusting well to life in India unfortunately. I took my time getting ready and walked a slowly as I could to practice. I got there at like 6:45 and went inside to the waiting area. There were already many students crowded all over the floor looking through the double doors (which were open) at the early class practicing. Note: there is a sign that says no pictures or videos allowed, so I'll respect that and not take any. sorry everyone!

After class, students rushed to get spots for their mats for the next class at 6:15. The first class actually ended at 6:30, so we started at like 6:40. It was really great. The biggest tip i have is DO NOT GO FAST! We always tell students this and remind ourselves but people always go to fast because it is hard to go slow and keep an even pace. The difference is when Sharath is standing on our mat and your staring at his toes in chatarunga, you better not go to upward dog!

On the left is chaturanga dandasana.

On the right is upward facing dog.

You can tell which is easier to hold.

I felt really light today, which was nice. Everything was going fine until headstand. Oh headstand. Sharath counts very slow in headstand. If I have one piece of advice to someone going to mysore its work on holding headstand for a LONG time. I barely just barely made it to nine breaths. I was shaking and trying so so hard. I had to come down. He shouted "come back up!" to me. So I came back up as he made it to 15. Then down I went. "Come back up!" he said again. So I came into a headstand prep position instead of the 2nd variation. "Come back up!"

He said again and if it wasn't already clear that he was speaking to me, he put me in the position and didn't let me come down. My little arms were shaking and trying so hard! Its funny because during the class, people slowly are asked to stop along the way, so not everyone does the full primary series, they are asked to sit and watch and wait until back bends to re-join the class. But honestly there were many many people who barely made it half way through primary, and I was one of like 5 people (There had to be like 100 hundred people in that room) who couldn't keep up the headstand. And out of those 5 people who needed help, Sharath came over to torture/help me. The next pose that I was dying in was the very last pose, uthplutih. I had heard that it was torture and I remember it was bad when I practiced with guruji in NY, but its a lot like childbirth. You forget how much it hurts! I honestly have never felt my stomach work in headstand uthplutih like I did today! Notice that this guy is completely lifted off the floor. While Sharath very very very slowly counts to 10. The whole time he walks around saying "lift up, lift up! Don't be lazy!" He took us straight to lie down after this instead of closing mantra and we laid there for maybe 3 minutes before he said "ok, you can go home now."

After class I waited in line by his office to give him the rest of the money I forgot to pay him the day before. "___, come in", he said. I left stunned (he knew my name!) They (Sharath and Guruji) are notorious for not remembering people's names.