I suppose one could say that a good amount of rain should be expected during monsoon season. However, based on last year, I didn't expect much this time around. I was slightly mistaken. It has been drizzling on and off about every other day. The sky looks more like the skies of Scotland than the technicolor blues in the "Jungle Book" (the Disney version of course). The guide book says that this means clothes that never really dry and emit that moldy strawberry smell, intestinal bugs, mosquito bites, malaria. The make believe "ashtanga almanac" says this means achy joints, sore muscles, slowed digestion, and sleeping all day. I say it means raw chocolate pudding and movies but I'm no expert.
Rooms bathed in melancholic weather, cups of chai, and clouds of incense are good places for contemplation and with all the recent events in the ashtanga community, there seems to be a good bit to think about. Some though bubbles I've seen floating contained:
-Are you here just for the practice or do you expect to get authorized?
-If you're authorized, can you sustain a healthy income just by teaching Mysore?
-Is the authorization/certification process fair?
-Is "the practice" only the asanas and if not, how far does it extend into our everyday dramas?
-When studying in Mysore, where does one's native culture end and India's begin?
-How do we honor a tradition while maintaining our every day lives?
I'm not sure that there are any right or wrong answers to any of these questions but I do think it is a good opportunity to evaluate or own motives, thoughts, and intentions. It is always good to ask "why".
The truth is that this tradition as we know it is still very young in the large scheme of things and we're all still trying to work out what it means.
Sharath hasn't really talked to us students yet about the "changes" to the studying process (6 month minimum between trips), the auth/cert process, or the transfer of content to the ayri website. However, in conference this week, he touched upon the cultural implications of studying in Mysore by emphasizing the importance of the yamas and niyamas.
(From wikipedia)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raja_Yoga
Yama
Yama consists of five parts: Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (celibacy), and Aparigraha (non-covetousness). Ahimsa is perfect harmlessness and positive love also. This removes the brutal nature in man and strengthens the will.
The scientific basis of the Yama instructions may be explained in this way.
The five directives of Yama lay down behavioral norms as prerequisites for elimination of fear and angst and contribute to a tranquil mind. Nonviolence (ahimsa), truthfulness (satyavachana), non-stealing (astheya), child-like behavior (brahmacharya), and moderation in setting goals (aparigraha), prevent situations that evoke fear in human interactions and contribute to peace of mind.
Ahimsa (non-violence) helps to avoid conflicts with fellow human beings that normally occur because of competition for eating and mating. Hurting a person physically or mentally leads to fear of retaliation which disturbs peace of mind.
Satyavachan (truthfulness) helps peace of mind by eliminating fear of discovery of lies. Untruth implies maintaining two versions of an event, possibly in the same set of neurons, thus causing confusion and mental disturbance.
Astheya (non-stealing) eliminates the anxiety of discovery of theft, potential reprisal by the owner and/or punishment by state. Brahmacharya (celibacy or stage of life devoted to seeking knowledge) averts conflict associated with search for mates, eliminates fear of strife, enhances scholarship and upgrades equanimity.
Aparigraha (moderation in setting goals) prevents angst of potential failure, promotes self-control and poise.
Niyama
Niyama is observance of five canons: Shaucha (internal and external purity), Santosha (contentment), Tapas (austerity), Svadhyaya (study of religious books and repetitions of Mantras), and Ishvarapranidhana (self-surrender to God, and His worship).
He who practises meditation without ethical perfection, without the practice of Yama-Niyama cannot obtain the fruits of meditation. Purify your mind first through the practice of Yama-Niyama. Then practice regular meditation. Then you will attain illumination.
Science underslying Niyama can be presented as follows.
Niyama unlike Yama prescribes mental exercises to train the mind to control emotions: (Saucha), (Santosha), (Tapaha), (Svadhyaya) and (Ishwara pranidhanani).
Saucha (Purity of thought) requires active monitoring of the mind from being obsessed with material or corporeal desires.
Santosha (Contentment) prevents desire to obtain, experience and /or accumulate objects of pleasure.
Tapaha (Austere or ascetic life style), by practicing self-denying and austere life style controls fondness for desire-generated emotions.
Svadhyaya (Study about self) enlightens the true nature of human nature and facilitates healthy thoughts.
Ishwara pranidhanani (Surrender of ego to God) makes it easier to be not self-centered by aiming at higher goals.
Thus Niyama instructions prepare the mind to control animal (reptilian brain- generated) and human (cerebral) emotions.
Obvi, I am not an Ashtangi. I go to the occasional Ashtanga class and respect the tradition. I have a couple of questions about this post. You talk about being authorized. Does one have the intention of being authorized or are you sort of conferred with this? I don't get how new poses are added. One day, you're just doing your thing and Sarath comes to your mat and whispers a new pose to you? Do beginner yogis come to Mysore to practice?
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Hi anon, just perusing the site and saw your comment. Supposedly, when you demonstrate the ability to do the pose, the teacher demonstrates the recognition by giving you the next pose in the sequence.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if Sharath whispers or yells it across from the room.
And yes, beginners are definitely welcome in Mysore.
Thank you!!!! This was a really interesting and informative read. I will have to make a special link to this post, it's so crucial!!
ReplyDeleteElise, that was a very thoughtful and honest entry. I hope you're not doubting yourself too much. I think you're on the right path, it's never easy for anyone to figure out, so remember you're not alone!
ReplyDeleteGreat post as ever, those questions have been running around my head all day.
ReplyDelete1. If somebody goes to mysore mainly to become authorised then I don't want to be taught by them anyway.
2. If not don't do it. Or don't refer to the other workshops or intensives as Ashtanga.
3. It's his ball if you don't want to play by his rules get your own ball. Seems fair enough to me.
4. Yes, but the asanas WORLD everything else and will just start to influence your daily life and give you different perspectives on your daily drama and perhaps disolve some of them. Nothing hippyish or new age here many disciplines do the same thing...I think ashtanga does it better than most. Sharath is wrong though, you don't have to study the Yamas and Niyamas they will follow naturally. Not much different from most other moral codes. But perhaps he sees you teaching in the future in which case you need to gen up on the traditional stuff.
5. Hmmm big question which I will leave others to over intellectualise but basically you never experience Indian culture only American, because everything you experience is from your American viewpoint. Some things stand out more than others and you call that Indian culture but most falls underneath your radar...it's at the edges of the photo not in the center. there's a western Ashtanga and an eastern Ashtanga.
6. By respecting it..you wouldn't go into a mosque in just a bikini although you might be wearing one underneath your chino's
anon- nope, you're supposed to come to mysore just for your own practice. but of course many people want to become teachers someday and have this dream of being officially "blessed" to do so. You can't tell ayri this or even ask for it though. i guess that at a certain point, the powers that be just call you into the office and offer you authorization.
ReplyDeleteyep, when Sharath or Saraswati (depending on which class you go to) think you are ready for the next pose they tell you to do it.
Many beginners come to mysore.
Tiff- sometimes they whisper, sometimes they yell. The room is big!
Nai- Thanks :)
Liz- Not really doubting myself as much as I am just reevaluating my thought process you know? But I think with all the recent events, everyone is doing a lot of thinking. I mean, at that conference Sharath really emphasized how there are so many people who come to Mysore who don't really take the time to understand how to respect the local culture. So even just thinking about that is enough....Thanks for the reassurance!
Grim-
1. True. But I think that many people come for themselves but also want to share the practice with permission with others you know?
2. Yeah but then there will be a big teacher shortage no? For me I think it is more of an issue of quality of content. I think the intention is there but I'm not sure that everyone understands it.
3. I agree partly.
4. I think that he has been seeing many students who are really dedicated in the asana aspect but really aren't watching the rest of their daily activities. A little reminder to pay attention. He has also emphasized that we should be reading more texts on philosophy.
5. ...
6. ha ha :)