vinyasa master

it sure feels good to be a student. when i'm in india i forget that i am a teacher and it's such a nice feeling. there's still much to learn in about yoga and life.

many people say astanga yoga is boring cause you do the same thing over and over again. but this is why we call it yoga mala-repeated prayers, chants and mantra repeated is extremely powerful. i have learned several instruments over the years and the only way i was able to finally play them was if i practiced scales and rhythms over and over again. there's something profound about that "do your practice and all is coming."

if you find that you are bored with astanga, ask yourself some questions-what is the 6th vinyasa of utkatasana? dristi is what? what is the transition? are you engaging mula and uddiyana bandhas? is your breath even and correct? this is not boring, but quite challanging.

anyhow, india is pretty interesting, both profound and scarey at times. it's 5000 years old and has much wisdom. practicing yoga here is perfect, especially with a soundtrack of chants, prayers, temple bells and explosions always in the background.

my hotel manager's name is joe-boy and his brother is johnny-boy. joe's ringtone on his cell is "oh susana, don't you cry for me, i've come from alabama with my banjo on my knee," and johnny has his name tattooed on his forarm with the crucifixion above it. interesting.

lino taught a half primary and a full today. there are lots of people confused about the correct vinyasa and he is trying hard to change that fact because he is VINYASA MASTER.

so i have met quite a few interesting people from all over the world. being alone does have it's advantages and it's actually fun to hang out with total strangers. people are so fascinating that i sometimes forget i'm shy. "you're a documentary filmaker for the bbc?" "23 years in the irish marines? now you are riding your motorbike all over india without a plan?" "nice book you've wrote of 365 yoga quotes."

gwendoline quote
hadie shared a good gwen story. she once said at age 60-"i'm gonna be through all 6 series by the time i am 70." then she goes on to say, "but when i reached 3rd, i had to go back to primary again because i had not learned the use of my bandhas!"
guruji always says, "slowly, slowly, slowly"