last week in Pune

Well, I am down to my final week here in Pune, it figures that as I become more accepting and adjusted, it would be time to leave. But I think it is my approaching departure that is contributing to my attitude in some ways. Home will be a place of luxury where I can let the water from the tap get in my mouth, the bed will be soft and comfortable, the sheets will be clean and I will use alot less hand sanitizer.
For the last eleven years I have devoted myself to the practice of Iyengar Yoga and coming to the birthplace of this system and being in the prescence of the Iyengars has been overwhelming on many levels. I came, knowing that being at the Institute would have some kind of impact on me emotionally and spiritually, but also curious as to the intensity and mood of that impact. The fact is that Geeta, Prashant and Mr. Iyengar himself are human flesh and blood with moods and feelings and physical problems like the rest of us. That does not diminish what they have done and are continuing to do for the world of Iyengar practicioners.
Geeta is an amazing teacher who does a phenomonal job of teaching these huge classes complete with menstruating women in the back, a shoulder or neck problem, a few poor souls suffering from stomach ailments and then the rest of the normal masses who try to pay attention and keep up. She is guilty of angry outbursts, sending a flood of verbal abuse down on the cowering victim, but given her responsibility, I am not so sure I would do much better. I can honestly say the threat of her wrath has made me more alert than I ever thought myself capable.
The last few classes we have been working on backbends. I am chosing not to post these sequences simply because of there intensity. There were very few poses leading up to the backbends, to type the sequences down would not do them justice. One class we spent 30 minutes doing Tadasana and Adho Mukha Svanasana, then a 15 minute Sirsasana and then just began backbending. Geeta's instructions and choice of words have been particularly intense and effective in the backbend classes; I can only dream of teaching my students so magnificently. After an hour of Urdhva Dhanurasana, we finished the class with a long Sarvangasana, then Savasana. We have about 3 hours at the Instiutute to do our own practice each day, so that is the time to recover properly as needed or do more backbends!!

the 2nd post from Pune

Well, I woke up the other morning so dizzy, I felt like I was on a raft in the middle of a horrible storm at sea, my head was killing me and the stomach ailments, well, let's just say it was bad. I knew I had not eaten anything risky, since I am being almost too careful, so I read the little pamphlet on my Malarone, malaria pills and as soon as I stopped taking them I felt better. The day after that whole mess, I went to class, feeling much better, but nervous that I may suddenly be taken by a spell of dizziness in the middle of class, and the sequence that Geeta taught was just what I needed. I think it is so far, my favorite class. She talked about how, when we get nervous or fearful, we grip the abdomen, and harden those muscles. She instructed us to widen the abdomen as we drew it back. "Make yourself fatter than you are!" Geeta's classes almost do not make sense on paper, when I look at what I have written down after class, it does not even look like those poses should go together, but when you put her instructions on top of it, it's perfect, I continue to be completely stunned with her teaching in every way. She has been consistently and constantly yelling at us to keep the chest open and take the shoulder blades in, even in poses like rope headstand and all the forward bends. I feel like nothing that I write will truly convey the experience of being in her classes, so here's my favorite class so far.

Adho mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Uttanasana
Prasarita Padottanasana
Uttanasana- feet together
Sirsasana
Hanging rope Sirsasana
Chair Viparita Dandasana
Chair Bharadvajasana
Chair Viparita Dandasana-full pose, head on floor or support
Chatushpadasana
Sarvangasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Janu Sirsasana
Triang Mukha Eka Pada Paschimottanasana
Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana
Marichyasana 1-full pose, wrap arms
Paschimottanasana
Marichyasana 3-2x
Ardha Matsyendrasana-1x,long hold
Paschimottanasana
Savasana

Well, here I am on India, it's a crazy place, and that's putting it lightly. Existing here is a daily practice of vairagya, detaching, letting go of practically everything that I take for granted in the states. Simple things like brushing my teeth and crossing the street are major endeavors here. The streets are dirty so the laundry bucket doubles as a foot soaker. Everyday I encounter a new obstacle, there is no choice, let go, suck it up and keep going. Honestly, at first I was totally freaked out and overwhelmed, until I got to the Institute for my first open practice. As soon as I went up into headstand I felt fine. We have to create a home within ourselves so that we can exist in the craziest of times and most uncomfortable of surroundings.
Here is the very first class I had with Geeta, she focused on stability along with opening the sternum chest, which had a true healing effect after 25 hours of traveling and landing in a strange place. She is an amazing teacher with the uncanny ability to see and serve a class of 100+ people.

Adho Mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Upavistha Konasana
Baddha Konasana
Supta Padangusthasana 1
Supta Padangusthasana 2
Parivrtta supta padangusthasana
Urdhva Prasarita Padasana- legs @ 90 degrees
then, pull knees into chest, lift head
Paschimottanasana- lead with your chest, not your head
Malasana
uthitta Trikonasana-3x, start on tall brick, then lower, keep chest open
Parsvottanasana
Dandasana
Parsva Dandasana
Parivrtta Trikonasana
Prasarota Padottanasana
Janu Sirsasana
Supta Tadasana, arms over head hold elbows
Sirsasana
Setu Bandha on brick
Sarvangasana- eka pada 3x, don't let anything drop as the leg comes down
Savasana

So, please keep practicing and going to class, and I'll try to post again soon!!