My first led class in Mysore was not as easy as I thought it might be which goes to show, you can never get complacent with your practise, or anything in India. This is the place to have low expectations – you just end up hot, cranky and dissatisfied.
Led class is a 'called class' by Saraswati, where all the students at the KPJAYI shala practise together, breathe together, a pretty awesome experience to be in a sea of bodies moving and later singing together.
I know I'm a little late as I can hear the opening chanting start as I approach the shala and kick off my shoes on the stairs. An American woman Alyssia, is soothing her howling child out the front, who doesn’t want to be left alone. We enter the room together and it is packed. No real room anywhere, 5 cm between mats. I’m not a particularly ‘sacred’ person when it comes to tiptoeing around, how can you be in this place, where ‘personal space’ concepts seems so ridiculous! Leave it at home. So I walk over a few mats to get to the change rooms and then we are directed by David to the front, where there’s the only room left, on the stage, next to where Saraswati is sitting and calling the first postures. I am right next to Saraswati’s feet. OK. There goes the plan to blend in at the back and take it all in. My modus operandi is screwed. Again.
I know I'm a little late as I can hear the opening chanting start as I approach the shala and kick off my shoes on the stairs. An American woman Alyssia, is soothing her howling child out the front, who doesn’t want to be left alone. We enter the room together and it is packed. No real room anywhere, 5 cm between mats. I’m not a particularly ‘sacred’ person when it comes to tiptoeing around, how can you be in this place, where ‘personal space’ concepts seems so ridiculous! Leave it at home. So I walk over a few mats to get to the change rooms and then we are directed by David to the front, where there’s the only room left, on the stage, next to where Saraswati is sitting and calling the first postures. I am right next to Saraswati’s feet. OK. There goes the plan to blend in at the back and take it all in. My modus operandi is screwed. Again.
Earlier in Take it or Leave it, I wrote about what is appropriate to wear in Mysore both on and off the mat. Today I decided it’s gonna be cranking hot in led practise, I’m wearing short-shorts and possibly I’ll get a disapproving comment if inappropriate, or it’ll just go unnoticed among the throng. But up on stage, next to Saraswarti, there’s no hiding now. God has a sense of humour all right. If you are worried about it, it will probably happen. That’s my lesson.
I feel a little self conscious and talk myself around. This has been a real benefit over the last 4 years of practising, learning to self soothe. Hey Sue, it’s not performance. I am on a stage but out of necessity. Don't perform yoga. Do it how you would at home. For me. Noone cares but me. It doesn’t matter who is looking and what they see, it is not our problem. I am a student and allowed to make mistakes and look after myself. Get focused. Go in, go in, go in, I tell myself. Use the dristi. Don't try so hard. Just do what comes next. I think of my teacher at home, who taught us dristi and am grateful as I realise what a powerful tool this is right now. Dristi are the focal points in each asana for the eyes to be steady, when the mind is getting agitated, to help keep calm and carry on). Perfect timing with my fancy pants paranoia, a room full of strangers, wondering eyes, performance anxiety among a lot of new-to-yoga students in the room, and All That Jazz.
The practise is hot and intense and sweaty, just what I’ve come to expect. How many times Saraswati has called that class, I cannot start to know. The count flows off her tongue like prayer, interspersed with corrections to people across the room, “Straight leg! You make it straight.” She calls the count in Sanskrit as my teacher does so I enjoy the familiarity of her voice keeping me connected to my experience and the present moment at the same time. My heart sings! As people are getting tired, she stops the beginners to sit through until backbend, watching others. “You rest. Stop! Stop. You stop.” She has a great memory and sharp eyes.
I remember being a learner – it was full of frustration, doubt, agitation, restlessness and moments of oh, wow! I did that? So... what else is possible? Hmm, sounds familiar even now!
I feel a little self conscious and talk myself around. This has been a real benefit over the last 4 years of practising, learning to self soothe. Hey Sue, it’s not performance. I am on a stage but out of necessity. Don't perform yoga. Do it how you would at home. For me. Noone cares but me. It doesn’t matter who is looking and what they see, it is not our problem. I am a student and allowed to make mistakes and look after myself. Get focused. Go in, go in, go in, I tell myself. Use the dristi. Don't try so hard. Just do what comes next. I think of my teacher at home, who taught us dristi and am grateful as I realise what a powerful tool this is right now. Dristi are the focal points in each asana for the eyes to be steady, when the mind is getting agitated, to help keep calm and carry on). Perfect timing with my fancy pants paranoia, a room full of strangers, wondering eyes, performance anxiety among a lot of new-to-yoga students in the room, and All That Jazz.
The practise is hot and intense and sweaty, just what I’ve come to expect. How many times Saraswati has called that class, I cannot start to know. The count flows off her tongue like prayer, interspersed with corrections to people across the room, “Straight leg! You make it straight.” She calls the count in Sanskrit as my teacher does so I enjoy the familiarity of her voice keeping me connected to my experience and the present moment at the same time. My heart sings! As people are getting tired, she stops the beginners to sit through until backbend, watching others. “You rest. Stop! Stop. You stop.” She has a great memory and sharp eyes.
I remember being a learner – it was full of frustration, doubt, agitation, restlessness and moments of oh, wow! I did that? So... what else is possible? Hmm, sounds familiar even now!
