Yoga Journey #48

Always a student

Day one

Recently I went back to studio practice for two days in the same week. I have not practiced in studio two days in the same week in years. I’ve been maintaining my practice at home. My first teacher was in town so I made a point to attend a couple of his classes.

To go off topic a bit I never know how I’m going to feel when I get up. To plan anything is a crap shoot. I do not get up at five and practice at six anymore – I practice when I’m ready. Most days that means at least two hours after I get up. And I get up when I get up. It takes a long time to work out the kinks and figure out what MS is up to. So that is the reason I don’t go to the studio anymore.

But this time I got up at a planned time and headed to the studio. When someone knows what they speak of and in this case teach, you know it. And I know it. It’s evident he knows what he is doing. I’ve known it for years but he’s been away and so have I. But I came back last week because he was in town.

It used to be a challenge of mine to not diminish the power of others whom teach anything. However I love to learn but I’ve had many bad experiences with teachers (in general) as I grew up. I’ve always railed against authority (in my case teachers) it’s something that resides deep inside and I’m not exactly sure why. But over the years with the right teachers I’ve learned it wasn’t them it was me.

I quit high school when I was 16 years old. I thought I was doing the right thing and I’m not saying I didn’t but if I’d continued my education I would have arrived far sooner than I have. My dad said that I went to the school of hard knocks but that was just a working class euphemism for my choices.

I’m going to say right off the bat I’ve done ok.

But time is one of the best teachers. It’s weird because I thought I’d never do this and definitely not post about it. Looking back is not necessarily a good thing to do but here I am and I’m beginning to understand who I am – it’s taking a long time. I am distilling and at some point I’m going to taste great – ha.

A key part of this distillation has been my yoga journey. And I’ve been very lucky as I’ve had some of the best teachers. I was taught and I learned the invocation which is chanted in Sanskrit at the beginning of Ashtanga practice. What this chant says in essence is to give thanks to those whom teach us. I’m personally thankful of that knowledge being passed on to me – it has been and continues to be life changing. It took me a long time to learn that Sanskrit invocation and I still chant it before practice. It’s kinda poetic justice that I would spend hours learning a chant that praises teachers – umm.

I had contacted him previously to see if he could take a look at my pranayama practice. Pranayama is becoming more prominent and more regular as a daily activity. Sometimes at the end of asana practice and days when I don’t do asana at all.

So we talked a little about my asana and pranayama practices. He affirmed my current practice and changed a couple of things. He’s the person whom taught me pranayama in the first place which again I am thankful for. I’ve been truly blessed to learn such things.

So to be back in studio learning these things, feeling the vibe, wallowing in that knowledge, with that peaceful, playful banter, felt so awesome again. I enjoyed it and I left restored.

I am time passed.

Thanks again Jeff.

Ahimsa
Be kind