Missing my teacher

It was a rainy, gloomy, and cold day in Mysore. I woke up 6:00AM for my last practice at the Shala as well as to say my goodbyes to good friends and ofcourse my teacher...

It wasn't the most comfortable feeling that morning as I hurried to finish my practice and simply just stayed in the lounge room sipping my morning chai. Trying to cozy myself up, feeling the cold weather and the heaviness in my heart that I'll be leaving Mysore for my flight back to Manila in the afternoon. I hardly wasn't talking to anyone keeping the sweetness of leaving lock inside. Then finally everyone was finish with their practice, and I was called by my teacher to go inside. That moment, even his eyes, was incomparably different from the first time we met. I don't know if it was the friendship... the knowledge that he has imparted...maybe the conversations...or the care that he showed when I physically hit my face on the wall.... or the 2 month long training that I endured under his supervision. Maybe it was everything. :)

He handed my my training certificate and shook my hand for a job well done... but I know it was more than that. The certificate is nothing compared to the life I have experience and the many things that I learned when I was in Mysore. I was like a bird... flying with great wings. My teacher made me feel that and somehow I know that wouldn't be the last time I'd be seeing him. He gave me a hug... a very comforting one... and I burst into tears. I couldn't pin point out of the many reason why I have to cry that time but one thing persist to manifest and that is the connection that we shared given the short amount of time I stayed there. Physically, I was bruised and battered due to my hamstring injury but the soul was ever beating in gratitude.

Namaste guru Ajay Kumar

Above is my training certificate trying to smile with sad looking eyes. :)

Perfect World

Mythological Background on Utthita Pashvakonasana (Side Angle Posture)

Lord Subramaniam, second son of Lord Shiva, also known as Skanda the fierce lord of war, once went to visit Lord Shiva and complained that the current world, which was created by Lord Brahma, was imperfect - full of corruption, crime, and injustice. Shiva suggested that he create a better world. Subramaniam then defeated and incarcerated Brahma, and destroyed his world. Then he created his own, better world.

After some time Lord Shiva visited Subramaniam and looked at his perfect world. In it nothing moved or lived or changed, as everything was arrested, frozen in the static state of perfection. There were not even sentient beings, as their essential nature is to strive for perfection and, if perfection is reached, life has come to an end. Liberated beings are not reborn, The Buddha, after reaching Mahaparinirvana, never came back. That is why bodhisattvas avoid perfection: they are thus able to continue to serve others. According to Indian thought, the state of perfection exists only as consciousness, called purusha or atman, which is the seat of awareness. What changes is the transitory world of manifestation, which include body, mind, egoity, and all objects made up of gross elements and subtle elementary particles.

Shiva pointed out to Subramaniam that this world was not a world at all, but only a frozen image of perfection. The purpose of a manifest world is to supply beings with the right cocktail of pleasure and pain, which eventually leads to self-knowledge. For this purpose it has to be in constant flux, and hence imperfect. Seeing the flaw in his world, Subramaniam freed Brahma to reinstall his old, imperfect world.

advice to those who are new to yoga

Yoga, on it's most common term is said to be "yoking"-meeting of the mind, body, and spirit. Easy to say but very hard to understand most especially for those who have just started their journey to yoga. In a probability of 10 people, I suppose only 2 or 3 would only get to grasp its real meaning after their first practice, as yoga will always be viewed individually. With this I am not kidding. However, through the guidance of a teacher or a spiritual master, all rivers eventually leads to the ocean. We just have to keep an open mind yet we must also try to have doubts as doubt is a sign of true intelligence and learning. Yoga is always an inner and personal experience, a self realisation, that can never be compared to others just like each and every one of us is said to be unique.

When it comes to first time practice, it is just but normal if you seem to struggle reaching for your toes or finding a hard time to get your balance or can't seem to do some of the asanas well. Don't be disheartened as all of this is a process towards getting better. Be easy on yourself and try to bring awareness to your body. Have a little curiosity on how things are really should be done. Books, internet, yoga articles, teacher/student conversation will add a flame to those who wanted to be a devout yogi/yogini.

When you come to the yoga room, leave all your thoughts, worries, and concerns outside the door together where you left your shoes. Allot this one and a half hour practice for yourself. This is a privilege. When you come up after Shavasana (jargon for corpse pose as well as a final relaxation) you come out new and vibrant. Why? Because this posture prepares us for death. It teaches us to completely surrender and let go. If we get to let go of the body, the personality, and the ego, that's the only time we can come out new. New on it's very essence gives us life.