My Ashtanga teacher is on his way to meet his Guru, and will be away for over a month. So I woke up early this morning and went to practice, to be with my teacher before he leaves. I wasn’t the only one, so the Ashtanga room was packed.
I found a tight space between two other yogis at the front of the room, just in front of the door. This is where students say Namaste to their teacher when they finish their practice.
Today it was a longer “ceremony” as everyone wanted to say another word or two. I know I should be focused on my practice and not listen to the conversation, but it was just overwhelming. His students come to him every day, and the relationship of a teacher/student is developed. It is a relationship with very littlie words exchanged; based on trust and compassion. New students who come to Ashtanga sometimes are pushed away by the stern guidance, and the strong adjustments. But surrendering to your teacher is an integral part of the practice. Not because of the teacher’s ego or power strives; but because if you learn to surrender “on the mat” you will also learn: “Isvara pranidhnad-va” (Yoga Sutra 1:23); Or (achieving Samadhi is also attainable) by devoted self-surrender to the Lord.
On our journey to Samadhi, Patanjali is giving us another very important tool, surrender to the Lord. This is probably one of the hardest one for us as Westerner’s to practice, we are so pride and full of ourselves, it is so hard for us to surrender. I grew up in a Jewish orthodox home and school, I then spent three years in the army. The lessons of following a discipline without the consent questioning is one of the most important lessons I was giving between the ages of 4 and 21. There is nothing wrong with surrender; it does not make you weaker.
Baddhakonasana is where I learned to surrender, while my teacher climbed my hips again and again, I resisted, pushing up and back, struggling with my pain. Only when I surrendered to my teacher, I could breathe into the Asana and surrender to the feet , touching my head to my feet as a symbol.
I was emotional throughout the practice today; a young student placed his hand on my teachers shoulder and said: “Have a great trip Christopher.” I suspect my teacher was shocked by this display of affection, I started crying.
I found a tight space between two other yogis at the front of the room, just in front of the door. This is where students say Namaste to their teacher when they finish their practice.
Today it was a longer “ceremony” as everyone wanted to say another word or two. I know I should be focused on my practice and not listen to the conversation, but it was just overwhelming. His students come to him every day, and the relationship of a teacher/student is developed. It is a relationship with very littlie words exchanged; based on trust and compassion. New students who come to Ashtanga sometimes are pushed away by the stern guidance, and the strong adjustments. But surrendering to your teacher is an integral part of the practice. Not because of the teacher’s ego or power strives; but because if you learn to surrender “on the mat” you will also learn: “Isvara pranidhnad-va” (Yoga Sutra 1:23); Or (achieving Samadhi is also attainable) by devoted self-surrender to the Lord.
On our journey to Samadhi, Patanjali is giving us another very important tool, surrender to the Lord. This is probably one of the hardest one for us as Westerner’s to practice, we are so pride and full of ourselves, it is so hard for us to surrender. I grew up in a Jewish orthodox home and school, I then spent three years in the army. The lessons of following a discipline without the consent questioning is one of the most important lessons I was giving between the ages of 4 and 21. There is nothing wrong with surrender; it does not make you weaker.
Baddhakonasana is where I learned to surrender, while my teacher climbed my hips again and again, I resisted, pushing up and back, struggling with my pain. Only when I surrendered to my teacher, I could breathe into the Asana and surrender to the feet , touching my head to my feet as a symbol.
I was emotional throughout the practice today; a young student placed his hand on my teachers shoulder and said: “Have a great trip Christopher.” I suspect my teacher was shocked by this display of affection, I started crying.
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