April 26th-27th, 2008
I did the final class this morning. Since Abhi is out of the country we expected a replacement to come. Well, it was past 7 am and no one to conduct the class yet. The students decided to start the prayers themselves and we were just about to jump into Adho Mukha Svanasana, when Raya showed up. There was confusion who was to teach the class, so he was late. We started with Adho Mukha Svanasa, and with an intermediate pose of Uttansana, he asked us to do Sirsasana. Ah, not today - I can't hand the blood gushing into my head first thing in the morning as I was uncertain how it would impact my blood pressure. My doctor had told me logic would dictate that inversions could cause increase in it. I mentioned it to him. I was asked to do Viparita Dandasana with support. From there it was Chair Sarvangasana and then supported Bada Konasa. We performed more time in two variations Bada Konasana and then the pranayam was inserted, eventually to Shavasana. They all have different styles - I preferred Abhi's style more. Raya also ranted quotes on yoga philosophy and how to properly get into Shavasana, while he is instructing a junior youngster who is being shamed into doing 100 halasanas. He challenges us to bring our attention to the breath and away from this distraction. To bring our thoughts inward. Then someone's cell phone ring in a typical Indian musical tone. He is obviously annoyed. My mind wanders - why be bothered about cell phone rings, when there is so much noise pollution outside. There is constant influx of sounds into the yoga hall - the buzzing, the thumping, the rumblings come right into our minds in the middle of shavasana. If we can accept that, why not accept a cell phone ring. Just a thought as I try to focus my mind back into myself.
He also quotes the Iyengar family members - what they say about yoga, about understanding the asanas and their purpose without sounding too philosophical. I get some, but I feel he will have a deeper impact once he develops his own style as he growns and learns from his own practice. The inner yogi inside him needs to slowly come out and shine in his own unique style and I believe he will. He is a good teacher. All in all it was a relaxing conclusion to the week as it was my last class. I will be taking off this weekend for home. I asked him about poses for my recently discovered Spondolysis. "Go to the library and read materials and speak to your US teachers"! I will do that for sure.
This last week here was less about asana practice and more about what it meant to be here - in this little oasis of spirituality, yoga and holistic life. The house I am staying in, the Hanuman Mandir (temple) accross the street, the yoga center, the park next door, the people around this one street -- they paint a very holistic picture with a brush of "faith". I have discovered that in the midst of tremendous heat, unbearable sometimes, the buzzing of cars and scooters, the honking of horns, there is peace, tranquility and calmness. The heart warming music of the temple, the morning and evening patanjali chants at RIMYI, the chirping and singing of the birds, this little oasis called Hanuman Mandir Road is simply abundant in faith.
I told my hosts, the Shahanis, that there was something holistic about the 3rd floor of their house where I was staying. Neena said that the floor was built specifically for devotees of the Hare Krishna Temple by her father in law and now of course its primarily used for Iyengar Yoga Students from abroad. There is something very spritual about this place which gave me much needed comfort and peace and time to reflect, write and read most of the wonderful books left by many yogis from their past trips. I will write a separate blog about some of these wonderful books I read that inspired and enlightened my intellect.
Neena Shahani so eloquently put it "there is simply faith all around you". I realize as I am ready to go home, that it is the faith that brings the peace to the inner mind. It doesn't just exist around Hanuman Mandir Road, but its abundant all over India. This is probably why I am so drawn back to India. In this trip I discovered despite all the noise, the pollution, the dirt and filth in India, there is faith is everywhere you look . This is what makes India unique - despite all the contradictions and extremes that exist here. India is open to such a diversity of faiths. There are so many pathways to inner peace because there are so many pathways of faith that exist here. People see faith in trees, in stones, in animals, in people, in many animate and inanimate objects. The statues, the idols all these objects identify and exemplify these pathways. You eat, sleep, and breathe faith here and all forms of it are just accepted. I walk every morning by a tree on the sidewalk decorated with colors - I know someone worships this tree. There is faith in the trunk of a tree by the roadside and its accepted and respected by all.
You choose what you want to believe in and it is accepted. Someone posted a comment on one of my previous posts, asking about the meaning of a yogi and does he or she have leave their home and family to become a yogi. I posted a simple reply inform of a definition. I realize now, that this is such a complex question to answer. There are so many answers. The Iyengars so rightfully say, "just because you know the meaning or definition of something doesn't mean you fully understand it".
I agree , you cannot learn something by memorizing a definition. But, I have realized that having faith does bring you closer to understanding of many things, including yoga. Faith allows you to practice and practice brings an intuitive understanding of the subject you practice. It was a eureka moment! Its faith that brought me to Pune in 2001 and I had no idea then about Iyengar Yoga. Its faith that keeps bringing me back to this oasis of spritual upliftment and its this faith that keeps me on this spiral process to continually seek peace of my inner mind. This revelation made my trip worthwhile.
I must thank the Shahani's for their hospitality and kindness. I want to really thank their long time cook, who herself shows such faith despite her old age, by cooking these wonderful meals every day for me. She would call me Sahibji (sir) and I told her please call me son. She is probably my grandmother's age. She was so taken aback! She said how could she, as I was a man of stature. I told her no, she was of a higher stature both in age and experience, so she deserves higher respect. Here was another example of the dichotomy and contradiction that exists in India. People of money and stature are presumed to deserve respect. Well not in my world, not in the culture of my adopted country and I felt to be proud to be American when I told her that. Her cooking is the best I have tasted ever!
Thanks again to Mrs. Sunita Parthasarthy for helping me sign up for classes. Najeeeb for bringing the halasana bench. My staff in Pune who have such respect and regard for me and work so hard 24X7. And last but not the least Mr. Pandu at RIMYI who was very kind and will let me attend classes in future trips and found my badly needed sunglasses. I may not have perfected my asana's in this trip, but I have certainly taken babysteps to perfect my understanding of how to reach my inner mind. I left this morning for Mumbai with a hug from Manu and a comforting hand shake from Neena inviting me to come back. I told them I had a strong feeling I would be back but wasn't sure if they would have room, considering the fact that they are booked in advance. She replied, "You never know, there may be a cancellation". Well only faith will create a cancellation and only faith will bring me back to this little heaven on earth!
So as I fly out of India tonight, I promised myself to hold myself to this faith that I need to continue in my strive to do my karma and my yoga, inorder to get closer to my inner mind. I need to leave the rest - the outcome to the universe, the universal god and almighty. That is what makes a true yogi.
Namaste
The Yogi
Showing posts with label sprituality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sprituality. Show all posts
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Hello World!
Hello Readers!
This is my first posting. Let me tell you about myself. I am a 43 year old male (just turned 43) 6'1 about 200 pounds, 35-36 waist. I am in decent shape today and follow a decent path of personal wellness. Exactly two years ago I was in terrible shape. I was about 250 pounds, 42 waist, panting for breath, depressed, sad, tired, over-eating, over-stressed business executive who had become a couch potatoe. I had developed a slew of medical problems, includng high blood pressure, high cholesterol, severe asthma, depression, chronic back-ache, shoulder ache, acid reflux. I was on several medications, including anti-depressents, inhalors, and steroids. I felt I was a walking time bomb, at the verge of just imploding. I had achieved so much, but inside I was empty, my spirit was empty.
DID THE USUAL
I had tried everything, diets, including atkins, gym, including personal trainers and nothing worked. I had become what I had become over 12 years, as everything else in my life took over. Work, business, marriage, kids, family, employees, travel, investors. I worked to please everyone, to take care of everyone and in that process ignored to take care of myself -- physically, emotionally and spirtually. I got caught up in what we call "the american dream". I wasn't always this way. I am a type A person, very motivated, driven, hard working, but I also took care of myself and tried to be regularly physically active. I was active in sports in school, athletic, walked, biked, hit the gym till I was 29 and then stresses of life took over me. Stress took over me and I lost track of myself and my spirit.
THE WAKE UP CALL
I was in New Delhi India on January 3rd of 2006, standing on a road-side puking after a late night dinner. I had had a severe asthma attack and my body was rejecting everything I ate / put in my stomach. I felt "sick" and I felt I was dying and I couldn't take this anymore. It was a wake up call for me. Here I was in my country of birth and maybe that night would also be my country of death. I missed my wife and kids dearly that night. I was terrified. Something had to change.
The next morning I flew to a city called Pune. As I drove in a cab to my hotel, I read an article about yoga in a magazine in the cab. This article wouldn't have come at a better time in my life. The article talked about how yoga had helped many in many ways, improved their physical body, manage the diseases, improved fitness and health. I suddenly awakened and became aware and recalled I had done it as a kid, but had put the memories of yoga away as something acrobatic but not as fun as running, playing tennis, doing weights or swimming.
THE EUREKA MOMENT!
So I was intrigued. I wanted to try yoga. There was a gym in the hotel. I went up -- and yes they had a yoga class and yoga teacher. I asked if I could just take a private lesson. For $10.00 he would come to my room and teach me yoga. I went for it. That one hour of yoga awakened my body. It included some basic poses and breathing exercises and "shavasana" -- relaxation at the end. Something clicked. I felt most refreshed, energized and relaxed. I was ready to go to work. I couldnt sleep that night, I had so much energy and excitement.
THE FIRST STEPS
I came back home two weeks later and started taking yoga classes at the gym. My first class was on a Sunday. The teacher was definitly not orginally from the US. I couldnt tell where she was from, maybe australian, but she looked mid eastern. Her yoga style was very precise and different. There was no breathing, and by the end of the session, I was exhausted and felt like I had done a serious workout. She was very instructive and detailed about how to do the pose. I later found out she was from Bombay India, and practiced and taught a yoga style called Iyengar. I will come back to Iyengar yoga later, but she left an impression in my mind. I could barely do any of the poses she taught, but she was very patient and she showed me how I could do the same pose with the help of blocks and chairs and the wall.
I also took other classes, one that I found was fun. It was a vinyasa style, the teacher used music, and it seemed like a dance. I enjoyed it, but I felt I was not really doing the pose, I was always trying to just keep up with her and everyone. There was not much instruction. Just watch and copy and being out of shape it would be harder. I felt like I got a workout, but then later my back-ache would get worse and I felt I was hurting my body, just like what I did when I was doing weights and cardio with my personal trainer. Twice I pulled my groin muscles and I was repeating that. So I went back to the Sunday class with the Iyengar teacher. It was more refreshing.
AMAZING RESULTS
Within 3 weeks I felt I had more energy. I started doing treadmill, I started walking in the morning before the yoga class. A felt better, more energetic and more motivated. After 4 weeks I was hitting the gym 3 times a week, walking, doing eliptical, and doing two yoga classes. At the end of my cardio I was practicing certain poses for 20 minutes and then at the end I was always doing 10 minutes of relaxation or shavasana.
Lo and behold on Feb 4th, 2006 I checked my weight. I had lost 10 pounds. Wowee!. Thats the most weight I had lost ever in years. It had been a steady climb since 1995. I had lost 10 pounds in 2001 after 4 weeks of atkins and then it all came back. My journey to wellness had become and yoga became the core of this journey. Iyengar Yoga became the yoga of choice for me. Within 12 months I had lost 60 pounds. My weight started to peel off. I never much changed my diet, the only thing I gave up was coke and pepsi. In January 2007 I had a physical which showed dramatic changes in my health. My cholesterol was way below 200, all the numbers dropped. My lung capacity increased to where it was in 1997. My waist reduced by 6 inches. I was back to wearing a size L shirt from XXL. I was 190 pounds and unrecognizable to many who had not seen me in a while. I had been off my anti depressant for nearly a year now. Yoga had saved me and I felt a lot better. Yoga had given me a new life.
WHAT DO I DO TODAY!
Today I only practice yoga. Usually 3 times a week 90 minutes each time. I only hit the gym to take my kids to swim or use the suana. I dont do any weights. I need to kick my walking and cardio back some, but when I do yoga, I do everything, I breathe, I awaken my muscles, I work out holisically and my body responds to it tremendously. In two years I have gone from being a novice to an advanced student and I am not that flexible, but when I do yoga, I do it with all my heart and soul and it has simply become a part of my psychy. I am not an expert, but I am a true yogi as it helped me to start a holistic life. I could do better on the food I eat, but I really dont pay too much attention. I feel my body is able to process what I eat and burn it up. My stress has not gone away, but I am able to manage it better. I feel healthier.
MY VISION TO SHARE
I am sharing this new found wellness with others. I teach yoga to kids 6-9 years in age. I feel sowing such seeds early will make a huge difference in their lives as they grow up. Yoga is not just a way to stay fit. "It is a way of life". Many people in this country have taken this ancient way of life and improvised it, extended it to our infatuation with our bodies, to the way we look. I think thats great, but we need to not forget that our bodies are wired to be the way they are and if we can combine that with our internal beauty of the spirit and mind, we will become more healthy and live happier and more fullfilled lives. That is the "essence of yoga".
I plan to use this blog as a way to spread the messsage of yoga, as a way to make people aware of the choices they have, to educate them, to enlighten them and help them bring the true essence of yoga into their life, so they too can become healthier with less stress in their life. As at the end of the day no matter what we look like, what matters the most is how we feel about ourselves and we all just want to be well.
So I hope all you readers will join me in this journey. Share your wellness challenges with me and we will get on this journey of personal wellness together. All comments and experiences and are welcome.
Sincerely
The Yogi.
This is my first posting. Let me tell you about myself. I am a 43 year old male (just turned 43) 6'1 about 200 pounds, 35-36 waist. I am in decent shape today and follow a decent path of personal wellness. Exactly two years ago I was in terrible shape. I was about 250 pounds, 42 waist, panting for breath, depressed, sad, tired, over-eating, over-stressed business executive who had become a couch potatoe. I had developed a slew of medical problems, includng high blood pressure, high cholesterol, severe asthma, depression, chronic back-ache, shoulder ache, acid reflux. I was on several medications, including anti-depressents, inhalors, and steroids. I felt I was a walking time bomb, at the verge of just imploding. I had achieved so much, but inside I was empty, my spirit was empty.
DID THE USUAL
I had tried everything, diets, including atkins, gym, including personal trainers and nothing worked. I had become what I had become over 12 years, as everything else in my life took over. Work, business, marriage, kids, family, employees, travel, investors. I worked to please everyone, to take care of everyone and in that process ignored to take care of myself -- physically, emotionally and spirtually. I got caught up in what we call "the american dream". I wasn't always this way. I am a type A person, very motivated, driven, hard working, but I also took care of myself and tried to be regularly physically active. I was active in sports in school, athletic, walked, biked, hit the gym till I was 29 and then stresses of life took over me. Stress took over me and I lost track of myself and my spirit.
THE WAKE UP CALL
I was in New Delhi India on January 3rd of 2006, standing on a road-side puking after a late night dinner. I had had a severe asthma attack and my body was rejecting everything I ate / put in my stomach. I felt "sick" and I felt I was dying and I couldn't take this anymore. It was a wake up call for me. Here I was in my country of birth and maybe that night would also be my country of death. I missed my wife and kids dearly that night. I was terrified. Something had to change.
The next morning I flew to a city called Pune. As I drove in a cab to my hotel, I read an article about yoga in a magazine in the cab. This article wouldn't have come at a better time in my life. The article talked about how yoga had helped many in many ways, improved their physical body, manage the diseases, improved fitness and health. I suddenly awakened and became aware and recalled I had done it as a kid, but had put the memories of yoga away as something acrobatic but not as fun as running, playing tennis, doing weights or swimming.
THE EUREKA MOMENT!
So I was intrigued. I wanted to try yoga. There was a gym in the hotel. I went up -- and yes they had a yoga class and yoga teacher. I asked if I could just take a private lesson. For $10.00 he would come to my room and teach me yoga. I went for it. That one hour of yoga awakened my body. It included some basic poses and breathing exercises and "shavasana" -- relaxation at the end. Something clicked. I felt most refreshed, energized and relaxed. I was ready to go to work. I couldnt sleep that night, I had so much energy and excitement.
THE FIRST STEPS
I came back home two weeks later and started taking yoga classes at the gym. My first class was on a Sunday. The teacher was definitly not orginally from the US. I couldnt tell where she was from, maybe australian, but she looked mid eastern. Her yoga style was very precise and different. There was no breathing, and by the end of the session, I was exhausted and felt like I had done a serious workout. She was very instructive and detailed about how to do the pose. I later found out she was from Bombay India, and practiced and taught a yoga style called Iyengar. I will come back to Iyengar yoga later, but she left an impression in my mind. I could barely do any of the poses she taught, but she was very patient and she showed me how I could do the same pose with the help of blocks and chairs and the wall.
I also took other classes, one that I found was fun. It was a vinyasa style, the teacher used music, and it seemed like a dance. I enjoyed it, but I felt I was not really doing the pose, I was always trying to just keep up with her and everyone. There was not much instruction. Just watch and copy and being out of shape it would be harder. I felt like I got a workout, but then later my back-ache would get worse and I felt I was hurting my body, just like what I did when I was doing weights and cardio with my personal trainer. Twice I pulled my groin muscles and I was repeating that. So I went back to the Sunday class with the Iyengar teacher. It was more refreshing.
AMAZING RESULTS
Within 3 weeks I felt I had more energy. I started doing treadmill, I started walking in the morning before the yoga class. A felt better, more energetic and more motivated. After 4 weeks I was hitting the gym 3 times a week, walking, doing eliptical, and doing two yoga classes. At the end of my cardio I was practicing certain poses for 20 minutes and then at the end I was always doing 10 minutes of relaxation or shavasana.
Lo and behold on Feb 4th, 2006 I checked my weight. I had lost 10 pounds. Wowee!. Thats the most weight I had lost ever in years. It had been a steady climb since 1995. I had lost 10 pounds in 2001 after 4 weeks of atkins and then it all came back. My journey to wellness had become and yoga became the core of this journey. Iyengar Yoga became the yoga of choice for me. Within 12 months I had lost 60 pounds. My weight started to peel off. I never much changed my diet, the only thing I gave up was coke and pepsi. In January 2007 I had a physical which showed dramatic changes in my health. My cholesterol was way below 200, all the numbers dropped. My lung capacity increased to where it was in 1997. My waist reduced by 6 inches. I was back to wearing a size L shirt from XXL. I was 190 pounds and unrecognizable to many who had not seen me in a while. I had been off my anti depressant for nearly a year now. Yoga had saved me and I felt a lot better. Yoga had given me a new life.
WHAT DO I DO TODAY!
Today I only practice yoga. Usually 3 times a week 90 minutes each time. I only hit the gym to take my kids to swim or use the suana. I dont do any weights. I need to kick my walking and cardio back some, but when I do yoga, I do everything, I breathe, I awaken my muscles, I work out holisically and my body responds to it tremendously. In two years I have gone from being a novice to an advanced student and I am not that flexible, but when I do yoga, I do it with all my heart and soul and it has simply become a part of my psychy. I am not an expert, but I am a true yogi as it helped me to start a holistic life. I could do better on the food I eat, but I really dont pay too much attention. I feel my body is able to process what I eat and burn it up. My stress has not gone away, but I am able to manage it better. I feel healthier.
MY VISION TO SHARE
I am sharing this new found wellness with others. I teach yoga to kids 6-9 years in age. I feel sowing such seeds early will make a huge difference in their lives as they grow up. Yoga is not just a way to stay fit. "It is a way of life". Many people in this country have taken this ancient way of life and improvised it, extended it to our infatuation with our bodies, to the way we look. I think thats great, but we need to not forget that our bodies are wired to be the way they are and if we can combine that with our internal beauty of the spirit and mind, we will become more healthy and live happier and more fullfilled lives. That is the "essence of yoga".
I plan to use this blog as a way to spread the messsage of yoga, as a way to make people aware of the choices they have, to educate them, to enlighten them and help them bring the true essence of yoga into their life, so they too can become healthier with less stress in their life. As at the end of the day no matter what we look like, what matters the most is how we feel about ourselves and we all just want to be well.
So I hope all you readers will join me in this journey. Share your wellness challenges with me and we will get on this journey of personal wellness together. All comments and experiences and are welcome.
Sincerely
The Yogi.
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