Notes from the Glenn Ceresoli workshop where I digress from my Ashtanga practice for one week only.
DAY 4: Thursday 13th January 2005
Surfing
Once again I didn’t get a chance to write up my notes after Glenn’s session this morning. We all went for coffee afterwards, then me and Sasha headed straight off down the coast for a surf. Great waves too.
I was hoping Sasha would do the driving so I could write up notes on the way down before they dissolved out of my memory forever, but Sasha’s only ever driven an automatic car, and my car’s a manual. So I did the driving. The trip down the coast takes a good hour and a quarter from the city, but it was worth it today. We arrived at the surf beach to find clean little 3 foot waves, so we had a really great time. We stayed in the water for about an hour before I started to tire, getting too weak to paddle, couldn’t even raise the effort to jump up onto my board towards the end – that’s when I know it’s time to come in. We got back home around 3pm.
I worry more about drowning than I do about sharks even though we’ve had some gruesome shark attacks around this coastline in recent years. I’ve had two scary near-drowning incidents out in the surf when I’ve been held under the water for so long that I’ve given up the effort to fight and stay alive. It’s an eerie feeling when you’re that close to drowning, quite peaceful because you just let go, give in to the power of the ocean, like it’s finally beaten you after all these years. I remember the overwhelming sadness at having to leave my children behind.
Giving up your attachment to life, accepting death, is the ultimate surrender.
Naturally after a morning session with Glenn then going surfing (and eating hot, salty chips for lunch afterwards), I thought I’d be pretty buggered for the evening session, but the ocean has a magical way of purifying your body and soul. Surfing invigorates you and leaves you with a very balanced, strong energy – lots of prana! I arrived at the yoga studio, the overhead fans were spinning madly, the big studio doors were wide open and the lady in the house facing the open doors was singing in her front garden with every ounce of her jazz loving heart and soul. What joy to be there!
A few thoughts
After doing 5 minute Sukhasana forward bends at the start of each session twice a day, and feeling a really intense stretch through my outer hips in this pose, I’m curious to experience how this work will manifest in my Ashtanga practice next week. I don’t know if I’ve gained any penetrating insights overall, but I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to do two sessions of yoga a day.
I’ve been able to reach deep into the crevices of my body habits with this kind of work, but I’ve been asking myself “What’s the point?” “Why do it?” Is it really just another experience, another opportunity to indulge in self analysis, self enquiry, self obsession? Has it helped me in my quest to live a more enlightened life? I have my doubts.
But I have gained more insight into what makes a good teacher and Glenn really is one of the best. High on the list of attributes that good teachers exude: passion, devotion, a commanding, authoritative presence, combined with a personal touch; confident adjustments, teaching about the nature of the mind as well as the body. Glenn puts us in a pose then walks around as he talks, observing, adjusting, sometimes spending extra time to help someone modify the pose while continuing to give instructions to the rest of us. And he’s funny in a wicked way, very quick. He explains everything in a clear manner, easy to understand, and gives analogies for people who need mental pictures.
One analogy I like is when you’re working fully in a pose and then back off slightly then put effort back into it then back off again (not uncommon when holding Uttanasana for a while). Glenn likens this wavering to turning the dimmer on a light switch up and down. (He’d rather we just turned it on full power and sustained it).
Conversations
I had the lovely surprise of being invited out to pizza after tonight’s session with Darren and Susan (the senior Iyengar teachers and owners of the studio), Glenn Ceresoli and Kosta. It was a nice chance to interact with these senior teachers. Conversation was warm and casual, occasionally taken over by Glenn’s enthusiasm for some thing or other. He came dangerously close at one point to saying something about our higher purpose, but I could see him put the brakes on, as if he’s learned not to go there outside of the classroom. That was disappointing. It’s almost a taboo subject. I’m mystified why people who practice yoga seriously don’t discuss the inner aspects of yoga practice with each other, the higher motivation for practicing, our longing to rediscover our divine origin, how our yoga practice steers us towards living at our highest potential. A little whiff of this and wow, look at how fast it’s squashed by a flippant remark to divert the subject. Maybe our experience of the mystical is just too difficult to put into words, or maybe we are scared of revealing our deepest, truest selves.
Perhaps naiively I always expect that conversations with long time yogis will inevitably gravitate towards what is at the heart of our practice and at the core of our existence. And I’m always surprised at how chit chat keeps us safely away from expressing our truth. It even makes me wonder whether long time yogis and senior teachers have even moved beyond asana (especially Iyengar devotees).
The urge to bring this out of the closet fuels my impetus to teach now. At least within the confines of a yoga class we have to opportunity to reignite the spark that will eventually light up our hearts so we may live with great purpose and beauty.
For me, spiritual evolution is the motivation underpinning absolutely everything in my daily life. I am constantly questioning whether what I am doing is taking me closer to realizing my divine potential, or is it hindering my growth. Every little decision and choice I have to make in the course of the day I use these questions to guide me.
Glenn does prompt his students to think about their yoga beyond asana. He threads a constant narrative through the classes, sometimes in subtle roundabout ways, and sometimes in plain old English like “ What brings you closer to the Truth?” A question that may be too vague for beginners on the path, but a question that cuts to the very heart of practical spiritual practice. Like the question “Who am I?” that Ramana Maharshi posed to facilitate awakening from our limited perception of reality
“The simplest questions are the most profound. Where were you born? Where is your home? Where are you going? What are you doing? Think about these once in a while and watch your answers change.”
“The Messiah’s Handbook” – Richard Bach
DAY 4: Thursday 13th January 2005 – morning session
What I can remember from the morning session:
Usual opening poses:
Supta Baddha Konasana over a bolster, with a strap
Dandasana
Sukhasana forward bend (Glenn is still calling this one Swastikasana for some reason)
Dandasana
Supta Virasana
Adho Mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Pada Hastasana
Urdhva Hastasana
Keep arms above head then slowly bend knees to
Utkatasana
Trikonasana
When coming into Trikonasana, extend the armpit towards the thumb on the leading arm. When going to the right, roll pubis towards the left groin then draw the navel to the left, allow the chest and head to follow. Take the head slightly back to open the front of the body.
Ardha Chandrasana
Virabhadrasana II
Parsvakonasana
Prasaritta Padottanasana
Visualise the two sides of the sacrum 1) the outer side which is in contact with the skin of the back and 2) the inner side facing the center of the body (Glenn called this the “organic” side). He then instructed to draw the organic side of the sacrum down towards the tail more than the outer side. A very intimate encounter with my inner parts, but it’s just another way of describing the pelvic action of tipping it forward.
We had to hold Prasaritta Padottanasana firstly with a flat back (spine parallel to the floor) and with the arms extended out sideways from the shoulders, parallel to the floor. Then we descended, taking the chin to the floor rather than the crown of the head.
Virasana
Sitting with hands in reverse anjali mudra (Prayer position behind the back)
Visualise yourself looking in a mirror at the epitomy of composure.
Savasana
*********************************************************************************************************************
DAY 4 : Thursday 13th January – evening session
Usual opening poses:
Supta Baddha Konasana over a bolster, with a strap
Dandasana
Sukhasana forward bend (Glenn is still calling this one Swastikasana for some reason)
Dandasana
Supta Virasana
Adho Mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Marichyasana A
With the right leg bent up and left leg extended, we started with both hands holding the left foot then kept the left hand to the foot while bending the right arm back and wrapping it around the right shin. In this position, I think we had to press the right arm strongly into the shin which receded away from the pressure of the arm. Only then did we swing the left arm back to clasp fingers or wrists.
Once clasped, the elbows must feel like they’re lifting up (keep them level with each other) and stretch hands back as if trying to straighten the arms. Then chin to knee.
Baddha Konasana
Started with knees lifted up towards armpits, hands clasped around feet and upper arms pressing down against the shins. Then we slowly took the knees down keeping the upper arms pressing to the shins, so the upper body folding forward was impelled by the pushing down of the arms as the knees descended.
Baddha Konasana with the back against the wall
We were asked to sit up on a folded blanket here, then reach the hands back to press them into the wall and use this to propel the torso into the forward bend.
Janu Sirsasana
Both arms raise up first then reach forward to the extended foot. Move pubis diagonally down and toward the inner groin of the straight leg. When left lleg is bent, roll left iliac crest towards the right knee and pull back the side of the right thigh towards the right hip.
Parivritta Janu Sirsasana
I think this must be one of Glenn’s favourite poses. When we came out of it on the second side, he enthusiastically asked “Don’t you feel euphoric?” Quite frankly, after 3-4 minutes in this one, we were feeling a lot of things, but I’m not sure if euphoria was on top of the list.
Although I had a good grip on my foot and a deep twist happening, my neck position felt all wrong. Not far into the pose, I had to relieve the tension by turning my head and looking down to untwist it, then try to turn it back up in a different way. Luckily I overheard someone else speak up about the same problem and Glenn said if the head is not positioned correctly it will feel like a dead weight. He corrected the other girl by instructing her to extend more from the inner groin of the bent leg to the inner knee which activates the spine. If there’s no activity in the spine, the upper part of it won’t be able to support the weight of the head.
Supta Konasana (forward bend)
Just when I was getting use to the deep exploration that comes with outrageously long holdings, this one seemed quite short. After 2 minutes I’d barely kissed the edge of my pain threshold and we came up.
Bharadvajasana I
I don’t know why but I’ve never really felt comfortable in this beginner’s pose. It always feels awkward and tonight was no different even with a blanket under one buttock. It’s so a-symmetrical and I have difficulty finding a lift through the spine.
Bharadvajasana II
Version II of this twist with one leg in Padmasana, feels a lot better than the first one, more malleable and workable.
Viparitta Dandasana
Backbend laying over a chair, with a rolled up blanket under the waist and the front of the chair seat pressing into the shoulderblades. We reached back with palms together trying to straighten the arms and squeezing the elbows in towards each other.
Viparitta Dandasana
We turned around in the chair, and laid back again with the tailbone positioned over the front edge of the chair seat, reached back and down to grab the cross rung. Once holding the rung we had to press the little fingers into the rung while extending triceps towards elbows.
Forward Bend seated on chair
Knees bent and feet apart. We were supposed to have the sitting bones placed in the middle of the chair seat, but being a short person, I had to sit at the front edge of the chair if I was ever going to grab the cross rung with my hands.
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana laying over a bolster
Three visualizations in this passive pose.
1) Sternum energy flows to the back of the neck, up the back of the skull and over the top of the head to the tip of the nose.
2) From earlobes to behind the ears to the front of the ears and then spiraling to the inner ears
3) The three layers of the diaphragm like we did yesterday.
Savasana
______________________________________________________________________________________________
DAY 4: Thursday 13th January 2005
Surfing
Once again I didn’t get a chance to write up my notes after Glenn’s session this morning. We all went for coffee afterwards, then me and Sasha headed straight off down the coast for a surf. Great waves too.
I was hoping Sasha would do the driving so I could write up notes on the way down before they dissolved out of my memory forever, but Sasha’s only ever driven an automatic car, and my car’s a manual. So I did the driving. The trip down the coast takes a good hour and a quarter from the city, but it was worth it today. We arrived at the surf beach to find clean little 3 foot waves, so we had a really great time. We stayed in the water for about an hour before I started to tire, getting too weak to paddle, couldn’t even raise the effort to jump up onto my board towards the end – that’s when I know it’s time to come in. We got back home around 3pm.
I worry more about drowning than I do about sharks even though we’ve had some gruesome shark attacks around this coastline in recent years. I’ve had two scary near-drowning incidents out in the surf when I’ve been held under the water for so long that I’ve given up the effort to fight and stay alive. It’s an eerie feeling when you’re that close to drowning, quite peaceful because you just let go, give in to the power of the ocean, like it’s finally beaten you after all these years. I remember the overwhelming sadness at having to leave my children behind.
Giving up your attachment to life, accepting death, is the ultimate surrender.
Naturally after a morning session with Glenn then going surfing (and eating hot, salty chips for lunch afterwards), I thought I’d be pretty buggered for the evening session, but the ocean has a magical way of purifying your body and soul. Surfing invigorates you and leaves you with a very balanced, strong energy – lots of prana! I arrived at the yoga studio, the overhead fans were spinning madly, the big studio doors were wide open and the lady in the house facing the open doors was singing in her front garden with every ounce of her jazz loving heart and soul. What joy to be there!
A few thoughts
After doing 5 minute Sukhasana forward bends at the start of each session twice a day, and feeling a really intense stretch through my outer hips in this pose, I’m curious to experience how this work will manifest in my Ashtanga practice next week. I don’t know if I’ve gained any penetrating insights overall, but I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to do two sessions of yoga a day.
I’ve been able to reach deep into the crevices of my body habits with this kind of work, but I’ve been asking myself “What’s the point?” “Why do it?” Is it really just another experience, another opportunity to indulge in self analysis, self enquiry, self obsession? Has it helped me in my quest to live a more enlightened life? I have my doubts.
But I have gained more insight into what makes a good teacher and Glenn really is one of the best. High on the list of attributes that good teachers exude: passion, devotion, a commanding, authoritative presence, combined with a personal touch; confident adjustments, teaching about the nature of the mind as well as the body. Glenn puts us in a pose then walks around as he talks, observing, adjusting, sometimes spending extra time to help someone modify the pose while continuing to give instructions to the rest of us. And he’s funny in a wicked way, very quick. He explains everything in a clear manner, easy to understand, and gives analogies for people who need mental pictures.
One analogy I like is when you’re working fully in a pose and then back off slightly then put effort back into it then back off again (not uncommon when holding Uttanasana for a while). Glenn likens this wavering to turning the dimmer on a light switch up and down. (He’d rather we just turned it on full power and sustained it).
Conversations
I had the lovely surprise of being invited out to pizza after tonight’s session with Darren and Susan (the senior Iyengar teachers and owners of the studio), Glenn Ceresoli and Kosta. It was a nice chance to interact with these senior teachers. Conversation was warm and casual, occasionally taken over by Glenn’s enthusiasm for some thing or other. He came dangerously close at one point to saying something about our higher purpose, but I could see him put the brakes on, as if he’s learned not to go there outside of the classroom. That was disappointing. It’s almost a taboo subject. I’m mystified why people who practice yoga seriously don’t discuss the inner aspects of yoga practice with each other, the higher motivation for practicing, our longing to rediscover our divine origin, how our yoga practice steers us towards living at our highest potential. A little whiff of this and wow, look at how fast it’s squashed by a flippant remark to divert the subject. Maybe our experience of the mystical is just too difficult to put into words, or maybe we are scared of revealing our deepest, truest selves.
Perhaps naiively I always expect that conversations with long time yogis will inevitably gravitate towards what is at the heart of our practice and at the core of our existence. And I’m always surprised at how chit chat keeps us safely away from expressing our truth. It even makes me wonder whether long time yogis and senior teachers have even moved beyond asana (especially Iyengar devotees).
The urge to bring this out of the closet fuels my impetus to teach now. At least within the confines of a yoga class we have to opportunity to reignite the spark that will eventually light up our hearts so we may live with great purpose and beauty.
For me, spiritual evolution is the motivation underpinning absolutely everything in my daily life. I am constantly questioning whether what I am doing is taking me closer to realizing my divine potential, or is it hindering my growth. Every little decision and choice I have to make in the course of the day I use these questions to guide me.
Glenn does prompt his students to think about their yoga beyond asana. He threads a constant narrative through the classes, sometimes in subtle roundabout ways, and sometimes in plain old English like “ What brings you closer to the Truth?” A question that may be too vague for beginners on the path, but a question that cuts to the very heart of practical spiritual practice. Like the question “Who am I?” that Ramana Maharshi posed to facilitate awakening from our limited perception of reality
“The simplest questions are the most profound. Where were you born? Where is your home? Where are you going? What are you doing? Think about these once in a while and watch your answers change.”
“The Messiah’s Handbook” – Richard Bach
DAY 4: Thursday 13th January 2005 – morning session
What I can remember from the morning session:
Usual opening poses:
Supta Baddha Konasana over a bolster, with a strap
Dandasana
Sukhasana forward bend (Glenn is still calling this one Swastikasana for some reason)
Dandasana
Supta Virasana
Adho Mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Pada Hastasana
Urdhva Hastasana
Keep arms above head then slowly bend knees to
Utkatasana
Trikonasana
When coming into Trikonasana, extend the armpit towards the thumb on the leading arm. When going to the right, roll pubis towards the left groin then draw the navel to the left, allow the chest and head to follow. Take the head slightly back to open the front of the body.
Ardha Chandrasana
Virabhadrasana II
Parsvakonasana
Prasaritta Padottanasana
Visualise the two sides of the sacrum 1) the outer side which is in contact with the skin of the back and 2) the inner side facing the center of the body (Glenn called this the “organic” side). He then instructed to draw the organic side of the sacrum down towards the tail more than the outer side. A very intimate encounter with my inner parts, but it’s just another way of describing the pelvic action of tipping it forward.
We had to hold Prasaritta Padottanasana firstly with a flat back (spine parallel to the floor) and with the arms extended out sideways from the shoulders, parallel to the floor. Then we descended, taking the chin to the floor rather than the crown of the head.
Virasana
Sitting with hands in reverse anjali mudra (Prayer position behind the back)
Visualise yourself looking in a mirror at the epitomy of composure.
Savasana
*********************************************************************************************************************
DAY 4 : Thursday 13th January – evening session
Usual opening poses:
Supta Baddha Konasana over a bolster, with a strap
Dandasana
Sukhasana forward bend (Glenn is still calling this one Swastikasana for some reason)
Dandasana
Supta Virasana
Adho Mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Marichyasana A
With the right leg bent up and left leg extended, we started with both hands holding the left foot then kept the left hand to the foot while bending the right arm back and wrapping it around the right shin. In this position, I think we had to press the right arm strongly into the shin which receded away from the pressure of the arm. Only then did we swing the left arm back to clasp fingers or wrists.
Once clasped, the elbows must feel like they’re lifting up (keep them level with each other) and stretch hands back as if trying to straighten the arms. Then chin to knee.
Baddha Konasana
Started with knees lifted up towards armpits, hands clasped around feet and upper arms pressing down against the shins. Then we slowly took the knees down keeping the upper arms pressing to the shins, so the upper body folding forward was impelled by the pushing down of the arms as the knees descended.
Baddha Konasana with the back against the wall
We were asked to sit up on a folded blanket here, then reach the hands back to press them into the wall and use this to propel the torso into the forward bend.
Janu Sirsasana
Both arms raise up first then reach forward to the extended foot. Move pubis diagonally down and toward the inner groin of the straight leg. When left lleg is bent, roll left iliac crest towards the right knee and pull back the side of the right thigh towards the right hip.
Parivritta Janu Sirsasana
I think this must be one of Glenn’s favourite poses. When we came out of it on the second side, he enthusiastically asked “Don’t you feel euphoric?” Quite frankly, after 3-4 minutes in this one, we were feeling a lot of things, but I’m not sure if euphoria was on top of the list.
Although I had a good grip on my foot and a deep twist happening, my neck position felt all wrong. Not far into the pose, I had to relieve the tension by turning my head and looking down to untwist it, then try to turn it back up in a different way. Luckily I overheard someone else speak up about the same problem and Glenn said if the head is not positioned correctly it will feel like a dead weight. He corrected the other girl by instructing her to extend more from the inner groin of the bent leg to the inner knee which activates the spine. If there’s no activity in the spine, the upper part of it won’t be able to support the weight of the head.
Supta Konasana (forward bend)
Just when I was getting use to the deep exploration that comes with outrageously long holdings, this one seemed quite short. After 2 minutes I’d barely kissed the edge of my pain threshold and we came up.
Bharadvajasana I
I don’t know why but I’ve never really felt comfortable in this beginner’s pose. It always feels awkward and tonight was no different even with a blanket under one buttock. It’s so a-symmetrical and I have difficulty finding a lift through the spine.
Bharadvajasana II
Version II of this twist with one leg in Padmasana, feels a lot better than the first one, more malleable and workable.
Viparitta Dandasana
Backbend laying over a chair, with a rolled up blanket under the waist and the front of the chair seat pressing into the shoulderblades. We reached back with palms together trying to straighten the arms and squeezing the elbows in towards each other.
Viparitta Dandasana
We turned around in the chair, and laid back again with the tailbone positioned over the front edge of the chair seat, reached back and down to grab the cross rung. Once holding the rung we had to press the little fingers into the rung while extending triceps towards elbows.
Forward Bend seated on chair
Knees bent and feet apart. We were supposed to have the sitting bones placed in the middle of the chair seat, but being a short person, I had to sit at the front edge of the chair if I was ever going to grab the cross rung with my hands.
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana laying over a bolster
Three visualizations in this passive pose.
1) Sternum energy flows to the back of the neck, up the back of the skull and over the top of the head to the tip of the nose.
2) From earlobes to behind the ears to the front of the ears and then spiraling to the inner ears
3) The three layers of the diaphragm like we did yesterday.
Savasana
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Notes from the Glenn Ceresoli workshop where I digress from my Ashtanga practice for one week only.
Day 3 : Wednesday 13th January 2005 – morning session
Gayatri Mantra
We started this morning’s session by chanting three Oms, followed by three repetitions of the Gayatri Mantra, then one Om and three Shantis.
Chanting the first three Oms is like tuning an instrument. The final Om is always very different, longer, deeper, more sonorous. I can usually draw energy up through the chakras with this one, bringing the mmm vibration to rest high up in the chakra pecking order. The first Om of the morning is usually pretty weak and out of tune, but with each successive one I get better, aligning my tone to the vibrational pitch of the universal frequency. When you get it, you know it…every cell vibrates with a higher energy, as if your entire body is singing along with pure light consciousness.
Glenn talked a little about the significance of the Gayatri Mantra, how not only the words have great spiritual meaning but also how the formation and sounds of the words also affect our being on a subtle level. Something I learned from Glenn today: the Sanskrit language was invented to communicate spiritual and universal truths so Sanskrit words were formed with sacred sounds. I’d like to find out more about this. I know that sound and vibration have elemental connections, but I’ve never looked into the power of sound and mantra work.
“Sanskrit is the original language of the Vedas. They were transmitted directly from the spiritual world at the dawn of creation. Therefore, their language bears the power to connect the reciter and the receptors of mantras and slokas with the eternal spiritual reality—especially if the mantras contain one of the numerous names of God. Consequently, Sanskrit produces a transcendental sound vibration which is able to liberate the living entity from the material existence called samsara, the circle of repeated births and deaths.”
Supta Baddha Konasana over bolster
Dandasana
Swastikasana (actually Sukhasana)
Dandasana
Supta Virasana
Yesterday Glenn instructed us to bring attention to the soles of the feet in this passive pose and to consciously move the skin from the ball of the big toe out towards the ball of the little toe. I discovered that I have very little mind connection to the soles of my feet, especially not at this subtle level. But I persisted, knowing that the process of directing attention could revive the neural pathway to this area. “Where the mind goes, the energy flows”. The vague feeling of moving skin (which is more correctly the intention of moving energy) started to happen on and off, very weak at first and as it did, Glenn was prompting us to notice how other parts of the body responded. He didn’t give us even a hint at what we should feel. But I found that as I focused on the skin of my soles moving outward, my inner groins responded by descending and there was a broadening beneath the skin of my pubic abdomen. Very subtle energetics happening here, no movement occurring on the outer body. It’s very satisfying to work at this level.
Adho Mukha Svanasana
We had quite an extended exploration of Dog Pose today with Glenn demonstrating the subtle shifts that can occur when your mind consciously applies itself within the process.
First we had to bring the sacral area alive, an area in me that has always been quite dull. I’m still not sure about how this is done. When he demonstrated, I could see the skin on his lumbar moving and the small muscles adjusting, but I wasn’t sure which way to direct the energy to facilitate this, so I just worked at bringing it this area to life by focusing all my attention and energy there.
Glenn then demonstrated the effect of moving the base of the sternum towards the navel. This is an obvious movement, easily seen and done, and it has the effect of scooping all the internal organs back and up, containing the energy within the organ system. I also felt it stimulating the base of my spine.
So in Dog Pose, first we establish balance of left and right yb sensitively adjusting the body so the weight is borne evenly beneath hands and feet. Then bring the sacral area alive by moving the sacrum into the body, roll pubis back, navel follows, pull sternum towards the navel, scooping the organs and pelvic contents back and up. This also really challenges the front armpits to open. Simultaneously we take the collarbones towards the toes. When Glenn demonstrated, his head was barely off the floor.
There were so many other subtle points he articulated and I followed them all as directed in the moment. Then I came out of the pose and forgot them all.
Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand)
The major points from Dog Pose we transferred to Handstand but I could only focus on moving the sternum strongly towards the pubis – this focus alone took up all my mindpower.
Just staying in the pose long enough and strong enough to do any self adjusting was a challenge. But I managed to find a small window of opportunity after establishing the initial actions to focus briefly on moving the sternum to the pubis. It helped to pivot the head, chin into throat, and look towards the toes to actually see the movement of the ribcage. Glen went on and on with finer and more subtle instruction to refine the alignment and awareness, but I missed a lot of it. Like most of the others, I had to come down, rest, then go back up again. By the time I re-established the focus to work on a more subtle level, there was only a short time before fatigue crept in and my focus turned to maintaining composure and lightness to counteract the mental heaviness of increasing despair.
Urdhva Hastasana
This pose is usually done before a Handstand, but I think we did it after – can’t quite remember.
Dog Pose
Virabhadrasana I
The killer pose today.
We did it with the back heel to the wall. Hands on hips to start and main focus to the back leg, back foot (stretch back knee crease towards heel), and the intricacies of weight bearing and skin movement. I tried to stay completely connected to pressing the inner back heel to the wall while bending the front knee excruciatingly slowly (again). The instructions that followed went straight over my head.
Before attempting it with the arms overhead, Glenn demonstrated how to actively bring the base of the neck forward towards the center notch of the throat, another dull spot for me, but I got the gist of it. He gave a lot more information to work with in this pose, but by this time I was deteriorating into a vague blur. Too much information and I start to tune out. I was trying so hard to bring myself back, to listen and absorb, but my receptors were shutting down from overload.
Parsvottanasana
Back heel to wall, same emphasis on back foot as in Virabhadrasana I. Plug front foot into the earth like pushing a plus into a socket and draw the energy up. The plug in the socket is a useful visualization, you push it in, it connects, and the flow of electricity is activated.
We started this pose with both arms overhead and had to use the strength of the legs and the hinging of the pelvis to reach forward and down. The added weight of raised arms and a slow descent made me very aware of how to work my front leg. Coming back up the same way was enormously stressful on my legs.
Uttanasana
Facing the wall with the feet about one foot away from the wall, fold over into Uttanasana and lean the back into the wall, head close to the floor, working the base of the big toe into the floor.
Savasana
***********************************************************************************
DAY 3 : Wednesday 13th January – evening session
Went out for a coffee straight after the evening session and chatted a bit, so didn’t get a chance to write notes. But I managed to jot down the pose sequence:
Supta Baddha Konasana (bolster and strap)
Dandasana
Swastikasana
Supta Virasana
Ado Mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Half Dog pose with hands to the wall
Gomukhasana (with Garudasana arms crossed in front)
Glenn gave me a slight adjustment here – he used one hand to lift my elbows a little higher, while pressing a finger into a point on the top of my shoulder (marma point maybe?)
Virasana
Seated in Virasana we interlocked our hands in front then placed them just above the head with palms facing up, then stretched triceps into elbows which created an unmistakable widening across the lower lungs.
Virasana with Gomukasana Arms (hands gripped behind the back)
Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand)
Release the length of the tailbone so the lower back arches and use this to draw the sternum towards the pubis. Keep position of the sternum while lengthening the tailbone to the heels.
Pincha Mayurasana
Uttanasana
We did this with the sitting bones pressed into the wall and hands interlocked over the head like Prasaritte Padottanasana C.
Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand)
Shoulderstand with Baddha Konasana legs
Eka Pada Sarvangasana (one leg vertical and one leg lowered over head parallel to floor)
Eka Pada Sarvangasana (one leg vertical and one leg lowered towards the wall and pressing into the wall)
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Hands into the back ribs and both feet pressing into the wall with legs straight. This was a great variation. Pressing the feet into the wall makes for a really deep arch in the thoracic spine.
Halasana
Karna Pindasana
Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana
To finish we laid onto a blanket which had been folded longways into three, but we laid crosswise over it with the blanket under the diaphragm, arms extended out at shoulder height.
With the inhalation, we raised the lower ribs and spread the diaphragm, and with the exhalation we maintained this height and allowed the abdomen alone to recede. We then imagined the presence of three layers like three pieces of string:
1) at the front of the diaphragm (close to the front of the body)
2) at the back of the diaphragm (close to the back of the body)
3) in the center of these two
Then with the inhalation, we had to imagine stretching the center layer (piece of string) out towards the side ribs.
Savasana
Day 3 : Wednesday 13th January 2005 – morning session
Gayatri Mantra
We started this morning’s session by chanting three Oms, followed by three repetitions of the Gayatri Mantra, then one Om and three Shantis.
Chanting the first three Oms is like tuning an instrument. The final Om is always very different, longer, deeper, more sonorous. I can usually draw energy up through the chakras with this one, bringing the mmm vibration to rest high up in the chakra pecking order. The first Om of the morning is usually pretty weak and out of tune, but with each successive one I get better, aligning my tone to the vibrational pitch of the universal frequency. When you get it, you know it…every cell vibrates with a higher energy, as if your entire body is singing along with pure light consciousness.
Glenn talked a little about the significance of the Gayatri Mantra, how not only the words have great spiritual meaning but also how the formation and sounds of the words also affect our being on a subtle level. Something I learned from Glenn today: the Sanskrit language was invented to communicate spiritual and universal truths so Sanskrit words were formed with sacred sounds. I’d like to find out more about this. I know that sound and vibration have elemental connections, but I’ve never looked into the power of sound and mantra work.
“Sanskrit is the original language of the Vedas. They were transmitted directly from the spiritual world at the dawn of creation. Therefore, their language bears the power to connect the reciter and the receptors of mantras and slokas with the eternal spiritual reality—especially if the mantras contain one of the numerous names of God. Consequently, Sanskrit produces a transcendental sound vibration which is able to liberate the living entity from the material existence called samsara, the circle of repeated births and deaths.”
Supta Baddha Konasana over bolster
Dandasana
Swastikasana (actually Sukhasana)
Dandasana
Supta Virasana
Yesterday Glenn instructed us to bring attention to the soles of the feet in this passive pose and to consciously move the skin from the ball of the big toe out towards the ball of the little toe. I discovered that I have very little mind connection to the soles of my feet, especially not at this subtle level. But I persisted, knowing that the process of directing attention could revive the neural pathway to this area. “Where the mind goes, the energy flows”. The vague feeling of moving skin (which is more correctly the intention of moving energy) started to happen on and off, very weak at first and as it did, Glenn was prompting us to notice how other parts of the body responded. He didn’t give us even a hint at what we should feel. But I found that as I focused on the skin of my soles moving outward, my inner groins responded by descending and there was a broadening beneath the skin of my pubic abdomen. Very subtle energetics happening here, no movement occurring on the outer body. It’s very satisfying to work at this level.
Adho Mukha Svanasana
We had quite an extended exploration of Dog Pose today with Glenn demonstrating the subtle shifts that can occur when your mind consciously applies itself within the process.
First we had to bring the sacral area alive, an area in me that has always been quite dull. I’m still not sure about how this is done. When he demonstrated, I could see the skin on his lumbar moving and the small muscles adjusting, but I wasn’t sure which way to direct the energy to facilitate this, so I just worked at bringing it this area to life by focusing all my attention and energy there.
Glenn then demonstrated the effect of moving the base of the sternum towards the navel. This is an obvious movement, easily seen and done, and it has the effect of scooping all the internal organs back and up, containing the energy within the organ system. I also felt it stimulating the base of my spine.
So in Dog Pose, first we establish balance of left and right yb sensitively adjusting the body so the weight is borne evenly beneath hands and feet. Then bring the sacral area alive by moving the sacrum into the body, roll pubis back, navel follows, pull sternum towards the navel, scooping the organs and pelvic contents back and up. This also really challenges the front armpits to open. Simultaneously we take the collarbones towards the toes. When Glenn demonstrated, his head was barely off the floor.
There were so many other subtle points he articulated and I followed them all as directed in the moment. Then I came out of the pose and forgot them all.
Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand)
The major points from Dog Pose we transferred to Handstand but I could only focus on moving the sternum strongly towards the pubis – this focus alone took up all my mindpower.
Just staying in the pose long enough and strong enough to do any self adjusting was a challenge. But I managed to find a small window of opportunity after establishing the initial actions to focus briefly on moving the sternum to the pubis. It helped to pivot the head, chin into throat, and look towards the toes to actually see the movement of the ribcage. Glen went on and on with finer and more subtle instruction to refine the alignment and awareness, but I missed a lot of it. Like most of the others, I had to come down, rest, then go back up again. By the time I re-established the focus to work on a more subtle level, there was only a short time before fatigue crept in and my focus turned to maintaining composure and lightness to counteract the mental heaviness of increasing despair.
Urdhva Hastasana
This pose is usually done before a Handstand, but I think we did it after – can’t quite remember.
Dog Pose
Virabhadrasana I
The killer pose today.
We did it with the back heel to the wall. Hands on hips to start and main focus to the back leg, back foot (stretch back knee crease towards heel), and the intricacies of weight bearing and skin movement. I tried to stay completely connected to pressing the inner back heel to the wall while bending the front knee excruciatingly slowly (again). The instructions that followed went straight over my head.
Before attempting it with the arms overhead, Glenn demonstrated how to actively bring the base of the neck forward towards the center notch of the throat, another dull spot for me, but I got the gist of it. He gave a lot more information to work with in this pose, but by this time I was deteriorating into a vague blur. Too much information and I start to tune out. I was trying so hard to bring myself back, to listen and absorb, but my receptors were shutting down from overload.
Parsvottanasana
Back heel to wall, same emphasis on back foot as in Virabhadrasana I. Plug front foot into the earth like pushing a plus into a socket and draw the energy up. The plug in the socket is a useful visualization, you push it in, it connects, and the flow of electricity is activated.
We started this pose with both arms overhead and had to use the strength of the legs and the hinging of the pelvis to reach forward and down. The added weight of raised arms and a slow descent made me very aware of how to work my front leg. Coming back up the same way was enormously stressful on my legs.
Uttanasana
Facing the wall with the feet about one foot away from the wall, fold over into Uttanasana and lean the back into the wall, head close to the floor, working the base of the big toe into the floor.
Savasana
***********************************************************************************
DAY 3 : Wednesday 13th January – evening session
Went out for a coffee straight after the evening session and chatted a bit, so didn’t get a chance to write notes. But I managed to jot down the pose sequence:
Supta Baddha Konasana (bolster and strap)
Dandasana
Swastikasana
Supta Virasana
Ado Mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Half Dog pose with hands to the wall
Gomukhasana (with Garudasana arms crossed in front)
Glenn gave me a slight adjustment here – he used one hand to lift my elbows a little higher, while pressing a finger into a point on the top of my shoulder (marma point maybe?)
Virasana
Seated in Virasana we interlocked our hands in front then placed them just above the head with palms facing up, then stretched triceps into elbows which created an unmistakable widening across the lower lungs.
Virasana with Gomukasana Arms (hands gripped behind the back)
Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand)
Release the length of the tailbone so the lower back arches and use this to draw the sternum towards the pubis. Keep position of the sternum while lengthening the tailbone to the heels.
Pincha Mayurasana
Uttanasana
We did this with the sitting bones pressed into the wall and hands interlocked over the head like Prasaritte Padottanasana C.
Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand)
Shoulderstand with Baddha Konasana legs
Eka Pada Sarvangasana (one leg vertical and one leg lowered over head parallel to floor)
Eka Pada Sarvangasana (one leg vertical and one leg lowered towards the wall and pressing into the wall)
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Hands into the back ribs and both feet pressing into the wall with legs straight. This was a great variation. Pressing the feet into the wall makes for a really deep arch in the thoracic spine.
Halasana
Karna Pindasana
Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana
To finish we laid onto a blanket which had been folded longways into three, but we laid crosswise over it with the blanket under the diaphragm, arms extended out at shoulder height.
With the inhalation, we raised the lower ribs and spread the diaphragm, and with the exhalation we maintained this height and allowed the abdomen alone to recede. We then imagined the presence of three layers like three pieces of string:
1) at the front of the diaphragm (close to the front of the body)
2) at the back of the diaphragm (close to the back of the body)
3) in the center of these two
Then with the inhalation, we had to imagine stretching the center layer (piece of string) out towards the side ribs.
Savasana
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Notes from the Glenn Ceresoli workshop where I digress from my Ashtanga practice for one week only.
DAY 2: Tuesday January 11th 2005 - morning session
Felt a little tired when I got up this morning – not tired from lack of sleep or bad eating habits, but more like that vague sort of lethargy which overcomes the body after it’s been through a stressful situation – the nervous system shuts itself down a little to recuperate.
We did similar work to yesterday in this morning’s session with the addition of a couple of standing poses.
Supta Baddha Konasana over a bolster
Further enquiry into why we do this pose noticing the difference between resting the arms by the sides and placing them in the more active position above the head with hands holding opposite elbows – more open. Even though this is considered a passive pose, the position of the arms above the head is an active one, which becomes pretty clear after holding it for 10 minutes.
Dandasana
Swastikasana forward bend
Supta Virasana over bolster
Dandasana
Ado Mukha Svanasana
Tadasana
Trikonasana
Way too many intricate instructions to remember. I suspect it’s intended not so much to correct alignment but to keep our minds fully engaged in the process.
I wish I could work into the poses while simultaneously committing all the instructions to memory for future reference. But I’m so fully in the process that each instruction filters straight through my brain and into my body. Mind like a sieve.
Virabhadrasana II
Try keeping your arms extended out from the shoulders for 5 minutes – not easy, especially when you get reminded that your body is weakening only because your mind is wobbling in its resolve. Thanks Glenn.
We had to move into Virabhadrasana II by bending the front knee p a i n s t a k i n g l y s l o w l y…all the time directing energy from the inner groin to the inner knee (of the bending knee) and from the outer knee to the outer thigh – an Anusara kind of looping that sets up a whirling vortex of energy around the thigh.
Holding this pose requires a lot of physical and mental strength. Warrior is an apt name for it. As my strength started to ebb away, Glenn’s intricate instructions faded out to a blur. My mind started clutching desperately at anything I could do to just remain calm in the pose as the stress to the nervous system overrode my ability to take in information.
When we finally came up from the pose, Glenn joked about this phenomenon (“You couldn’t hear a word I said, could you” he joked to the class), so I guess everyone had that glazed look of quiet panic in their eyes. When put under stress, I naturally move into survival mode: ears and eyes turn in (or off)…nature’s way of directing all focus to putting out the rapidly rising spot fires in the body before they obliterate the rational mind completely…internal combustion. Dramatic stuff when you’re about to die in Virabhadrasana II.
Ado Mukha Svanasana
The second Dog Pose – it had to be at least 7 minutes. Towards the end I was objectively observing my shoulders weakening by the second, and my arms beginning to shake uncontrollably - fully aware of the stress I was deliberately imposing on my nervous system. At the same time I was calmly evaluating the situation, not looking to get out of the pose, but looking for a way in. What did I need to do that would allow me to stay there with that level of intensity? How could I lessen the stress without compromising my resolve? Long, deep ujjiya breathing became my temporary salvation. I stayed in that Dog Pose for ages while many others came out of it, unable to bear it any longer. Somehow I plugged myself into an invisible long life battery. For a brief moment I questioned whether it was pride, ego and stubbornness keeping me there, but I think it was more a firm and clear intention to use the stressful situation as an opportunity to test my resolve and composure, putting all of Glenn’s tools into action.
Resting Uttanasana
Feet apart, hanging down, holding elbows. Didn’t hear a thing here.
Pada Hastasana
Iliac crests (frontal hip bones) extend towards toes. Missed the rest.
Dandasana
After an active holding in Dandasana, Glenn gave us a nice prompting to move into Savasana. Without even telling us where we were going, he said to draw the pubis actively up to the navel, extend the tailbone strongly toward the heels, and keep these two actions continuous while very slowly laying down to the floor.
Instead of just laying down with no conscious involvement and sensitivity to the process, it was so lovely to feel the deep curl of the spine slowly unfold like a fern frond as each vertebrae touched the floor in succession, a product of those two simple actions: pubis to navel and tailbone to heels. With legs firm and strong, my mind was directed into the pelvic response, and the feeling out of symmetry as I descended. It was a beautiful, slow and controlled transition from sitting to laying. The movement became sacred because of the care put into it.
********************************************
Taking the week off work was a good move. I had the best intention of making this a week full of yoga: reading, meditation, spending time rethinking my own teaching methods, getting my teaching direction clear. But it just ain’t happening. After coffee with the yoga gang, dishes done, notes written up, I’m going back to bed now. It’s 11am. DO NOT DISTURB.
Reflections on Iyengar and Ashtanga
I really notice the difference in my state of mind following these heavy, intense yoga sessions.
In contrast, the Ashtanga practice usually leaves me feeling energized, light, clear and powerful, focused, invincible, confident and loving. I feel like I’ve got a direct line to the incredible presence of the Divine which is within me and connects me to all others.
Following these sessions with Glenn, although my body doesn’t ache (yet) my mind is left heavy. It wants to switch off and be left off after working so intensely under prolonged pressure. Not unlike the flatline feeling that follows an emotional breakup or breakdown.
No wonder these workshops are called “intensives”. I wouldn’t choose to do this as a daily practice. It’s serious therapy, but I’m not sure what the benefits are.
Being taken past the edge of your comfortable habits can have a destabilizing effect on the mind and emotions. After being stretched for 2 hours on all levels, you sort of spring back to a semi-numbness while the changes filter through your body and mind subconsciously.
For me it’s always useful to reflect on how I feel following a practice and question…does it improve my day? Does it make me a better person? Is it propelling me in the right direction on my journey?
On those occasional mornings when I choose to sit in meditation rather than do a physical practice, my day is more softly coloured, quieter, more reflective. I don’t get a lot done.
But there are some days when a supremely meditative state spontaneously follows an Ashtanga practice. I sit in the afterglow of the practice in perfect stillness and feel the powerful connection within me to the force that is behind all that is. And feeling this connection strengthens it. Samadhi, the goal of the practice.
DAY 2: Tuesday 11th January – evening session
People are opening up a little more. Glenn’s cracking a few jokes. More people are willing to answer his questions in the class – “Are you happy?” “Can you feel anything?”
Supta Baddha Konasana
Dandasana
Swastikasana
Dandasana
Supta Virasana
Ado Mukha Svanasana
No great revelations, just more good solid work in the pose.
Uttanasana
Feet apart, arms extended forward with palms facing each other and little fingers just lightly touching the floor. We had to rise up to Urdhva Hastasana on the inhalation leading with the hands, then lower back down to Uttanasana on the exhalation keeping the arms and hands extended up and back so they didn’t weigh us down on the descent.
Viparitta Dandasana over a chair.
Back of chair facing the wall and we laid firstly over the chair with feet to the wall and a rolled up blanket under the lower shoulderblades (I think this was where it was supposed to go). Emphasis on tailbone and shoulderblades.
Inverted Viparitta Dandasana
Laid over the chair so that feet faced center of room, back of chair still towards the wall. The tailbone had to be at the edge of the chair, rather than towards the middle. Once threaded through, we had to reach back and hold the chair rung, but my rung happened to be broken…not that I couldn’t reach it anyway! Glenn noticed and gave me a helping hand to grab the side legs instead. I could feel that my shoulders didn’t have much give here, my elbows insisted on splaying out to the sides despite my continual work to draw the inwards. Glenn used his knees to squeeze my elbows in. I had no time to resist and it was one of those insane adjustments where your joints get completely realigned. This pose was really good for my shoulders. I know I should practice it every day (but I know I won’t).
Pincha Mayurasana
Usual strap and block version, holding the block with the palms facing each other, only the little finger touching the floor. We prepared with Dog Pose, lifting high up on the toes, rolling the pelvic floor up before kicking up. No amount of willpower could keep me up for the entire length of time. I had to come down early twice.
Another pose I should practice every day (but know I won’t).
Dog Pose with fingertips to the Wall
Sternum to navel and collarbones to toes
Supta Padangusthasana – feet to the wall
He used this pose to challenge our belief of how far the body can go. Once we took the raised upper leg a little further over the head, we weren’t allowed to regress – just hold for a few breaths then take the leg even further. When lowering the leg to the right side, pubis rolls to the right, but sternum and head turn to the left. I had the most annoying sticky fly buzzing around and crawling over my face – it just wouldn’t go away. I tried at first to remain focused on the pose and let the fly crawl where it wanted but it crawled into my eye then up my nose – YUK. I tried twitching my face and it flew off, only to coming back. I was twitching my face and thinking how silly I must look – focus on pose completely lost, but excellent focus on fly.
Passive Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Again laying with a bolster lengthwise under spine, back of shoulders to the floor, with a block under the heels.
At first we focused on using the inhalation to lift and expand the ribcage with no movement to the back ribs. Then after inhaling and lifting the front ribs, we had to keep the height and space of the ribcage while deflating only the abdomen on the exhalation. After a few minutes to get the hang of this, we started to visualize the sternum moving up towards the chin with each inhalation. Then we went a bit further and imagined the abdomen as a pool, and the sternum as a waterfall, the water rising up from the pool and over the sternum waterfall, collecting in the back of the throat (all on the inhalation), then upon the exhalation continue to direct the flow of water up to the back of the skull. Then start the inhalation again from the pool.
A form of pranayama.
This kind of work stimulates awareness of how we can manipulate the subtle energy (prana) through the body although Glenn didn’t speak about this at all. He just took us through the visualization and let us make what we wanted of it.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
DAY 2: Tuesday January 11th 2005 - morning session
Felt a little tired when I got up this morning – not tired from lack of sleep or bad eating habits, but more like that vague sort of lethargy which overcomes the body after it’s been through a stressful situation – the nervous system shuts itself down a little to recuperate.
We did similar work to yesterday in this morning’s session with the addition of a couple of standing poses.
Supta Baddha Konasana over a bolster
Further enquiry into why we do this pose noticing the difference between resting the arms by the sides and placing them in the more active position above the head with hands holding opposite elbows – more open. Even though this is considered a passive pose, the position of the arms above the head is an active one, which becomes pretty clear after holding it for 10 minutes.
Dandasana
Swastikasana forward bend
Supta Virasana over bolster
Dandasana
Ado Mukha Svanasana
Tadasana
Trikonasana
Way too many intricate instructions to remember. I suspect it’s intended not so much to correct alignment but to keep our minds fully engaged in the process.
I wish I could work into the poses while simultaneously committing all the instructions to memory for future reference. But I’m so fully in the process that each instruction filters straight through my brain and into my body. Mind like a sieve.
Virabhadrasana II
Try keeping your arms extended out from the shoulders for 5 minutes – not easy, especially when you get reminded that your body is weakening only because your mind is wobbling in its resolve. Thanks Glenn.
We had to move into Virabhadrasana II by bending the front knee p a i n s t a k i n g l y s l o w l y…all the time directing energy from the inner groin to the inner knee (of the bending knee) and from the outer knee to the outer thigh – an Anusara kind of looping that sets up a whirling vortex of energy around the thigh.
Holding this pose requires a lot of physical and mental strength. Warrior is an apt name for it. As my strength started to ebb away, Glenn’s intricate instructions faded out to a blur. My mind started clutching desperately at anything I could do to just remain calm in the pose as the stress to the nervous system overrode my ability to take in information.
When we finally came up from the pose, Glenn joked about this phenomenon (“You couldn’t hear a word I said, could you” he joked to the class), so I guess everyone had that glazed look of quiet panic in their eyes. When put under stress, I naturally move into survival mode: ears and eyes turn in (or off)…nature’s way of directing all focus to putting out the rapidly rising spot fires in the body before they obliterate the rational mind completely…internal combustion. Dramatic stuff when you’re about to die in Virabhadrasana II.
Ado Mukha Svanasana
The second Dog Pose – it had to be at least 7 minutes. Towards the end I was objectively observing my shoulders weakening by the second, and my arms beginning to shake uncontrollably - fully aware of the stress I was deliberately imposing on my nervous system. At the same time I was calmly evaluating the situation, not looking to get out of the pose, but looking for a way in. What did I need to do that would allow me to stay there with that level of intensity? How could I lessen the stress without compromising my resolve? Long, deep ujjiya breathing became my temporary salvation. I stayed in that Dog Pose for ages while many others came out of it, unable to bear it any longer. Somehow I plugged myself into an invisible long life battery. For a brief moment I questioned whether it was pride, ego and stubbornness keeping me there, but I think it was more a firm and clear intention to use the stressful situation as an opportunity to test my resolve and composure, putting all of Glenn’s tools into action.
Resting Uttanasana
Feet apart, hanging down, holding elbows. Didn’t hear a thing here.
Pada Hastasana
Iliac crests (frontal hip bones) extend towards toes. Missed the rest.
Dandasana
After an active holding in Dandasana, Glenn gave us a nice prompting to move into Savasana. Without even telling us where we were going, he said to draw the pubis actively up to the navel, extend the tailbone strongly toward the heels, and keep these two actions continuous while very slowly laying down to the floor.
Instead of just laying down with no conscious involvement and sensitivity to the process, it was so lovely to feel the deep curl of the spine slowly unfold like a fern frond as each vertebrae touched the floor in succession, a product of those two simple actions: pubis to navel and tailbone to heels. With legs firm and strong, my mind was directed into the pelvic response, and the feeling out of symmetry as I descended. It was a beautiful, slow and controlled transition from sitting to laying. The movement became sacred because of the care put into it.
********************************************
Taking the week off work was a good move. I had the best intention of making this a week full of yoga: reading, meditation, spending time rethinking my own teaching methods, getting my teaching direction clear. But it just ain’t happening. After coffee with the yoga gang, dishes done, notes written up, I’m going back to bed now. It’s 11am. DO NOT DISTURB.
Reflections on Iyengar and Ashtanga
I really notice the difference in my state of mind following these heavy, intense yoga sessions.
In contrast, the Ashtanga practice usually leaves me feeling energized, light, clear and powerful, focused, invincible, confident and loving. I feel like I’ve got a direct line to the incredible presence of the Divine which is within me and connects me to all others.
Following these sessions with Glenn, although my body doesn’t ache (yet) my mind is left heavy. It wants to switch off and be left off after working so intensely under prolonged pressure. Not unlike the flatline feeling that follows an emotional breakup or breakdown.
No wonder these workshops are called “intensives”. I wouldn’t choose to do this as a daily practice. It’s serious therapy, but I’m not sure what the benefits are.
Being taken past the edge of your comfortable habits can have a destabilizing effect on the mind and emotions. After being stretched for 2 hours on all levels, you sort of spring back to a semi-numbness while the changes filter through your body and mind subconsciously.
For me it’s always useful to reflect on how I feel following a practice and question…does it improve my day? Does it make me a better person? Is it propelling me in the right direction on my journey?
On those occasional mornings when I choose to sit in meditation rather than do a physical practice, my day is more softly coloured, quieter, more reflective. I don’t get a lot done.
But there are some days when a supremely meditative state spontaneously follows an Ashtanga practice. I sit in the afterglow of the practice in perfect stillness and feel the powerful connection within me to the force that is behind all that is. And feeling this connection strengthens it. Samadhi, the goal of the practice.
DAY 2: Tuesday 11th January – evening session
People are opening up a little more. Glenn’s cracking a few jokes. More people are willing to answer his questions in the class – “Are you happy?” “Can you feel anything?”
Supta Baddha Konasana
Dandasana
Swastikasana
Dandasana
Supta Virasana
Ado Mukha Svanasana
No great revelations, just more good solid work in the pose.
Uttanasana
Feet apart, arms extended forward with palms facing each other and little fingers just lightly touching the floor. We had to rise up to Urdhva Hastasana on the inhalation leading with the hands, then lower back down to Uttanasana on the exhalation keeping the arms and hands extended up and back so they didn’t weigh us down on the descent.
Viparitta Dandasana over a chair.
Back of chair facing the wall and we laid firstly over the chair with feet to the wall and a rolled up blanket under the lower shoulderblades (I think this was where it was supposed to go). Emphasis on tailbone and shoulderblades.
Inverted Viparitta Dandasana
Laid over the chair so that feet faced center of room, back of chair still towards the wall. The tailbone had to be at the edge of the chair, rather than towards the middle. Once threaded through, we had to reach back and hold the chair rung, but my rung happened to be broken…not that I couldn’t reach it anyway! Glenn noticed and gave me a helping hand to grab the side legs instead. I could feel that my shoulders didn’t have much give here, my elbows insisted on splaying out to the sides despite my continual work to draw the inwards. Glenn used his knees to squeeze my elbows in. I had no time to resist and it was one of those insane adjustments where your joints get completely realigned. This pose was really good for my shoulders. I know I should practice it every day (but I know I won’t).
Pincha Mayurasana
Usual strap and block version, holding the block with the palms facing each other, only the little finger touching the floor. We prepared with Dog Pose, lifting high up on the toes, rolling the pelvic floor up before kicking up. No amount of willpower could keep me up for the entire length of time. I had to come down early twice.
Another pose I should practice every day (but know I won’t).
Dog Pose with fingertips to the Wall
Sternum to navel and collarbones to toes
Supta Padangusthasana – feet to the wall
He used this pose to challenge our belief of how far the body can go. Once we took the raised upper leg a little further over the head, we weren’t allowed to regress – just hold for a few breaths then take the leg even further. When lowering the leg to the right side, pubis rolls to the right, but sternum and head turn to the left. I had the most annoying sticky fly buzzing around and crawling over my face – it just wouldn’t go away. I tried at first to remain focused on the pose and let the fly crawl where it wanted but it crawled into my eye then up my nose – YUK. I tried twitching my face and it flew off, only to coming back. I was twitching my face and thinking how silly I must look – focus on pose completely lost, but excellent focus on fly.
Passive Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Again laying with a bolster lengthwise under spine, back of shoulders to the floor, with a block under the heels.
At first we focused on using the inhalation to lift and expand the ribcage with no movement to the back ribs. Then after inhaling and lifting the front ribs, we had to keep the height and space of the ribcage while deflating only the abdomen on the exhalation. After a few minutes to get the hang of this, we started to visualize the sternum moving up towards the chin with each inhalation. Then we went a bit further and imagined the abdomen as a pool, and the sternum as a waterfall, the water rising up from the pool and over the sternum waterfall, collecting in the back of the throat (all on the inhalation), then upon the exhalation continue to direct the flow of water up to the back of the skull. Then start the inhalation again from the pool.
A form of pranayama.
This kind of work stimulates awareness of how we can manipulate the subtle energy (prana) through the body although Glenn didn’t speak about this at all. He just took us through the visualization and let us make what we wanted of it.
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Monday 10th January 2005
Yoga Intensive with Glenn Ceresoli where I digress from my Ashtanga practice for one week only.
The sun’s disappearing on this hot summer’s night and the café here is buzzing with activitiy. It’s the end of Day 1 of Glenn Ceresoli’s 5 day workshop so I’m decaffing and debriefing.
The workshop is a 2 hour morning and evening session each day for these five days. I took annual leave from my full time job this week to give myself the needed space to absorb whatever comes out of the intensive.
I’ve been very wary of dipping into anything that will detract from my current Ashtanga practice, which I adore lately.
In one of Mr Goenka’s famous evening video discourses on the Vipassana retreats he correctly identifies our thirst for always looking for “new experiences”. You know… the meditation experience, then the yoga workshop experience, then the ski trip experience, the Pilates experience, then the Vipassana experience, as if we are insatiably hungry for new thrills to fill up our empty lives.
Spiritual discipline requires us to dig deeply in one place, while gathering tools that will help us dig deeper and more effectively.
So I approach Glenn’s workshop with the intention of gathering tools and information that will help me grow, and add value to what I’m already doing, not as another “experience” to do and forget. For me it’s important to identify my motivation, and justify the reason for deviating from my practice this week.
I’ll try to find the time to record my personal impressions and insights from the workshop, knowing that every person there will be experiencing something different as we each filter information in through our different coloured eyes, and only retain what fits within our current capacity to understand and learn.
This has become really evident when I look back on things said by my previous teachers, including Glenn, things that barely made an impression on me back then which only now I am beginning to understand and experience as truth.
We only seem to hear and absorb what we are ready for.
So…to Glenn’s intensive workshop. Intensive is the keyword.
There are about 30 people in the workshop and, at a very rough guess, I’d say about three quarters are doing both the morning and evening sessions. The other few are doing mornings only.
Glenn is like no other teacher in his ability to articulate the process for internal change and transformation through the physical practice of yoga. He prompts us to look objectively at the habit patterns in our bodies and mental processes and apply precise and conscious antidotes to neutralize, banish or replace them.
Notes from DAY 1: Monday 10th January – morning session
To sum it up, our first session consisted of a very limited number of simple, basic poses, but we had to hold each one for an extended period of time. Each successive pose became a little more intense as we entered it more fully, with the primary objective of maintaining composure by:
1) long, deep, even breathing and
2) increasing the length and space in the spine
When a pose becomes intense, the mind immediately looks for a way out or at least for some kind of relief, so instead of allowing the mind to scatter which is our usual habit under stress (and the simple poses we did became surprisingly quite stressful on the nervous system when held for an extended period), Glenn directs us to simply observe the most difficult sensations, and apply whatever is needed to stay there with it, composed and equanimous.
We are reminded to notice the position and feeling of the spine, as this houses our central nervous system which then branches out, sending our conscious and subconscious messages to the entire body that in turn affects the state of our mind and emotions.
After the introductory talk to set his intention for the workshop, we were put into the first of a set series of four poses which Glenn will use to start each session.
Supta Baddha Konasana
Over a bolster with the standard Iyengar strap around the back of the hips and under the ankles to provide extra support in the pose. Arms are above the head, hands holding elbows. This is the traditional way to start an Iyengar class.
But the focus was different. Not allowing anyone to take the pose for granted, Glenn deconstructed the reasons for doing this pose and the effects of the pose on our body and mind. The entire pose is open: open groins, open hips, open abdomen, open chest and lungs, open shoulders and armpits. The front of the spine is more open than the back of the spine elongating the internal organs.
So first we roll the pubis towards the floor then lengthen the tailbone to create space in the lumbar spine. Why? Glenn explained that elongating the spine as we know creates space between the vertebrae and SPACE equals EASE. When the body feels spacious and at ease, the mind is free to seek out its experience of stillness.
So the point was to become consciously aware of what it is that provides the conditions for COMPOSURE and RELAXATION to occur in this pose.
Dandasana
Again pubis rolls toward the floor to position the pelvis correctly and activate the legs; back of knees and top of femurs descend to the floor, back knee creases extend to heels; inner shoulderblades press forward into ribcage and we lift the back lower ribs up.
Swastikasana
This is not the traditional Swastikasana illustrated in Light on Yoga (and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika), but a variation, just sitting with legs crossed, the front shinbone straight across and feet under the knees.
Again pubis rolls toward floor and the bend forward is an extension of the pelvic tilt. Arms actively extend forward with elbows lifted away from the floor, drawing inner shoulders away from thumb pads. We checked the slightly different feeling elicited between having the fingers together (incorrect) and having them spread wide (correct), then inched forward over a period of about 7 minutes. It was an exercise in observing areas of tension as they arose and consciously softening into the arising sensations. Not a difficult pose until you have to hold it for a long time and stay with whatever is happening.
Supta Virasana
Over a bolster. Can't quite remember much from this one.
Ado Mukha Virasana
(kneeling with knees apart, big toes together and bending forward, forehead to floor)
Can't quite remember much from this one either.
Ado Mukha Svanasana (Dog Pose)
Lots of emphasis on the feet and spreading skin from base of big toe to base of little toe then moving the skin from the top of the little toe towards the big toe…this intricate skin-moving work has occasinoally annoyed me in Iyengar classes, but I applied myself to the task anyway. I’ve got a lopsided Dog Pose (as Kosta pointed out when I stretched out to warm up in this pose before the workshop started) - right leg is longer than the left, which has always thrown out my hips and spine. Every yoga teacher had picked this up. But lifting my lopsided left hip so they are both level raises that heel way off the floor, so I’ve always had to compromise. This misalignment is a bit of a worry as Dog Pose is such an integral part of my Ashtanga practice. Repeating it day in day out without quite knowing where best to position my uneven hips may exacerbate the misalignment over time.
Glenn made us hold Dog Pose for something like 5-7 minutes. People started dropping like flies.
Holding this pose is more difficult than the opening poses as we are working against the force of gravity now.
The longer I held it, the more my little bodily problems showed themselves, and as the pressure intensified, my awareness of these problems became magnified. The slight hip lopsidedness which I don’t usually even notice in my normal practice became so predominant, that energetically it felt like I was doing a twist.
Glenn showed us how observing the weight under each foot can signify which leg has turned out more. Instead of correcting this leg by rolling the quadriceps inwards, we had to correct it from the hip, rolling that iliac crest toward the inner groin.
He talked briefly about the importance of balancing the left and right side of the body to bring balance to the Sun and Moon energy and balance to the mind. It all leads to the state of equanimity. I suspect he didn’t go on too much about the esoteric aspects (like the energy flow through the Ida , Pingala and Sushumna nadis) out of respect for the strict Iyengar ethos of this studio. Unfortunate, because that’s what I’m exploring in my practice these days.
One nice instruction I enjoyed implementing in Dog Pose was pulling the triceps towards the side ribs which instantly alters the position of the entire upper torso in the pose.
There are so many different ways to articulate how to work in an asana…For instance in Dog Pose: “Uncurl the tailbone” initiates the same pelvic tilt as “Draw the pubis back between the legs” as does “Roll the inner groins back” but some instructions can be more subtle like “ Scoop the pelvic floor back and up”.
Urdhva Hastasana and Utkatasana
In both of these poses we had to bring even weight under each foot. Some instructions included lifting the triceps towards the little fingers and drawing the thumb side towards the shoulder. Glenn left us holding Utkatasana while he took a prolonged amount of time adjusting Renate and Sasha– on purpose I suspect. They were doing the Ashtanga version where the torso and arms are almost upright – the Iyengar version of this pose has a much deeper squat and the arm/torso line is at a 45 degree angle to the floor. He told Renate to sit back further into an imaginary chair, “further, further…it’s a chair not a bar stool”. It broke the intense agony of a prolonged stay in Utkatasana and we all tried so hard not to collapse.
Ado Mukha Svanasana (again)
Savasana
Glenn’s instructions in Savasana are minimal. He starts with “Let the bones return to the earth” a line I often use in my own classes. He ends with something like “Let yourself dwell in what the practice has given you”.
Notes from DAY 1 – Monday 10th January evening session
I was sort of expecting that in the evening sessions, Glenn would do a restorative practice: maybe a sequence of inversions and pranayama.
NOT SO. This man’s on a mission and I’m not so sure that I agree with one of his favourite sayings “ Make it hurt and let it hurt”.
Authentic inner change is not a comfortable process because you’re confronting and challenging your habits, but “soft” yoga can often be an indulgence that reinforces our habitual pursuit of comfort at all costs. Somewhere in the middle is a balanced yoga practice; there is definitely a time and place for restorative work that encourages us hardcore yogis to be more gentle and compassionate with ourselves.
As in the morning session, we started with the same sequence of poses, held for long enough to change their reputation forever. No longer do I regard these as gentle restorative poses, but have gained a new respect for the profound effect they can have when held for an extended time – the body and mind are almost forced to give in as deeply held tensions not felt before begin to rise to the surface:
Supta Baddha Konasana (bolster and strap)
Dandasana
Swastikasana
Dandasana
Supta Virasana (bolster)
Upavista Konasana II
First we established Upavista Konasana I, rolling pubis down. Without looking, we had to sense any difference between the position of the floor beneath our heels which gives an indication of which leg is rolling out more, then follow this information up by correcting that leg, rolling the groin up to the iliac crest. “Extend the back knee creases toward the heels” was an often repeated instruction.
Once established in perfect alignment, we twisted to the right and placed hands either side of the right knee. In this position it felt great to follow the prompt of moving the pubis toward the groin of the anchoring back left leg.
Then we pressed the right hand down into the floor to send energy from the inner left groin to the left heel to keep the left leg well activated and grounded. Lift pubis slightly here (not sure why) then elongate forward over the leg bit by bit, a process that continued for over 5 minutes. The occasional sense of panic that swept over me during this gradual descent was eased by Glenn’s reminder of composure and deep, even breathing. The twist and forward bend in the pose deepened breath by breath, the edge kept dissolving, but the intensity and engagement in the process was extraordinary. My side ribs lengthened and I felt the back of my neck straightening as the upper spine gradually moved into the body. Beautiful.
Upavista Konasana I
After the twisting version of the pose, we did the symmetrical forward bend version and we must have held this for at least 7 minutes – maybe even 10. 10 minutes in another dimension can be life changing. My mind was so absorbed that it turned in on itself like a collapsing black star in deep space – that’s where I was – deep inner space. The effort to remain still with the intensity and pain transported me to a rather weird inner space where time dissolved. It was like the edge of the world, scary but familiar, a place where legends are forged into time.
This was Upavista Konasana I. Can you believe it? Probably not until you’ve nudged this pose beyond your edge, repeatedly ignoring the panic voice that urges you out of it. Try it…5 minutes minimum in the pose, at your edge and continually deepening it, not going deeper then backing off, but continually forward.
After this, he made us get up and walk around. Well, no-one could quite believe the sensations that they felt in their legs. I thought I’d never walk again. Crippled for life by Upavista Konasana.
Supta Padangusthasana
Most people used a strap, but being a devoted Ashtangi, I held my big toe before realizing I was supposed to be using two hands. I wish I’d used the strap because the initial hamstring stretch felt super intense and it just increased from there.
Instructions included (with right leg raised) draw outer left knee up towards hip; take tailbone towards left heel to center the back of the pelvis; draw top of right femur towards base of pelvic floor (this was a bit lost on me – I get a clearer action when I think of it moving towards the left heel).
We were at our maximum extension of the raised leg for a couple of minutes when he made us all go further.
“Think you can’t? Yes you can!”
I was at my max but pretty scared that I might reinjure my right hamstring again. I originally injured it not by overstretching but by overholding in Uttanasana.
When we changed legs I thought I’d be able to go a lot further with my left leg, but it didn’t happen. That was an interesting revelation – both left and right hamstrings have the same amount of elasticity now which means Mr Right Hammy is back to normal. I shall no longer show any mercy to him.
Supported Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Standard Iyengar restorative style – laying over a bolster with a strap around the thighs and the feet resting on a block.
Glenn gives so much more than just instructions in the poses. He keeps up a continual narrative espousing wisdom he’s gained from a lifetime of spiritual enquiry so that we can explore the workings of our minds within our practice.
Instructions like “Get the mind out of the way” which he repeated a few times. I particularly noticed this one because it sort of echoes my blog subtitle “For God to visit there must be nobody home”.
When we empty the mind out of our ongoing rhetoric of opinions and judgements, when we let go of all ideas and concepts, built up images of who we are and what we can and can’t do, when all that is removed, what is left is clear, luminous mind, pure essence, unlimited potential, and then we can connect to the absolute Source of power within.
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