Seeking Ashtanga Yoga

Hundreds of people travel from all over the world each year to practice Ashtanga yoga in Mysore, India with the Jois family, either Saraswathi or her son Sharath, who carries on the tradition of teaching Ashtanga yoga. I am one of them.

The Ashtanga practice is a set practice. Some people question me about how I can do the same practice every day, 6 days a week. But it is not the same practice. Every day I notice something different – perhaps something about how I am in a posture, a place where my breath isn’t clear, some part of me newly awakening. The food I eat, the sleep I get, the things I do in any day make me different. The thoughts I have in my head, like my worries and my passions, influence my practice. The Ashtanga practice is a meditation on breath, on postures, on drishti, on bandhas – a moving meditation designed to still the fluctuations of the mind (yogas citta vritti nirodha).

In the Mysore room, students practice the series at their own pace, and the teacher gives additional poses as previous postures are mastered. Once the primary series is learned, one progresses to the second, and even the third series (which far fewer practitioners tend to do). The practice is divided into 6 series, plus we often joke about the 7th series, which is coping with the challenges of daily life. 

Third series postures are difficult for me and I don’t do them every day. Last year I didn’t dare try third series postures in front of my teacher Saraswathi. But this year in India, I wondered if I should. One day, I gathered the courage to start third series asanas. Saraswathi seemed pleased.

I have assisted Saraswathi the last three years. I enjoy learning from her how to teach. Saraswathi broke her leg in September, and so she was teaching from her chair and watching everything with eagle eyes. Everything. This was a little disconcerting for me. She called my name to assist someone if she saw them before I did.

I practiced after assisting. The room thinned out and soon there were only a handful of people practicing. It was again nerve-wracking practicing under Saraswathi’s watchful eyes. She didn’t say much, uttering occasional “mmm’s” as I struggled with some of the harder poses. Occasionally she offered advice. At every practice, my mind started wondering, “Am I strong enough to do third series today?”

Some of the people whom I meet every year were in Mysore again. Connecting with old friends and meeting new ones, listening to their stories, is part of the joy of Mysore. Many come to Ashtanga seeking wholeness – physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. For some, coming to Mysore was the start of their Ashtanga journey; for others, it seemed the culmination. Everyone is exploring a different way of being in the world.

I too came to India this year seeking. My practice had been becoming a little mechanical. While I lit up teaching and tending to the energies of each student, I was feeling unsure about my practice. I had forgotten to attend to my energy. At home, I do many things. I am a mother, a daughter, a wife, a surgeon, and I teach yoga and movement. I want to help everyone reach their potential – my children, my husband, my patients, my students. I never say no to an opportunity.

When I arrived in India, I had a long to-do list, all the things I never have time to do at home. However, the universe was not cooperating and I was reluctant to give in to jet lag, electrical outages, and minor illness. Enjoying my practice one pose at a time kept reminding me to enjoy life as it unfolds and stress less about the outcomes. So I took the time for aimless walks, smelling the sweet incense as I passed a temple, hearing the calls of street vendors, honking horns and bleating cows, watching colorfully-dressed children dancing during a puja in the streets and connecting with friends. I did some of the things on my list, but I also rested and recharged. And I realized I must do this also at home. 

I will continue to practice citti vritti nirodha – quieting the chatter of worries and thoughts that often cloud my mind. I will try to stay present, stripping away the non-essential. I will find energy in love – love of my family, my students, my patients. And I will find time for myself.