AshtangaNews Ashtanga Yoga Matters (as taught by Sri K Pattabhi Jois)

Last week I posted about how the Ashtanga Teachers Standards were changed, and reflected on how it would affect Ashtanga Yoga.

Since the post there have been comments from readers and also some reactions on other websites. Notable amongst these is the post entitled New Frontier from the blog Visions of Cody. The piece is written by a marketing strategist from a “strategic marketing perspective.”

Cody asks what the intention behind the changes are, and since they are not clearly stated we have to try to infer them. He posits that it is:

To exert control over the transmission of the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga system by reducing the number of officially authorized/certified teachers.

He thinks this will substantially reduce the number of Ashtanga teachers and make the current teacher shortage even worse.

The question of enforcement is brought up:

Which brings up another interesting question: how is the Jois family ever going to enforce these rules? I don’t believe that they own the trademark on the name Ashtanga in the U.S. (please correct me if I’m wrong.) Therefore, they can either ask practitioners to shun non-authorized teachers/studios (a marginal tactic at best) or they can attempt to get the service mark.

Which naturally leads to a comparison with Bikram Yoga (how ironic). A few years ago Bikram yoga “went legal” on studios which did not abide to its official rules, threatening law suits. A lot of studios which could not practically comply with the rules decided to change the name to “Hot Yoga” and slightly modify the official sequence.

Here’s his conclusion in full:

In the end, I think these changes will have a minimal impact in the US. Unless the AYRI aggressively attempts to shut down non-authorized studios (which I doubt,) then the only thing that will change is that basically nobody (with a few exceptions) will be authorized to officially teach Ashtanga so therefore the authorization of Ashtanga teachers will be an irrelevant qualification.

I do feel sorry for the prospective teachers that have been making numerous trips for years expecting authorization. That’s one hard lesson in non-attachment.

If the AYRI does pursue the legal route, then the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga brand will be screwed anyway because there will only be a handful of places to practice. It’ll be like rolling the growth of the practice back to the 1970s level.

Maybe that’s exactly what the Jois family wants – to scale the practice back to just a few true believers. There are rumors that Sharath is taking a few years off and the rest of the family probably can’t handle the current workload for much longer.

I’m guessing that this is a conscious attempt to limit the practice to a smaller group of practitioners that are dedicated true believers and in exchange they’re willing to sacrifice the potential revenue.

If, however, this is an attempt to control the brand and concentrate revenue, then I think it’s a horrible plan. Managing growth is one thing, but choking it to death is quite another.

No matter what, us crafty Westerners will figure out a way to get Ashtanga regardless of what people in Mysore say – the cat’s already out of the bag.

It’s well worth reading and thinking about. Here are some other links on the same subject:

Sweat and Fire: It’s Never the Guru’s Yoga
InsideOwl: Ashtanga and Imperialism
Yoga Vermont
アシュタンガヨガティーチャーの基準をめぐる一連の動き

In the past few days there have been some changes on the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute website, ayri.org. There is a new link under the practice category called in capitals TEACHERS LIST.

In contrast with the familiar list of teachers on ashtanga.com, this list as of today (August 14 2008) primarily lists certified teachers (not authorized teachers), or a fraction of the total.

The new list on the AYRI site comes with a change in the standards for being listed. To be listed, the website states:

[Teachers] should maintain a yoga room or shala to allow for daily, preferably morning, Mysore-style practice and should honor Saturdays and the full/new moon days as rest days.

In addition, it seems that the requirements for keeping the authorization to teach are being significantly tightened. For example, teachers are asked to :

• return to India every year and half to study for 2 months
• have a shala for daily classes
• refrain from teaching on traditional rest days such as Moon days
• refrain from teaching any series beyond the primary series
• refrain from teaching workshops

These requirements look like an attempt to raise standards and the quality of teaching. Perhaps it is due to the notable increase in students and teachers in the past 5 years (we wrote about how the number had at least doubled back in 2006). To me, these changes raise questions about the essence of Ashtanga yoga.

What effect will these new requirements have on the quality of teaching of Ashtanga yoga across the world?

In my opinion, in many ways this is a step in the wrong direction for Asthanga yoga.

Asking for a trip to India every 18 months for two whole months puts a heavy burden on new parents and on those with fewer financial means.

No Workshops?
Workshops provide benefits for both teachers and students, and are a key part in building the worldwide Ashtanga community.

Asking teachers to forgo the extra income from workshops may make it impossible for a lot of them to return to India so frequently, since ironically it is often these very workshops which give the teachers the means to return to do so.

Personally, a lot of what I have learned about Ashtanga yoga is directly due to taking workshops with authorized teachers. Had these requirements been in place when I was starting my yoga journey, I would not have had the amazing opportunities to learn from such talented teachers.

Hundreds of dedicated teachers have devoted their lives to teaching ashtanga yoga. They have made enormous sacrifices to become authorized. It seems unfair to change the rules so drastically and abruptly. The standards are changing in a way that may make it impossible for a lot of teachers to continue teaching as authorized teachers.

In addition, raising the standards in such a way that few teachers meet them could have the perverse effect of lowering the quality of teaching because they become meaningless.

These changes do not seem to be in the interest of the Ashtanga yoga community, and in the continued spreading of this wonderful practice.

These are my initial thoughts and I wrote this because I care deeply about the practice. I welcome your opinions on this important matter.

[This article was kindly contributed by Brooke Hewes].

Last month I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Rome’s Lino Miele at a workshop in Bozeman, Montana. If you haven’t heard of him, Lino is a senior Ashtanga Yoga teacher who has been studying the practice for more than 20 years-yet you wouldn’t know it at first glance. He’s as humble as a novice and as excited about the practice as if it were a recent discovery.

Lino Miele and Guruji

As those of us who practice know, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is vigorous. It’s a remarkable and joyful practice, but vigorous nonetheless. In fact, it’s the vigor-the progressively challenging postures strung together with coordinated breath and movement-that encourages body-mind unification. That cultivates all eight limbs of Ashtanga. That encourages stillness: the calm and joy inherent in the present moment. With the grace of a ballet dancer, the shifting intonations of a seasoned thespian, and the wisdom of a yogi, Lino showed a room full of students the gentle side intrinsic to Ashtanga. His lens and teaching tool was the Full Vinyasa System, which he also refers to as “the scientific method.”

The following highlights from his workshop can inform and lend context to all students of yoga, Ashtanga or otherwise.

1. Learn Full Vinyasa. Vinyasa is synchronized breath and movement. Each time you move with conscious breath, you are completing a vinyasa. While I have always known the definition of the term, before Lino I understood vinyasa as what transpires between poses: the moving transitions. In Ashtanga, however, vinyasa supports and cradles the posture, which itself is included in the vinyasa count that begins and ends at samasthiti. While counting vinyasa for janu shirshasana A, B and C, for instance, there are 22 coordinated body-breath movements between samasthiti, including “jumping through”, “jumping back,” and what Lino calls the “state of the asana”: the five breaths spend in head-to-knee pose.

Lino became interested in the scientific method of vinyasa five years after first studying with guruji in Mysore. In 1993, Lino was in France when he, as he writes in his book Astanga Yoga, was inspired when Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois “in his energetic voice [began] calling the exact number of the vinyasa.” Lino began researching the system, which Pattabhi Jois with his guru Sri. T. Krishnamacharya developed from the ancient text Yoga Korunta, which states “Oh yogi! Do not do asana without vinyasa.” In addition to listing each vinyasa count for all postures in surya namaskara A and B, the primary series and the finishing sequence, in Astanga Yoga Lino lists the benefits of each posture ascertained from time spent with guruji, consultation with doctors and persistent review of medical texts. And, no doubt, his own dedicated yogasana.

Helsinki Ashtanga Yoga School
10 Year Anniversary Party (by Rodrigo Quinones)

As students learn the Ashtanga Vinyasa sequence, Lino advises learning these counts-that uttihtia trikonasana (triangle pose), for example, has five vinyasas; parshvottanasana (intense side stretch pose) has 16 vinyasas; and navasana (boat pose) has 13-to see the big picture. To understand the fluidity of breath, body and mind so beautifully articulated through Ashtanga Yoga.

2. Practice Full Vinyasa. During what Lino called a full vinyasa practice, we came to samasthiti between most of the postures, including seated poses. As we did, Lino kept count. “Line up each asana with breath,” he said. He presented the system as a teaching tool that we should learn but not always do. Just knowing the count for each posture informs us of the extra breaths and fidgeting (i.e. the distractions) we so often take between poses. If one did practice with a vinyasa between each posture every day, the better part of their mornings would be spent on the mat. (And while this would be delightful, it precludes most day jobs.) Which brings me to another lovely lesson from Lino: learn, and then learn to let go.

3. Don’t Get Attached-to Full Vinyasa or Anything. Lino insists that learning about the vinyasa system helps one dive deeper into the sequence, and, eventually, oneself. “You taste it, eat it, swallow the system, you digest the system, “he told us in his Italian-accented, matter-of-fact English. In time, he continued, extending the metaphor even further, you become the system. “The practice is you,” he said, and each time you step on your mat, “you work on yourself.”

Years ago Lino taught this system at a workshop in New York City. After learning the full vinyasa system, one woman started doing it every day (as Lino himself did for years). She did it during the primary series and then the second series. Then, two years later, she saw Lino again and she was still doing it. “That’s enough. Basta. Stop,” he said to her. She asked why. He explained that had he taught it as a tool-to become aware-but not to do every day. She started crying, and not just with gentle, zig-zag tears, but with sobs. “Why you cry,” he asked. And she replied: “You’ve taken away my baby.”

It’s vinyasa, he told us all with a knowing smile and a stern wag of his pointer finger, not her baby.

In other words, don’t get attached.

4. Cultivate Compassion for Yourself. “What you don’t do today, you do tomorrow,” Lino told us. In terms of vinyasa, learn the proper counts for each posture and aspire toward them. In the meanwhile, be patient and give yourself a break as you practice lengthening your breath and becoming more adept at transitions. The strength, skill and stamina cultivated through practice will build and, eventually, give way to a fluid full vinyasa practice. Once there, you can decide on your own when it is best to practice with full or half vinyasa.

NOTE: In Astanga Yoga, Lino recommends that beginners practice half vinyasa-which most of us likely do and includes picking up, jumping back and jumping forward to seated positions sans samasthiti; for postures like supta padangusthasana (sleeping big toe posture) where you finish on your back, half vinyasa is initiated by chakrasana (wheel).

5. Practice Posture, not Pride. Which Lino-after arranging himself into a challenging posture and, in jest, strutting around the room with a proud, inflated chest-demonstrated by glancing toward the ceiling and, with one hand over the other, pulling down his ego. Yoga, he explained, lends ample opportunity for accomplishment. But when you finally get that pose you’ve been working on for months, years even, feel a sense of accomplishment and move on. When you move fluidly and properly through full vinyasa, congratulate yourself and then come back to your breath. Ground your ego just as you do your big toe mounds in samasthiti.

6. Go Ahead and Laugh. Have fun. He did. Just be sure to maintain vinyasa meanwhile.

Helsinki Ashtanga Yoga School
10 Year Anniversary Party (by Rodrigo Quinones)

7. It’s OK to be Selfish. Make time for your practice without feeling guilty. Through your practice, he said, you will open your heart to a more joyful, intrinsic way of being. You will change. You will find stillness and peace. By making such space in yourself, you will inspire love and mindfulness in others.

And while you’ve got some time, go ahead and practice full vinyasa. It may take longer, but as one woman who I practice with so intuitively put it, “it’s like coming up for air … one gets the chance to completely fill the lungs before diving back into the practice.” Coming to samasthiti between postures isn’t tiring, it’s invigorating for the many opportunities to take deep, comfortable breaths.

8. Carefully, Carefully. Slowly, slowly, Lino repeatedly cautioned. Pay attention to the unique way that your breath floats through your body. And if your breath is too quick or vigorous, stop, place your right hand over your heart, and catch your breath before moving on.

Again, because full vinyasa inherently slows and deepens your breath so that you can move within the prescribed vinyasa counts, you are careful. You are aware. You are present.

9. See Lino Again. That’s my lesson, not his.

Lino-related Links:
• Lino’s Ashtanga Yoga Schools in Rome (Italy), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Helsinki (Finland).
• Astanga Yoga, written by Lino. This page also showcases his two DVDs, a poster illustrating the primary series, and Sri K. Pattabhi Jois’ book Yoga Mala.
• A photo essay of Lino’s annual workshop in Kovalam Beach, South India.
• A review of Lino’s first workshop in the states (Chicago, 1999).

A modified version of this story appeared April 25, 2008 in Yoga On & Off the Mat, a biweekly column by Brooke Hewes about Yoga that can be viewed at NewWest.net/yoga.

[This article was kindly contributed by Cara Jepsen. All photos were taken by Katy Schaffer]

I had planned to go to the grand opening of the Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute USA in Florida originally scheduled for March of 2007. But he became very ill and wasn’t able to do it. The opening was postponed until this March, but it didn’t happen then, either. Pattabhi Jois (Guruji) was again quite ill.

When my friend Katy told me in April that Pattabhi Jois was coming to Florida over Memorial Day weekend, I laughed (at first). But this time I felt in my heart that he was going to come, so I bit the bullet and paid through the teeth for a plane ticket to Miami.

The new Institute was a few miles away from our hotel. Its lush grounds are exquisite. There’s a garden, benches, swings, flowers and a massive Nataraj (Dancing Shiva) fountain.

When we arrived, Guruji was arriving, too. Everyone was reverent–many holding bouquets of flowers–and waited for him to enter the building.

He was sitting in a large chair on the stage, wearing white, and a little thinner than I remember him, but clearly happy to be there. He’d been ill for some time, and this was his chance to finally see his dream of opening a shala in the U.S. come true. Guruji, 93, was flanked by his daughter, Saraswati, and granddaughter Sharmila, as well as her children. Four generations of the Jois Family all lined up.

4 Jois family generations with the author Cara

The room is amazing. Bamboo floors. Large-scale photos of the family–including an entire wall featuring Guruji as a young man doing Ashtanga. There were also photos of Sharath (Saraswati’s son) in various poses, plus young (very young) Saraswati and her brother, Manju. My favorite is one of Amma (Guruji’s wife), Saraswati and Sharmila.

Saraswati and Manju were helping teach the weekend’s three classes.

The mood was much more casual than in Mysore, India (where I’ve studied with the Jois family at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute four times), or for Guruji’s workshops in New York City (of which I’ve attended five). There was no line. But one at a time, people went up to Guruji and paid their respects. Some touched his feet; others did not. Just about everyone got their picture taken with him. I became overwhelmed with gratitude when it was my turn, and my eyes welled up with tears.

The room smelled of jasmine and other flowers. The largest contingents of people were from Florida and New York, including many familiar faces from Mysore and Guruji’s other U.S. workshops. I also saw several Ashtanga friends whom I’d seen at Lino Miele’s recent workshop in Chicago.

Longtime Guruji devotee and NYC teacher Eddie Stern, in all white, helped perform a puja (act of reverence) in a small temple area and then gave a brief speech. He said that Guruji wanted badly to open the shala, and that the reason his health was better was because of Saraswati’s constant care; when he said this, Saraswati simply bowed her head and said, “It is my duty.” He also thanked Sharath (who was holding down the fort back in Mysore) and many others.

After another speaker, there was an Indian dance performance, during which Guruji left the stage and retired to another area.

The spacious, pleasant state-of-the-art facilities feature high ceilings, orange and yellow walls, a boutique, spacious showers and locker rooms, a private reception room for Guruji, kitchen and a large reception and dining area.

The latter was laden with the most sumptuous feast of North and South Indian foods I have ever seen. Despite anticipating the next day’s practice, when I got to the end of the buffet, my plate heaped high, I came upon a whole other room full of food and went for more. Again, the atmosphere was genial, casual and non-competitive–sattvic. All in all, too much food was eaten and many new friends were made over dinner. Everyone seemed thankful that Guruji had made it.

The next day I got up early to do a sitting practice on our hotel’s pier, facing the sunrise. We were the first to arrive at the shala, where we waited outside batting gnats while Eddie Stern and his crew prepared the registration tables for us. We were lucky to get spots for our mats in the front row. Slowly the room filled up, and then began to overflow into the other areas. We squeezed our mats a little closer together, and soon everyone had a spot.

When Guruji arrived, there was a hush, and everyone stood up. He had no need to yell, “Samasthithi!”–a command that means “equal standing”–or get on your feet and prepare to do the opening mantra.

He smiled as he led us through the opening chant. Then he sat down and watched as Saraswati took over. She refused to use the mic as she talked us through the primary series. Sharmila worked the middle and back of the room, helping students in various poses.

It was wonderful to be with three generations of Joises again–and to have all of that female energy in the room supporting Guruji. Saraswati’s count was medium-tempo and even, and it was a joy to follow her. This was my first led class with her, and I’m a huge fan. She and Shamila have so much of Guruji’s good nature and sattvic energy.

Soon the room was hot and humid. I hadn’t practiced in a week because I’d been fighting off a cold. Yet somehow I had one of my best practices in memory - strong, flexible and focused. Stealing glances at Guruji and feeling his presence helped! I felt like I had come home. All of my past experiences with Guruji, dating back to 2000, came rushing back to me–and there was nowhere else in the world I’d rather have been.

On Sunday I again did an early sitting practice on the pier, and again we arrived early to the shala and found spots in the front row.

Everyone’s head turned when Tim Miller (the first American certified to teach Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga) walked in–another senior teacher!–and there were hugs all around.

Guruji’s opening chant was strong and loud; he certainly didn’t need the mic he refused to use. He then sat on the edge of his seat and led us almost all the way through a fast-paced version of the majority of the standing poses before Saraswati took over. Again I sneaked glances and often saw him sitting on the edge of his seat watching us.

At the end of class, we paid our respects. At one point we were told not to go on stage but to greet him from a discreet distance because the close proximity tires him out. A few minutes later, Guruji and his helpers were moving his chair so that he could be closer to the students.

The next day, Memorial Day, it was cooler, and Guruji arrived wearing a monkey (stocking) cap and a broad smile. As he came in, the room quieted and everyone stood at the front of their mats, palms in prayer. The atmosphere was one of reverence and respect–as it had been all weekend.

Guruji led the opening chant even more strongly than he had on previous days. Again he led us through the standing poses, his voice booming. Near the end Saraswati took over, and Shammi (Sharmila’s nickname) adjusted students in the back rows. Eddie Stern and his daughter practiced behind us. Indeed, there were many children practicing along with the adults, while other children (and babies) waited in the wings.

Saraswati’s count (the time in which we hold poses) is longer than Guruji’s, and as on previous days navasana (boat pose), urdhva dandasana (L-shaped headstand) and utpluthi (lifting off the floor with your arms while in lotus) seemed to take forever. She also had some stern reminders for us - such as “No hurry!” when people left chaturanga dandasana (push-up pose) too early and “Head back! Head back!” in poses such as ubaya padangusthasana (both big toes pose). During the final seconds of utpluthi, Saraswati kept telling us to lift up (just as her father does) and chided those in the back of the room for cheating.

Since this was the final day of the workshop, we came to standing at the front of the mat after the final vinyasa. Guruji stood up and led us in the Mangala Mantra (closing chant), and his voice was even stronger than before. After one final sun salutation, he told us to lie down and take rest. Instead of obeying, everyone got up and applauded him–our way of showing him how happy we were to have had the privilege to see him. It was an emotional moment, and my eyes welled up with tears.

Cara with Guruji

Later there was more picture-taking and hugging and touching of his feet, during which he smiled and smiled. I also had my photo taken with Saraswati, who asked, “When are you coming to India?” “Sometime this year,” I promised. Now I have to make good on it.

Before they left, Saraswati said the thing we wanted most to hear–that she and the family would continue to come back and teach there–with her father, of course.

Islamorada is back on, after 2 cancellations (last March and this March). This is from the official AYRI.org site:

URGENT BREAKING NEWS

We are pleased to announce that Guruji’s doctor has given him a clean bill of health and has released him for travel to America. Guruji will be opening the Yoga Studio in Islamorada beginning with a Grand Opening Party on Friday, May 23 from 6PM – 8PM.

We are very sorry for any inconveniences caused by the cancellations in the past two
years but are very excited to share this experience with all students who plan to attend.

Here’s the link to register.

There will be 3 classes and there is no mention of Sharath coming but Saraswathi will be there:

The classes will focus on the primary series sequence, which takes about 1½ hours.

May 23 6:00pm-8:00pm Grand Opening Party

May 24 8:00am Class

May 25 8:00am Class

May 26 8:00am Class

There is a growing movement of ashtangis who are discouraging the use of mats for practicing Ashtanga Yoga. The theory behind the no-mat movement is that props “get in the way of practice” and since mats are props, they create a separation between us and the flow of our practice.

You may have experienced Iyengar classes where the opposite attitude is apparent: use as many props as it takes to mold your body into proper alignment. At various points in the class you are directed to take you two blankets, three belts, one block and chair and re-arrange them to fit the pose.

The many props in Iyengar yoga

A whole industry has sprung up to supply the prop-based yoga practice: bolsters, straps, ropes, calf stretchers, sandbags, gripitz, slings, cushions, eye pillows, head wraps, neti pots and of course mats.

There are stories about how Ashtanga in the olden days was practiced without mats, directly on the floor - and the rougher the floor the better. Weathered yogis relate how they use to practice on packed earth (the dust creating some friction) or even gravel for the most advanced practitioners.

“It makes you feel closer to the earth, and does not bound your space. It is very liberating, and the gravel really toughens you up. I would not go back to mat yoga, it blocks my prana from flowing” commented a teacher who wished to remain anonymous for fear of litigation.

“Gravel? Luxury!” replied another, who would make Keith Richards look like a teenager. “You were lucky to have solid ground to practice on. Back in the day we used to practice in marshland with our heads underwater in downward dog.”

More and more Ashtanga yoga studios are going mat-less: will you be a part of this growing trend?

Please see March 7 Update below.

Today there were some comments on our October 2007 post Guruji in Florida in March 2008 about the workshop next month being canceled.

I asked a friend who had signed up for the second week who said that while she did not receive any official email, when she called up she was told that they were just starting to call students who were registered for the second week (March 24 to 28 2008):

Guruji is not going to make it for the trip - he’s ok but just can’t travel. However, Sharath and Saraswati are still coming but they will only be conducting classes during the first week (see Update below).

It seems students who registered for the second week are given the option to switch to the first week. Here are the details of who to contact from the AYRI.org registration page:

Nargis Lengacher at nargis@sdcreations.org and 831-659-3779 or Camille Kochon at creations@sdcreations.org and 760-804-9333.

I will update this post if anything official is posted.

UPDATE March 4 2008 9:00: According to the Ashtanga.com newsletter:

Sri K. Pattabhi Jois USA Tour 2008: On the advice of his physician, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois will not be traveling to teach at this workshop. We hope you will support Guruji’s new Florida center by joining his daughter Saraswathi and his grandson Sharath for the grand opening party of March 14th followed by classes.
Week 1: March 15-20, 7:00am and 9:00am
Week 2: March 24-28, 7:00am and 9:00am

UPDATE March 4 2008 12:00:On the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute website is an announcement:

My Beloved Students,

I have just been informed by my physician that it is recommended that I not travel at this time. While I am extremely disappointed that I won’t see each and every one of you. I hope that you will support my new center by joining my daughter Saraswathi and my grandson Sharath for the grand opening party of March 14 followed by classes.

This will be my family’s only visit the United States in 2008. I look forward to your support.

Love, Guruji

UPDATE March 4 2008 14:00: Now I am hearing that the workshop has been canceled completely. As I mentioned above, if you want to find out exactly what is going on contact: Nargis Lengacher at nargis@sdcreations.org and 831-659-3779 or Camille Kochon at creations@sdcreations.org and 760-804-9333.

UPDATE March 7 2008: The AYRI.org site has been updated and the workshop has been officially canceled:

The Florida tour has been cancelled. Further updates will be posted soon.

Guruji is doing fine and resting. Please do not call the family at this time due to the abundance of calls coming through. Further updates will be posted on the website.

The Shala in Mysore will re-open on the 27th of April.

UPDATE March 12 2008: From this post’s comments below:

Paradise Yoga would be happy to host ashtanga classes again this year. If there are any teachers coming to town who would be willing to teach classes or workshops, please give us a call at (305) 517-YOGA. Our schedule can be found online at www.paradise-yoga.net and will be updated with the ashtanga information. We are located 1.5 miles south of the Shala in Islamorada. Thanks and hope to see you- Audra Santoro

Fresh off the press, more Ashtanga yoga cartoons by Chris Panico.

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[Here is an article submitted by Mariela Cruz, authorized Ashtnaga Yoga teacher in Costa Rica. You can read more about Ashtanga and Pregnancy with Wendy's article here and the follow up article here - Ed.]

As I start to write, I can feel, and start to count, the contractions that are now coming every ten minutes. We are almost there, my baby and I, ready to meet and finally embrace! During the past nine and a half months, he has become my teacher, my guru and my salvation.

I am 38 weeks and almost there. This article is an attempt to capture the magnificent experience”yoga-wise” that this baby has meant for me and my practice.

The level of letting go that I have experienced, I never, ever anticipated. Just when I was enjoying a peak in my practice, very strong and committed, this baby chose me. Third Series was blowing my mind and my body seemed to answer to all the extreme demands this beautiful practice asks.

Mariela Cruz adjusting 9 months pregnant in Costa Rica

I was gifted with a very bendy body that started practicing yoga at a rare young age. My mother was one of those “weird” beings (in a good sense, I realize now) who was always searching. Back then, to practice yoga in Costa Rica, a traditional catholic country, was considered a mortal sin. Anyways, she found a way to take me with her to class when I was about 10 years old. My only memory is watching these beautiful tall, white bright
beings moving in the shala’ s corridors -angels I guess- and since then, I could feel the blessings of yoga.

Life kept moving; I had my four children and I became a lawyer. Although very successful as a lawyer, I found to be absolutely miserable in a career that was not for me.

Mariela 6 months pregnant in scorpion: don’t try this at home!

My first visit to Mysore was 7 years ago. Ashtanga Yoga in Mysore is hard to describe: I can only say that the energy around Guruji and Sharath made me return six more times and always crave for India while I was home. Practicing on my own (since I had no teachers in San Jose where I live) was a small price to pay, compared to the promise of returning every year to see my beloved Guru.

Life started changing very fast. We built the studio and people started coming. Life shifted and I happily gave up my law practice and started teaching full time.

When the news came last June that I was pregnant again, there was a mixture of profound joy and overwhelming worry… “and what about my practice?”

One thing is to theorize about how beautiful having a baby is, especially if you are in love and with the right partner by your side. But then there is the reality of what your body will go through! The first three months were pure hell! Besides that, I decided to go back to India and finish the process of getting authorized by Guruji and Sharath: it was not a very good idea! But my desire to be close to my teachers and finish this first stage was too strong to let go.

I arrived in Mysore last August on my own, being 12 weeks pregnant and after 26 hours of non-stop flights and delays. Pregnancy is such a delicate time. You are as open and vulnerable as ever and flying across the world from Costa Rica through Germany to finally arrive to Bangalore and then Mysore was the biggest challenge I have faced. Constant nausea, vomiting and loneliness made this the hardest trip. Arriving by myself, longing for my husband and children was also very hard.

A dear friend rented me his place, a very cozy little apartment with all the facilities. Mr. and Mrs. Chinnappa, the landlords, were always so kind and respectful. So I felt cared for in the middle of everything. I would stay awake all night, still very jet-lagged, thinking of my loved ones and crying and directly go to the shala at 6 am for practice.

I was assigned to practice with Saraswati. A part inside of me craved for the 5 am practice with Sharath as always, for my teacher friends and the whole gang.

Practicing with all the beginners requested a big dose of humility. But Saraswati’ s gentle approach and daily concern made everything easier for me, even though during practice I had to leave and go vomit every ten minutes. My body was refusing to adapt to so many changes at the same time: baby, food, time zone and broken heart.

Being used to having my body do whatever I asked of it, this felt very confusing. I felt as if I was possessed and couldn’t get it to obey my mind. This started upsetting me deeply, to a point where I started regretting what was actually happening and many doubts started clouding my mind.

Yoga teaches us the art of acceptance. It’s easy to accept things when they happen “your way”; but how about when they completely go upside down?

From a three-hour daily practice, I had to cut short to half Primary Series with a lot of modifications. It was very interesting how Saraswati immediately removed all the twists (Marichyasana C and D). My practice used to give me lots of energy for all the challenges of motherhood and full time yoga teacher, but now I was feeling depleted and above all, profoundly depressed.

My husband made it to India for his first time, probably intuiting I needed support. The trip ended with my authorization being granted and us returning to Costa Rica. Though things were not easier once we got home.

Normally the nausea and vomiting stop after the third month and Guruji and Saraswati advised against practice during the first three months. However, this was not the case with me. I came back and things got worse. I could barely stand up from my bed. Everything was foggy and couldn’t get the grip of the practice again. Teaching was very hard, but I kept going.

My body felt terrible and I wasn’t able to apply the only medicine I know for body and heart aches: practice. What to do?

I realize this pregnancy has taught me what my regular practice would have never taught me. Suddenly, everything I loved the most was taken away from me. When I say “I loved and love my practice above everything else”, it is because I appreciate so much the perspective it has brought to my human experience.

Giving up such love is no easy task. I had to start from scratch, doing one Surya Namaskar and then collapsing into Child pose for 20 minutes while the room kept turning and turning.

I realize my profound love for practice was definitely a very heavy attachment. My body was used to the chemicals produced by it and I had to go through heavy “detox” with all its consequences: mood swings, sadness, intolerance almost to the verge of depression.

Then slowly, things started shifting. My only option was to surrender. And from that surrender to this tiny teacher inside of me came a second wind. My practice completely changed, even more as I started growing bigger. But as I faced my mat everyday, scared to find I was not able to perform anymore, I started getting real. I found new joy and gratitude in the blessing of knowing there was a life growing inside of me and that somehow he was helping me understand new things. My only sadhana was to become a clean channel for this soul and stop interfering and asking something for myself. Instead, to just be there for whatever he needed from me, beyond my likes and dislikes.

Yoga gives us so much power and there are many ways to use that power. We can use it for our own benefit or we can use it to give and help each other. Even though I always thought that my job as a yoga teacher and my mission as a mother was fulfilling all this, I know there was a part inside that still wanted something for myself.

As Krishna tells Arjuna: surrender the fruits of your actions. This is what I have learned during this last 38 weeks. I can now happily say that I will go back to my practice, after Gael is born, from a different space inside. A space that simply wants to serve and give in a sincere way and use practice as an instrument to prepare body and mind for that.

I feel very blessed by the presence of this little-huge being in my life. He was already in India with me and I plan to take him back next year to Mysore. Gael will always be a constant reminder that yoga is not about achieving anything, but about being grateful for what life offers us. As we all, in our family, embark in this new adventure with baby, I thank all of my children for teaching me how to let go of selfishness.

UPDATE 17th FEB 2008: Gael was born on Friday February 15th at 1:26 pm - baby and mom are doing well.

Ruth Jones, MCSP, PhD student Southampton University UK, and Stanford University California USA, has been conducting cutting edge research on the Pelvic Floor Muscles (PFM), also know as Mula Bandha in the context of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. She also happens to practice regularly at the studio where I practice so we were thrilled when she offered to contribute her latest findings! - Ed]

You will know the importance in your Yoga practice to engage your Pelvic Floor Muscles (PFM) or mula bandha, but did you know that the PFM have other functions such as contributing to spinal stability, pelvic organ support, urinary and faecal continence, sexual function and performance? What a great group of muscles to keep working well! And how do you know that you are contracting the PFM effectively when over 30% of the female population contracts incorrectly at their first attempt? We do not have the statistics for men, yet it would not be far fetched to suggest that the percentage could be higher. Or am I just biased?

Here is what I will cover with this article:

• The basics of Pelvic Floor Muscle anatomy and physiology
• How to correctly engage the PFM
• How to incorporate it into and outside your Yoga and Pilates practice

Pelvic Floor Anatomy

It’s not just all about the muscles: the Pelvic Floor is actually a complex structure made up of muscle and fascia. It can be divided into three sections: the fascia, the levator ani muscles (PFM) and the superficial sphincters/perineal muscles.

The fascia gives attachment to the PFM and surrounds the muscles and pelvic organs. Sometimes there can be a tearing of this fascia and the supporting ligaments which gives rise to Pelvic Floor disorders such as incontinence. It won’t matter then if the PFM are strong and contract at the right time, someone may still have incontinence because the bladder or urethra (figure 1) is not supported in the correct anatomical position.

Figure 1. Schematic Diagram of the PFM and organs.

The levator ani is the collective name given to the PFM (figure 1 and 2) and is sometimes divided into the Pubococcygeus, Puborectalis, Pubovaginalis and Iliococcygeus. The Pubococcygeus arises from each side of the front of the pubic symphysis (midline joint), and passes around the urethra, vagina (in women) and anus to insert onto the coccyx. As you can tell from their names, the Puborectalis is the name given to those muscle fibres that loop from the pubic bone around the rectum and Pubovaginalis from the pubis around the vagina. The Iliococcygeus originates from the right or left Ilium on the pelvis and attaches to the coccyx.

Figure 2. 3D MRI reconstruction of Female PFM
Reprinted with kind permission of Lennox Hoyte

The Superficial Perineal muscles are as their name suggests superficial or less deep than the levator Ani and are thought to have an important role in sexual activity. They all insert and meet at the perineal body, which is almost like a central tendon between the anus and scrotum in men and anus and vagina in women. The external anal sphincter encircles the anus, attaches in the front to the perineal body and behind to the coccyx.

The nerve supply to the Pelvic Floor is mainly through the Pudendal nerve originating from the 2nd to 4th sacral nerve roots. Have you ever noticed little girls or boys walking/bouncing on their tip toes when they want to go to the toilet? This is because the nerve supply to the calf muscles has a similar origin as the PFM, and by contracting the calf muscles, there is a reflex response of the PFM and the bladder contraction is quietened down. So if you ever find yourself caught short, go up and down on your toes vigorously and it’ll give you a few minutes grace. On that note, have you ever been sitting down for a long time, for example on a car journey, get up or out of the car and are suddenly desperate to go to the loo? Again, the skin at the back of your legs has been stimulated whilst you have been sitting down, and this stops the bladder from contracting too strongly. Once you stand up, that reflex inhibition is lost! So if you don’t want to be caught short gain, try contracting your PFM (see below) before you get out of the car.

The muscles of the PF have both slow (type 1) and fast (type 2) twitch muscle fibres, but since the role of the PFM is mainly to provide support over a sustained period of time, they are predominantly type 1. This is important to remember within your yoga (or Pilates) practice. Towards the end of your practice, especially if you have been contracting them too hard, they are going to be more fatigued. So if you develop awareness of these muscles, feel when they can no longer lift and hold, and perhaps call it a day with your practice…until the next time!

Guidelines for activating the PFM

These are the guidelines I use to assist people to activate their PFM (or Mula Bandha):

• Imagine your PFM as a sling that attaches from your tail bone at the back (sacrum and coccyx) to your pubic bone at the front.
• Now take a breath in, and as you breathe out, gently squeeze the muscles around your back passage, as if you were trying to prevent wind (gas/flatulence) escaping.
• Bring this feeling forward (remembering the muscular sling) towards your pubic bone as if you were trying to stop yourself from urinating (having a pee).
• Keep holding this contraction as you imagine that you are on the ground floor of an elevator, you want to lift your PFM as if you were going to the 1st, then 2nd 3rd etc floor.
• Keep breathing as normally as you can, whilst holding onto your PFM. Aim to hold for 10 seconds, before releasing your PFM.
• Repeat up to 10 times, breathing normally.
• Remember to release all the way back to the ground floor, as holding on too much may be as much of a problem as not being able to hold onto them at all.

Also, you may have noticed that your abdominal muscles were also engaged as you pulled in your PFM. This is perfectly normal as long as you do not tilt your pelvis or hold your breath as you do so. In yoga the abdominal muscles activating is part of the Uddiyana Bandha (the abdominal lock), and the Mula Bandha is almost always activated at the same time as that lock.

As I said earlier, many people do not activate their PFM correctly when first asked to do so. Without being examined, we cannot tell for sure whether you’ve got it “right”. Having said that, below are some tips to make sure that you are not activating too much of the incorrect muscle groups:

• Many people bear or push down when they try to activate their PFM, as if they were straining to go to the toilet. Remember to squeeze and lift, as described above, rather than pushing down.
• Keep your buttock cheeks (bottom muscles/butt), inner thigh, and leg muscles relaxed.
• There should be no movement of your spine or pelvis as you engage your PF or abdominal muscles.

Timing of Contraction: It seems that the timing of contraction is as important as strength of PFM contraction. In women who do not have a Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, there is a small PFM contraction before they cough, or raise their intra abdominal pressure. It appears that this pre-contraction is lost in women who have Stress Urinary Incontinence. It maybe the case that this loss of pre-contraction is also lost in other women with prolapse of the pelvic organs, so encouraging them to also do a pre-contraction seems logical. There also seems to be a correlation between Pelvic Floor disorders and back pain, although we have a good idea why this is. So if you get back pain, or if you have noticed that your PFM are not as they used to be, whether due to childbirth, high impact sports such as trampolining, or just aging, its a good habit to contract your PFM just before you cough or sneeze, lift anything heavy, or even just bending over, as well as contracting your PFM as described above twice a day.

Tips from the clinic to bring your PFM into your Yoga practice

As I have previously said, it’s not all about strength: letting go fully, timing of contraction, endurance and anatomical position of your pelvic organs are all important aspects of good PFM function. So what to do in your Yoga practice? From what we know about PFM physiology to date, these muscles are mainly designed for endurance. There is evidence that the end of a workout, these muscles are as fatigued as the rest of your body. So, if you contract them too hard, they are going to tire and it will be difficult to maintain throughout your practice, potentially leaving your spine and pelvic organs vulnerable to strain. We don’t know how quickly they recover either, so just after your practice, especially if you know that you have a PFM disorder, it maybe well worth contracting your muscles before you lift or bend over, as extra protection.

Back to your practice, as a good rule of thumb, I would suggest contracting around a quarter of your maximum effort. Try this now. Contract your PFM, as detailed above, as hard as you can. Let go of that contraction by half, then by half again. You should still be able to feel the lift, but be able to breathe easily from your diaphragm. Frequently people find it hard to do both!

Over time your awareness, the endurance, coordination and strength of your PFM will improve, allowing you to work harder for longer…should you wish! Yoga is a great way to maintain and improve the health of your Pelvic Floor. Imagine looking and feeling as good on the inside as you do on the out!

Ruth Jones February 2008