To Jois or Not?
So, Patthabi Jois is in town. If you don't know who he is then you know nothing. Kidding... He's the guru, the father of Ashtanga Yoga and he's here on his world tour...supposedly his last (of course, they said that last year). I didn't figure I was anywhere near being prepared to attend one of his workshops so I pretty much wrote it off when I heard about it awhile back... Saturday my yoga instructor told me I should go then my friend told me he was actually doing an Intro class today. If only I had gotten said friend's message earlier because The Husband was already in the water surfing and so I didn't get to go :( *SOB* Tomorrow he is doing the full primary series... I don't think I'm ready for that but, again, said friend, said he'd go and we could both check our egos at the door (you did say you'd leave yours at the door with mine, right?) -- the problem, the class is from 7 to 9am. The plan... if The Daughter sleeps tonight, I'll go but, frankly, there's no way I can do the full primary series with Pattabhi Jois if I don't get any sleep. I'd have to leave more than my ego at the door.
Comments
So, did you get to go?
Posted by: Heather | September 2, 2002 10:13 AM
*SOB* NO!!!!!!!! I probably missed my once in a lifetime chance to do a workshop with him but... my moon came swooping in this morning. Heavy. Traditionally, you do not practice during your moon's heaviest days or the first few days of your menses. If you do practice at all in your menses, you do not do inversions. I could just picture being in the middle of the primary series and having him say "BAD LADY Why you not in shoulderstand?" "Um, I'm having my moon." "You get out. You go home." (I hear his English isn't so wonderful and he likes to say bad lady). So I went to a restorative hatha class instead that was easy on the body and had no inversions.
Posted by: Julie | September 2, 2002 1:00 PM
Ugh, that sucks! Maybe he will decide to come again....
Posted by: Heather | September 2, 2002 3:32 PM
Oh No!!!!! That sucks so much - I'm so sorry Julie (but I agree with your decision completely, there'd be no way to really experience an Ashtanga class with him without inversions - I don't even do much at home during my moon except janu sirsasana and the like to ease the cramps) Surely he'll be back in your neck of the woods? If he is, I'd certainly go for it and, as you said, check your ego at the door. It's a process, not a competition.
Posted by: genj | September 2, 2002 7:17 PM