Legitimacy is in the air, lots of discussions this week in the blogosphere and elsewhere but there's something I can't quite put my finger on.
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I keep coming back to this.... something bothering me in all these discussions and I can't think of the best way to put it. I love how we're talking about 'legitimacy' not being dependent on whether one has or hasn't been to Mysore but in most of the discussions I still find included a justification for why one hasn't 'made it to Mysore'as if this needs justifying. I'm looking forward to the future when practitioners and teachers will no longer feel the need to make that justification. Or even for that matter why they are passing on the practice without having even been to an authorised teacher let alone one Certified or indeed to a teacher* at all. This is an outwardly simple practice, breath and move and focus the attention while following a few ( or a lot) of asana in a fixed (or relatively fixed) sequence. Outwardly that's surely all we need to pass on, or needs to be passed on to us. Everything else (read the essential practice) is subtle and will arise (or not) on and of it's own just by turning up and repeating the above as many times a week as we can manage.
*I want to add somewhere that teachers can be great, some wonderful wonderful teachers out there. I like the Ashtanga teacher as 'holding the room' idea, there if you want them but otherwise keeping out of your way and more importantly of the of practice doing it's stuff.
** I still say this every morning before the opening chant :
"Thank you Krishnamacharya, thank Pattabhi Jois, thank you Manju, thank you Saraswati, thank you Sharath, thank you Kristina. Thank you Ramaswami, thank you all teacher's past and present for bringing me to and maintaining me in this practice.
May all beings be safe, may all beings be well, may all beings be peaceful, may all beings be happy"
Of the above named I've only practiced briefly with three directly, Ramaswami (five weeks), Manju (two, one week teacher trainings) and Kristina (two months), There was also a week with Richard Freeman and a weekend workshop with Norman Sjoman and John Scott ( I bring them to mind as I mention 'all other teachers' as well remembering fondly Dr. Demetrius Tegus who taught me Heidegger). I'm thanking them I think, for holding the room, the practice as well as the space in me for practice.
Some hold the room more softly than others.
I'm also of course thinking of Mark Darby, David Swenson, Richard Freeman and the hours and hours spent practicing along to their videos ( as well as Sharath's early on) they helped to maintain me in my practice as did David Williams and Nancy Gilgoff, Tim Miller and others, inspiring me some morning they come to mind clearly as I give thanks.
This practice comes down to us, whether we practice at home or in a shala, visit Mysore or not... and of course a room is held not just by the teacher but by the other practitioners, I should remember to thank you all also.
"Thank you all teachers and practitioners, past and present, for bringing me to and maintaining me in this practice"
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Below is my earlier post with a link to the podcast for context to the above.
I keep coming back to this.... something bothering me in all these discussions and I can't think of the best way to put it. I love how we're talking about 'legitimacy' not being dependent on whether one has or hasn't been to Mysore but in most of the discussions I still find included a justification for why one hasn't 'made it to Mysore'as if this needs justifying. I'm looking forward to the future when practitioners and teachers will no longer feel the need to make that justification. Or even for that matter why they are passing on the practice without having even been to an authorised teacher let alone one Certified or indeed to a teacher* at all. This is an outwardly simple practice, breath and move and focus the attention while following a few ( or a lot) of asana in a fixed (or relatively fixed) sequence. Outwardly that's surely all we need to pass on, or needs to be passed on to us. Everything else (read the essential practice) is subtle and will arise (or not) on and of it's own just by turning up and repeating the above as many times a week as we can manage.
*I want to add somewhere that teachers can be great, some wonderful wonderful teachers out there. I like the Ashtanga teacher as 'holding the room' idea, there if you want them but otherwise keeping out of your way and more importantly of the of practice doing it's stuff.
** I still say this every morning before the opening chant :
"Thank you Krishnamacharya, thank Pattabhi Jois, thank you Manju, thank you Saraswati, thank you Sharath, thank you Kristina. Thank you Ramaswami, thank you all teacher's past and present for bringing me to and maintaining me in this practice.
May all beings be safe, may all beings be well, may all beings be peaceful, may all beings be happy"
Of the above named I've only practiced briefly with three directly, Ramaswami (five weeks), Manju (two, one week teacher trainings) and Kristina (two months), There was also a week with Richard Freeman and a weekend workshop with Norman Sjoman and John Scott ( I bring them to mind as I mention 'all other teachers' as well remembering fondly Dr. Demetrius Tegus who taught me Heidegger). I'm thanking them I think, for holding the room, the practice as well as the space in me for practice.
Some hold the room more softly than others.
I'm also of course thinking of Mark Darby, David Swenson, Richard Freeman and the hours and hours spent practicing along to their videos ( as well as Sharath's early on) they helped to maintain me in my practice as did David Williams and Nancy Gilgoff, Tim Miller and others, inspiring me some morning they come to mind clearly as I give thanks.
This practice comes down to us, whether we practice at home or in a shala, visit Mysore or not... and of course a room is held not just by the teacher but by the other practitioners, I should remember to thank you all also.
"Thank you all teachers and practitioners, past and present, for bringing me to and maintaining me in this practice"
Ashtanga legitimacy, to practice, to teach....
Nice segment on legitimacy here (unfortunately we don't have the context of the thread and how it evolved to give it context), thank you for this Aliya Weise and of course Peg Mulqueen
I've tended to feel that just getting on the mat every day for a significant period is all you need to legitimise your practice (can't believe I'm even using the word legitimise) as well as to pass it along... and yes, call it Ashtanga Vinyasa too if you want, why the hell not. Breathe and move, breathe and move, the breath will take care of everything else of any importance, all will arise sooner or later if practiced with sincerity.
Besides if you read Krishnamacharya and then look at what's presented as based on his teaching in Mysore today there's quite a gulf already, most seem to be quite comfortable with that (enough are looking at Krishnamacharya's early writing now for it not to be lost altogether).
I've ALWAYS felt Peg and Ashtanga Dispatch are all about sharing their passion and enthusiasm for practice.
I heard about the podcast from a friend this morning who's Ashtanga practice has begun to flourish of late, practices a full week often at a shala, goes to regular workshops and intensives. She had this to say
"...listening to her podcast with Aliya, made me angry..
part of the reason i don't called myself ashtangi.. some pple think they 'own' the practice"
See too this early post from Peg
I've tended to feel that just getting on the mat every day for a significant period is all you need to legitimise your practice (can't believe I'm even using the word legitimise) as well as to pass it along... and yes, call it Ashtanga Vinyasa too if you want, why the hell not. Breathe and move, breathe and move, the breath will take care of everything else of any importance, all will arise sooner or later if practiced with sincerity.
Besides if you read Krishnamacharya and then look at what's presented as based on his teaching in Mysore today there's quite a gulf already, most seem to be quite comfortable with that (enough are looking at Krishnamacharya's early writing now for it not to be lost altogether).
I've ALWAYS felt Peg and Ashtanga Dispatch are all about sharing their passion and enthusiasm for practice.
I heard about the podcast from a friend this morning who's Ashtanga practice has begun to flourish of late, practices a full week often at a shala, goes to regular workshops and intensives. She had this to say
"...listening to her podcast with Aliya, made me angry..
part of the reason i don't called myself ashtangi.. some pple think they 'own' the practice"
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| LINK |
See too this early post from Peg
The Call to Mysore by Aliya Weise -The Post By Aliya that Peg refer's to in the podcast on Ashtanga San Diego's website
Aliya's blog