:: YogiSutras: Yoga Blog - Journeys into Yoga ::

This afternoons class felt like it brought it all together even more so than yesterday. Shiva was incredibly spontaneous all afternoon, and began with a body-rolling vinyasa. We literally got into ourselves by rolling around on our back, just being free for 5 minutes. It was beautiful. Then, some chanting, and we were ready to absorb again. I must say, I was getting fatigued, but this mini-free-form vinyasa helped a bunch.

We reviewed all the Dancing Warrier Series (a Shiva original), and how the vinyasas all build upon themselves to a peak pose. She’s giving us all the tools to become our own original. It’s a great style of teaching.

After break, Shiva gave us a little taste of the Yoga Trance Dance tomorrow night. We all jumped up, and free-formed danced to some great drumming music. She brought the wave up and down three times. Three’s a key…

But, the peak 1-1/2 hour vinyasa happened this afternoon in Shiva’s Santa Monica class.

She commanded a completely free-formed, on-the-spot Thursday evening class that focused on inversions, and backbends. The most fascinating part was that there were absolutely NO CHATARUNGAs. What a relief, and an amazing task. I think we only did one or two downward dogs. And, she ended the class with an amazing shavasana coupled with the gong.

Tomorrow…more…

Clearly, today my mind is taking over, because my body is sending signals of being physically tired. One thing great about having the bike is that I have a freedom to go whenever I want. The one thing not so great, is that I have to push it with my physical body, and my mind-body is telling me I’m tired.

My morning meditation still needs more mind attention. I love the beginning, where we touch and massage our bodies to awaken them. And the chanting opens up our inner organs. I can get through about the first 12 minutes, before I start to peak one eye open, then the other, maybe wiggle my spine, and roll my neck. This was another sign of my mind playing tricks, as it did all morning’s practice. I took all my chataurangas on my knees, so that I can rest that mind (and body) .

We ended with another too-short savasana, and the tidbit that tomorrow, we’ll spend more time in savasana and inversions. Oh boy…

This morning’s meditation was blissful. What a nice transition into our 2 hour morning yoga practice. This morning’s practice brought on my inner heat, all spawned by many sets of dancing warrier series. Savasana proved to be too short…

This afternoon’s practice began with a Vinyasa Krama with special guest Srivasta Ramaswami. With his bare feet, nice slacks, button down shirt, and a white sweater vest, he began with a beautiful chant, and then lead us through dozens of poses for Tadasana. There are over 1000 variations of Tadasana. To close, he took us through the sanscrit alphabet, and then another beautiful chant. What an honor to have him come to our class.

From there, the entire class took a pilgrimage to Lake Shrine, a beautiful ten-acre natural amphitheater that was made public in 1950 by Paramahansa Yogananda. This beautiful meditative spot brought back some dear memories of my mom, purely through the vibrant smells of the lush plantlife and sounds of the birds. I found a nice spot in the sun, and just sat in peace and presence.

This was followed by another beautiful hike into the Santa Monica mountains with the entire class. After that, Shiva fed us all with an Ayuvedic dinner at her lovely house.

I have to stop and say how amazed I am at her pure energy. Tuesday, she lead our class all day, went surfing during our morning break, and then taught another public class after our all day teacher intensive training. Today, she lead our morning class, went home and cooked for over 30 people, went on the hike with us, ate with us, and then showed no fatigue at out 6:30 meditation. I think I have to get onto this Ayevedic diet…