Pandoraspace

A simply lesson on non-violence through Yoga

In order to teach us how to do Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog) correctly, Jawahar asked one of our classmates to get into that asana. As the explanations of Jawahar and corrections on my classmate took some time, my classmate began to sweat profusely and his legs and arms began to shake. My classmate, like me, was a beginner yoga student.  For beginners, pain in the arms and legs and the shakes were a common experience.  Correct practice through time will make getting into and sustaining the asana easier and will eliminate the pain and the shakes.

While my classmate was sweating and shaking it out in Adho Mukha Svanasana, Jawahar asked him if his legs and arms hurt.  I was surprised by the question as it was very obvious that my classmate was in pain.  Jawahar then told my classmate to remember the pain in his arms and legs and told him to get out of the pose.  Then, in a quiet voice, Jawahar said that our legs and arms have the ability to inflict pain on others. Quite possibly, the pain we inflict on others is the same pain we feel in our arms and legs as we get into an asana.  Immediately, I tried to remember those times when my sister and I would have spanking and hitting sessions when we were children and I was horrified at the realization that I must have inflicted so much pain on her.  Over twenty years after my parents scolded me for hitting my sister, I am now truly sorry for what I did.

As we strive, through constant practice, to eliminate the pain in our arms and legs when we do the asanas, we should constantly work to avoid inflicting the same pain on others as well.  According to Jawahar, the asanas teach us how not to inflict violence or injury on ourselves so that we may learn not to do it to others.

Perhaps this is a very simple lesson in non-violence but I must say that the full impact of this lesson will dawn on you once you feel pain in your the arms and legs as you learn to do Adho Mukha Svanasana.

I learned a very important lesson today.  

I learned that, as with all physical activities, yoga must be practiced correctly and with care and consideration for the body.  In his book Light on Yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar explains that when yoga is not practiced correctly, a person will feel a sense of unease and discomfort for several days after.   

For the third day now, I have felt discomfort and unease.  During class a few days ago, I knew I was not doing the asanas correctly not because the instructions on how to do them were wrong, but because, I simply could not get myself to follow those instructions.  So, here I am feeling out of sorts.

I remember Faeq Biria giving very specific instructions about how to move the body to avoid injury.  He was very careful to say that most injuries are not immediately felt but occur after sometime when an asana is performed incorrectly through time.  B.K.S. Iyengar recommends that when such feelings or discomfort or unease arise, one must consult more experienced practitioners to ensure that the asanas are done correctly.  I think this is wonderful advise.

If there is one thing I could impart about yoga, or about any physical activity, it is this: It is best to learn yoga (or other physical activity) from experienced practitioners who are able to explain the rationale behind the activities and to teach one how to avoid injury.  Then, supplement what you learn be reading about it.  

Reflection after Faeq Biria’s class:  Could a person immersed in a world that calls for one to be aggressive and to always doubt the veracity of things that come before him even achieve the benefits of yoga while living in that world?  Rina had said time and time again that a person achieve the  benefits of yoga through the practice of non-violence.  I wonder whether it is possible for me to ever achieve those benefits when I live in a world of aggression.

Day 2 of Faeq Biria’s workshop: An awareness in my cells

Alya introduced this concept that was so alien to me sometime ago.  She said that one of the great yoga teachers told her that a benefit of practicing Iyengar yoga is to have awareness in the cells.  

Usually, when we are given instruction on how to move our body, the instruction is first processed by our mind and then the mind signals our body to move accordingly.  When we have awareness in the cells, that period wherein our mind processes the instruction and transmit it to our body is significantly reduced or eliminated.  I suppose it is akin to how we react instinctively.  For example, when a stray ball is about to hit us, without thinking, our body tries to avoid it.  Within the period when that unexpected stray ball is about to hit us, we have no time to think will our selves to avoid the ball.  We just do.

On the last hour of Faeq Biria’s workshop, I was picking up a block, and in the process, I happen to look at the hand picking up the block.  At first, I found my hand rather strange but I could not immediately tell why.  After what seemed like a long time, I realized that my fingers were bent in a funny way to make it easier for me to pick up the block.  Of course, when I realized my fingers were bent in a funny way, my mind immediately commanded them to straighten and they did.  

On hindsight, I wonder if I had in a tiny way achieved that so called concept of awareness in the cells when my fingers bent in a funny way to pick up the block without my mind telling my fingers to bend that way. 

Day 1 with Faeq Biria: Yoga is so hard

After today’s classes, it happened that Faeq Biria, Rina, some other classmates and I got on the same lift. After several days of cramming for his class and today’s five hours of yoga, I could not help but tell Faeq Biria what I felt, specifically I said “Yoga is so hard”. I was not just talking of physical difficulty of the asanas but also how difficult it is to think and will one’s self to get into those asanas. For perhaps a few minutes, no one reacted to what I said and I did not expect anyone to react since it was just a statement of my feelings at that time. Before we got off the lift, Faeq Biria told me that many people think that yoga is easy but it is not. He then said, “so, don’t worry, you will do alright.”

I hope that what Faeq Biria said is true, that is, that I would be alright. As I progress through this practice called yoga, I find myself wondering if this bus called yoga will stop and whether when it does I would get off it.

Day 5 of cramming for Faeq Biria’s workshop: Prasarita Padottonasana is a pose where you spread your legs four to four and a half feet apart, and while keeping your legs straight and the metatarsals active, you bend until you can place the crown of your head on the ground. I dread this pose as I always feel a burning sensation on the side of my lower legs and would get cramps on my hips.

As my teacher Alya knows that I have extreme difficulty doing this pose, she told me that she would be giving this pose during the class so I could work on it. She also told me to make sure to rotate my upper thighs outwards during the pose.  ”What!?” was my surprised reaction to Alya’s advise as  I would always rotate my legs inwards during this pose.  It immediately dawned on me that I was doing this pose wrong all along.  

In yoga, a simple adjustment of a body part could make all the difference in the way the pose is executed.  This is what I learned today.    

Day 4 of cramming for Faeq Biria’s workshop: I could not attend class today. What a major bummer. I did try to do some posses at home on my own.  I have come to the realization that the most difficult part of yoga is practicing alone.

Day 3 of cramming for Faeq Biria’s workshop: Today’s class is not so good (or should I say I was not good during this class). I was late for class and was not allowed to join the mediation. When I did adho mukha svanasana (downward facing dog), my hands were all sweaty and I slipped. I got cramps while doing parivritta parsvakonasana (revolved side angle pose). Worst of all, I could not bring myself do my favorite pose, sirsasana (headstand). It is one of those days and I am wondering whether I will survive Faeq Biria’s classes.

Preparing for Shicharan Faeq Biria’s workshop

Since the beginning of this year, I have not been practicing yoga as much as I should. My excuse: work, travel and getting the flu thrice. The real reason: I did not have the will to attend classes or practice on my own.

A few weeks ago, on that rare occasion when I willed myself to go to class, I was reminded that Sricharan Faeq Biria will be visiting the Philippines to teach our yoga classes for two days.  According to the Iyengar Yoga Manila website,

“Sricharan Faeq Biria is the director of the Iyengar Yoga Centre of Paris, and Chair of the Technical Committee of the Iyengar Association of France. For almost 30 years, he has studied directly with B.K.S. Iyengar. He teaches regularly all over Europe, Israel, Japan, Hong Kong, Southern and Northern Africa, Russia, and South and North America. Faeq Biria’s integrity and devotion to B.K.S. Iyengar’s philosophy are manifest in his teaching. His courses are a source of dynamism and inspiration for all yoga practitioners.”

Of course, I want to attend the classes of Sricharan Faeq Biria.  The question is, will I survive the classes.

I have two weeks to get my act together, i.e., pull myself out of this lethargy, attend classes regularly and get my mind to focus on yoga.

Wish me luck!

Star posted a comment about my 29 April 2009 article, Borobudur has taught me Buddhism. I was about to reply to her comment and post several pictures. Alas, this dinosaur does not know if it is possible to post pictures together with a comment and does not have time to learn about it now.  I am, therefore, posting my reply (with pictures) to Star.  You may find this bit of information interesting as well.

Star -  Wow!  I did not realize there is so much one could learn from a lotus.  Incidentally, I learned a pose in my yoga class some time ago.  The pose is called Padmasana.  Padma means lotus and asana means pose.  In his book, Light on Yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar says that Padmasana ”…is one of the most important and useful asanas.  It is the posture for meditation and the Buddha is often depicted in it.”  While the position of the hands of the buddhas in Borobudur change depending on the direction they face, all of them sit in Padmasana.  This is yet again another reason for me to believe that Borobudur takes its inspiration from the lotus.  

Incidentally, I find Padmasana very difficult to do.  I always feel as is my legs would get stuck in that position and I would not be able to untangle myself.  As a result, I have yet to be able to meditate in this pose.