Guro-rangri-padme

Manas-cenna lagnam guro-rangri-padme

tatah kim tatah kim, tatah kim tatah kim

if we don’t lay down our mind at the feet of the guru,

then what, then what, then what, then what?

I’m bringing together here a teaching i received through both the asana practice and chanting with Jayasree. the above is a passage repeated at the end of each verse of the Guru-Astakam from Shankaracharya. which explains that everything we pocess and are capable of, are meaningless unless we surrender our ego to the truth (the Dharma) of the Guru’s teaching.

each week here in the practice i experience this by closely following Sharath’s vinyasa counts, and surrendering to the higher order created by practicing in unison with the group. i also received a teaching in Shraddha (faith) in the teacher/practice which transformed my daily practice.

“Don’t Cheat! or you go home!” this was one of the first personal instructions i received from Sharath during the third week of my being here. he observed me in the 9th vinyasa of Urdhva Muhka Pashimotanasana. (inhale – rock up) i was holding on to my ankles so as to be able to come up with straight legs, creating the illusion of doing the vinyasa correctly, i was caught “cheating.”

“You take heels, staright legs! no cheating!” so i proceeded to take hold of the sides of my feet and attempt to rock up with straight legs. not happening. i tried repeatedly before giving up and rocking up while bending my knees. after practice i went to ask him for advice. he just smiled and said “practice more.”

he had ousted me from my hiding place, and i had no choice but to surrender my ego and come back everyday and face myself, practice more, or go home. so i developed a new routine of earnestly attempted 2-3 times to come up with straight legs, and eventually giving in to bending my knees and comtinuing on. this became my new “vrtti-sarupyam” or self-image. Sharath let me be with it.

Nearly a month later, having just returned from HongKong, Sharath brought with him a renewed intensity to the shala. practice was up a notch and i was going through my routine rocking up with bentlegs, when i heard his voice, “STRAIGHT LEGS!” i didn’t need to look to know who this was directed at, i felt it. Atha-yoganusasanam, it was “now.”

i accepted his will over my own underestimated self image, and did it. i’ve continued to do it again and again each day. not always on the first try, but the doubt is gone, and my faith in the practice is strengthened. so now when i come to U.M.Pashimo’ and i rock up with straight legs, i then exhale in to the forward bend and place my mind at the feet of the guru.  “Gurorangripadme”

for if not, then what, then what, then what, then what?

Sharath said in one of the first Sunday talks at the shala i attended, “Yoga is for Self-realization, not exercise.” i feel this is what he means. i didn’t just come to be able to do another trick with my body, i actually came to a deeper understanding of my self through this experience.

We are all capable of much more than we seem. Each of us has within ourselves infinite capacities. it is only through constant practice, “uninterrupted, with an attitude of devotion and faith that the practice becomes a firm ground beneath our feet.”

peace