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A few lines about....
Yoga, Travelling, Breathing, Moving, Thinking, Enjoying and Whatever catches your fancy...
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Ty Landrum is director of Mary Taylor and Richard Freeman Yoga Workshop in Boulder Colorado. Dedicated to the Art and Philosophy of Astanga Yoga, he suggests in the above snippet a graceful and intelligent way to work on upward-facing dog.
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Dear Reader,
As we enter the Chinese New Year, also today the Sun and the (new) Moon sit together in Aquarius. On top of it, it is your writer's birthday and the opposite sign to Aquarius is Leo. Opposite signs in astrology are really like two sides of the same coin: they are essentially very similar and have neighboring concerns, but are oriented towards the same thing from an opposite direction. One of the great laws of the Universe is the law of balance, the law of Yin and Yang. While astrology has myriads of lessons to teach us about how to use our energy to bring the best in ourselves and understand our nature, one of its misunderstood lessons is about how to use the power of our opposite sign to strengthen and dignify ourselves and our Sun sign. After all, the coin cannot be fully understood by considering just one side. From the vantage point of our Sun sign, it is challenging but deeply rewarding to bring ourselves into understanding and alignment with our opposite sign. So whether we believe in Astrology or think it is hocus pocus, why not just remain open to the idea that inevitable frictions will result from opposing pairs with good potential...
Since it is a new moon, I am taking a break from Astanga practice, which is welcome because I just came back from another Moroccan excursion in Dar Tanio with the 'lumineuse' Klára Püski. We'll be happy to share soon a visual of this sweet week-end and the lovely people (familiar faces and new) whose thirst for learning and sharing keep us on our toes. We were fortunate to have in the crew of participants the multi-talented Ben Beirs, who on top of being a talented Yogi (and teacher as well), is first and foremost an amazing musician. I have a feeling we'll hear more from him and his spellbinding voice on the Paris Yoga scene, where Kirtan and Bhajan sessions are still in their infancy.
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Regarding the educational part of the letter, I invite the reader, whether curious or a regular yogi(ni), whether deeply versed in Astanga or starting in another style, to take a look at the top video. Chaturanga Dandasana (four-limbed staff pose) and Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (updog) are usual suspects when it comes to shoulder injuries. I don't know Mr Landrum personally and he has no idea that I am putting him out there for the interested reader, yet i'll ask that you trust the information emanates from a high quality source with no further agenda than care and concern for the practice.
Getting more personal (and definitely with more of an agenda), I finished the second part of an article which introduces a synthesis of ideas fundamental to understanding how to work in yoga or any other psycho-physical practice (bodywork, massage, martial arts...). It is a bit wordy and brainy, possibly pretentious - and I'll work on that in the future -, but for now I believe there is a lot to chew on regardless. A big thank you to Kathleen Kao, inspiring Chinese Astanga Yogini of the Leo zodiac sign for her extensive reading and many constructive criticisms :-)
You'll find the literature
here
and
here
There are many venues for exploration that those ideas naturally open and suggest, and I am keen on adding to that budding body of knowledge as it matures a little more inside...
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If you wish to try the Morocco experience, I had the good luck of being introduced to and practicing with Gemma Vassallo, a vinyasa flow New Zealand teacher established in Paris. Years back, when I started seriously on the Yoga path in Australia, I got acquainted with the way Australians and New Zealanders approach Yoga. May be it is the strong Nature of the Land, may be it is being down under, may be it is the colonial past and its legacy, or all of that together. The expression work hard / play hard never made more sense to me than in those encounters. Gemma and I will be in Moroccan Mexance from March 17th to 20th, and if you choose to come, rest assured that you will make leaps and bounds in your practice.
In May, we'll be taking off for Lebanon. After giving some thought to the destination, the format, the pricing and the spirit, my partner Nada Matta and myself have decided to rework the format. This will be an adventure, it will be different, there might be a few sweaty moments, but as a Lebanese I'd like to say not much more than what my family or the many Lebanese who never left go through everyday... They are still alive, they still have fun, and they are still crazier than ever: and why not, they are in Love with their country, because it is hard not to be.
Kind regards,
Looking forward to seeing you on the mat,
Best,
E.K
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Real
The Power Of Flow
Gemma, March 17th-20th, Morocco
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Real
Lebanese Adventures In Yoga
Nada Matta, May 21st-28th, Lebanon
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