RIMYI update 2

Geeta taught again this week, for a Thursday night Pranayama class and a Friday evening twists and forward bend class. She is truly back in full form teaching a rigorous class Friday night and seeming to enjoy seeing us work our you know whats off and threatening to retire because we weren't getting it. She said her doctor told her she could go back to teaching but she said when she sees her students doing the wrong actions, it goes into her muscles and she gets very, very tired. Geeta looked good this week and her teaching was strong.

Raya taught a great standing pose class with inversions Monday night. At one point when we were in Sarvangasana (shoulderstand) instead of giving us specific instructions, he said "make this your poem, your essay, your painting, your canvas, your symphony." He was saying to use our yoga creativity to make the pose our own. He spoke to my heart and it was a beautiful metaphor for deeper penetration.

Prashant taught a class Tuesday night where we did only 4 poses in 2 hours learning how to use one body part to inform another. When in supta padangustasana or utthita hasta padangustasana, we used the extension of the up leg to inform the spine or the chest or neck or mind or breath; then vice versa. We held poses a long time while we meditated on the action and results. I came out of that class feeling terrific.

And finally Guruji's brilliance continues to blow me away in his teaching thru Abhi on Wednesday and Saturday. How the web between the thumb and the index finger can have a profound effect on necks, shoulders, side torso in urdhva hastasana. Guruji is relentless. If the actions are not coming, he will not allow Abhi to continue until we get it. He shows on her where we are going wrong and makes her come back to teach until we get it. Sometimes we might do the same pose 4 or 5 or more times. Saturday we were learning new actions for Adho Mukha Virasana. This pose that many of us do to warm up in the beginning of a practice where we get on our knees and just flop forward was given completely new life. I have never found Adho Mukha Virasana so challenging as how it was taught to us yesterday. It was actually nice to feel like a beginner again. I continue to say the man is brilliant. I know I am being repetitive but I can't help myself. The man is brilliant.