Ascending the Glass Mountain

• Practice: Ashtanga Primary Series (Mysore)
• Length: 70 minutes + 15 minute Shavasana
• Supplements: 5x ShroomTech Sport, 2x AlphaBrain, 80mm cannabis sativa

Today was my first day practicing in Philadelphia. I had a traditional Mysore practice, doing almost all of the primary series. The room is pretty small and there were over 15 people packed in it in addition to the teacher and his assistants. This results in a great energy and heat, but unfortunately there just is not space to do some postures like Supta Konasana and Supta Padangustasana. Anyway, I had some of the best assists I’ve ever gotten. In Marichyasana D I was able to bring my hands off the mat and hug my leg, allowing me to get a much deeper twist than ever before. I question this because of how much my sitsbone has to come off the mat to actually be able to hug my leg, but if he thinks this will benefit my practice more, I will continue doing it. Then in Urdvha Danurasana he gave me a few tweaks like heel alignment and hand position that were surprisingly helpful. Working in Sarvangasana with a rolled mat and additional styrofoam support allowed me to get really good extension.

He has this weird rule about not having water in the room. I appreciate the idea of not drinking during Ashtanga so as not to diminish the heat, but as I explained to him, I drink before Shavasana to allow me to cool off and relax. He was okay with that, but still made me keep my water outside of the room. Which meant I had to leave and come back, disturbing people all the way.

After practicing, while waiting for my group to finish I overheard a conversation between two of the regular students. One guy was recounting his night and joked that he had wanted to spike the punchbowl at his party with DMT, although it wouldn’t have had any effect. I uncharacteristically inserted myself in the conversation and advised the use of an MAO inhibitor. Much to my confusion the other student assumed I was a healthcare professional because I had this knowledge. Anyway, it’s pretty serendipitous that the first time I leave my studio (which is not really anti-drug, but no one uses anything as far as I know) I get a connection for the drug I most want to do and have the least access to?

• Practice: Hot Yoga (Led)
• Length: 70 minutes + 5 minute Shavasana
• Supplements: 5x ShroomTech Sport, 2x AlphaBrain, 30mm cannabis sativa vaped

I’ve been pursuing Hot Yoga to supplement my Ashtanga practice for about a month. I hope it will allow me to control my hyperhidrosis, but I’m afraid I’ve seen no progress so far, only regression, if that’s possible.

The warrior sequence in this class is the single hardest exercise I’ve ever done… I look forward to it all week.

I have a variety of poses I need clarified, but I can only remember what when I’m doing it… :(

Hot Yoga seems really hard to teach because you do the poses (unlike most Ashtanga classes), but I want to get into this since my studio runs more Hot classes than Ashtanga classes. I really need to work on memorizing the sequence (only ever taking it high probably isn’t helping me, haha), but after that the teacher in charge of the program said I could teach it without even taking the Hot Yoga training.

• Practice: Ashtanga Primary Series (Mysore)
• Length: 80 minutes + 25 minute Shavasana
• Supplements: 5x ShroomTech Sport, 2x AlphaBrain, 30mm cannabis sativa vaped

Another typical Mysore.

• Prasarita A headstand hovering is difficult, but definitely great for core strengthening.
• Sliding the arms down the back in Marichyasanas to root and get more extension.
• I have no idea how to start working my feet onto my head in Supta Kurmasana, but I feel like it’s time.

The owner of my studio offered to let me take over one of her classes once training is over… I was totally flabbergasted, not expecting such an offer to come even after training is over. I guess it’s more of a convenience thing on her end, not wanting to teach both days of the weekend… but does that diminish the fact that she thought of me when there are a dozen more qualified teachers who have in-studio teaching experience?

And she’s starting Hot Ashtanga and said I can teach that too… what is happening? When I got my job four months ago and my boss asked “What’s the worst thing your manager could ever say to you?” and I answered “You’re fired.” I would have never fathomed that within a half a year I’d be hoping to get fired… Unemployment + teaching yoga + freelance programming sounds so much more balanced and rewarding than programming 40 hours a week?

I teach a free beginners class on Monday nights in the Northeast of Pennsylvania. Get in touch with me if you would like to attend.

So for teacher training we all have to come up with (and later implement) an eight week course for beginners.

Week One: Heat

I plan to devote the first 10-15 minutes for introductions, including inquiring about any medical issues, ailments, aches, etc. as well as trying to get some students to speak about what they are expecting and what they hope to gain from the pursuit of the practice.
    What brought you here today?
    What do you hope to gain from what we’re about to do?
    Do you have any injuries to be aware of?

Speak briefly about Ashtanga, depending on what is brought up by students, to give an overview. 5-10 minutes.

In the first week I plan to focus the new students on heat. Where do we derive the heat necessary for this practice? Well, we can heat the room, but this is hot yoga, not ashtanga yoga. Instead the heat is self-derived from ujjayi breath. This deep nostril breathing with a slight constriction of the throat makes the sound of the ocean when implemented correctly. The use of ujjayi allows your body to build a fire inside itself which increases your flexibility as the practice progresses and also flushes toxins from the body. Ujjayi is done in sync with movement. Other benefits of this type of pranayama include:

    Promotes balance
    Calms the body (and ultimately the mind)
    Increases oxygenation and blood flow
    Increases lung capacity
    Gives you a rhythm by which to flow through the movements of the asanas
    Retains life force/energy (prana) that might otherwise be lost

A sequence of three instructions is generally given to those trying to implement the breath:

    Elongation of neck
    Constriction of the throat
    Jalandhara bandha (chin lock, tilting toward the chest).

5-10 minutes for explanation of breath, demo - Expansion of the ribcage/diaphragm in 360° on the inhale, letting it relax on the exhale.

    Demo lying on mat/floor, compare to normal breathing
    Come to samasthiti to begin the practice. Those that are comfortable following along with the first sun salutation demonstration should feel free to do so, or wait and join in on the next one.

Offer modifications in each part of the posture, but do show the full version for those more athletic/experienced. Always reinforcing that people are free to skip poses or take something that is less challenging if necessary.

Postures to teach: Surya Namaskara A & B, Padangustasana, Trikonasana, Parsvokanasana, Utthita Hasta Padangustasana, Vihrabadrasana A & B, Pascimatanasana, Janushirasana, Navasana, Bridge, Shoulderstand, Closing

Week One Handout: Surya Namaskara A & B Pose Breakdown with brief overview of breath

Week Two: Meditation

Week Two’s overview will be about finding a gaze to promote a meditative practice. Obviously many of the beginners will not be able to maintain a true dristhi throughout the practice, but to whatever extent they can practice this, they should start.

Then a brief review of ujjayi and how ujjayi and dristhi go together through movement.

Explain how dristhi can lead to pratyahara? Probably too advanced for beginners to grasp, but what else am I supposed to talk about?

Show overview of different gazing points before beginning so that people know, especially explaining third eye and nosetip.

Postures to teach: Tree, Purvotanasana, Marichyasana A & C

Week Three: Review and Focus

Week Three will be spent really reinforcing previously taught concepts and making sure that everyone is conscious of keeping these elements in mind as their practice advances.

Postures to teach: Prasarita Padotanasana A & B, Tiryang Mukha Eka Pada Pascimatanasana, Janushirasana B

Week Four: Chanting

This week will be spent introducing the om chant, explaining how to make the sound, why we are making the sound and when it is traditionally used.

Encourage students to start experimenting with a more complete home practice, by providing more pose sheets for those postures that have been taught so far.

Postures to teach: Prasarita Padotanasana C & D, Marichyasana B & D

Week Five: Backbending

For those that have been comfortable in bridge pose, backbend will be attempted, explaining different entrances, transitions and exits.

Postures to teach: Buhjapedasana, Chromasana, Supta Chromasana, Baddha Konasana

Week Six:

Postures to teach: Pravrita Trikonasana, Pravrita Parsvokanasana, Janushirasana C, Garbhapindasana

Week Seven:

Postures to teach: Upavhista Konasana, Supta Hasta Padangustasana, Urbhaya Padangustasana, Urdvha Mukha Pascimotonasana

Week Eight

Postures to teach: Matsyasana, Sirasana,

Haven’t journaled in over a week… Shame on me.

Tonight I was supposed to teach my first beginners class. Eight people committed to being there. It ended up being two. One of which was my sister-in-law who co-organized, the other being her/my friend. Two of each of our friends bailed, in addition to my brother. So it didn’t really turn into a beginners class since they were both experienced. One hasn’t practiced in 10 years, but was able to push through the whole primary series, despite my teacher having told me to stick to teaching sun salutaitons only.

It’s so tricky to find the right economy of words to convey the important basic concepts to new practitioners, especially those things which are now reflexes to you… it seems like teaching will really keep you in touch with your own practice and allow you to not lose sight of little things. But it is still difficult to convey these concepts, especially when people have varying degrees of prior knowledge, interest, motivation, focus, etc. How do you find the balance of telling them enough that it is a challenge, to keep them interested, but not overload them and push them away because they get confused?

Being able to observe people and offer dynamic feedback seems like it is the key to it being interesting from the teacher’s perspective. The relationships seem to also be very motivating and intriguing, but at the same time I don’t know if I’m ready to accept the amount of gratitude I have for my teachers… and taking people’s money? Forget it…

Obviously the practice isn’t for everyone, but is it appropriate to feel insecure when people flake or lose interest? Can you fault yourself for not being captivating enough, or is it on them because they are not applying themselves? Is it right to pass any such judgements?

• Practice: Ashtanga Primary Series (Mysore)
• Length: 90 minutes + 30 minute Shavasana
• Supplements: 5x ShroomTech Sport, 1x AlphaBrain, 50mm cannabis sativa vaped

Today I had a new Mysore teacher. He’s great and I expect the next few weeks that he is teaching the class will really allow me to get a lot of good information from him. Observing him throughout the class I noticed that he has a ridiculously high adjustment volume, just touching people for a couple seconds. I think he adjusted me about 14 times.

• Adho Mukha Svanasana: lift up the lower abdomen with one arm across it and the other pressing from the back at the same spot.
• Utthita Hasta Padangustasana: work on height and stability with knee bent (still grabbing toe) in first 1/3
• Marichasana C & D: work upward-facing knee’s sitsbones to floor and avoid false height that arises from having this off the floor
• Sirasana: make base narrower for increased stability by placing hands further outside arms when setting up
• Intensity: lower it, work on not tensing face… I guess if he told me three times it must be pretty important, but it’s not like I’m intentionally tensing my face…

• Practice: Ashtanga Half Primary Series, Second Series Back Bending (Led)
• Length: 75 minutes + 10 minuteShavasana
• Supplements: 5xShroomTech Sport, 1xAlphaBrain, 40mm cannabis sativa vaped

All I have to reflect on is my bind in Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana. Had it this morning in Mysore, but not at night in led. And that I need to try Sirasana with really small, slanted blocks.

I always think of so much good stuff to write throughout the course of the night, but by the time I finally get to journal, most of it isn’t easy to spit out. I guess I need to work on mentally organizing the thoughts better.

After practicing for 90 minutes, doing completely new second series poses, it was decided that I was going to lead the practice that followed in teacher training. I was worried at first but tonight was the first night I really got into it. A couple times I spaced out at the realization that an entire room of people were hanging on every word I said, aligning their movement and breath by my say, but overall it went pretty well. No applause like the for the person who led last night, but she did the full series. I was very impressed with her and was using that as motivation to try to be as good.

I was a bit disappointed that we only did standing series when I led. I’ve done that much before… but not with a full 10 sun salutations at the beginning. I was somewhat looking forward to leading seated poses by the time we were on Virabhadrasanas. I just need to familiarize myself with the breath counts to be more comfortable leading the seated postures, I think.

My biggest concern is with too much monotony in how I lead the postures. I kind of feel like most teachers are repetitive with the same language, most of the time (especially throughout sun salutations) and I never mind that as a student, so I guess I shouldn’t worry about it. But after 50 breaths in sun salutations how much more can you say other than 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 without repeating yourself? Or is repeating yourself good because people may not have heard the tip or applied it?

• Practice: Ashtanga Primary Series (Mysore)
• Length: 70 minutes + 5 minute Shavasana
• Supplements: 5x ShroomTech Sport, 2x AlphaBrain, 120mm cannabis sativa, 20mm cannabis sativa vaped

This was my first early morning Mysore practice and probably my favorite so far (guessing this was only my 8th time or so).

I never really believed what people said about being more flexible in the morning, but it seems to ring true with me.

Too bad I don’t have more time to journal.

Assists:
Pulling down the back leg in Trikonasanas/Parsvokanasanas
Standing on the thighs in Butterfly
Pulling up into the hips in Adho Mukha Svanasana