Sharath Talk in Encinitas 2012 via Julie

Hi Ashtanga Yoga Friends,

Here's Julie Southwell's recap of attending class in Encinitas with Sharath and Saraswati (Pattabhi Jois's daughter and grandson)--Julie recorded the talk on her Iphone

Sharath led the Primary series in the traditional simple-rhythmic-Sanskirt counting method.  The few "additions" he made were to remind people to BREATHE, (free deep breathing), and "Why you hurry", when folks would rush through the vinyasas or transition breaths. "DON'T HURRY" was loudly proclaimed more than once in the class.  The deep joy and kindness came through in his teaching despite the loud corrections.  And the room was transported, myself included,  He gave a 20 min. Q & A talk afterwards:

Q: How do we get going for practice, is coffee ok?

A: You take coffee it's a boost up, it is a "boosting up" it can remove the sleep from your eyes and bring you back to this world. (laughs) and helps your practice and prana.

Q: What about sleep, how many hours do you recommend per night?

A: 5-6 hours is enough, if you go to a deep sleep.  Sometimes if you take sleep too much your body also will ache.  Bodyache will come if you sleep longer.   For yoga practitioners, 6 hours is enough.

Q: You said free deep breathing, is that different from "Ujjayi breathing"?

A:  Ujjayi is a pranayama, there's lots of confusion here. Ujjayi is a pranayama, it's a kumbaka (breath retention) pranayama, not what we are doing in practice.  There are 8 kumbaka's to eventually practice. With the deep breath (with sound) , the air will freely come inside and out, and it activates the practice.  Ujjayi has contraction, it is totally different but looks similar. Some student long ago asked Guruji "is it Ujjayi breath" and he just said "yeah, yeah" referring to something else, and everyone started calling it that.

Q: What are daily min. practice guidlines, like if we are sick. or busy is there a baseline min. practice recommendation?

A: If a yogi stays in one place, it is Important for yogi to stay in one place, as recommended in the Shastras.  Yogis travel around too much, and the environment changes too much.  A yoga practitioner must follow a certain strictness within him to practice with consistent rhythm.  Whenever you go to a different place the environment, climate changes, you can feel it straight away, it takes a long time to get used to that. That's why when a student comes to Mysore, we ask them to do first week only primary, to do a gentler practice. This is because of jet lag, time changes etc. The "baseline" depends on each individual's certain practice, what they are working on.

Q: What is the mantra that you are chanting alone after the invocation?

A: That is my personal mantra, thanking lineage for giving us this practice.

Q: What is the role of meditation practice, dhyana in ashtanga yoga?

A: It is not "practiced".  Meditation should happen within us. The four external limbs are "practiced" (yama, niyama, asana, pranayama), and when these are perfect then the others happen pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi.  Meditation is to withdraw all the senses and to bring oneness within you.  Many close their eyes and meditate, this is not meditation, it looks like meditation but is not real meditation.  You are just "trying" to meditate, not letting it happen automatically as a result of the practices. Yoga means without distraction, or yoga citta vrtti nirodhah, in the 2nd yoga sutra. It's the final stage of yoga, how do you get that stage?  In order to bring this into the body and mind one must do asana, pranayama, yama and niyama. Meditation is automatic when these become strong within us. Even when sitting here you can just go to meditation, automatically it can happen.  You can go and try to concentrate in one place, sit and try to bring oneness within you.  Real meditation means to withdraw all the senses. If we develop certain qualities within us we can reach those levels of yoga.  There is nothing fancy, it's as simple as that.  This happens when breathing is correct, that's why the breathing is very important in asana, sometimes the breathing just happens on its own (chuckle), we have to control it. When we control our breathing, and we can control our body through the mind, and then we can control the mind through this correct breath, so then there are no distractions...This is very important in yoga.

Q: How would I teach my children astanga yoga, encourage them to practice?

A: Let them watch you practice. Let them be there for yoga. That's how I learned. Guruji wanted me to be in the yoga classes, and i wanted to go out and play. To teach, encourage them, children will take interest, they like to try to imitate parents, copy their parents.

Q: Recommendations for people in their 50's and 60's for yoga practice?  Should they change their practice?

A: Practice. There is no age for yoga. It should keep happening even past asanas.  If you are not able to do certain asanas then do the other limbs. Many people think ashtanga yoga means only physical...jumping back, handstands, jumping around...If you can jump through with straight legs or do handstand it doesn't mean you will reach Samadhi that doesn't mean you are a yogi.  Yoga is that which there is a spiritual development in you.  Once it develops in you, there is no age, it keeps happening in you. Wherever you go, whatever you do, it keeps on happening. Asana is so attractive, that is why yogis start with asanas, but that is not the final stage. Final stage is spiritual practice. SO you have to understand that, once you understand that there is no age. Guruji always used to quote a verse meaning the young, old, sick, and those with no strength can all practice...the only man who can't practice is a lazy man. Lazy person, they can't practice (laughs from students).

Q:Can you describe Samadhi?

A: Samadhi is once you don't have any more desires.  Those are what is keeping you here in your body. You want this and that, and are attached to so many things. You have lots of attachments in you.  Once you get rid of all the attachments then you'll go to Samadhi. Samadhi and leaving the body is the same thing. Many yogis did this... Yogananda Paramahansa did this...he kept one desire in order to stay in his body. He was very fond of food. He kept this desire.  Every day when he gave lectures, he would get up for a break and go in the kitchen and ask his wife what she was cooking today.  She would say "shame on you" asking about food when your disciples are waiting outside there for you. She got really mad..."everyone sees you as a God, and you are coming here asking about the food again". But he continued and told her when he doesn't show interest in the "thali" (Indian plate of several dishes) when you bring it, is the time when he will leave his body within 3 days.  Sure enough one day several yrs later she served his thali plate and he turned his head.  She started crying and all and he said," there is no point in crying i must go now". Yogis have lots of tricks how to keep their bodies. 

And this first Yogi who came to the U.S. who is that? (Sharath asks) Vivakananda. Disciple of RamaKrishna also. We have so much delusion, so many desires. Get rid of the desires, and you reach Samadhi, and reach the Atman, the Supreme Soul.  Get rid of the 6 enemies. Kama (lust, addiction), krodha (anger,), moha (attachment blind attraction), mada (vanity/pride),matsarya (jealousy), lobha, (greed/avarice).  Every human has these...once you get rid of these six enemies you are free, God/the Supreme Soul is free, untouched by these. Yoga philosophy is very big, not just doing asanas for two hours. Asana is important, but we should try to go beyond that.  And try to realize what is yoga.  Once we develop certain qualities we can realize...

Thank you very Much.

Namaste,

Julie Southwell- Bend Yoga

Bend, Oregon