What is a "Rookie" exactly?

As you can see from the description line on this blog, I will refer to myself as a "Rookie Ashtangi".

I found a definition of "rookie" whilst wasting my time away online. Don't even ask how I wound up on the "Digimon forever" website:

Rookie:

"A stage in a Digimon's life when it learns a unique attack. It uses the Digivice to digivolve to this stage. This Digimon is usually exceptionally strong".

Can we make that:

"A stage in a person's life when it learns a unique approach. It uses the Asnavice to ashtangivolve to this stage. This person is usually exceptionally strong".

Tune of the Day: "Blueberries for breakfast" - Mamas & Papas

What, when, where, why?

After being asked by lots of people these questions, I thought it would be a good idea to start this blog early and get the basics down, even though I think it's a bit premature to open the blog. I'll no doubt update again closer to my actual leaving date.

I am off to see the Guru of my type of yoga Pattabhi Jois at his Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute. He is 91 odd years old and invented Ashtanga yoga, and is affectionately known as Guruji by his students. It means "Little Guru".

Ashtanga is a very dynamic form of yoga where you develop strength and flexibility, and you also become calmer and happier. Ashtanga changed my life in many ways, and I can really say that I have grown as a person through it.

I leave on the 4th of November and return on the 3rd of December. So in about 2 months time. Before you go you have to send a letter announcing that you will be attending, but they never answer you, you just turn up, so there's that slight worry that they might tell you you can't come or something! Hope not.

Pattabhi jois's Shala (yoga practice place) is in Mysore, approximately 3 hours by train away from Bangalore in southern India. I will be staying at the Shakti Inn, which is run by some yoga students who also attend the same Shala. I have my own room, own bathroom with hot water, and can use the kitchen as well. Although as we all know I might burn it down so I'll buy my food from local restaurants :)

There are pictures of the Shala here.

My reasons for going...well there are a few. I want to go and experience being taught by Pattabhi Jois in his Shala, and experience the atmosphere there - basically go and see what it's all about. I want to deepen my practice, so not aim to learn new postures and things, but rather gain a greater understanding of the practice as a whole, to be inspired. I am going on my own, so I think I'm going to grow up a little more, and it's a chance to get away from everything and step back. I might also learn to be a morning person as I understand that practice starts around 6:30am. It's also sunday to friday - saturday is a holiday.

I'm going to do a course in Ayurvedic massage hopefully as well. I've always wanted to do something like that and I think it will teach me an awful lot, which will be able to be applied to my yoga practice as I'll have a better understanding of the body.

If I manage or not to do this course will depend on how much computer science work I will have to do as well. It seems a shame to waste a whole month of research and analysis when the timescale for the final build of the system is around easter. Then I will have mass data analysis to do and publications to write before finishing my thesis - time flies. Mysore may also become "mysore head"!

It is a very strict yoga school. I am not allowed to practice with any other teachers while I am there for one, and I hear that you work very hard! Ashtanga is practiced as a series (there are 6), and I practice the primary series, it takes a long time to master it and it is very challenging. Before starting your practice of primary series, you do sun salutation A and B, then the fundamentals. I practice until the end of it with teachers here in the UK and elsewhere in the world, but this is not how things are done in Mysore. I will be stopped when it is estimated that I need to be. This can be at any point. I may well end up doing sun salutaions every morning (the very first postures) and nothing else, but you have to respect the level of teaching that you are recieving and trust that this is for the good of your practice. So I'll just go with what I'm told to do. There are postures which I find very hard and others further on in the series after those ones which I find quite easy, but that's not the point. Each posture prepares for the next, so if I am stuck on one, I have to work there until I master it. A major challenge for me is Marychiasana D. I have a long spine and tight shoulders so it's very hard. Of course I don't do any of the postures as well as I could do, so there will be plenty to learn wherever I end up!

I have been practising for almost 2 years now, every day. I am considered to be at the very beginning of my yoga journey. In theory everyone is a beginner every time they come to the mat, so even after 30 years, you still learn. But I think that after a certain amount of time and a few series, you are probably considered to be an advanced student! I am a beginner. I'm not aware of many beginners going to Mysore, but I suppose I'll find out when I get there. I explained this in my letter to the institute, so they have been warned!

I will be updating this blog while I am there and so you will be able to find out what I'm up to. I have a feeling that I may be complaining of a sore everything else as well as a sore bum! Hopefully though I won't get ill, I will certainly be staying away from the tap water.

I shall no doubt miss you all very much, but not the winter weather. Although I will have to wear trousers and cover my shoulders because revealing your body is frowned upon, but I will be able to wear usual yoga garb (tiny shorts and vest tops) in the Shala.

Cool. I think that sums it up nicely for now :)

Tune of the day: "Jaia Ganesha Jaia" by The Dum Dum Project