Jai Uttal

Woke up at 5.10am feeling really tired but was quickly in the car and on my way to practise at 6am. It takes about 30mins to drive to the shala and this morning's drive I was accompanied by Jai Uttal in my cd player. I just got his "Kirtan" double cd yesterday in the mail. I'd ordered it from cdbaby.com. I've never been to any kirtan before, but I love this album. I loved singing to it in the car. Speaking of kirtan, tomorrow there is a kirtan class in Collingwood that I might attend. I've always wanted to try it.

Practise this morning was awesome! It flowed really well and I was conscious of a lot during the practise. Ujjayi breathing thru the practise was the best today. A few times it didn't flow well, but overall it was much better. I was also aware of my bandhas and am seeing how they affect directly. Today's balancing postures were also the best so far. I guess today just flowed really well and that was really noticable for me. I even noticed I was able to go further in almost all of the postures. Today we did Urdhva Dhanurasana again and this time it didn't hurt my back. I really felt it in my shoulders and legs. They're just building strength. We also prepared for Shirhsasana aswell. Next week we'll be going further and am looking forward to it.

Class at the moment is only twice a week because it's a beginner's (2nd) course, but I'm going to do home practise this weekend. Just to do what we've done so far. I'm finding twice a week just isn't enough.

I've noticed my mood has been so much better since doing Ashtanga. I really noticed this last night when I visited my sister's house. Just general catching up on what's going on in eachother's lives, etc. Getting comments from her and other people about looking healthier and being in good spirits has reaffirmed how powerful Ashtanga is. She said I used to look pale and sick. I was very skinny and pale and people used to think I didn't eat. Now I focus on what goes into my body and enjoy looking after it. We only have one, so best to look after it. It was fantastic to see her last night. She's looking really well and seems to be in good spirits.

Thank god tomorrow's Friday. I can't wait for the weekend. I just want to relax, read and see a couple of my friends and spend time with Adam. We've only been dating for a few months but so far it's going great. I got an email about an hour ago from my friend Lisa before saying she wants to catchup. Lisa is practically an older sister to me. We grew up in the same street. Her brother Daniel is also my best friend as we all grew up together. Anyways, it'll be great to see her. We'll probably go to St Andrew's market (hippy market in the aussie bush) then go for lunch somewhere. I usually go to the market every saturday morning during spring and summer and drink chai, read and enjoy the sun with some of my hippy friends. A fantastic way to start the weekend. I haven't been for about a month so it'll be good to go, but it's only going to be 18 degrees...eeek! Oh well, at least I can buy some Ayurvedic soap from the indian lady. She imports soap from Mysore and it smells sooooo nice and makes my skin really soft and smooth. It's the best.

Anzac Day

Well yesterday was the beginning of the Beginner's level 2 course. It started at 8am and not 6am beacuse it was Anzac Day (public holiday). I was the only male in a room of about 6 females. I had a lot of difficulty breathing yesterday going from one pose to the next. Mainly because my body is healing from a few years of smoking. My lung capacity should get better over time. At least it's a good sign and will only get better. Yesterday we did backbends for the first time, which hurt my lower back a little bit but no too much that is caused pain or required me to stop. We also got up to Janu Shirshasana A and did the shoulder stand which at times was a little uncomfortable, but for a first try at them I think I did pretty well and am looking forward to doing them again.

In the Beginning...

Well, here I am, actually writing a blog. I will primarily focus on my ashtanga practise along with other bits here and there.

I am very new to Ashtanga Vinyasa and yoga in general. I've only done 6mths of Gita Hatha at a local high school. I first heard of Ashtanga many years ago when a friend of mine at the time was doing it. Then years later heard that Madonna was doing it - not that I cared.

For some reason years later, I decided out of the blue that I wanted to do Ashtanga. So the next day I found a shala in my home town of Melbourne, Australia and took a casual beginners class. I walked out of that class feeling on top of the world. Seriously! I could not remember ever feeling so good after 1.5hrs. So I signed up then and there for a 6 week beginners course, 2 days a week at 6am. Today was the last day of that 6 week course. Monday is the beginning of the beginners 2 course - again for 6 weeks which provides a transition from beginners to mysore style classes. I can't wait to be at the shala more than 2 days a week at 6am practising. No one warned me that it would become addictive. Although I have a large amount of enthusiasm and motivation, I'm not going to rush myself into anything. One thing I have already learnt and continuing to learn more of is - Patience. I have six years of gymnastics and 3 years of ballroom dancing behind me which has helped me a lot. I know to be aware of my body and to listen to it so that I do not injure myself etc.

Already in 6 weeks I have changed a lot. I can't believe the doorways that have opened within me and around me. I am definitely a lot calmer. I'm reading Guruji's book "Yoga Mala" and John Scott's "Ashtanga Yoga" and have picked up all my old yoga books from 2 years ago and have begun to read more about Yoga. The spiritual/philosophical side is very interesting and feels familiar.

I've been following quite a few mysore/ashtanga blogs online and they have inspired me more and more, so thank you to those whose blogs I've read and have drawn inspiration from. Joey's 'Road to Mysore' , Russel's Mysore Musings blog, Alan's Mysore Diary, and others, etc. Even though I'm a complete beginner to the Astanga practise, I thought, "why not start a blog and see yourself progress even if I am a beginner" - no harm in it anyway. I feel a little weird as all the other people who have blogs have more experince, but hey - we all share a passion for ashtanga. We all start somewhere.

Not really sure what else to write in my first entry. Maybe some general info would help. Okay, a brief rundown. I'm a 23yo scorpion male living in Melbourne Oz, working as a web designer, am a middle eastern and african percussionist/drummer, studying pranic healing, learning to contact juggle, etc. the list goes on. More revealed on this thing over time.

Back to my practice for a sec...just so when I look back in months and even years time I can see where I was at the beginning. So far after 6 weeks we have been shown up to 'one leg folded back' (Tiriangmukhaipada Paschimattanasana). One major thing that stood out during this morning's practise was my losing breath during some of the sequence. I've pin-pointed a bit of this to exhaling to quickly coming out of a pose back into chaturanga, the exhaling should be slower to enable me to get into Chaturanga Dandasana without losing breath or holding my breath. Also, my balancing postures (standing leg raises & half-lotus bound, standing forward bend) seem to be more difficult than other postures. I have always suffered cramps in the soles of my feet for years and during these poses my feet get a little sore, but good sore, not painful. I can really feel the muscles working in my feet and this has helped my feet a tremendous amount. Once I build up more strength in my feet I assume I will be able to balance a lot easier. Well, I hope anyway. Knowing that I'm very new to this all, I'm aware it's all just time, patience and practice. I'm in no hurry. I just like to observe and learn the correct techniques to experience the full benefits of Ashtanga Vinyasa over time :)