Thursday, May 1st, 2008
Penticton, BC - The morning started with confirming my registration. The volunteer at the desk handed me my nametag and conference information package highlighting the importance of reading the protocol for Geeta Iyengar’s visit. Points included:
1. Students should be in modest dress with both men and women wearing underwear, including a bra for ladies. No room for skimpy athletic wear here.
2. You are asked to stand when Geetaji enters and exits the room, do not speak to her unless spoken too, and always use formal speech including “Ma’am" or "Geetaji” to each sentence.
3. Do not point your feet in her direction when seated as this is a sign of disrespect. Good thing, because I was a few days late for my pedicure.
Students rushed around nervously awaiting the arrival of their teacher’s teacher. I was reminded of ealier years when I attended swimming competition,s although there was no competition there. Just a sea of colours and energy as we all worked to find our appropriate spots and set up our props. Groups of people were introduced to highlight where they were from. Every province in Canada was represented. Some came from as far away as the US, Mexico, Bermuda, Spain, and even Hong Kong!
After the dust settled, Geetali entered to applause and a Namaste greeting. It was an emotional moment for me as I realized she is the highest ranked Iyengar teacher in the world since her father, Guruji BKS Iyengar, retired from teaching. He is, after all, turning 90 this year.
Geeta started with the puja, a traditional Hindu ritual consisting of a offering of food and flowers concluding in a series of chants. We performed the puja in honour of our Guru, BKS Iyengar, whose photo sat promently on the alter. The puja is part of the path of Raja or Royal Yoga. Once the ceremony is over, Geeta explained it as an offering of things we hope to receive. She then translated and interpreted each chant, for those of us not quite as stong in our Sanskrit.
Invocation to Sage Patanjali
Yogena cittasya padena vacam
Malam sarirasya ca vaidyakena
Yopakarottam pravaram muninam
Patanjalim pranajaliranato'smi
Abahu purusakaram
Sankha cakrasi dharinamsahasra sirasam
Svetam pranamami patanjalim
Hari ohm
Go to http://www.bksiyengar.com/ to learn more about Sri BKS Iyengar and Geetaji.
The afternoon was set aside for pranayama or breath control. Geetaji first included a restorative asana practice in order to lengthen the spine to allow for more fluid breathing. She emphasized flatening the back, extending the sides of the trunk, and opening the armpits. What if you can't touch your abdomen to your thighs in Uttanasana without rounding your back? Then don't touch your thighs. Why, Geeta asked, do we feel we should push past where our bodies need to be, at the expense of our alignment and our health?
Other poses included supported Adho Mukha Virasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, and Supta Buddha Konasana.
One last note: I'd like to wish Trish a Happy Birthday once again. The Calgary Iyengar group organized a surprise brithday party for her on the first night of the Conference. Needless to say, the surprise worked. Check out my friend Anna W's blog for photos of the evening: http://yoga-it-up.blogspot.com/
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Friday, May 2nd, 2008
With one day already under our belts, the pressure was off. The morning schedule included our first full asana practice of three hours. The basics were emphasized; no fancy backbends or crazy inversions. We stood in Tadasana until we could really feel what Geeta was asking of us. We ended the morning by chanting the first of the four Padas or sections of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, a new experience for me. We were lead by Abi Iyengar, Geetaji's niece. She recited each sutra, we repeated after.
The afternoon was our second pranayama session. After a break of a few hours where I rested the sun and read the newspaper, I found it difficult to stay awake in reclining pranayama. Seated breath control proved easier, although several of us commented on how our legs fell completely asleep through the twenty minutes or so of supported Sukasana. Techniques practiced included Ujjayi and Viloma. In the former, Geetaji maticulously described the sections of the rib cage and emphasized their independent expansion and release.
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