Yoga in a Brave New World

Yoga, you'd think, would be pretty much the same East and West. And mostly it is. Like %80 it is. I found 2 great studios when we first visited over a year ago. One, Sunrise Yoga, is on the 3rd floor of an aging building downtown. It's a roomy studio, with a million plants by the windows in the front of the studio where the teacher sets his mat. He teaches in the Kripalu tradition which, so near as I can tell so far, is not so very different from the Vinyasa yoga I have been practicing for the past few years. They start every class with core work and some crazy hip thing, and they do Warrior I with the heel up instead of heel down, but generally I catch on. The most embarrassing mix up was when the teacher called for "elbow stand" and, taking a guess at what that might be, I went up into a headstand. The way I was arranged, I couldn't really see anyone else, except a great shuffling of mats. When I did finally come out of the pose, I noticed everyone else arranged against the walls in what I had come to know as "forearm balance" or Pincha Mayurasana. Anyway, everyone there seems very nice, they have lots of classes and are very affordable.

I also have been going to Soma Yoga. They don't have as many classes, and are more expensive, so I've just been going once a week. It's on the main drag, further from the downtown in a converted house much like the one we are living in. Everything is very beautiful, and looks newly renovated and painted. The teacher mentioned that she made the bolsters her self, and I wouldn't be surprised if she painted the lovely signs too. It's the same attention to detail she gives to her yoga practice. She teaches in the Iyengar tradition, which means if you get out 3 blankets, a bolster, 2 blocks and a belt before class, there is a chance you'll need one or 2 more blankets before class is over. I find I can generally get through most Vinyasa classes with one blanket, and when I studied in the Ashtanga tradition they eschew all props, so I have learned to do without even my one security blanket when the occasion arises. I have nothing against props, I just am not sure what to do with them in such great quantity, and as last night's class went on, found myself getting into my prop-supported poses with decreasing grace. Class started out with reality intact, but after years of looking for the 4 corners of my feet, I learned last night that actually feet have 3 points, not 4 corners. And after years of agreeing that "the back foot drives the pose" in pyramid, it turns out the front foot is in charge, and allows the back foot to get involved. Plow pose- I still go into that one remembering my Ashtanga teacher adjusting my pose so that the tops of my feet were on the floor. No, sorry, in Iyenger the toes are tucked, and the hands are on the back. Finally we went up into Viparita Karani, and I asked out loud (the only person asking any questions at all, I assure you) "What prop do you guys use here?" The teacher says "just do it the usual way" which turned out to be short by 2 blankets, to make it a total of 2 blankets and a bolster under my hips. Now how do you get up on pile that I wondered? My attempt created a loud thunk-thud type noise. "Now that can't be right" the teacher said. Well, I was just thinking I had lost my "beginner's mind" in Yoga and probably was not as sharp in my practice as I was during my first year or so. I sure feel like a beginner now.

Here's the craziest thing about yoga here. Where are the morning classes? Willow Glenn Yoga had classes like clockwork every morning of the week. I've enjoyed them all but I like Tuesday and Thursday best, thank you (plus Saturdays at home with dog and my son climbing under and over me) followed by a Carrot Ginger Muffin at Peet's.

It's a brave new world I tell you.