6 weeks and counting

My last class that I will teach in Philadelphia will be led traditionally counted Ashtanga Yoga class at Yoga Squared. After I actually studied and learned the count I was off to Mysore for my 2nd trip to the Shala. Those first days in India are rough. The jet lag is just crazy, and when I couldn't fall asleep I would practice the count. Instead of sheep, I would be laying on a very thin mattress counting vinyasa's. I used to speak of the word "vinyasa" as a qualitative term that many people agree on, meaning "to place in a special way." I liked the way that this term implied thoughtfulness and craft.

I no longer define "vinyasa" in this way. Now, for me, vinyasa is the understanding of movement. How many movements in Surya Namaskara A? Surya A has 9 vinyasa's, nine (very carefully placed) movements. Triangle has 5. Janu A 22. Marichayasana C and D 19, and ect. It is a complex/simple way of really understanding how efficient a yoga can be. How to break it a part and put it back together.

Although the count has become so much more apart of me, I still find myself counting myself to sleep. It is just that steady, and now more than ever before I am looking for what's steady, and not that interested in what's new.

The.....

In Sanskrit it is called rasam. Here in Philly, I just refer to it as "the juice." What's the juice you ask? I prefer to practice with juice in my heart and juicy-ness in every movement. I like to teach and stay with the juice encouraging students to be juicy, pulpy, etc. I say this so much that a student/friend titled a play list on her I-tunes, "walking the juice." Another beloved student who is working in India right now sent me this photo.

The Subject... For Jill, With Love (from Bhubaneswar)

I guess she found in India, and thought of me. That's the Juice!

The Countdown Continues

Mike hates when I keep a count on the calendar. I routinely do this. There have been countdowns to David's arrival, the wedding countdown, the India countdown, and now we have the countdown until the move. When I have these little numbers written marking the weeks until something important, Mike likes to call it the countdown to destruction. I know by heart the weeks until the move. 7 weeks from this very day. 7 Friday's from this one the house will be totally boxed up, and I Mike and I will load a truck up with all those boxes...ugg..

I managed to practice five times this week, and there was really no excuse for not practicing on Wednesday. I just couldn't get it done. I always feel better after practice. Always. Since Guruji's passing I have really clung to practice, it is a direct way to feel closer to Mysore. My classes have been swimming right along, and I am giving one last drop-back workshop next Saturday in Jersey at a really sweet yoga shala, YogaWood.

I am also in the process of putting together some workshops/intensives/etc for the fall/winter before I leave for Mysore. If you want the most updated info/email blast make sure you get on the list at my website, jillmanning.com.

I am going to continue to go with the flow and swim in the ocean of yoga. Ride ON!

Moving

Doesn't everyone hate moving? Here I am in the midst of this epic move. Everything is moving, even my bank account has to move to a new home. To tell the truth I think I started the moving process as soon as Mike was clear that he was going to apply to graduate school. On many levels I am ready to change and to hit the refresh button, and I am at other times wishing for the comfort and the stability that Philadelphia brings.

Practice is strong, but my body feels really grumpy.