Beyond the wheel of existence
Untouched by taints or karma-s or their fruition or their latent stocks is the Lord, who is a special kind of Puruṣa.
An Education
This is not a film review. Although I thought the film by the same title was quite nice. This post is about my Yoga education. I was not very sure about teaching yoga when I had signed up for the training. I could not do most of the asanas in a picture perfect way. I am way better now, but far from perfection. Anyway, I was simply drawn to Yoga. After quite some time battling with injuries, I have decided to teach.
I like teaching Yoga. It gives me a completely different aspect or angle of yoga. Sometimes I refer to my notes as to how I can explain something in the most minimum of words. When I taught my first class, I was using a few sentences to which my student was not responding. I mean, I know this asana so well, but how do I convey it to the other person who is relying just on my words. I try to demonstrate and then all goes well. But that is incorrect, a few glitches of being a first time instructor. I have improved it since then and I also remembered one of my teachers say that the yoga instructor should be able to convey every single move just by dialog. When I practice on my own, I do not need to work on how I should convey this. Teaching classes add this layer to my practice which I enjoy. I also notice that trying to come up with a class structure keeps my home practice interesting. I refer back to my notes and there is so much out there which I sort of forget to practice in my self practice. Or a pranayama technique which I have not practiced in ages. All in all, teaching yoga improves my home practice.
Shyama
Recently I heard about this film and I watched the trailer. Looks interesting. It sounds like this film is following Sita Sings the Blues model. Pay what you can. For more information on the film, check out Shyama on MovieSet.
Spirit of the Games
This is the Canadian Beer Company, Molson. It is in my neighborhood and this poster was under construction for months. It is made up of photographs of athletes taking part in the Olympics. If you click on the picture and zoom in, you can notice that. I think this is very creative.
Check out the blue skies! It should be called Spring Olympics.
I See Red
At last, the day that I had heard about for months is here. Vancouver 2010 is upon us. The Olympic torch relay went through my neighborhood last night. This really was a first for me. It was amazing to see so many people on the streets. I was so thrilled to know I was not the only Olympics fan around. It is just that I had not met these people before who were for the games. Here’s Boston’s The Big Picture.
Go Canada!
Best Place on Earth
This is what I would call “Best place on Earth”. This is the Vancouver Public Library. What an amazing design! It looks quite new, but I read on wikipedia that it was built in 1995.
Just like a lot of buildings in Vancouver, it uses a lot of glass. I guess it is because of the constant grayness of the winter. It has six levels filled with tons of books. It is so spacious and designed so well. Even if someone is on the phone, it does not feel very loud.
Just like any other library in the west, it is home to homeless people, the unemployed, the old, students, immigrants and the book worms.
It’s Official
I taught my first class today. To one student. And, even that one student was not guaranteed. The studio that I am teaching at is sort of a high end yoga studio, the class size is very small. Anyway, I have a long way to go before students seek me out for a class. I guess that would be the mark that someone has made it in this field. I was patiently waiting all this while for my knee to heal. I guess it has healed quite a bit that I can attempt to teach and demonstrate.
It went quite well. I was so sure I was going to mix up the left, the right or simply forget things to say or do. I did not goof up and I remembered one of my teachers telling me that teaching yoga is the same as doing yoga. You must be in the present, be with the students and do not let them be hanging with one leg in the air. I am sure I have lots to improve, but this is a good start.
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