Mysore style...

So, I was in Chicago from last Monday until yesterday, taking Mysore style ashtanga classes and studying ashtanga yoga with Kino Macgregor, who is a brilliant and lovely, engaging individual btw. So, I haven't taken an ashtanga class in years, having just restarted my practice of it this past fall, and getting serious with it 6 days a week again this past February, so had forgotten what to expect. The Mysore style class, for those not in the know, is you practicing the sequence, with the ujjayi breath and bandhas engaged, and a teacher moving around the room adjusting you deeper into poses, helping you with poses you can't get into at all or reminding you the sequence when you don't know or don't do them in the correct order. Ashtanga yoga is set up to open up your body/mind sequencially and in the practice you understand the magic of the sequencing, or you don't, hate it and never do it again lol. I thought I had become the latter, but come to find out, remain the former! With much glee I might add. This practice is intense, and Kino made it more intense with her deep instruction on the bandhas and using them during ones practice, and so it brings your shit up. Like, quickly! lol, but truly, its all good, because once it comes up theres more chance to release it, if you're lucky it comes up during the practice and you can release it by focusing throughout the remainder of it and, done, gone, no more shit! Of that kind anyway, you do find there is always more shit to be found... I love it, and during this week I got clarity about starting a Mysore program at Yogasource, if Chris is interested still, and how I will do it and the magic it will create, in the studio and in my life. There is almost no ashtanga here, at all, I am it, and so hope this works out. The time I was there I also became 42 years old, which lately my birthdays have bothered me, but this one was almost as if it didn't exist. I didn't practice that day, my friend who I was with, Seabrook, and I ate all day long, napped, saw a movie, and ate some more! lol But the real focus of the week was the practice and how we were going to integrate what we learned into our lives and the lives of our students. My class this morning seemed great, the students seemed to like it, and Seabrook said her class was great too, so all good! Ok, as this unfolds I'll type some more, but am tired and for now am signing off. Love and light to you all, and Namaste!