Two More Fabulous Pranayama Classes with Geeta

Since last I wrote, we've attended two fabulous pranayama classes with Geeta. Last night, we worked on maha mudra and samuki mudra and bhamari (the pranayama that Curtis used to describe as a sounding like a broken washing machine- it is supposed to sound like a bumble bee, so maybe I was doing it wrong at the time) and she talked at length about the processes and effects of pratyahara. Today, we worked more on relaxing the senses of perception by drawing the mind toward the eyes and ears and nose and watching so that the breath doesn't disrupt the senses... We also learned bastrika, and worked more with the digital pranayama. She also led us through a great viloma with a rolled blanket on the spine that facilitated the inward journey of the dorsal spine.

This is only the most minimal accounting of what she led us to experience. As impressive as her ability to teach asana is, her ability to teach and describe pranayama is even more so. The depth of her knowledge of these increasingly inward experiences is "awesome." Literally, it does inspire awe. Another thing I'm struck by is her ability to use concrete everyday examples to get across the feeling or thought awareness she is after. For example, she will talk about picking a cat up and the sort of grip you use to do it or the movement of an earth worm to describe the movement of the spine, or how we touch a fine piece of clothe as opposed to a rough cotton blanket. Again, only the tip of the ice berg.

She also manages to work in all sorts of observations about the yamas and the niyamas. Last night she talked a lot about ahimsa not coming through the suppression of violent thoughts but more as a fruit of practice. Today, she talked about discipline and it really being our choice how much discipline we want to place upon ourselves. She also talked about how we listen to what others say about us. No need to listen to gossip, draw the ears inward, but if someone is offering useful criticism about ourselves we owe it to ourselves to listen and examine and apply.

Things are winding down here. We are getting money together to pay our cook and to place deposits for next time. yesterday, we got our blue letter for June/July 2009 from Pandu. Actually the letter isn't blue. It is an airmail letter.

that's about it for now. We are heading toward Coffee Day and then to practice.