Andiappan Bound – training deliberations!

TODAY is always a good day to hop on a curve and learn something new :).

I’m off to expand the old knowledge base again Yogis. Yes, I know, I know. YM blackboard says ‘free yourself from knowledge’. But 🙂 my Yoga (or spiritual) name IS Saraswati; She is the Goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and learning. I did not request or choose this name – it was given me by a Sivananda Swami. Your spiritual name challenges you to connect with your infinite Self and live to your destiny. Well, you know how I love a challenge :). I am feeling the need to nurture my inner Saraswati and immerse myself in the broader view of what Yoga encompasses. This time I need to put myself in a different room in a different country to do this.

Yoga has become so popular that most of Earth’s inhabitants now have an idea, or think they have an idea what Yoga is (this is often limited to asana for the non-practitioner). We all know Yogasana is good for us. As well as preventative, it can be healing of illness when practiced in the right way. BUT Yogasana is not one size fits all. Each class, as well as each beautiful Yogi, has a different doshic constitution. Although at YM we are working with a routine sequence we adapt our guidance for the individual to help balance and suit needs all the time by counselling a change of attitude and/or intention and in some cases posture, whilst still teaching the larger group. This is why not everyone does their asana the exact same way. This is why EVERY class is a unique event.

Western science is ‘discovering’ and starting to understand better what Yogis knew long ago: that Yoga is an excellent form of therapy/restoration as well as prevention and this is being recognised more and more, so much so that some western healthcare professionals are starting to bring Yoga instructors in-house (kind of like some banks and law firms used to set up their own trust companies when they realised they were on to a winner with them).
Many people come to our studio with an existing condition and/or injury that require the application of Yogic techniques. They just want to feel better. It is my job to help them try to follow Yogic principles to ensure the healing techniques are applied and to ensure their Yoga practice is serving them. This is often what is going on in the Yoga room although practitioners do not think of it in this way and I do not necessarily talk about it in such terms. I would like to become more efficient in tailoring and applying adaptions for the individual whilst teaching group classes in order to achieve a more smooth transition when directing changes in individual’s approach to practice.It has been curious and difficult making my choice of educator this time. Previous registrations were foregone conclusions, Bikram, Sivananda were just MEANT to be for me. This is different; I was not presented with a clear solution to meet my new inclination. I had to do a lot of research. The bottom line is: any teacher trainer will take your money; if you pay you can certify.

Should I go for western training, beautifully marketed, packaged, promising to deliver in a way my western brain can more easily absorb with the lovely emphasis on western medical anatomy and physiology AND have cosy, familiar accommodations to boot! I love this option, it is familiar and like a little Yoga grounding/refresher holiday. I can choose this anytime. I don’t want to waste money on training that doesn’t suit me personally right now.
Or should I follow my desire to:

~ stress test me AND my existing Yoga knowledge which is heavily influenced by western masters (there are many I admire)
~ cross-check what I have learned already through formal training and private study to ensure that that I am not deluding myself, have not deviated and I am remaining true to authentic Yoga teachings
~ be somewhere that Indian people go to learn to teach Yoga
~ feel close to Yoga’s origins
~ be where asana takes its relative position as a small PART of Yoga and is not delivered as being ALL of Yoga {Remember, the GOAL of Asana IS ‘Yoga’ or ‘union’ }
~ satisfy my interest to learn more about the curative effects of asana
~ learn better recognition of issues with mental and physical ‘states’ even where the individual concerned may not have acknowledged such issue
~ find out more about how to use Yoga to help those that want to free themselves from mental and physical suffering.
~ acquire new knowledge that over time will help me better serve YM practitioners

Some trainings span a couple of years; this would mean weekends away every few months, continuous big disruption for our household, pressure on Darren to carry the baton at home and studio, tears on my part ‘cos I miss home up to 16/18 times in 2 years. Or there are intensives. Full immersion for a set one off period. This would mean one trip, one disruption, just one set of tears (I hope). This method is challenging on many levels. Most of my trainings have been intensives. This style suits me and the way I like to learn :). I have looked at many, many courses and even started down one path of registration for a long term training but it just didn’t feel right so I backed out.My final choice does feel right for me where I am at. I have settled on a college in Chennai which classes itself as one of the few remaining centres dedicated to authentic Yoga traditions and promoting the values of Yoga (I will let ye know if this holds true). The founder, Guruji Dr Asana Andiappan (yes his Yoga name is Asana 🙂 and he was given it for his pursuit of Yogic therapy for common ailments), has been practicing for over 70 years !!! There is no doubt he will be accomplished; And he does have a PhD in Yoga from the Medicinal Alternative Institute in Sri Lanka, is long standing President of the Tamil Nadu State Yogasana Association, Vice President of the Indian Yoga Federation, has organized over 3000 yoga programs in India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Sri Lanka, co-ordinated innumerable district, state, and national level yoga competitions in India. He has published 25 books on Yoga and has a televised yoga series. His list of accomplishments and accolades just goes on and on.

I am excited to be telling ye that I am going on an Intensive Yoga Therapy TTC at end of September returning end October. There will not be any disruption for YM practitioners. ALL classes on schedule will run as usual.

Om Om Om here comes the CURVE! Woohooooooo
Love Trisha