Ashtanga Yoga Workshop with Tim Miller

This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to attend an Ashtanga Yoga Workshop taught by Tim Miller at Yoga is Youthfullness in Mountain View, CA. This was essentially an Everything Ashtanga thing and was fastinating. The line up of activities was quite impressive. It included how the method of ashtanga is designed to penetrate the kosha layers, the primary series practice as an archtype of sādhanā (tapas, self-study, and surrender to the Universal Intelligence), liberating the Shakti through an introductory practice of Nadi Shodana, and a Pranayama practice to cultivate detachment, intelligence, and longevity.

Needless to say, it was a very FULLfilling weekend where I took my practice to places I’d never explored before. This included Kapotasana, among other poses from the second series. Not only were these poses new and challenging but they had an unexpected therapeutic effect on my spine. I left the studio on Sunday morning feeling open and uplifted — and was standing taller I’m sure.

Although I would love to think that I am ready to occasionally explore these new poses, I know that I am most definitely not. Like the New Years of 1991 where, after 5+ hours of meditation, I walked across a bed hot coals, the energy was right this weekend and I was wide open to go deep into the Ashtanga world. I am eager to return to my practice of Yoga Chikitsa (Primary Series) for I know that there is more therapy to be worked in that practice. Even there, I feel like good things are beginning to take place.

The weekend of philosophy (including Patajali’s Yoga Sutras), intensive led primary and secondary practice, and delving into Pranayama practice was fabulous. I am both full and empty at the same time. Truly, I am immensely grateful for this amazing opportunity to deepen my practice. Thank you Tim for coming up to see us folks in the Bay Area — and thank you YiY for inviting him (and me) to your fabulous studio.