Handstands and Beginner's Mind

Today's morning session included handstands, which is a great way to boost self-confidence and awaken the eagerness to expand and grow. We used the railings of our yoga platform to support ourselves in L-shaped handstands, and we assisted each other to get the body working in good alignment.

Here's my uncle Jonas doing an unsupported handstand by the pool.

 

Can I learn to do the same thing? Today, the prerequisites of learning was in focus, and one important concept is the beginner's mind. It's about being humble and curious, and admitting that there is always something to learn.

Thinking about it, I remember a few times when I had the attitude that I already knew what was being taught. For instance, I took a tango class where Gustavo Naveira was teaching musicality. He used a classical approach, where the four beats of a bar are represented with chairs, and different rhythms are shown visually by objects on the chairs. It's a nice way of illustrating the music, used by many tango teachers. I was bored, though, since over 20 years of trumpet playing of course has taught me lots of rhythms far more complicated than what is possible to show with those chairs. I hoped that he would be done with that part of the class and go on towards something else that was new to me (he didn't). I thought it was a shame that a lesson with one of the world's most appreciated teachers would be wasted on repeating too simple stuff.

Later, I realized that a different mindset would have made me learn much more at the lesson. Perhaps it is true that Gustavo does not have much to teach me about different rhythms, but closing in on that attitude made me probably learn less at a more subtle level. Why does Gustavo, who is a dancer rather than a musician, choose to demonstrate certain rhythmical patterns and not others? Why did I like some of his example steps and not others? I'm asking these questions now, and the answers will not be as clear as they would have if I were open to learn at the lesson. A beginner's mind is always best for learning.

Air Plane Yoga

What can you do to make your body endure a ten hour flight, where you're supposed to sit down most of the time?

 

 
I tried the following on my 10-hour flight to Thailand:

Before take-off

• I didn't sit down by the gate, but let my body enjoy its last minutes of freedom.
• I tried to be one of the last persons boarding the flight.
• I found a corner with less people, and took the opportunity to do a few well-chosen postures. The lunge pose is excellent since it stretches the hip-benders that get shorter when sitting down for a long time.

During the flight

• I took off my shoes as soon as possible, so that I could sit down in more diverse ways, sometimes with one foot on the seat. Besides, feet don't like shoes anyway.
• A simple twist is easy to do while sitting in your seat. The neigbour that you turn your upper body towwards might wonder whether you have something to say, but just say that it's yoga.
• Unfortunately, I sat by the window, which meant that two persons would have to get out of the way whenever I wanted to stretch my legs. When I got up, I therefore stayed up a little longer, and actually took a little stroll along the aisles.
• While there was still daylight and most asanas would have made me stand out a lot from the crowd, I chose smaller postures, like shoulder stretches.
• When darkness had conquered the cabin, I dared a few other postures, like the triangle pose and squatting down.

By the way, this air plane yoga gave me a few ideas for office yoga. Any of my colleagues at Nordea reading this? Rejoice - within the month you'll most certainly be involved in my office yoga plans!

Copenhagen vs. Chiang Mai

The weather in Copenhagen changed completely over night, from snow inferno to blue sky! I must admit that I had planned to make a blog entry comparing pictures of Copenhagen in snowstorm with a Chaing Mai bathing in sunlight. To be fair and square, I'll still make the comparison.
Scandinavia is represented by a half-frozen canal in Christianshavn. The picture was taken on my way from the office to the airport.

 

A beautiful winter's day!

Thailand is represented by the swimming pool at Kaomai Lanna Resort, where I'll be staying for the first two weeks.

Beautiful! Add 50 yogis, and you'll have a fair picture of what the place will be like.

Copenhagen vs. Chiang Mai? I would have to call it a draw.

Anusara Yoga – Flowing With Grace

Anusara Yoga is a school of hatha yoga that emphasizes both careful body alignment and a heart-opening attitude.

Anusara means “flowing with Grace,” “flowing with Nature,” “following your heart.” The underlying tantric philosophy of intrinsic goodness assumes that everything in the world is pulsating with divine goodness and bliss, and the methodology has a respectful tone that appeals to me strongly:

“… Anusara yoga teachers, first and foremost, look for the good in all things, especially within themselves and their students. Anusara yoga teachers help enhance and reveal the beauty and Divine qualities that are already present in the students' poses. They do not try to "fix" or "correct" students' alignment. Instead, they are dedicated to serving each student and helping them unveil their innate goodness, worthiness, and Supreme nature …”  - quoted from www.anusara.com

I know from teaching tango how easily one falls into a pattern of “correcting” what the students do. Anusara Yoga has the ambition of not falling into that pattern. Anusara Yoga shows that you can keep a strong focus on physiology and technique, and still use a positive approach.

Read more about Anusara Yoga on the official website.

The plan

Leaving from Copenhagen, Denmark, on Jan 28th, I will arrive in Chiang Mai, Thailand, the next morning. The first two weeks I will attend the Anusara Yoga Immersion part 1 and 2 as organized by my uncle Jonas Westring and his volunteers. The remaining days I’ll stay with Jonas in Chiang Mai, mainly to practice yoga and to take photos.  Leaving from Chiang Mai on Feb 22^rd, I’ll be back in Copenhagen the next morning.

A long journey

My upcoming journey to Chiang Mai represents something new
I have never travelled as far, never to any exotic countries
I have never been restless, never felt a need
To strive for something else
I go to Thailand without much expectations, but with some excitement
It is a long journey, starting soon