NOT MYSORE ITSELF, *BUT*


OK So I did 33 hours of yoga (asana, adjustments, chanting/mantra, pranayama) in the past week -- all with Manju. And I am far less of a bitch for it.

At the last minute (ie 9AM Monday, when it began) I decided to take Manju's teacher training course. Hence the missing blogs. I only had to sub out two classes (and pay the price of admission) and it was *so* worth it. More details to follow. Suffice to say if you get a chance, no matter how popular a teacher you are or how "advanced" your so-called practice is, you should jump at the opportunity to learn the real thing via the real lineage (ie not some westernized version of the ashtanga vinyasa yoga system). Manju has been teaching for over 40 years and is Pattabhi Jois' son, for crying out loud (which he apparently did a lot of when his father cranked him into all of those poses when he was growing up....and is also what Gwynneth Paltrow did a lot of when she first encountered Baddhakonasana / Bound Angle Pose).

In the meantime here's the mantra we learned best (except for the Om Shanti part we really sucked at most of them, which elicited many smiles from Guruji-the-younger):


Gayatri Mantra (long version)

Om Pranamasya Parabrahmhar Chihi
Paramatma Devata Daivi Gayatri Chindaha
Pranayamane Viniyogaha

Om Buhu Om Buvaha, Om Soo aha
Om Mahaha, Om Janaha, Om tapaha, Om Satyam
Om Thath Savithur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Dhiyo Yonaha Prachodayat Te
Om A Po Jo Ti
Raso Ambritam BramhHa
Bhur Buvaha Sewa Rome



One translation is this:

We contemplate the glory of Light illuminating the three worlds: gross, subtle, and causal.

I am that vivifying power, love, radiant illumination, and divine grace of universal initelligence.

We pray for the divine light to illumine our minds.