"DON'T DELAY!"




In one of the interviews near the end of the Guruji book, an interviewee mentions that Pattabhi Jois often said, "Don't delay."

In other words, don't put off doing the pose.

I'm a big fan of this, in practice and in life. (In life, it's even more profound than on the mat).

During backbends - which is prime futzing time - I urge students not to procrastinate or start thinking about other things. (I often say, "There's no crying in baseball - and no thinking during backbends!").

For awhile I had No-Futz Fridays in Mysore class. On Fridays, students were encouraged to move in and out of poses with correct vinyasa and no extraneous movement.

It didn't go over very well.

People like to futz, fidget, fiddle and procrastinate.

(Nowadays I have Freaky Fridays, during which students are encouraged to cross the legs, arms, etc., opposite of the usual way - ie; left over right in Supta Kurmasana, left foot first in lotus, etc. This is a bit more popular than No-Futz Fridays - perhaps because it's a form of futzing).

Anyway, I love and respect the ashtanga vinyasa system, and try to move in and out of poses correctly whenever possible. I also try not to futz while practicing Dharma Yoga.

Recently, I've been doing some research before Kapotasana, in the form of Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana with-a-strap. (Research is a form of futzing). But it merely seems to have messed up the right shoulder/wrist/neck. So I'm going back to what Dharma told me to do - which is to perform the pose at least three times. Without too much futzing.

Dharma likes to say that the class should "move together like a school of fish - even if you have to pretend - so that we can create a collective mind." (The word "collective" seems to put off students who grew up during the Cold War - at least when I use it). He also says students should move in and out of the poses gracefully, as if you're performing for an audience.

The way I see it, this is similar to saying "Don't delay."*

I think that the delaying/futzing is often a form of ego indulgence - as is moving at one's own pace in a led class. (And doing whatever pose you like during a led class).

What do *you* think?






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*There are times during Dharma's class (and my class!) when students are doing different poses at the same time - and it looks like anarchy. But, somehow it's not.