Song Kran was approaching. Friends had already booked their holidays but my
rather trendy international diary hadn’t warned me of this festival’s approach. In
2003 I ‘played Song Kran’ and it was fun… for a day! When I thought about making
an appointment I realised not only would I need to get passed the party going on in
my client's soi (side street) but also the parties of the food vendors and motorbike
taxi boys on my soi, I realised they’d be no escape! Getting soaked every time I
left my apartment did not appeal, could I last 3 or 4 days without venturing out?
Taking a look at other options I found a website I’d noted some time ago www.yoga-thailand.com . This is a yoga centre on Ko Samui
with Thai style beach bungalows surrounding a garden and studio which looks out onto the beach. They had a retreat I could join,
flights were available, it looked relaxing and I could keep out of the water fights- ideal! I would be joining the beginners’ class, I’d
heard of Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga before I couldn’t quite place where.
Because of my last minute bookings, I arrived only a few minutes before the first class. A couple of hours and a few buckets of sweat
later I’d remembered where I’d heard of Ashtanga yoga! This is the yoga of the stars, advanced people wrap their legs round their
heads and there are repeated sun salutations involving ‘hops’. I’d taken some beginners classes in Surbiton and remembered this
as the ‘downward dog’ class as we seemed to spend most of the time in this position!
Although the instructor, Paul Dallaghan (right) and his helpers, were very clear and
encouraging, I found it pretty challenging and afterwards my back ached. It seemed like
just a few hours of unpacking before the next class which although slower paced also involved
moves that were pretty alien to my body.
The next morning I was stiff and did what I’d normally do, kept myself very safe. I focused
on breathing and did the bare essentials, (some might say cheating!). When the instructors
questioned my lack of effort, I mentioned my back but they didn’t seem overly concerned or
sympathetic! That day was the first of our Q&A sessions with Paul and I began to understand
a little of this approach and what was happening to my body.
My current understanding is Ashtanga Vinyasa is a traditional sequence of postures which are part of teachings handed down
through generations and currently upheld by ‘Guruji’, Pattabhi Jois in Mysore. It has many levels and is a process for developing the
individual in different ways, your body of course changes but it goes deeper, the emotions stored in the body are released and you
grow stronger personally and spiritually as well as physically. Each posture has to be learnt sufficiently so the student experiences an
opening before the teacher will gives them a new pose to work on. Paul is pretty strict on this as he feels each posture has a role to
play for the individual’s development and for preparing for future postures.
Having an interest in releasing negative emotions and knowing that emotions are connected to my bodily aches and pains, this made
sense. I was inspired, although I thought I’d need to do this gradually to develop my stomach muscles and ‘core’ strength. My
teachers encouraged me to breathe and lengthen to protect my back. Now I understood the discipline and need for those ‘hops’ to
flush out the system in between moves.
My co-students were an interesting bunch from all over the world. There was a small band of beginners, but most had been
committed to practising this daily for some years and some were even teachers themselves. We explored Samui a little, relaxed on the
beach and went for massages. In the evening we had videos to watch. I was further inspired by the changes noted by followers in
New York. I learnt this could really be followed by anyone with dedication, whatever the original state of their body!
On the last day, Paul came over when I was attempting to bend forward over one straight leg and one out to the side. He seemed to
think I wasn’t giving my best. If he had asked me I would have argued that I could feel the stretch! He took my bent leg and brought
it far further towards me than I thought possible. He then wrapped my arm behind my back to hold my toe. It didn’t even hurt! I then
took my other toe with the other hand and lifting and lengthening from base to navel and beyond as instructed, I bent forward- I could
feel that stretch! He put me into the same position on the other side too (it wasn’t just a fluke!). I was left stunned!
Something I thought was way beyond me was actually accessible in just 6 classes! My body had been capable but my mind limited
my progress with beliefs like- ‘I’m just like this’, ‘if I go any further it’ll hurt’, ‘improvement comes in small steps’ etc. I hadn’t even
realised I had a block until I broke through!
Jinny Ditzler argues that you need big wants, “Endless procrastination,
disappointment and lack of self respect are the products of…little wants."
When we settle for little goals (because we think we have no option) we
minimise our chances for success.
So what huge outrageous leaps will you be making today?
Soul Sanook Coaching
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