If it's Tuesday, it must be Hanuman

Those of you who follow or are at least familiar with some Hindu practices know that Tuesday is a day when we worship and remember Hanuman.

Hanuman, to be all too brief, is Rama's great, devoted servant. A vanara, a monkey-like race, Hanuman is the one who (spoiler alert!) finds Sita after she has been abducted by the demon Ravana. That story is from the Ramayana, a version of which Bobbie talks about below.

Often, I think, we have an image of Hanuman that emphasizes his "monkeyness." Yes, we know he's brave, we know he's a great warrior, but he's still just a monkey -- not even a more powerful looking ape.

In Ramesh Menon's Ramayana, however, when we first meet Hanuman, he easily picks up and carries both Rama and his brother, Lakshmana. Menon describes him as "tall as a tree." The monkeyness isn't downplayed, but it is clear that the description is really just our -- humans' -- best approximation of what a vanara is. We are, after all, hearing a story from two yuga ago -- the treta yuga, when things weren't nearly as messed up as they are now. How are we supposed to grasp the nuisance of Hanuman's nature and being?

That's one of our great challenges, of course: to understand the meaning of those ancient stories.

For me, thinking of Hanuman as much more than just a monkey, but certainly not as an ape, helps mightily with grasping the complexity of his devotion, his faith, his service and, yes, his strength.

And his strength is awfully attractive come Urdhva Dhanurasana.

Note: We've moved to http://theconfluencecountdown.com/.

Confluence Homework--Suggested Readings

You might notice, looking at the schedule (or, for that matter, the Confluence website), that there’s a good deal of philosophy woven into the subject matter. The last day of the Confluence, Eddie and Tim will be discussing Patanjali’s Sutra II.44: “'Swadyaya Ishta Devata Samprayogaha' – Union with the chosen deity comes from the study of self through the sacred texts.”

Although I’ve been pouring over the Yoga Sutras for years now, it wasn’t until Tim’s Mt. Shasta retreat last year that I found a real fire for the classics of Indian literature.

Tim closes every evening session with a story, and last year he read the first few chapters of The Mahabharata, translated by Ramesh Menon. I ordered it as soon as I got home, and could not put the it down. It was better than the best epic fiction I’d ever read, beautifully paced, with glamour, love, death, and redemption. I was hooked. That led me to Menon’s sensitive and elegant translation of The Ramayana. And of The Siva Purana. Then The Bhagavata Purana. I can’t stop reading the guy.

Let me give you an example of his style:

The Demon rode in Brahma’s flashing chariot, yoked to unearthly steeds; though Rama’s bow steamed fire, Ravana was never in one place so they could find their mark. Quick as wishes, his chariot bore the Lord of evil over land and though the air.

That’s some breathless prose! Steaming fire: a fantastic and impossible image, perfect for Rama's bow!

There are many virtues to Menon’s method of translating, but the best part is its ease of reading. Menon subtitled The Mahabharata, “a modern rendering.” “Rendering” a great word for it—boiling it down to its essential elements. The Ramayana he subtitles, “a modern retelling.” Menon knows how to bring the action alive, as in this excerpt, while still keeping its symbolic meaning (which he leaves to the reader to discover). He keeps the ancient and epic flavor without alienating a contemporary reader.

His renditions of the important figures of each epic are sympathetic and also awesome. Rama is brave, but sorrow-struck. Hanuman’s devotion develops over time, and his humility is touching, a model for us all: “Forgive me,” he says to Rama, “I am a monkey and my curiosity gets the better of me.” In The Mahabharata, Menon fleshes out Krishna so well, The Bhagavad Gita will come alive for you, a moving conversation between God and his disciple (it’s at the start of volume two).

The act of a translator is never easy, and Menon knows when to translate, when to leave the original alone—his meaning is clear in context (sometimes it’s a “chariot,” sometimes a “ratha,” depending on his purpose). But both the Mahabharata and Ramayana come with glossaries in the back to help the reader with the Sanskrit, as well as the huge cast of characters and deities.

Like me, you may not be able to stop with these two epics. The Confluence will begin with a puja to Ganesh. Menon has a starkly beautiful account of Ganesh’s origins in his translation of The Siva Purana that explains Ganesh’s role as the Lord of Obstacles. There’s also the two-volume Bhagavata Purana, the complete story of Vishnu (which I’m reading now). And a translation of The Devi Bhagavatam waits for me on the shelf.

If you get started now, you may be done by the time Eddie and Tim discuss "Swadyaya Ishta Devata Samprayogaha." And, boy, will you have studied the ancient texts!

Note: We've moved to http://theconfluencecountdown.com/.

Open registration is... well, open

For those who have been waiting to register for the Confluence until after the "hotel package" was done, now's your chance.

I just saw the announcement that open registration has begun.

You can get there from here, if you want.

Now, personally, as I noted below, I think staying at the hotel will be a great part of the experience. It feels like you will be less at the "confluence" of things if you are not at the confluence, if you get my drift.

But, it could mean a savings of $400 or $500, so I get that. And for all of Tim Miller's students in and around San Diego, it might be hard to justify staying down at the beach.

Anyway, we'll try to keep our room open as much as possible for everyone.

Note: We've moved to http://theconfluencecountdown.com/.

Yeah, you should be able to surf

I know I'm not the only Ashtangi who comes back from morning practice and heads to the beach for a surf session. (Example: Today, although there isn't much surf here in LA.)

So it didn't take me long to look at where the Ashtanga Yoga Confluence is being held and think, "Umm... maybe I can just walk a few blocks and do a little surfing, too."

Turns out, I -- we -- can. There are a few different types of breaks to choose from. And given it isn't going to be summer yet, it might not be totally crowded. (I'm eying Friday as the best day to paddle out.)

Pacific Beach and Mission Beach includes longboard heaven at Tourmaline Surfing Park, which is a little trek from the Catamaran Resort, maybe 1/2 mile. Much closer, but a bit more aggro, is Crystal Pier. North past Tourmaline is Pacific Point.

Or, really, you will be able to walk across Mission Boulevard, a whole beach block -- we're talking 400 feet -- and be on the beach, and walk from there until you find a little peak. That's probably my plan.

Given it will be March, the water temperature will be in the upper 50s; San Diego has a fairly deep water shelf, so although it is south from LA, Orange County, etc, it doesn't necessarily reflect it in the water. (Much like northern Baja Mexico.) Full suit, in other words.

What board to bring will depend on where you think you'll go, and maybe any last minute checks of the surf.

At the worst, we can hope that the rumor about San Diego turns out to be true: That's it's always 70 degrees and sunny. At least we can go lay on the beach post-two Ashtanga classes and before the afternoon talks.

(Photo of Crystal Pier via Surfline.)

Note: We've moved to http://theconfluencecountdown.com/.

New to Swenson?

David Swenson, the wandering yogi. If you'll be meeting David Swenson for the first time at the Confluence, then perhaps a short summary of his role as a senior Western student is in order. His DVDs, particularly the First Series DVD, are the mainstay of home practitioners and new learners. Swenson is famous for breaking down the practice with his affable, approachable style, removing a lot of the intimidation factor. This is true even though his demonstrations of poses are jaw-droppingly awesome. Somehow, he manages to radiate humility, make you feel like the impossible is possible. His practice manual has the same tone, sturdy and spiral-bound for ease of use. Forget where a drishti is? You can look it up in the manual. Can't get your feet behind your head? Here's what you do until you can.

But it's the workshops that make him the Johnny Appleseed of Ashtanga. David travels the world, giving Ashtanga to all walks of life. In the workshop I took with him, he was asked about "personal space" in the practice room. For an answer, he described demonstrating at a workshop in Japan. His students were crowded together to watch, with their toes practically touching the edge of his mat (count your spacial blessings was the subtext). He brings his travels to each workshop. Google for videos of David Swenson, and you'll see a wide range of faces in the background of videos shot all over the world.

You may not know, however, that he has a website that answers a lot of the nagging questions of practice, like Ashtanga and age, drinking (as in booze, not water, which is a different question), and my personal favorite, Where Does the Spirit Live?. You can't get a bigger Q for your Q & A than that.

Note: We've moved to http://theconfluencecountdown.com/.

Wait, don't have all the facts?

At risk of having put the cart before the elephant (see the great book "The Hindus" for much information about why horses are/were so important in early Indian culture), here's the information for the Ashtanga Yoga Confluence.

Right. Makes sense to have that here. Although there is a link over there to your right.

Here's a more pronounced link, and below is the schedule:

First Annual Ashtanga Yoga Confluence Schedule

Thursday, March 1st
6:00 p.m-6:30 p.m. – Ganesh Puja
In India the elephant headed god is known as the Remover of Obstacles and the Lord of Beginnings. He is honored at important ceremonies to insure an auspicious beginning and successful completion of the event. The Ganesh Puja will be performed by Eddie Stern.

6:30 p.m-8:30 p.m. – Catered Opening Ceremony

Friday, March 2nd
7.00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. – Guided Intro Class taught by Richard (asana)

7:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. – Mysore taught by Tim, David, Nancy and Eddie with certified and authorized teacher assistance (asana)

11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. – “Working In”– The Art of Breathing taught by Tim (pranayama)
Pranayama, literally “the extension of the life force,” is an important practice that cultivates clarity of mind, longevity and pratyahara (the inward turning of attention). Tim will introduce pranayama techniques to explore aspects of the pranamaya kosha (subtle body) such as the chakras and the pancha vayus (the five pranas) and to serve as the vital link between external methodology and internal experience.

11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. – Flying, Floating and Handstanding taught by David 
(asana with partner)
Flying, Floating and Handstanding: In this fun-filled exploration of vinyasa and arm balances, we’ll break down the vinyasa into its components and explore handstands and arm balances through the avenue of partner work. All levels can attend – even if you’ve never done a handstand. 



3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. – Panel Discussion with Tim, David, Richard, Nancy and Eddie for the entire group to attend together (lecture/discussion)
Q & A discussion, stories about Guruji, etc.

Saturday, March 3rd
7:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. – Guided Intro Class taught by Tim (asana)

7:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. – Mysore taught by Richard, David, Nancy and Eddie with certified and authorized teacher assistance (asana)

11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. – Intro to the Second Series taught by Nancy and assisted by Tim Miller (asana)
An introduction to Nadi Shodana (purification of the little rivers), the intermediate series of Asthanga Yoga.

11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. – Backbending on the Current of Breath taught by Richard (asana)
An energetic exploration of integrated whole-body patterns found in backbending. We’ll work with the internal alignment mirrored in the pelvic floor as it moves around the central axis of the body. Using these patterns, combined with integrated muscular patterns within the hamstrings, abdominal wall, shoulders and arms, we’ll construct a series of deep backbends that are grounded, open and free of pain.

3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. –The Symbolic Meaning of the Hindu Deities: Ganesh & Hanuman taught by Eddie and Tim for the entire group to attend together (lecture/discussion)
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra II.44 states “Swadyaya Ishta Devata Samprayogaha – Union with the chosen deity comes from the study of self through the sacred texts”. Eddie and Tim will shed light on their chosen deities Ganesha, the remover of obstacles and Hanuman, the dispeller of afflictions.

7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. – Music by M.C. Yogi

Sunday, March 4th
7:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. – Guided Intro to Ashtanga taught by Nancy followed by Loving Kindness Meditation (asana)

7:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. – Mysore taught by Tim, David, Richard and Eddie with certified and authorized teacher assistance (asana)

11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. – The Eight Limbs of Ashtanga Yoga with Tim, David, Richard, Nancy and Eddie for the entire group to attend together (lecture/discussion)
The first five limbs of Ashtanga Yoga are known as the external limbs. Pattabhi Jois said “The first five limbs of yoga are very difficult-the last three are easy!” Each teacher will illuminate a yama and a niyama, as well as discuss the the lager context of the first five limbs, or even all eight if time permits.

3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. – Ashtanga Yoga and Daily Life with Tim, David, Richard, Nancy and Eddie for the entire group to attend together (lecture/discussion)
All of the teachers will reflect on what it means to be a yogi in the modern world, as a westerner and a householder and how one’s practice changes over time in relation to the aging process. Questions submitted in advance will be answered.

The toughest decision for me was the Friday 11 a.m. classes. I knew "Working In" meant Tim; I've seen him call his teaching that, before. And I don't lightly miss an opportunity to sit with him. (Side note: Two weeks from now we'll be in Mt. Shasta with Timji; we'll see how the blog posting goes from there. At worst, we will try to have lots of pictures. Shasta is wonderful if you ever get the chance.) But I've also done pranayama with him, so I chose -- reluctantly -- the other course. And while I've had a weekend course from David Swenson before, I think his jumping and handstanding lessons will come at a perfect time in the Spring. I'll be much more ready.

I also assumed Tim would be involved in the Second Series intro; again, something I've done though Second is a bit beyond these stiff bones. So it was hard to go against that current, too. But I'm very excited to get a chance to have some teachings from Richard Freeman, whose books and thinking on Astanga and yoga are very interesting to me -- and I think, very different from the strand from Guruji I've received so far.

So that will be one of many highlights, even though right now my backbends are more "backthings."

Note: We've moved to http://theconfluencecountdown.com/.

So what's the hotel going to be like?

A lot of the initial talk I heard about the AYC -- besides overall enthusiasm and excitement -- was about having to book a room at the hotel.

Right off, I'll get this out of the way: The price seems pretty reasonable to me. And I think staying there -- being in the chaos of all those Ashtangis -- will be part of the fun.

But not everyone was enthused about that. So I thought, "Well, how good is the hotel?"

The answer: Seems OK, to pretty good.

At least that seems to be the consensus from the Yelp reviews, which I've run through so you don't have to. (See how we are helpful that way?)

As with any Yelp, there are always the outliers who absolutely hate the place or have a bad experience. And there seem to be an equal number of people who just gush and gush over it.

All said, from 94 reviews it gets 3.5 stars, but I'd say it's fair to say that a few really bad reviews probably pulled it down from being closer to 4. I will warn, though, that some of the poorer reviews are from 2011. So I don't know if the place had a bad run this Spring.

If anyone's stayed there or knows about it, comment away.

Note: We've moved to http://theconfluencecountdown.com/.