Weekend Seminar with Annie Pace

Contemplated in the hot tub, and decided to go to the seminar this weekend...I drove down to the Studio in downtown Scottsdale, about a 20 min drive if there is no traffic. I was delighted to find that Sanskrit Scholar, The British Director, and Donutzenmom (names borrowed from Donutzenmoms' blog) were all also attending the Seminar. VB guy also popped in for the Friday evening lecture... It was a small intimate group, and with a few exceptions, most of the participants were experienced astanga practitioners. The studio was warm and inviting, as were its' owners. The space was well designed. It boasted a mix of Thai massage rooms, a sitting and retail area, and a yoga area bordered with movable horizontal slatted screens that had an Asian, Feng shui kind of feel to them. .The area was bright and inviting, and the energy was relaxing and calm.

I found the seminar instructor, Annie Pace, to be engaging and intense. She was very passionate about the practice of asthanga. She was strict about the foundation and form of the poses, yet at the same time, engaging and witty. She had a wonderfully calm energy in a dynamically strong, slight frame. She spoke about Yoga philosophy, the eight limbs, intention, astanga tradition, her time with Guruji, etc. Saturday evening session we did a mysore style practice. When it came to the physical practice, she was all around the room doing adjustments. She was funny, and referred to some of them as "alligator wrestling". This is especially true when she assisted me into marichasana D on both sides. This is usually a pose that I cannot bind in. She got me into the pose. She reminded me a little of my first ashanga instructor Wendy Green. Wendy had the same intensity in adjusting. There was no question, or doubt, just the energy to assist you into the pose. At one point in the seminar, a girl asked what Annie had done to adjust her into supta kurmasana. It seemed a strange question, but what I got out of her answer was that, she did what was necessary to provide the foundation to allow her to move into the pose. I found this very insightful as a guideline for adjusting. As I hone my adjusting skills, I have found that my adjustments of my students have become more in depth.....

In reflection, I feel that part of the reason that I am not attending my regular morning Mysore practice is that I am not getting the depth of adjustment that I am in need of at this point in my practice. I need someone to twist me into marichasana D, and to assist me into supta kurmasana in a more traditional astanga method.

back on track...

I was impressed with the way that the practice went on Saturday evening, so I spent the money to take the oldest daughter to the Sunday morning led primary series. It was done in the traditional counting method. A method that I am not all that familiar with. Primary series is primary series however, and it is my friend. I enjoyed the slowing down of the practice to the instructors count. This was especially true in the lifting and jumping back. It was more mindful, and less of a blurring of motion. The count kept everyone together and breathing. At the end of the session, everyone sat around and chatted. Two of the participants were on holiday and lived in Mysore, India. They were friends of Annie's. We, VB guys students, comprised 4-5 of the 11 participants. As for the others, a few I think, practiced regularly at the studio. No sure though.
I was really tired Sunday afternoon. Arrived home, sat soaking in the Hot tub, took a nap, and then went out to deal a casino party. Home by midnight....

Awoke this morning to really sore shoulders and upper back. I really enjoy this experience. It is not often anymore that my practice makes me sore. I work too often and hard to get sore. I really enjoy the sensation. Taught my morning classes, and now am on break before teaching my 2 evening classes. I think a soak in the hot tub is in order, and then a light lunch..

As for my astanga practice. I feel more strongly now than ever that I need to find a strict practice of astanga. In the new year, I am going to finish my Yoga room and start doing a mysore style practice every morning. I will put the invite out to whoever wants to practice with me. It will be a good chance for me to delve deeper into my practice. I will have the older daughter help me with the adjustments that I need. I am going to also start attending the Friday astanga mix practice down at Inner vision Yoga with Jeff Martins. I will see what my experience is there. More later....