This coming Monday, I will be going to my frist ever Mysore class and I’m feeling a little bit apprehensive and I’m not sure why.
I know, and like very much, my teacher. I go to his led primary series classes which are great, wonderful in fact. For the most part I know the primary series from memory, almost certainly up to Bhujapidasana, but even if I do know it from memory, so what. I mean, unless I’m mistaken the purpose of a Mysore class is to learn the series step-by-step with your teacher giving you poses when you’re ready, so if I forget a posture it’s no big deal because my teacher will tell me what comes next or I can take inspiration from other people in the room.
So I guess my concern is not with my first Mysore class but with what’s going on outside of it. My left hamstring is still a bit sticky but is getting better. It’s still slightly concerning me though, given that I start my teacher training in a week. Oh yeah, I start my teacher training in ONE WEEK and yesterday had a moment of convincing myself that I’m going to be in a room full of ex-dancers who can all tie their legs in knots behind their heads while balancing on one finger. I hope I’m not. I know we shouldn’t compare our practices but, if we’re honest, we do; I just think people deal with the comparisons differently. I compare my practice to others, but I never feel bad about it because we all have to start somewhere. I take inspiration from the person on the mat next to me effortlessly doing something, I like to watch them to see how they are doing it and to learn from that. I also know that one should practice and all is coming.
Monday is also the birthday of my Ashtanga teacher and a fellow student will be making a vegan raw chocolate cake, something she does as her job so I just know it’s going to be good! I love cake and, yoga aside, this is a massive incentive for me to get up and go to my first Mysore class! Perhaps in my mind I’ll pretend it’s a celebratory cake for me!
Vegan raw chocolate cake
Do you remember your first Mysore class and how you felt? If you have any hints or tips, I’d love to hear them!
“I know we shouldn’t compare our practices but, if we’re honest, we do…”
True. But that doesn’t mean we have to stay there. Best of luck with your training.
Although I was comfortable doing all of primary in a led classes, I thought it would be hard to take myself through a Mysore style practice, but being in that environment gave me the focus to do it, though I found the first few hard. But 3 years later I would far rather do a Mysore style practice at my speed to my breath than a led class. Also 3 years ago in my 40′s I thought I had got as far as I was going to, but with a brilliant teacher I’m doing postures I thought would forever be beyond me like Supta Kurmasana and the miracle of miracles not only dropping back into backbend but standing up again in Mysore with Sharath last November.
Just enjoy the class and be guided by your teacher and have a slice of cake for me