David Swenson session. He’s doing a two day workshop this weekend, followed by a week of teacher training. I just went for one session this morning, “Intro to 2nd.” I can’t leave poor Waylon in a crate while I spend days in workshops! Luckily, there was an option to purchase individual sessions.
Why did I feel nervous this morning? As I was having my coffee and then preparing to go, I realized I was feeling pretty anxious. Huh?! One morning session? With David Swenson, the most humorous and laidback of the Ashtanga elite? Why in the world would I be feeling nervous? At first I thought it was just the same thing as when I bring my practice on the road – when I visit other shalas. There’s always some nervousness involved, like going to the first day of school. What gets me to push past that is the opportunity to meet or visit with fellow cybershalamates. And I’ve never regretted any of those on-the-road visits.
As I drove down to the studio, I realized that part of the issue was the fact that this was a session about intermediate. I still feel some residue of intermediate imposter syndrome. Yes, that’s it! Whether appropriate or not, I am still feeling insecure about my non-traditional roots.
Okay, I set that aside and headed into the studio. Nice place – newly opened. Lots of familiar faces, including Muscle Man and The Poetess. The place was pretty jammed. I practiced next to MM, with about 2 inches of space between our mats. He’s doing the whole weekend.
“Yoga snob!” he said when he saw me, “Just coming for the intermediate stuff!”
“I have a teacher who won’t let me do anything BUT second!” I countered.
David Swenson is exactly as advertised: humorous, friendly, open. He talked for about an hour and fielded questions.
He talked a bit about how the system has changed over the years – small details in poses and vinyasas, etc. He didn’t seem too concerned one way or another – he said just go about your business, and when you’re in a room where the teacher teaches another way, do that. Simple.
He also talked a bit about Guruji, and specifically about Guruji’s relationship with Krishnamacharya. He told a couple of stories to illustrate how mean and unrelenting Krishnamacharya could be, and how his students obediently did whatever he commanded. He told these stories matter-of-factly – he didn’t seem critical of these facts, nor was he impressed by them. I had the sense that he was just telling the facts of the tradition, sans retrospective judgment. He seemed to assume we’d all recognize that there were cultural and historical factors attached to these belief systems – factors we may or may not be familiar with, and may or may not be able to understand.
He also said, “The whole guru thing is pretty much dead.” Interestingly, he seemed to be implying that it died with Krishnamacharya’s generation, and that whatever was left of it for Jois’ and Iyengar’s generation was a pretty weak, and ever diminishing, residue.
He made it clear that primary is the base for intermediate (which kind of surprised me, because his book suggests people try second once they memorize the primary sequence). He talked about adding poses on to primary, and how that was useful because the strength-building aspects of primary are important. He did mention that they used to do all of primary and then all of second in one go, back in the day, but that that kind of practice was set aside when lots of students started arriving. The logistics of trying to account for hundreds of students practicing for that long every day – it just wasn’t feasible. He also suggested it was just too darn long for people who had “real life” responsibilities.
Nevertheless, he came back to it several times: the way to learn second is to start adding poses to primary. Especially the first third of the sequence (the backbends), because that’s the way to start opening up the chest.
His message, in relation to criticism of the Ashtanga system, was: Do your practice. Everyone gets to make their own decisions. Anyone who makes a big deal about harping on the system is simply revealing their own insecurity. If Ashtanga doesn’t suit, do something else.
And with that, we practiced.
Just a plain old normal standing, except we did all of it (instead of stopping after parsvottanasana). Then he said we’d do “old school” pasasana, meaning twisting to the right first, instead of the left. I was surprised at how open and easy it felt, then realized it was almost 10 AM. Yeah, practice at 10 is bendier than practice at 6. Bonus!
We went along without any fanfare ‘til we got to ustrasana, laghu vajrasana and kapotasana. Pretty much the usual dealios in terms of tips for these poses. He showed the old school laghu vajrasana (hands clasping knees) and had us try that, then the new version (straight arms, hands on ankles). Pointed out that either one is really hard.
We did supta vajrasana in pairs. Then bakasana A and B. A good tip for jumping into B: keep your head at the same height throughout the jump. People don’t want to smash their faces, so tend to lift up their heads for the landing, but that just makes the hips fall. He told a story about his wife practicing with Saraswati, who wore a housecoat to teach. Shelley would jump forward for bakasana B and her head would meet the wall of fabric. Knowing that it was there gave a sense of security, and also a “stopping place.” Apparently this helped her learn to jump into bakasana quickly. I immediately thought about getting a joke “bakasana B apron” for MM.
Here’s the illustrative story Swenson told to think about the jump. Okay, so you’re in your pre-jump-forward crouch. Imagine a wall in front of you with a hole cut into it at head level (meaning the level where your head is when you’re in the crouch). Jump forward and aim your head to go through that hole (i.e., keep it at the same level throughout the jump). Do NOT lift your head (and when he demoed it for us, he did not even lift his face – he looked down at the floor through the whole jump and catch).
We tried this a few times, and I managed to land it twice. I was happy, too, because I haven’t been able to land it since that one time I surprised myself at the shala.
Next: bharadvajasana and ardha matsyendrasana, followed by LBH poses. Set up for the LBHs included compass pose, then pulling the arch to put it on the forehead, then using the arch to “comb your hair” (up and back over the head). Eka pada sirsasana. A little work on the vinyasas in and out of eka pada. We skipped dwi pada and went to yoga nidrasana. I was kinda wondering how these LBH poses would go without my usual pigeon prep-poses, but they were just fine. In fact, yoga nidrasana was better than usual.
At LBH, a good number of people switched into observation mode. I was reminded of how people get “tapped out” of intermediate led classes. It was interesting to look up and see people sitting around watching.
Tittibhasanas. The people who were observing giggled a good bit during this sequence. It does look pretty silly. I decided to do C & D, since I was feeling good, and there were no repercussions, shoulder-wise. It’s interesting how being in a new environment can have an analgesic effect.
Okay, so on to pincha mayurasana. (For Patrick and Grimmly, who I know were watching DS’s hands in that clip that included pincha mayurasana and karandavasana: DS mentioned that the forearms are supposed to be parallel, but that his shift in. Suggested the thumb touch as a good solution. JAZZ HANDS!) For this section of practice, he told the story he tells in the clip that’s been making the rounds on FaceBook
We pinchaed with partners. I worked with MM. This entailed me watching him do it, then him standing in front of me so I wouldn’t be afraid of falling over onto the person in front of me.
We skipped karandavasana and went on to mayurasana. DS showed us the vinyasa, then had us build mayurasana from the floor. Crouch down over reversed hands, and “regardless of gender, make cleavage” with the arms (seriously, he said that), then put head on floor. Straighten legs and engage ‘em. Lift head first, then legs. (Realized I have a “superstition” that I can’t do this pose unless I do the vinyasa before it.)
I got a nice 5 breath mayurasana out of the deal, which rocked. While MM floated there effortlessly. Show off. 
(Vinyasa supersition disproved, but I think it’ll be back tomorrow.)
Nakrasana. DS demoed, and it was dramatic because he was up on a riser that reverberated loudly. MM assisted me on nakrasana, then went and did it himself while I gave it a go on my own. Four forwards, no backwards. (Discovered that same vinyasa superstition applies to nakrasana.)
He skipped vatayanasana! Sadness! I wonder why he did that? It’s one of the easy poses, certainly easier than nakrasana! Oh well.
On to parighasana, then gomukhasana, then a skip over supta urdhva pada vajrasana and the headstands.
Wrapped up with yoga mudra, padmasana, and uth pluthi.
Savasana!
***
A nice session. When it was over and I was rolling up my mat, I felt very grateful. For MM, who pushed me to do intermediate and only intermediate day after day (and he pays for it by having to assist me every day). Also grateful for the cybershala. There was not a lot said in the session that hasn’t been discussed and/or described in blogs or on the FaceBook pages of all y’all. We really do share a wealth of information.
I was also happy to also note that my intermediate imposter syndrome is now officially unnecessary. My intermediate practice is exactly what you’d expect of someone who does it five days a week, and yes, it’s good enough to take out in public.
I suppose there are any number of ways I could have gotten to exactly where I am now, but what matter does that make? I am where I am, and I’m happy to be here.
