Advanced Intensive, day 1: Kali
Well here we are, it's the Advanced Intensive 2010!
Been going to Tucson for the last 5 years to do John's Advanced Intensive, the hardest, most kick-ass workshop he teaches. This is the first time we are doing it here in Los Angeles. Tucson will be missed for sure: all the eccentric characters on the street, the incredibly yummy restaurants and hearing Darren's soulful introductions.
And yet I am so excited on a purely selfish level not to have to travel. To be able to do John Friend's hardest workshop at a venue literally five minutes drive from my house, where I can come home during lunch break and relax with my kitties, do a restorative pose, and then head back? Amazing!
Plus, John has done something quite special this time- he has asked us to treat the venue as a mandir, just like he did in Maui back in September with Ram Dass. So we were instructed on how to enter and exit the temple. We were also asked to observe silence. And one detail that touched my heart, John greeted every one of us individually as we entered the room- how sweet!
This might be my favorite Advanced Intensive ever!
Here's the deal: whenever I'm surrounded by a lot of people (there are about 200 in this workshop) and whenever the energy is very high and loud, I freak out. I don't do vatta very well. So I was a little nervous about this upcoming workshop. But, because we are all observing silence and practicing containment, John has created a sacred and beautiful space. And interestingly enough even though the practice was hard (we did about 20 urdhvas in the morning practice), it was not exhausting because we are not burning ourselves out with excess talking, chatting, etc.
I also love the way John has been with us so far- very disciplined, very serious, very strict. I love that side of him! I like him when he's tough with us! He so wants us to be present, to be here, to be respectful of the Shakti. Thank God I have someone like that in my life, who reminds me to pay attention, to stay awake, to honor the Goddess.
John has divided the workshop in three days: first day is Kali, second day is Saraswati and the third day is Lakshmi. Today was Kali, the devourer of time. Raw power condensed in the form of a beautiful woman, with her tongue sticking out, her full breasts hanging out, her hair wild, a necklace of skulls, a belt made of hands, myriad arms carrying scythes, tridents, human heads, oh my! What a figure to behold- all the while dancing atop Siva.
All through the six hour workshop today, John reminded us that the Goddess is breathing us, that we are her, that we are moving across her space. That it is an honor to dance with her.
The practice per se was challenging but not insane-I'm hoping the very talented and brilliant Christina Sell writes the sequence as she usually does in her blog, since I can't write a sequence when I'm practicing; get too caught up in it.
I think all of us in that room were very focused today in terms of our alignment, breath and intention.
And as a way of really helping myself to be present I chanted silently a mantra all day.
John is my teacher, he means the world to me and I want to do my best. I also want to get out of my way so that the energy can flow through me with greater ease.
There was one moment when he told us to do handstands in the middle of the room no partners. I thought "oh well, I usually can't stick one but I'll try". There were people literally all around me so I had to be careful if I fell to the side. I found my breath, set my hands, went up and balanced, for a long while! I kept thanking the Goddess during the handstand. I came down and bowed. There was no clapping, there were in fact no demos today. It was all very contained, very powerful, very transformative, very Kali.
One last thing: Kali is a form of Durga, who is a form of Shakti, the creative energy of the world. Speaking of Durga, I finally gave in after all these years and bought my first murti from my friend Manoj. She is a very colorful Durga, riding atop a tiger with her eight arms. I had seen this Durga last year when John came to LA and I was helping Manoj set up. I told him I wanted the Durga statue but I couldn't afford it. A year went by. Yesterday I was volunteering with the kula helping to set up the venue (led by Tanya who is hosting and who by the way, couldn't be lovelier). When Manoj arrived I walked over and hugged him and without missing a beat he said, "I still have your Durga." I bought it right there and she is next to me as I write this.
Jai Durga! Jai Kali!
This intensive sounds so amazing! I don't know much about Anusara but all the things I've heard about it are so beautiful. Thanks for sharing! Oh, and I'm glad you found your murti. I love how she came to you. I'm still searching for mine
Reply to this