Intervju z Udayem Bhosaleom, 5.10.2019
Kdaj in kako ste se srečali z Iyengar jogo?
Treniral sem taekwondo, moj trener Ali Dashti je bil Iyengarjev učenec. V našo vadbo je vključeval tudi različne asane in to je bil moj prvi stik z jogo. Trener je opazil moje zanimanje in me spodbudil, da sem obiskal Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Inštitut (RIMYI) v Puni. Star sem bil 18 let. Tako se je vse skupaj začelo.
Kdo so bili vaši učitelji poleg družine Iyengar?
Moj prvi učitelj je bil Ali Dashti. Na Inštitutu sem imel srečo, da sem spoznal mnogo izkušenih učiteljev in da sem se lahko učil od njih. Obiskoval sem njihove vadbe in na nekaterih tudi asistiral. Poleg tega sem se veliko naučil tudi iz lastne vadbe.
Bi lahko opisali eno od globljih izkušenj z Gurujijem?
Ko se ozrem na čas, ki sem ga preživel v RIMYI, se lahko spominjam kar nekaj posebnih doživetij. Vsak trenutek preživet v bližini Gurujija je bil nekaj posebnega. Ne le čudenje nad njegovo vadbo, tudi samo opazovanje njegovega načina življenja in obstoja je globoko učenje samo po sebi.
Da pa bom bolj konkreten, bi rad delil spomine na prvo uro vadbe z Geetaji. Šlo je za ponedeljkovo večerno splošno vadbo, od 18ih -20ih.
Na začetku še nisem bil prepričan, zakaj mi je učitelj taekwondo-ja predlagal, da bi se učil joge na inštitutu RIMYI. Zdelo se mi je, da sem večino vaj, ki sem se jih tukaj učil, delal že na treningih taekwondo-ja. Vendar sem kot ubogljiv učenec nadaljeval z obiskovanjem vadb in kmalu sem se lahko pridružil skupini, ki jo je vodila Geetaji. Na tej vadbi sem opazil nekaj nenavadnega. Bila je enostavno posebna in me je navdušila. Gospa, ki nas je vodila skozi jogijske položaje, je bila popolnoma uglašena z mojim notranjim dogajanjem, kot bi mi brala misli. Njene besede so opisovale vse, kar se je dogajalo v mojem telesu in občasno sem občutil nekaj, kar je takoj za tem omenila ona. Celo glasno je prebrala in komentirala moje godrnjanje in pritoževanje, ko je bilo v asanah težko. Občutek sem imel, kot da govori meni, da uči samo mene. Vendar je bilo z mano na vadbi še približno 70 drugih učencev. Kar sem doživel, je očitno običajen fenomen, ko je poučevala Geetaji.
Kaj bi svetovali tistim, ki šele začenjajo z Iyengar jogo?
Najprej bi jim čestital, da so naleteli na ta pristop. Vadba Iyengar joge je izjemno vsestranska. Učenje se razlikuje glede na različne starostne skupine, različne zmogljivosti in stanja, vadba nam pomaga tudi, da se prilagodimo na trenutna stanja.
Torej, če ste med tistimi, ki so začeli raziskovati to odlično metodo, nadaljujte in videli boste, kako vas bo spremenila na boljše. Uživajte v procesu in potovanju skupaj s svojim učiteljem.
Kakšno je vaše opažanje napredka Iyengar joge po svetu?
Vsekakor je opazen porast v številu držav, kjer vadijo Iyengar jogo. Prav tako se je večalo število tujih udeležencev, ki so prihajali v RIMYI, ko sem bil še v Puni. Zagotovo drži, da je ta način vadbe v porastu.
Kje lahko obiščemo vase delavnice?
Živim v Veliki Britaniji, kjer imam vadbe in delavnice v krajih, kot so Reading, Henley-on-Thames, v Londonu in po celi Veliki Britaniji in Evropi. Moje vadbe in delavnice najdete na moji spletni strani – https://www.yogawithuday.com.
V letu 2020 sem imel vadbe preko aplikacije Zoom. Z učenjem na daljavo bom nadaljeval tudi, ko bom ponovno začel učiti v živo in ko se vrne normalno življenje.
Interview with Uday Bhosale, 5.10.2019
When and how did you first come in contact with Iyengar yoga?
I was learning Taekwondo, and my teacher, Ali Dashti, is a senior student of Guruji. When we were practicing Taekwondo, he made us practice various asanas, and that’s how I got introduced to Yoga. My teacher noticed my interest in the practice and recommended that I must study at the Institute (RIMYI, in Pune), if I was keen to learn more. I was 18 years old. That is how it all began.
Who were your teachers besides the Iyengar family?
My very first teacher was Ali Dashti. Then at the Institute I was fortunate to meet and learn from all the senior teachers there, I attended their classes and assisted in some. Besides that, a lot of learning used to happen during the practice sessions too.
Can you describe one of your (profound) experiences with Guruji?
As I look back over the time at RIMYI, many such instances come up to my mind. With Guruji, every moment spent around him was profound. Even if we keep aside marveling about his practice, just to watch the way he lived and existed was profound learning in itself. To narrate an incidence, I would like to share my memories from the first class with Geetaji, It was a Monday evening class, 6-8 pm General batch.
In the initial days, I was still unsure about why my Taekwondo master would tell me to practice yoga at the RIMYI. Because, most of what was taught, I thought I was already doing it during my Taekwondo practice. But as an obedient student I continued to attend the classes and was eventually allowed to attend Geetaji’s class.
Throughout this class I witnessed something unusual. It was simply special, and I was completely amazed. This lady who is conducting the class seemed to be perfectly in tune with what was happening to me, as if she could read everything that was going on in my mind. Her words would exactly specify what I was feeling in my body, and at times I was noticing something which she would mention next. She was even reading aloud my cribbing and complaining during the struggle in the asanas and commenting about it. It felt as if she was talking to me, teaching me personally. The only difference was there were some 70 other people along with me in the class. And apparently what I experienced was a usual phenomenon for many others during Geetaji’s classes.
What can you advise new practitioners of Iyengar Yoga, who are now getting started?
First of all, I would like to congratulate them that they have found this practice.
Practice of Iyengar Yoga is extremely versatile. The teaching varies for different age groups, different abilities and conditions, the practice even helps us adapt to the surrounding conditions.
So, if you are among those who started their exploration of this great method, just continue and you will see how it changes you for better. Enjoy the process, the journey along with your teacher.
How do you see Iyengar yoga progressing in the world?
I definitely see an increase in the number of countries in the world where Iyengar yoga is being practiced. The number of foreigners coming to RIMYI also kept on increasing while I was in Pune. For sure, this system of yoga is growing more and more.
Where can we find you teaching?
I live in U.K where I conduct classes and workshops in Reading, Henley-on-Thames, London and all over U.K. and Europe.
My classes and workshops are listed on my website – https://www.yogawithuday.com
Over the course of 2020, I have been teaching online via Zoom and will continue to do so along with in-person classes and workshops when things go back to normal.
