A Day in Hatha Training
12 pm
I enter the front door of Yoga Yoga South and the door chimes ring out above my head, the smell of yogi tea is abundant and I hear laughter coming from the teacher training room. Much of the class has arrived early and they are setting up props and bolsters to settle comfortably onto our yoga mats.
The whole class warmly and deeply sounds the word "Om" together. Our lead teacher, Ana Pilar, meets with us every weekend; while we have a steady stream of guest teachers, she is a constant presence in our program, guiding us through the course of the training.
Today Ana Pilar is leading a lecture on Adaptations and Modifications of twists and we learn how to adjust the poses for various injuries and body types students might have. Part way through the lecture, we explore an applied practice to really get a feel for what we've discussed.
2 pm
After a short break, we return to the classroom for an anatomy lecture with Mark Uridel, a physical therapist, massage therapist and E-RYT 500-hour certified yoga instructor.
Mark lectures for about an hour before we practice some experiential learning over "the mechanics of standing". The whole exercise begins with just lifting our toes off the mat. It seems so simple, but his instruction makes me utilize my legs in a whole new way. I realize that I have never been this aware of the muscles in my legs.
3:45 pm
My brain is buzzing with names of various anatomy and physiology terminology. We are about to have our second guest lecturer come in, Ellen Stansell. A Sanskrit scholar, Ellen has been working on her own translations of several ancient yogic texts, including the Bhagavad Gita.
4 pm
Ellen takes us through ancient Indian history, before yoga was even called yoga, up to present day popularization of yoga in the west. We discuss Patanjali and the Yoga Sutras: short aphorisms explaining the essence of yoga. Historically, they were chanted and passed down orally for at least 1,000 years before being written down around 500 BCE. She patiently explains the meanings behind each sutra, helping us sound out the pronunciations and teaching us how to read the dashes and notations to chant the Sanskrit properly.
5:30 pm
It's cooling off outside and we have opened the side door to let in some fresh air near the end of the day. Ellen guides us through a chanting meditation from one of the ancient Vedas. Today I have truly had a mind-expanding experience, covering science, philosophy, personal practice, pranayama and mantra.
We close out the day by once again sounding "Om" together. The change from when I first stepped in the door today is incredible; I leave feeling expanded and enlightened. As we leave for the day, wishing each other goodbye until next time, the chimes ring out again overhead.
