Diving Deep

I’m three days in to my first intermediate module of Vibrant Living Yoga training in Bali.   I’m processing so much information right now, I hope that I can do justice in sharing my experiences in a meaningful way.   Where do I begin… ah my first harmonium lesson.  The Vibrant Living team has blessed us with the opportunity to take lessons, have astrology readings or receive body work during our down time each afternoon or evening.   For several years now, I have wanted to play and instrument and have been searching for the right path.  On our first night here, Daniel introduced the group to Geoffrey Gordon, an amazing musician on faculty.  Geoffrey gave us the gift of opening time on his schedule to provide music lessons during our yoga training.  When he said that he would provide harmonium and voice lessons, something in side of me woke up.  So, today Geoffrey introduced me to the harmonium.

For those of you who don’t know what a harmonium is, you have probably been touched by it’s music.  It is the organ like sound that you hear in Indian kirtan.  If you have heard Krishna Das’s music in yoga class, you have heard the sound of a harmonium.  Kirtan is devotional chanting.  Just like the path of  yoga, kirtan is a way to find union with the universe.  The harmonium has a hand operated bellows and a keyboard.  It’s sound is rich and vibrant.  Geoffrey introduced me to his harmonium on which sits a photo of his Guru, Neem Karoli Baba and then we played.  Here’s what I learned.   You can pick music apart, understand the mechanics, the science, how to find a major scale anywhere on the keyboard, but ultimately you need to feel it.  Apparently I sing in the key of B flat.  We started with a drone of B flat and F and I learned to sing and play the simple chant.  Lokaha, Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu.  May all beings everywhere be happy and free.  So simple, yet so profound.  I’m still buzzing from the experience.   Tomorrow is lesson number two.  Perhaps I can record something for to share soon!  If you would like to learn more about Geoffrey Gordon and his amazing musical career see the link below:

http://www.geoffreygordon.com/id3.html

I’m not just buzzing, I’m vibrating.  Daniel took us on an amazingly powerful journey of transformational breath.  All I can say is that after an hour of lying on our backs and intense breathing, no one in the room was the same.  My entire body was buzzing with a powerful energy that surged through my body until my limbs just shot up from the floor.  I’m still wired.

On top of all of this energy shifting, my mind has been shifting.  We’ve had three sessions of Tripsichore Yoga with Edward Clark.  Tripsichore just rocked my whole world of Vinyasa.  Edward is deconstructing everything I thought about vinyasa and is giving it a whole new meaning.  In vinyasa we pair movement with breath.  In Tripsichore every movement comes from the breath.  Ujjayi breath, a proper ujjayi breath pushes you into each movement, to lift your body off the earth.  Sun salutations no longer have jump backs, but lift backs.   A simple sun salutation has a whole new meaning with every movement coming from your diaphragm, pelvic floor and abdominal wall.   I’ve had to throw out all of my muscle memory and think through every step, every breath, every movement.   We have all been floored with the simplicity that creates such complex movements and breath.  You need to see it to truly appreciate it.  Edward and his assistant Nicki gave a demonstration of their newest work, a yoga performance art piece.  Dance and yoga combined into one.  I’ve included a link to the Tripsachore website so you can experience the beauty for yourself.

www.tripsichore.com

Wow that was a lot, yet just the tip of the iceberg.  We’re diving deeper.  More will keep coming.

Blissfully Yours

Janet