About Nina Pileggi

I am happy to share this mat review article I wrote for Treeline Review.   I hope you find it useful!

https://www.treelinereview.com/gearreviews/best-yoga-mats

I had a lot of help from Liz Thomas, the editor of Treeline Review.

This is the final installment from my trip.  I hope you have enjoyed reading!

January 23, 2017
Abhijata’s 6pm  class
Virasana
Supta Virasana
AMS
Full Arm Balance
If we had had time, Pincha Mayurasana
Sirsasana x2
Full Arm Balance: outer eyes wide and open
Urdhva Dhanurasana x6
Setu Bandha
Savasana

January 24
Our last class with Prashant was great. Again he had much to say about yoga beyond the physical practice. He said that the class is not where we learn yoga. In class, we learn what is to be done, the physical form of the posture, etc. But learning yoga took place outside of class.
Also, the right attitude cannot be taught. We have to learn to adjust our attitude to the correct one. He said people had been coming to the Institute for 40 years and still had not cultivated the correct attitude.
An ongoing theme was as always the breath. For example, in Sirsasana we were to find the breath that supported an area of interest. In other words, breathe to quiet the brain, or breathe to activate the brain, etc. Then we were to maintain that breath, that purpose, as we practiced Sirsasana variations. And even as we exited the pose to continue that focus and awareness on the breath.
We did four Sirsasana’s (headstands) for at least 30 minutes in the pose!
Sequence:
Full Arm Balance
AMS
Sirsasana
Utthita Hasta Padangustasana at the grill
Sirsasana with Parsva Sirsasana and Parivrttaikapada Sirsasana
Bharadvajasana I x2
Sirsasana with Eka Pada and Parsva Eka Pada Variations
Bharadvajasana 1 x2
Sirsasana with Parsva and Parivrttaikapada variations
Marichyasana I
Sarvangasana, Eka Pada and Parsva Eka Pada
Once again I assisted at Gulnaaz’s medical class and attended her beginning class afterwards. Studying with Gulnaaz was a great addition to the month. I will miss her.
Class with Gulnaaz
AMV, AMS, Uttanasana
Dandasana, Parsva Dandasana
Janu Sirsasana legs – don’t use the hands to bring the leg back
Parsva Janu Sirsasana – press the knee down with your hand, keep other buttock down.
Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana – reach and go quickly several times
Baddha Konasana, Parsva Baddha Konasana
Upavista Konasana
Parsva Upavist Konasana
Parivrtta Upavista Konasana
Chatush Padasana, Setu Bandha
Supta Baddha Konasana

January 25, 2017
Our last class was here. Once again Sunita taught clearly and with intensity. We were learning the important actions to open the chest in preparation for pranayama.
9:30am Last class with Sunita
Adho Mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Uttanasana
Sirsasana (with legs 2 feet apart to learn tailbone in)
Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana on floor if able, feet on support if needed, on chair if needed.
DPVD, everyone on chair. No mat.
Setu Bandha on the chair. Bolster, blankets for head. Chair edge comes where palms would hold back in Sarvangasana.
Pranayama sitting in chair. Naval back away from chair back, sternum band towards the chair. Hands hold the side of the chair and are at the same level as the elbows. We did Ujjayi and Viloma 1. Breath like a river, touching the side body and then leaving it.
Savasana

After class, it was time to say good bye to old and new friends!   I will miss our cook as well, she was fabulous.  And as a last treat, Marla Apt came over for lunch. She had just arrived a few days earlier.

The trip home was long and uneventful. Random travelers were kind to me.
I am extremely happy to be home. I am grateful that I had the chance to make this trip and learn so much.

See you in class!

January 15

Today was taken up with attending the International Symposium on Yoga and Medicine.   This symposium focused on the issues with doing research studies that would produce evidence based proof of yoga’s efficacy for various

issues and ailments.

The speakers were mostly MD’s with a few professors thrown in.  Over all it was informative.  The hospital it was held at announced they were opening a yoga center onsite and would undertake research while offering yoga to their patients.

I attended with Janet, Laura and Melanie.

January 16, 2017

Practice this morning was backbends.  We reviewed Sunita’s class and wore ourselves out.

I again went to the medical class and I was able to assist a person from start to finish.   It was good to have something to do and someone to help.  It made it worthwhile and interesting!

Class with Abhijata was fast paced and fun.

We had discovered that Natural Ice Cream would deliver if you ordered 1 kilogram of ice cream.  So we did!   Now the back story is that we don’t have a working freezer so the two of us attempted to eat it all!  1 kg of ice cream is quite a lot.  We managed to eat about ¾ of it.  It was extremely good ice cream.

Abhijata 6pm class

Adho Mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Uttanasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana

We then did a standing pose flow:
Tadasana, Utthita Trikonasana, Virabhadrasana II, Utthita Parsvakonasana, Ardha Chandrasana, Virabhadrasana I to Vira III, Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana, Parsvottanasana, Parivrtta Trikonasana, Parivrtta Parsvakonasana, Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana, Parsvottanasana, step forward come up.

Prasarita Padottanasana
Full Arm Balance, come down with legs together
Sirsasana to split legs to Virasana in Sirsasana to Parsva Sirsasana with legs in Virasana
Upavista Konasana to Parsva Upavista Konasana, full pose
Parivrtta Trikonasana
Parivrtta Parsvakonasana, back knee down
Parsva Upavista Konasana
Full Arm Balance
Paschimottanasana in wall ropes while others did Marichyasana III, Ardha Matsyendrasana, Parsva Upavista Konasana, etc.
Sarvangasana, Parsva Halasana, leave right foot down, left foot up to come to Parsvaikapada Sarvangasana, then hop foot back in for Eka Pada Sarvangasana.
Supta Konasana to Parsva Halasana to Parsva Karnipidasana
Those who could do Pindasana, Parsva Pindasana did.  Those who could do Parsva Sarvangasana did.
Ended with Parsva Upavista Konasana.  Had the pose changed?

January 17, 2017

Prashant’s class

Today’s topic was the back.  We were to study “backology”.   In each pose were to do by the back, for the back, with the back, of the back.   I found today’s class hard in several ways.  First, I felt tired.  There are always days where you feel like you hit the wall and can’t absorb anymore.  Today seemed to be starting this way.   Also, I overslept and had to hurry to class.

During class it slowly dawned on me that I had no connection to my back at all!   It felt like a dead zone.   I couldn’t do anything by the back.   Then I also realized that Prashant had left the definition of the “back” vague.   I started thinking, what is the back?  I realized that my working definition for this moment was the muscles on either side of the thoracic spine.   But the back encompasses much more.   I need to rethink my back and try to make a connection.

We once again went to assist in Gulnaaz’s medical class and then took the beginner class following.   Gulnaaz teaches with sharp attention and friendliness.

Gulnaaz 6pm class

Adho Mukha Svanasana
Uttanasana
Jumping back and forth AMS/Uttanasana
Tadasana
Urdhva Baddanguliasana on the toes
Stand on one leg, bend the other, and hold the other shin with both hands
Stand on leg, hold the other shin with same hand
Vrksasana, hold the shin then balance
Utthita Trikonasana
Virabhadrasana II
Utthita Parsvakonasana
Ardha Chandrasana
Uttanasana
Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Sirsasana
Chatush Padasana
Setu Bandha on block, feet at wall

January 18^th

Sunita’s class was wonderful.  She is keeping it simple, teaching basic actions succinctly.

Tadasana
She asked to observe where our attention was.   After we answered she said we were missing the airpit action.  Back to front.  The theme of the class became clear – broadness of the collar bones.

Urdhva Hastasana
Sirsasana
Sirsasana in ropes (hands holding the ropes variation)
Salabhasana
Dhanurasana
Chaturanga Dandasana
Bhujangasana
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Bharadvajasana I
Bharadvajasana II
Leg to Virasana first for beginners.
Marichyasana III
Brick Setu Bandha

After class Eva and Natasza from Poland came over to have lunch.  It was very interesting learning about Iyengar Yoga in Poland.

January 19, 2017

Today’s lunch guest was Janet Lilly.  Janet is an interesting and well-spoken woman.  I am glad we met her.

At 4pm we went to another gathering hosted by the Institute.  The film, “Light on Sadhana” was shown. This film was prepared to show Mr. Iyengar on the event of his 94^th birthday.  It was a touching film.  I especially enjoyed the photos of Mr. Iyengar doing fun things like bowling, swinging and eating ice cream.

Class with Raya followed and it was a killer.   We did jumpings and arm balances.  My arms are completely fatigued.

Urdhva Hastasana to Uttanasana x6
Uttanasana to AMS x6
AMS to UMS x6
UMS to Chaturanga Dandasana x6
Surya Namaskar x6
Surya Namaskar as described in LOY x6
AMS jump to Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana 3x right, 3x left alternate x3
AMS jump to UPEP then back to chaturanga Dandasana to AMS
AMS jump to U. Trikonasana
AMS jump to PVK
AMS jump to Trikonasana correct hand
AMS jump to PVK correct hand
AMP jump to Ardha Chandrasana
AMS jump to Vira I
AMS jump to Malasana
Dandasana to Lolasana
Navasana to Lolasana
Navasana to Lolasana to AMS
Eka Hasta Bhujasana
Eka Hasta Bhujasana hook other foot on top
Bhujapidasana
Half Bhujapidasana Half Bakasana
Tittibasanana
Bakasana
Pasc. To Halasana
Tadasana, Uttan., Malasana, Halasana
Pasc., Sarv, Halasana.
Supta Baddha Konasana

January 20^th

We had met Gulnaaz on the lane during our walk home from Raya’s class.  When she heard we were going to her 7am class on Friday, she offered us a ride to her studio.  We met her at 6:30am.

We attended two back to back classes.

7am

AMS/Uttanasana, back and forth x2
Tadasana
Trikonasana x2
Parivrtta Trikonasana x3
1. Reach to inner arch x3
2. Reach to ankle x3
3. Reach to outer foot x3

Vira  II
Parivrtta Parsvakonasana

1. Put hand by arch x3
2. Hook elbow x3
3. Reach for the floor x3

Sirsasana, Parsva Sirsasana
Sarvangasana, Halasana
Supta Baddha Konasana

8am Class

AMV, AMS, Uttanasana
3 UMS to AMS
Surya Namaskar
Salabasana
lift right arm, and down, lift left arm and down.  And then legs one at a time.  Then arms to gether and legs together.  Then the whole thing

Dhanurasana
Bhujangasana
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Chatush Padasana (put hand on the back)
Supta Baddha Konasana

In the afternoon we went to MG Road for shopping in the afternoon and lunch with Priyanka’s friend.

January 21, 2017

Today was a long and fun day.  We started with Sunita’s class at 9:30am.  Backbends for the third time in a row!
After lunch, Nana picked us up for a day of site seeing around Pune.  Nana is a rickshaw driver extraordinaire.  You call up Nana a few days in advance and reserve his time.  He then will take you wherever you need a wait while you shop or tour temples.   Today we asked Nana to take us site seeing within the city of Pune.   After a discuss in Marathi with Priyanka we settled on an itinerary.   The highlights were as follows.

Museum:  We went to a museum of Indian artifacts are art.   I especially enjoyed the musical instrument section.   I didn’t realize how complicated a sitar was and am now wondering how it is tuned and how all the strings function.

Temple:   We went to a temple built in the 1700’s.  The architecture was beautiful.  The temple had a older part and a newer, more ornate hall added on.   Only exterior pictures were allowed.

Sikh Temple:  we stopped briefly at the Sikh temple.   The friendly man who greeted us wanted to know where we were from.  On our exit he offered us food.   The design of the temple was very different from the Hindu temples.

Empress Botanical Garden:  we had a nice break from the noise and traffic at the botanical garden.   It was nice to sit in the shade and wait out the hottest part of the day.

Meditation Temple:  Nana took us to the meditation temple and library of Sri Vivekananda.  We enjoyed sitting quietly for about 10 minutes.   Nana treated us to some very good street chai.

Parvati Hill:  there was a temple on this hill and it was a long walk up.  We saw goats on the path.  Nana timed it just right for us.  The day had cooled and we had fantastic views of Pune from every direction.   Pune is truly a huge city.

Dinner at Shrabee, more ice cream at Natural ice cream and then home!

Sunita’s 9:30am class
“exist in your buttocks”

AMV
AMS
Utthita Trikonasana:  left leg diagonally back to get feel of buttock in.
Utthita Parsvakonasana
Virabhadrasana I
Virabhadrasana I with chair
Sirsasana
Sirsasana to Viparita Dandasana

UD and DPVD with feet on height – stage, benches, chair, etc.
learn to go up with arm/shoulder blades and legs/hips/buttocks, not with spine

Sarvangasana drop to Setu Bandha (no blankets under the shoulders)

Sunday January 22

Today we went on a birding safari.  The trip included a boating adventure on Bhigwan Resevoir to see flamingoes

and a visit to a hill temple of Bhuleshwar, the famous temple of Lord Shiva.

The village of Bhigwan was very small and the only way to get there was on a bumpy narrow road.  We were served a traditional breakfast and chai.  We then took an hour boat trip to see the flamingoes.   The boats kept their distance, but we had a good pair of binoculars to see the birds.  They were spectacular.

The temple was fantastic – it was built in the 1300’s.    The ancient stone carvings were mesmerizing.  Our guide, who has a master in Indology share many insights into the carvings and the temples history.

For lunch we had Thali.  This is traditional Maharashtrian food.   The dishes were varied and plentiful.  I especially liked the fritters.

 

January 4^th

We arrived early at the Institute to turn in our final registration papers.   We were the only ones in the lobby, and Prashant Iyengar was sitting at the desk.  The desk where Mr. Iyengar would sit in order for students to greet him.  The desk where two years ago I got to have a short conversation with Geeta.

We greeted Prashant with Namaskar and then went into the store.  I purchased a couple of books, one -by Prashant.  The store manager told me, take the book to Prashant, he will sign it.  He gave me his best pen and I approached Prashant.  He asked where I was from and I told him Portland Oregon.  I told him I appreciated his teaching greatly, and he said ok, ok.  It was a touching yet slightly awkward encounter.

In Sunita’s class, Priyanka and I were in the second row, slightly off from the center of the stage.   Throughout the class, we both caught Sunita’s eye.   At one point, she stopped the class and asked both of us if we understood English!   We nodded our heads yes.  She then gave us a lecture about knowing which foot is the right foot and which is the left.  Apparently we had not caught her instruction quick enough to look at the left foot and we were both still looking at the right.  After class I told Priyanka that I thought I was the cause of the right/left lecture, and Priyanka said she thought she was!   It was both humbling and funny.

Sunita’s class focused on the basics with excellent, succinct instructions.  Even though we did basic poses, I was shaky and tired at the end.  The sequence is below.

Upavista Konasana
Parsva Upavista Konasana – upright only
Baddha Konasana
Urdhva Hastasana Baddha Konasana
Parsva Baddha Konasana
Virasana
Parvatasana in Virasana x2
Sunita told me I was not opening the palms correctly.
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Uttanasana
Tadasana
Utthita Trikonasana  x2
Utthitha Parsvakonasana
Vira I
Parsvottanasana to Vira I
Utkatasana x4
Utkatasana to Uttanasana x2
Dandasana
Sirsasana
Paschimottanasana
Triang Mukha Eka Pada Paschimottanasana
Janu Sirsasana
Paschimottanasana
Sarvangasana
Savasana

January 5^th.

Today was a very interesting day.

Priyanka and I have made friends with Janet Lilly.  I had met Janet briefly once before, but for the past three days we have set up by each other in the practice hall giving us time to get to know each other.  Janet is a lovely person.

It is always fun to watch what people are doing in the practice hall.  I learn a lot!

This afternoon we were invited to a talk by Abhijata – “just for the foreigners”.   The topic was not disclosed ahead of time.  It turned out to be part stories about Mr. Iyengar and surprisingly, part Abhijata (and Raya) asking for our input about coming to study at the Institute.  Abhi wanted to know who had felt fear at coming to study at the Institute and the source of that fear.  She wanted to know if we were afraid to ask questions in class.  She wanted to know if a month of study was the right amount of time and what topics we were interested in hearing about in future lectures.  It was a heartwarming and light hearted session.  Pandu even came up and told some stories about Guruji.

Class with Raya was tough – one of the hardest classes I have taken in a long time.   He gave a great analogy to a javelin thrower.   Once the javelin is thrown, the javelin continues on.   In our poses, we should be like the javelin thrower.  Do the pose and then watch and see where it goes.

 

January 6^th

After Raya’s class I slept long and well.  This morning we went to a 7am class with Rajlaxmi. Rajlaxmi is a wonderful person and a very practical teacher.  My arms were tired from last night class, and Rajlaxmi did not give a rest to the arms either!  We started with abdominal poses and then proceeded to standing poses and ended with inversions.  We started with an emphasis on the feet and Rajlaxmi told us to go look at the photo of Mr. Iyengar’s feet that was taken from underneath a glass table.  The photo shows the balance in Mr. Iyengar feet, it was a remarkable photo.

While sitting on the benches outside the Institute we met Darrin from Denver and Ela from Australia.  Both were friendly and interesting to meet.  Ela had been observing the class and she told me she had the privilege of seeing the backs of my legs in poses.  She said the back of my legs were very educational!  I took that as a compliment.

At lunch our cook made us Sabudana, a Maharashtrian dish.  It consists of tapioca ball, roasted fresh peanuts and potatoes. It was quite good!  I was a little skeptical when I saw the tapioca balls.   They did not look like food.

I get a longer rest this afternoon, and then off to Gulnaaz’s son’s wedding reception tonight!  I am excited to be invited.  Bill from Ashland accompanied me to the wedding reception. It was opulent.   Beautiful lighting, flower and wall sculptures.  The bride and groom were radiant and I loved seeing the colorful saris and dress worn by the women.  Gulnaaz gave me a wonderful hug when we went up to congratulate the bride and groom.  It was an honor to be invited.

January 7, 2017

I woke up with a cold after the wedding.   Luckily, Sunita’s class while challenging was not 60 minutes of standing poses.   Sunita spoke about how every basic pose has an advanced stage.  She asked us questions and imparted wisdom to us.

 

In particular was this work: Place a brick the narrow way between the upper thighs. Move the front inner thigh to back inner thigh.  This broadens the back thigh.  Lift the brick up.  Then go to Uttanasana

2^nd attempt:  place the brick between the inner knees, feet together.  Bend the knees slightly and go to Uttanasana. To straighten the leg, pull the block up with the inner knees.   Then carefully come to Tadasana maintain the knee action.  What does the knee tell you?

Take the brick out from the back side to maintain what has been created.

Sunday January 7^th

The institute is closed on Sundays, so the day is more relaxed.

Priyanka and I decided to take a beginning class from Amit Pawar a long-time student of Mr. Iyengar.  He runs Prana-HYC about a 7 minute rickshaw ride from our flat. Prana-HYC was in a “fancy” 10 story building.   It was on the 7^th floor and had a wonderful view of the Mula River.  The yoga room was airy and spacious and had a ton of props.

The class was small, only about 7 people including Priyanka and me.  Amit’s style was calm and informative and it was clear he had in-depth knowledge.  There were no demonstrations and the poses were held for long periods.

After Priyanka and I wrote our notes we decided to walk to Vaishaly for lunch.  It was a 25 minute walk and then a 40 minute wait to get seated.  The host asked if we would mind sitting with two other women.  We said yes to this proposal and met two lovely young women who were from Mumbai.  We have lively conversation and good food.   They had never heard of Iyengar Yoga.

We walked to Natural Ice Cream to get some mango ice cream.  It is our new obsession!  Then a 35 minute walk home.  We were very tired because it had become quite hot.

 

January 9^th

Prashant’s class was illuminating as always   Instead of a sequence I will once again write about the philosophical themes he presented.

Asanas are like a blackboard:   Prashant said that when a lesson is written on the blackboard, you don’t learn the blackboard, you learn the lesson written on the blackboard.   Similarly, asana acts as the blackboard for the lessons you must learn.

Agency of You vs. Agency of Yours: “You” are not supposed to be doing the asana.   “Yours” should do the asana.  The way I interpreted it this was I shouldn’t think “I am doing the asana, I am stretching the arm”.  I should think “my arm is stretching”.  This is a tricky topic; one I am going to give some thought.   Prashant said that doing from the Agency of You led to ego.

Asanas are means, not ends.  Better to do un-perfect pose with good mind than perfect pose with a bad mind.   He said this was a problem with assessment.

We did Urdhva Prasarita Padasana, normal speed, 2x speed, ½ speed, etc.  We were to notice how the physiology of the breath changes with the different speeds.  In every pose, what is the physiology of the breath, how does the breath change, how can the breath help you.

LOY was not Guruji’s magnum opus. The book was for the market, “a good book is better than a bad teacher”.  Guruji was courageous and would try different things.   Guruji, when practicing alone, would do Sirsasana after Sarvangasana.

In the afternoon, I watched the remedial class.   For the first time I got to assist a little bit.   Observing this class is watching controlled chaos.  It is hard to know what each person’s issue is, but I tried doing a bit of detective work by watching individual sequences unfold.  I found that my training with Manouso was very helpful in allowing me to make an educated guess as to the issue being treated.

Tuesday January 10^th

My cold is almost gone, just a bit of coughing left.

7am class with Prashant this morning once again had many interwoven themes.  I found today’s class moving and full of beauty, even though at times it was hard to focus.   The poses we were doing are not important, but the ideas Prashant offered were.

We were to think of the culture of activity, the culture of though and the culture of sensitivity.

First, he gave the analogy of speed while traveling.  When traveling slow one does not need to look ahead, one can even just look down and walk.  When traveling fast, one must look much further and anticipate.   In yoga, we should not only be doing poses for next moment and todays’ maladies, we should be looking forward and practicing the poses for what might come.

For example, he told us to think we might experience hardness or obstinacy in the future.  How could be practice to prepare for that?  How could we practice to develop the warrior mindset for when it might be needed?

Then we were to work on sensitivity.  He told us we should be the DOS – Director of Sensitivity in our practice.   How could we practice for times when we needed more sensitivity, more love?

The next theme was touching to me.   He said that both a wise teacher and an ardent student reside in each of us.   We should bring them together, teacher and student when we practice.

After our morning practice, Priyanka and I did a little bird watching from our patio.

Lunch today was stuffed baby eggplant.  It was delicious!