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Thank you for honesty and sharing 🙏

Thank you Adam for another nurturing episode, you bring it always to the point, I really love your huge honesty, transparency, empathy and capacity of discernment, and I love the themes you choose for the reflections. I don’t know if ypu remember about me, but I was your student as you were living in Tarifa (Spain). I started with you my journey into yoga durig those one-to-one classes and I can only say that I am really grateful for that. Thanky you for all you keep on offering to and for YOGA 🙏🏻

Thank you for sharing Adam. Nice to hear your story.

He was too young, in my opinion. But, such is fate. 🙏🪷✨ Journey well, guruji. You dutifully carried on what your grandfather started, so that thousands, perhaps millions would be benefitted in mind, body, spirit. Jai Jai Jai 🌸🔥

I met Sharath-ji when he was 29. It was a totally different scene from 2000 to now. Pattabhi Jois taught me every day with a group of only 6 others in the primary series (this was in the original shala, not in Gokulam), so I only had casual interactions with Sharath. But many fond memories remain of his quiet nature and demeanour. I went on to study and explore back bends for 13 years under a teacher in Mysore whom many Ashtanga students also visited at one time....But these early seeds and connections remain a central thread of one's learning and development.... lasting a lifetime. I enjoyed listening to your letter.

Thank you Adam ❤

thanks everyone for your comments. i’ve been taking some time these days to stay quiet, contemplate and try to digest the news. But; I just want to say how much i’ve appreciated the support and read and appreciated every single comment here . 🙏😊

Great podcast eps. Brave (but good) of you to disclose your mixed feelings. Was interested in your words that Sharath was "broken" -- do you mean physically? You said it in the context of Pattabhi Jois having put a lot of pressure on Sharath. Apologies in advance if what I write next is ignorant/controversial, but I'll lumber forward anyway. It's interesting to me that Sharath died of a heart attack in his early 50s and Maty died at 55 years. Both supposedly in superior health, both extreme athletes of sort. Certainly Ashtanga Gurus. Possibly no parallel at all, but I did think it (ie two very fit people cut short young). Also interesting re Sharath given Patthabhi lived to 93. RIP.

I love that you brought out that asana is not just the one magic practice but we still have essentially the same bodies and minds as the Ancients had when they started exploring.

Thank you Adam for these words and for sharing your story and what you experienced with Sharath. For me who didn't manage to go to Mysore yet it was really informative.

This was so beautiful Adam, I teared up when you recounted your stories in Mysore. I think this is all we have left now, some stories, and fond memories of this vessel, which he definitely was. I also agree with you - I think the adulation and fame made him age quicker than he would have if he did not have those pressures on him. We are truly some of the lucky ones to have been in mysore while he was still alive, and I believe - if anything I have a stronger connection to him in the last few days than I have in the last few years. His impact is longer limited by his physical body or the size of a room, and he's freed us now. I pray his soul finds deep rest, for he's given everything he has to this path

Hi Adam, i used to be part of Satyananda & Sivananda traditions for many years but moved on with all due respects to them. I did practice ashtanga vinyasa for several years while living in Thailand & when I was younger. I love blending styles this is my personal approach in practice & teaching. I found many styles synergistic & complementary rather than conflicting & rigid, it is an art to explore this area which i have been doing for years. Yet, instead of encouragement, i was often criticised within the Ananda communities for looking at the ashtanga practice & within ashtanga community i was looked down by some for my ananda connections & influences. Those dynamics made me reflect & learn something too. I also love Buddhism - the vipassana & metta bhavana technical part of it & of course see the connections between traditional hindu yoga & buddhism. I certainly saw how buddhsits overlook asanas, ashtangis overlook inner yoga practices & anandas specially the Satyananda Tradition overlooks Hatha & overemphasizes Karma Yoga. I found those imbalances actually conflicting with the message of Yoga in the vast sense as a way of life & path to returning. I am surprised at Sharath Ji's sudden & early departure, RIP & gratitude to his contribution to modern mainstream yoga. Within all yoga communities there have been controversies & scandals. Hopefully, we all learn from all of it. Yoga shows the way. Hari OM.

That was very moving, Adam. I am not an Ashtanga practitioner, but have come through a lineage and very much relate to a lot of what you said here so thank you so much for your honesty. I've often found myself looking at what everyone else is saying about the tradition or the teachers or their experience, and wondering why I don't feel it the same way. It's been a cocktail of emotions for me too trying to find that connection, trying to find a way in that feels right. And yet, in many ways, being on the fringes also suits me. It's an active choice, maybe. Anyway, again just to say thanks and all the very best to you at this difficult time.

❤

Thank you for this refreshing take on surrender, and adjustments. Since I've gotten injured after an ashtanga teacher telling me to ignore my shoulder pain, I'm now kindly telling any teacher "no" if I notice it's too straining for my own body. At the end of the day, I believe anyone who is in tune knows their own body best.

Thank you, Adam 🙏

Beautiful, Adam. Thank you for sharing. 🙏❤‍🩹

Thank you so much for sharing your stories, memories, and wonderings 🪷💜

Thank you Adam for this beautiful, honest and heartfelt tribute to Sharath. May he rest in peace, and may the memories you have of your time with him bring you some comfort during this very sad time. Om shanti. 🙏❤

Thank you Adam❤

Beautiful words. Writing also heals ❤

Why won’t you do a podcast with Sarah Durney Hatcher, amazing teacher she is 🧡🧡

Eddie is one of my favorites teachers. So humble and inspiring

thank you! it's a really interesting question that i ask myself almost every practice. probably, this act of self-reflection is more about the practice itself than the asanas

Whoaa…this really challenges my concept of asanas…I’m going to sit with it for a bit

is it a sped up video? the speaking feels a bit unnaturally fast.

Really Sri Krishna Das is a luckiest one to have the effulgency of Lord Entellus through Neem Karoli Baba at Kainchi Dham. I am ever grateful to him for ever and adore his sincere devotion to Guru. ❤🙏🏼❤🙏🏼❤

Very interesting discussion which leads to something I have noticed working for several years with addicts : Asanas can be a sort of "useful" addiction leading you to take a few steps back from other more problematic addictions. Thank you both guys for this very open and humble discussion 🙏

Fascinating chat. I've been teaching yoga for a couple of decades and I totally agree that what we're doing has little to do with ancient traditions. I think that, as much as if not more than the spinal work, the transformational aspect of yoga classes comes from the breath work. If you emphasise breathing and pranayama (and bandhas) in your asana class, it does go further to achieve calm and presence than vinyasa type practices or alike.

Another Great video Keen, love the clear way of explaining things that Daniel has. Thanks!

I think that Krishnamacharya and Guruji have left us a great legacy by creating the series, the only thing we can do as their followers is to limit ourselves to learning it and experimenting with our own body, as he said, 99% practice... if we have the possibility that someone can adjust us even better, but the work is ours, we are the only ones who can teach ourselves.

I believe that, like many, Ashtanga or yoga is something that cannot be taught... please stop using the words "teach and teacher", yoga is ethereal and each person must experience it with their own body and each body is different, which is why it cannot be TAUGHT.

Did he just talk shit about Ram Dass'?

I've been teaching for just over six years and I relate to this so much. It can be confusing, it can make you question yourself and what you are doing, the pressure of student expectations etc-everything you said goes through my mind on the regular. It was refreshing to hear it coming from someone else's mouth. All we can do as teachers is show up, be ourselves, share what we know, be vulnerable and imperfect and hold space for people to experience the practice for themselves. Thank you Adam! ☮

Such an interesting and sincere talk. It seems that Eddie prefered a radical choice and decided to stop ashtanga completely instead of adapting the series or variation of postures... I wonder why?

Prabhu, you are 100% on point!!! 🙏🙏🙏It’s good to know I’m not the only one who’s had these thoughts about the predicament of the modern day yoga teacher. I am E-RYT 500 & a CSCS (certified strength & conditioning coach) but years I was a full time yoga teacher. The revolving door of students , competition with other teachers for head counts, students doing handstands during class when I’m trying to teach Uttanasana, ect , yoga studio politics, getting tricky questions about injury/rehab, rushing from studio to studio make enough to pay my rent - I’ve been there, done that 😅 it wasn’t until I became a Strength & Conditioning Coach that I experienced the things you mentioned that are missing from the yoga teaching profession- steady full time employment, collaboration with colleagues, mandatory continuing education yearly mentorship’s, definitive professionalism, ect 😂 I still teach (bc I love it) but where I truly feel I can really apply yogic teaching principles & help people make progress is through my S&C coaching . What I strive to be is a Yoga teacher-informed/inspired S&C coach 😊 and to your point, the most important thing we can do as yoga teachers is to hold space for individuals , allow them to show up as are, & help them to breathe better 😊 thank you so much for sharing your thoughts & insights 🙏🙏 you are AMAZING!! ✨✨✨

Another refreshingly honest discussion, Adam. Thank you. I too have worried about the pushing of yoga anatomy, all the latin and medical jargon certainly suggests some kind of medical role - and that worries me. Likewise with yoga therapy - even the term seems a little bit of an overreach. And the marketing of all these courses is quite aggressive sometimes, maybe even preying on one's insecurities as a newly qualified yoga teacher. It's not good, is it. I love how you frame the central role of a modern yoga teacher - to hold space. And I think to encourage autonomy, too - offer our students the options and space to develop their own practice and have their own sense of self-achievement from that. Safely, of course, but often that comes from knowing your limits and referring on to other professionals as opposed to skilling up in things beyond your role. Anyway, great episode. Thanks again!

First

Thanks for sharing this. I am a yoga teacher with a specialty in Ashtanga. I have become so focused on trying to accomplish all of the postures including the second series. I adhered to the notion that other practices like Vinyasa and power yoga were watered down nonspiritual practices. At age 65 I have realized that I need to adapt my practice to honor my body. No more wheel, shoulder or headstands without Iyengar modifications. Why do I keep coming back to the full series? I am obsessed and maybe a tad masochistic. Glad I stumbled across this talk!

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Excellent! Thank you for sharing!

Thank you for talking about this topic and bringing more awareness about it! I very much appreciate you sharing your thoughts.

Absolutely fantastic! Very inspiring. Thank you

I think it would be interesting to ask Eddie Stern about the point when the Ashtanga Yoga Vinyasa series were originally meant for children, as taught by Krishnamacharya to Pathabi Jois and other kids. However, Krishnamacharya actually taught Viniyoga as his more mature approach.

32:10 😕

Interesting interview 🩷 thank you, Adam and Eddie! I also would really like to listen to the interview with Ty Landrum and Rose Erin Vaughan 🙏

As a person born and practicing in the Hindu Tradition, this made me so happy. It's rare to find genuine teachers that do not narcissistically appropriate, but still stay true to yoga's roots. Eddie gets it !

Thank you so much 🙏

Good understanding of the practice evolution from Eddie Stern. “Jumps back and through” will never lead any of us to Samadhi - all vinyasas and moving sequences are made to draw practitioner’s attention inwards in order to “start the journey”. The more we progress the more static the practice becomes - with eventually one asana (padmasana) and no movement at all where all goals are reached

Such an interest conversation ❤