Anusara

A few years ago, I literally fell into the practice of Anusara Yoga.  My good friend, Diane, convinced me to attend a yoga conference in NYC.  The bigger yoga conventions are really not my thing…for the same reason all-you-can-eat buffets are not my thing:  too much of everything.  I was not too sure that I could even physically handle the conference.  I had just been through a challenging year, which left me physically and emotionally brusied and raw.  My business partner and I had just gone our separate ways, which triggered a deep depression, where I developed insomnia and excrutiating physical pain.  I was just on the mend physically, and climbing back up the hill emotionally.  But, I love New York, and Diane is always a good travel buddy, so I figured a trip to practice yoga for 4 days straight in New York could be a good idea.  At that point, I had no idea what I was getting ready to dive into!

The keynote speaker of that event was John Friend.  I had heard about Anusara at that time, but never had the opportunity to experience the practice for myself.  That night, Diane and I sat on the floor close to the stage, and this 40-something year old guy, who did not look like a yogi, walked out, took off his shoes and sat cross-legged in the chair.  As he began telling his story of his mother’s death, I clung to every word.  The message was not about death, but rather about life within death.  He spoke of the joy within the pain of her passing, and of the full spectrum of experience, emotions and sensation that we are able to have as embodied spirits.  As John spoke, I began to understand a little more about the past year of my struggle. 

All it took was that brief opening night talk, and I was hooked.  I went to the registration desk and changed all of my classes to immerse myself into the practice of Anusara Yoga.  I had not experienced one asana practice…but I didn’t need to, it was the heart of the practice that drew me in.

This new yoga had a language all of its own, including a chant in the beginning of each practice.  I felt like I just stumbled into a level 4 French class, without taking the correct pre-requisites (which did, in fact, happen to me in high school).  I happily sat in the corner, and humbly received as a hundred or so practitioners chanted around me.  Although I did not know what the words were, or what they meant, I knew that I was in the right place as I felt chills explode up and down my spine.  I wrote fervently in my journal, listing words and phrases such as auspicious, spanda, kula, tejase…  I wanted to know…not just know the meaning of the words, I wanted to experience the embodiment of the deeper meaning.  I was ready to dive deep.

The word Anusara comes from the ancient Vedas:  Shakti Napata Anusaranum…”By stepping into the current of grace, the seeker becomes empowered to hold that which is most valuable.”  I was so empowered by what that meant, I came home and painted the phrase on my wall so that I could wake up each morning and remind myself that I was swimming in the current of grace daily.

As I began to practice differently that weekend in New York, I healed physically, emotionally and spiritually.  My back no longer hurt, my spirit began to shine again, and I started forgiving myself for my role in the demise of my business partnership.  By the end of that weekend, I found my teacher, Todd Norian.  I decided to enroll in his teacher training that was beginning about 6 months from that time. 

At the end of a very full weekend, (a hip opener workshop with John…you know about hip openers, they open the 2nd chakra…source of intimate relationships), I met one of dearest friends, Pierce Brown (now Lila P. Brown), who became a teaching partner, teacher, spiritual sister and sometimes counselor, and fellow yoga-studio owner.  In that one weekend, as I released my sorrow and grief of the loss of Amy (my previous partner), I gained a new friend, mentor and teacher. 

Six months later, the night before I left for the first module of my Anusara training, Betsey Downing (who John Friend refers to as the Grande Dame of Anusara Yoga) was teaching a workshop at Seaside Yoga.  On a referral from one of our Seaside instructors who knows Betsey personally, I scheduled her about 9 months prior to her workshop, well before I even knew what Anusara yoga was.  I found it very auspicious that the weekend that I taking my next jump into the deeper current, Betsey was supporting my community of students and teachers, and sharing with them the practice of Anusara…just a little wink from divine.

     With gratitude, I thank my early Anusara teachers:  John Friend, Todd Norian and Ann Greene, Lila Pierce Brown, and Betsey Downing.