NY: You had the opportunity to study with Shri K Pattabhi Jois(Guruji) in Mysore, India over several years.  Can you describe what it was like to practice in that environment and within the presence of a true yoga master such as Guruji?

GN:

I started practicing with Guruji in 1999, and so I had the good fortune of practicing in the old shala in Laxmipuran where a maximum of 12 students could fit in the room at one time.  Sharath assisted him each morning, so there was much more attention given.  On my first trip, there were only 30 students at the shala.  We also used to have conference, or question and answer period with guruji, every day at 4 pm.  Things have changed a bit as the community has grown and now there are hundreds of students at once so they’ve had to move to a much bigger shala.  What always surprised me most was guruji’s authenticity and approachability.  His primary concern was for the yoga.  Despite a pretty large language barrier, he was always able to communicate what techniques and aspects of the system were indispensible, and exactly how we were to conduct ourselves.  He kept a very clear and focused classroom.  The effects were palpable because when you walked in the yoga room in mysore, you were walking into a meditative sacred space.  You could feel the effort, focus, and intention and it just carried you through your practice.  Achievements that seemed far off became accessible, doubts and procrastination melted away,  and you just became part of the energy that he created.

Greg Nardi will be offering an Ashtanga Yoga Immersion weekend at Native Yoga Center November 11-13th, 2011.  Greg is a phenomenal teacher who has a great understanding of both the practice and theory of ashtanga yoga.  Here is the first question in a series from an interview with him.  We hope you enjoy.  You can vist details about the workshop at www.nativeyogacenter.com.

Native Yoga: How did you first get interested in yoga?  What drew you to yoga practice?

Greg Nardi: I was originally invited to take a yoga class by a friend.  I didn’t expect much since I was never into physical activity, and wasn’t particularly health conscious.  Quite the opposite, actually. I grew up asthmatic and always felt pretty let down and trapped by my body.   So, it came as a complete shock when I fell irrevocably in love with the practice at first sight.  I was always seeking spiritually and philosophically, and the combination of feeling really great in my body for the first time in my life, along with a deeply satisfying spiritual culture hooked me in right away.