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Yoga in the heart of the city |
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Sri K. Pattabhi Jois 1915 - 2009
MUCH LOVE THERE IS MY HEART IS BROKEN AND THE END GAME HAS BEEN PLAYED
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Hot balmy temperatures, brilliant blue skies and
corridors of flaming red jacaranda trees, framed the
sturdily erected marquees, that stretched from roadside
to roadside, closing off the whole street, that is
home to the Krishna Pattabhi Jois Yoga Institute . The marquee, was a backdrop of splendidly, rajasic splashes of yellow, red and orange colors, that were woven into images of Sura’s (the Sun) rays, and it was these marquees which framed the blooming bustling crowds of the yoga community, who had joined together to celebrate a life well lived, a life of service. |
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The memorial of the life of Sri K Pattabhi
Jois (Guruji) 1915-2009 had indeed (as David Swenson put
it) brought hundreds (750-800—to be exact) of the old and
new members of the yoga community together one more time.
Here they all were, together in one place, in one exact,
same moment .And in this moment –that I refer to as “the
end game” it is painfully evident that many hearts feel
broken and that –oh so much love is there. And, it did not
go unnoticed, that those vibrant symbols of Sura’s (the
Sun) rays, that were woven onto the that marquee which was
enveloping this dedicated community in mourning, were a
somewhat potent reflection, of the fire and passion that
exuded from the teachings of Guruji .
This was the thirteenth day of the puja and ritual, that
marks the ceremonies that traditional Brahmin people participate
in, when their dearly beloved depart. On this day the yoga
community were invited to witness the chanting of the four
Vedas, pay their respects to the family and join together
for a sumptuous feast.
Peter – my husband- and I had left our yoga shala in Auckland clutching a cloth bound book of some beauty, that held the heartfelt comments of many bereaved yoga students who had long benefited from Guruji’s teachings, but did not have the means to journey to Mysore for his memorial or Vaikunta Samaradhane (as it is referred to in Indian terms). We placed this book and flowers beside the photograph set upon a stage within the shala. Many others also brought flowers and mementos to place there. For us, personally it was a time full of sadness and gladness. There was sadness at the loss of our dear teacher’s physical presence, but gladness about the comment made by some of our Indian friends. They commented that the Guru may be gone physically but in truth he would be closer to us in spirit.
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There was much gladness and joy amongst the crowd, as many old students reunited telling tales of lives, lived more fully, as a result of embracing the Guru’s teachings. So much love was there. The family honored Guru fully, courageously and gracefully and to them we send our thanks and love. |
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I have always taken the view that we
are all spiritual beings, who are on the planet for a short
time to have a fully human experience. It has always seemed
to me, that some humans are closer to their spiritual self
than others. I felt that my teacher and Guru, Sri K Pattabhi
Jois was a spiritually charged, human.
Clearly he was fully human – his life was filled with challenges
and obstacles and he – like all of us – had his fair share
of tragedy and suffering. I responded well to this spiritual
being who was also authentically human!!! Guruji exuded
warmth, love and humor – charming traits to be sure- but
the powerful force and grace I experienced in his presence
came from another place. Guruji’s passionate belief in human
beings ability to find, experience and develop qualities
of love, compassion and spirituality. His belief was infectious
and he is often quoted as saying:
If we practice the science of yoga, which is useful to the
entire human community and which yields happiness both here
and hereafter -- if we practice it without fail, we will
then attain physical, mental, and spiritual happiness, and
our minds will flood towards the Self. He believed that
anyone could attain to yoga if they had the desire and the
enthusiasm. This idea is evident in traditional yoga texts
such as Patanjali’s Sutras, but it was my teachers purely
fiery devotion to yoga as a way of life that remains sewn
on the inside of me guiding me and inspiring me to endeavor
to carry on the practices of the 8 limbs, learn Patanjali’s
Sutras the Shanti Mantras, The Gita, and daily light the
candles under his photo, placing flowers there and rejoicing
in the teachings he passed to me.
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And so I finish with gratitude for my good fortune in receiving the teachings of Pattabhi Jois (Guruji) with a section of the the Ashtanga Yogi’s Chant:
I worship the Guru’s lotus feet, awakening the happiness of the Self revealed. |
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Jude Hynes.
