The path to enlightenment

Downward facing dog -
a posture within the
sun salutation sequence

Enlightenment is the ultimate end of the road for Buddhists. In Buddhism, schools use mantras, yoga, meditation to focus thoughts and channel them down a path towards this state of awakening and realisation.

According to Wiki, the sanscrit word bodhi (usually translated as enlightenment) refers to a unique experience which partially or wholly transforms an individual from his or her previous state within their current life. I say current life, 'cos Buddhism isn't into the whole life and death thing; you're on a roundabout - a continuous flow where you come back for more in a form that is decided by your actions on your previous life trip.

This transformation, or enlightenment, has to do with self realisation, awakening, awareness of other beings and the discarding of greed, hate and delusion.

Although I like meditation and yoga, I personally think that anyone pursuing the path to enlighenment should try some multiday adventure racing or a good hard and rugged mountain ultra run. It's a big wake up - shake up about yourself, other people, priorities and values in life...

Ja well.

At Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge last year I got a taste of acroyoga (acrobatics and yoga), which I loved. I found two workshops here in January, instructed by an American chap who was out here to teach at a Jo'burg studio. I'm totally hooked and I attend the acroyoga jams on alternate weekends.

I've dabbled in yoga over the years. About 10 years ago I got into some really intense classes, which I really enjoyed, but stopped when I moved. When I returned to Jo'burg I just went to the classes at gym, which were superb. I'd run first and then hit the yoga class. Mmm.. I guess I probably went twice a week for a few years.

Going to the acro sessions really got me thinking about yoga and how much I enjoy it and how my body benefits from the practise. In the past I've done Iyengar yoga, one of many yoga forms (I think of it like judo and karate and kung-fu). The forms all similar, but are put together and acted out differently - if that makes sense.

This yoga studio where I do the acroyoga is a traditional Ashtanga studio. From the moment I first walked in I liked the place and felt totally comfortable and at home. So, on Saturday, I went to a beginner session to learn how this form differs from what I've done before.

Without going into the 'eight limbs' and all the other mambo-jumbo, in practise Ashtanga is fast and pacey, which I really like. There are the sun salutations to start (lots of them, big time repetition - it's nice and warming and meditational), standing poses, seated poses, inversions, balances... same as I've done before. Ashtanga focuses on flow - moving from one posture to the next with fluidity. But it's really the pace that is so different and also what suits me. As Sarah, my teacher, says, "It's the right type of yoga for a person like you". She's right.

Ashtanga has a number of levels and they're all structured. Every practise sessions begins with sun salutations and then you so the next series and the next and you add as you go along and then you finish off your practise. The nice thing about this is that it is almost like memorising a routine and then flowing through it. Breathing is also a big part. You may do two breaths between each move (steps within postures) or you may do five. The pace at which you do the series makes up the duration of your practise, together with the number of postures you do. Ashtanga also encourages self practise. The more you practise, the better you get.

Tonight I went to the first of five beginner classes and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was drenched with sweat after our initial sun salutations. The standing poses we did tonight, I've done before - but not for ages. It felt really good. Even better was that I ran to the studio from home. Yes, from Bedford Gardens to Dunkeld. And it was fabulous! OK, so Linksfield Ridge is a bit of a hump to get over, but the rest of the route is friendlier. Took me 90 minutes... I could probably do it in 1h20; I had a few itsy-bitsy walks and I got trapped by a road closure and had to run a big loop to get out.

So, over the next few weeks I hope to get a good grounding in Ashtanga and it is certainly inevitable that I'll keep going - I really, really like it and it's a super compliment to the rest of my training. It's a pity that the studio isn't closer to home... My plan is to drive there on Monday mornings and to run on Thursdays. Nice balance.

Level 1: After tonight, I'm up to the 5th dude from the right on the third row. Next week, who knows ;)