Sting on Yoga

They say that when the pupil is ready, the teacher will appear. My yoga journey began in 1990. My first teacher Danny (Paradise), walked into my studio in London and asked if I wanted to learn yoga. I had no idea what yoga was but I was intrigued enough to ask him to show me. Which he did. I was impressed by both his quiet confidence and the strength and flexibility that he demonstrated. I was even more impressed after I tried to emulate some of his movements.
I had always thought myself as fit. My job demands it. I was an athlete when I was younger and ran every day. But could I bend forward and lay my palms on the floor with straight legs? No way. Nor could I complete a simple sun salutation without huffing and puffing like an old train. This teacher's breath had been smooth and effortless. I asked him to come to my house the next day and teach me."
Sting, from the Foreword to 'Jivamukti Yoga'

Image via BBC.

Comments

[david byck]

David Byck, here. Danny’s a great guy. I can remember the first time I met him. I signed up for his workshop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and afterward I remember feeling something … something had happened during the session but I just couldn’t put my finger on it.

Then a couple of years later, when my practice had gotten a little stronger I flashed back to that incident at Danny’s class and only then did I realize what was special about that weekend. When Danny had initially come out to teach, instead of a rubber or cotton mat he threw out a piece of silk onto the floor and sat on it.

As the class went on, he began to demonstrate some of the more difficult asanas on this piece of silk. What stuck in my mind was that from a seated position he jumped through and into a handstand. All on that small piece of silk. If you think about it, the strength and Bandar control he must have to do something like this must be phenomenal. I mean, I can remember when I first started practicing I used to wear out rubber mats because of the amount of pressure I would place on them in positions such as downward dog. Pressure which would easily tear a piece of silk.

If any of your readers have the opportunity to takes instruction from Danny, I would highly recommend it.

Peace,