I finally got my feet to cross together in Supta Kurmasana with Lila's help this weekend.
Just like " La Tortuga " the turtle after which this asana is named after , slow & steady means progress. It was not the ability to approximate the pose that I am enthused about .
It was the feeling of PRATYAHARA aka " the work-in " that I experienced while withdrawn inside it. Just like a turtle ensconsced in its shell. More eneveloping & deeper tham Karnapidasana.
Lila Padma Devi Dasi also goes by the name of Loren Russo. And she is mentioned in today's article in the NY Times wherein the writer finds her new guru in a personal trainer. The " Work-Out " vs. the " Work-In ".
There are some truths in the article. I agree with her that practicing Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga on a regular / daily basis is not for those with a busy professional schedule. I can attest to that. I don't agree with her one faceted description of Eddie Stern as being a traditional teacher with a celebrity student base. That's one component of the equation. She should have mentioned Eddie's deep commitment to the Broome Street Temple & the Deities enshrined there.
But then again , this article reeks of the superficiality of what Yoga , & even some Ashtangis are all about here in the US of A.
It is eating too much that gets you fat , not Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Ask a sadhu or swami who only eats 1 meal a day ( if ever ) if they go to a trainer to stay thin. Stuck on the lower rungs of the Ashtanga Yoga ladder she is.
Ishvara / Krishna really doesn't care what size Lululemon pants you wear.
