I’m very excited to announce that I’ll be teaching a third series training for the first (and possibly the only time) in August of 2015. Of all the different series that I learned from Gurugi (1 thru 4), the third series has always been my favorite and I practiced it with some regularity for over 30 years.
In the Grand Design of the Ashtanga Yoga system I would say that the first series is intended to purify the physical body, rejuvenate the gastrointestinal system, restore health, build strength, and restore the natural range of motion to the joints; the second series purifies at a more subtle level, opening the nadis and chakras of the pranamaya kosha (energy body), and increasing the flow of prana and shakti to begin to awaken the kundalini and bestow a lightness of body and mind; the third series is designed to stabilize the energy that has been awakened by the second series, by cultivating sthira bhaga-“excellent stability.” It does this by providing a sequence of asanas that require strength, flexibility, and balance, all at the same time. In the process the mind cultivates a certain quality of attention and concentration that has a stabilizing effect on body, breath, and consciousness.
During this two-week immersion, we will examine each asana of the third series in detail, exploring the intricacies of the biomechanics as well as strategies for adjustments. This course is appropriate for those who have completed second series are beginning to practice third and those who are currently practicing third and seeking some refinement in their practice. During the two weeks there will also be the opportunity to learn the entire ashtanga pranayama sequence as taught to me by Guruji. In addition, we will be exploring chapters three and four of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, learning some new mantras and bhajans, revisiting epic stories from the Upanishads, the Puranas, the Ramayana, and the Mahabharata, learning the basics of vedic astrology, and listening to me tell stories about the “old days”.
This is a course that I have been wanting to teach sometime before I die, so I figured sooner rather than later-not that I plan on dying any time soon. I first met Guruji when he was the same age I am now, and he was just getting started! Hopefully, I have another 30 years of teaching ahead, but you just never know. At any rate, I look forward to teaching this course and I hope some of you will join me for a very special two weeks.
-Tim Miller