sábado, 10 de novembro de 2012

ASHTANGIS OF MY TIME - PAZ MUÑOZ

NAME: Paz Muñoz.
AGE: 29.
PLACE OF BIRTH: Chile
PROFESSION: Ashtanga Yoga Teacher and Contemporary Dancer.
YEARS OF PRACTICE: 7 years.

HOW ASHTANGA YOGA ENTER TO YOUR DAILY LIFE?
Ashtanga came to me because of a friend, from the dance school, i was very curious about Yoga, i really don´t know way, haha..., maybe i was looking for some complement for my dance training... but she said to me." you have to do Ashtanga Yoga, it´s for you" and one day i went to the shala of Loreto in Chile, and then everything change, it as like i learned how to move my body again, there i was a complete begginer... the silence and the breathings, all this together made me felt something that i was looking for some time, even though i didn´t know what it was, it wasn´t the physical part that i find attractice, as most of the people think... it was something different. Then with time, i understood (this beautiful way of silence and movement), as the way to hear my own soul, and go deepeer.

SHARATH JOIS SAID IN ONE OF THE SUNDAY´S CONFERENCE OF LAST YEAR, THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE STUDENT/PRACTITIONER UNDERSTAND THE ASANA, EACH ASANA, THAT WOULD HELP TO FIND THE WAY TO DO THE POSE IN "STHIRA AND SUKHAM" STATE. DO YOU THINK THAT PRACTITIONERS LIKE YOURSELF THAT AS A BACKGROUND IN DANCE, UNDERSTAND EASIER THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE MOVEMENTS AND POSES, AND THROUGH THIS UNDERSTANDING IS EASIER FOR YOU TO FIND THE STHIRA (STEADY) AND SUKHAM (CONFORTABLE) ASANAS?
Yes and no, of course to have a background, in this case as a dancer, gives you an important base to work with your body in many ways, body awareness or consciousness of the body, tools to understand the way  your body works, and yes, that helps when we talk about asana just as something physical; strenght; flexibility, or in other level a strong determination and discipline if you want, which is very good foundation to find sthira and sukham, but for what i have expericenced and believe, is much more that have an intelligence of movement, this understand of asana can come from different ways, and have a previous experience with your body is only one. 

AS STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONAL DANCER, DO YOU THINK THERE IS ANY CONNECTION BETWEEN DANCE AND ASHTANGA YOGA? 
Yes,  the way we breath and the coordenation with the movement in this practice creates this perfect synchronization, which is the same that you can find in dance. It doesn´t matter the way you move, the harmony is part of it. 

IF YOU HAD TO ADVICE OTHER DANCERS TO START PRACTICING ASHTANGA YOGA, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM?
Well, i think there is something special  in this practice, which is attractive for dancers, more than the challenging movements, i want to believe there´s a door that you can open to know a little bit more about yourself with this practice, be more creative also, and this is a great gift for any person, specially artists. 

SOMETIMES WE NEED TIME AND EXPERIENCE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND FEEL THIS ASHTANGA YOGA PRACTICE, AND WITH THEM WE START SEEING AND FEELING THINGS IN A DIFFERENT LEVEL. WHAT HAVE CHANGED FROM WHEN YOU WERE ONLY A BEGGINER UP TO NOW?
From me is the incredible journey between "desire and don´t have expectation", this thing about just trust in life, be grounded, do what you have to do, this is something that you develop with time, and of course i´m still there.

AS AN ASHTANGA YOGA TEACHER, YOU OBSERVE THE DAILY PRACTICE OF YOUR STUDENTS, DO YOU NOTE ANY COMMON (S) OBSTACLE (S), THAT THEY FEEL AND NEED TO OVERPASS TO ACHIEVE A STABLE PRACTICE?
Well, i thing the most common obstacle is to see first all the obstacles in the practice instead to focus in a goal, at some point people start to put more attention in what is not possible, or in what is difficult, and then all seems more complicate... wake up really early in the morning, come more often to the shala, etc. Determination is the great value of this practice and i think that is what finally grounded you every morning on the mat. 

WHAT IS YOUR MANTRA AS A TEACHER?
Trust, trust in life... in what i´m doing, in what i feel, just trust. 

IN A WORLD THAT LIVES FOR THE OUTSIDE, ASHTANGA YOGA BRING US BACK TO OUR INSIDE. CAN YOU DESCRIBE US IN A SMALL SENTENCE, WHAT YOU FEEL AND EXPERIENCE EACH TIME YOU PRACTICE?
A deep silence and my feet firmly on the ground.

THANK YOU!
* photo taken from our personal archieve. Mysore, 2012.

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