Podcast appearances and mentions of david garrigues

www.davidgarrigues.com | @davidgarriguesyoga In this conversation, David Garrigues discusses his journey as a yoga teacher and the challenges he has faced along the way. He emphasizes the importance of being authentic and real as a teacher, even if it means admitting to struggles and imperfections. David also talks about the need for structure and specificity in teaching, while also recognizing the importance of individual interpretation and exploration. He shares his love for Ashtanga Yoga and the joy it brings him, and how he has evolved his teaching style over the years.   Key Points ·      Being authentic and real as a yoga teacher is important, even if it means admitting to struggles and imperfections. ·      There is a need for structure and specificity in teaching, while also allowing for individual interpretation and exploration. ·      Finding joy in your practice and teaching is essential for staying motivated and connected to the practice. ·      Ashtanga Yoga can be a powerful modality for teaching and practicing yoga, but it is important to adapt it to the individual needs and abilities of students. Structure and repetition can be beneficial in a yoga practice, providing comfort and allowing for deeper exploration. ·      The existing sequences in Ashtanga yoga offer a wealth of knowledge and experience that can be thoroughly explored. ·      Anatomy and physicality are important aspects of the practice, as they provide a foundation for bandhas and breath control. ·      Engaging with the ritual of yoga can lead to self-discovery and a deeper understanding of oneself. ·      The interplay between movement and stillness, becoming and being, is a fundamental aspect of yoga. ·      Teaching yoga requires balancing the sharing of knowledge with empowering the student and avoiding the misuse of power. ·      The practice of yoga can be physically and mentally demanding, requiring rest and recovery. ·      Students and their dedication to the practice can be a great source of inspiration for teachers. ·      Generosity and the joy of giving are important qualities to cultivate in the practice and teaching of yoga.

Aparigraha by David Garrigues

You might know David Garrigues as a Certified Ashtanga yoga teacher, but today you'll hear all about what spurred him into the Seattle punk scene, and how music pulled him out of a very difficult time in his life, where he was homeless and starting to sink into a very dark place. How did he go from a homeless young punk rocker to practicing yoga in Mysore, India, with Pattabhi Jois? You'll find out in this episode. David has a deep dedication to the practice, music, poetry, and art. We discussing the evolution of his practice and teaching over the years and how it's culimated in his newest book: Ashtanga Yoga Vinyasa: Movement, Breath, and Posture in the Primary Series. It takes courage to write a book, let alone six of them! It takes courage to put yourself out there on YouTube consistently (if you haven't checked out Asana Kitchen with David Garrigues - be sure to) and to create over 20 video courses! And it takes courage to get on your mat every day. David talks about some of the motivations that continue to bring him to his mat daily, some deep emotions that continue to linger, like shame, anger, and resentment. This need for constant purification and ongoing evolution, is what continues to spur him to gather up all his courage each day to face himself on his mat! We're examining both the shadow and the light aspects of the asana practice today with David Garrigues, and his particular approach to practice within this deeply explorative conversation. Come practice with me in person in 2023 - ⁠⁠harmonyslater.com/events⁠⁠ Barcelona: September 22 - 26, 2023 ⁠⁠⁠FIND OUT MORE⁠ ⁠⁠ Madrid: September 27 - October 1, 2023 ⁠⁠⁠⁠FIND OUT MORE⁠⁠⁠⁠ Cleveland, OH: November 3 - 6, 2023 ⁠⁠⁠FIND OUT MORE⁠⁠⁠ LEARN MORE ABOUT DAVID GARRIGUES INSTAGRAM I WEBSITE I YOUTUBE - davidgarrigues.com A big heart of thanks to our friends, family, and students from around the world, who've generously supported this podcast through your comments, sharing, and financial donations. If you've enjoyed today's podcast, please consider supporting our future episodes by making a donation. Every little bit goes a long way and we are immensely grateful for any and all of your support. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠    Make A Donation   ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠harmonyslater.com/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review!  ❤  Give us a 5★ rating! Opening and closing music by Nick Evans from his album “for Morgan.” Listen to the entire album on Spotify ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Purchase your own copy ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

All About Dristi by David Garrigues

In this podcast, David Garrigues describes how to use his new book, Ashtanga Yoga Vinyasa: Movement,, Breath, and Posture. The book can be purchased on David's website or in your home country's Amazon. With his new book, Ashtanga Yoga Vinyasa: Movement, Breath and Posture in the Primary Series, David Garrigues has created a concise yet comprehensive technical manual on AshtangaYoga as well a mystical, poetic treatise on the greater subject of yoga. An instant Hatha Yoga classic, this offering is sure to be a trusted companion for present and future generations of yoga lovers. The book provides the reader with an unprecedented, easy-to-follow breakdown of every single vinyasa (and pose) of the Primary Series. The instructions are bullet-points that contain skillfully articulated directions for doing the transitions and poses along with unique, potent cues on such essential Hatha yoga themes as pranayama (controlling the breath), vinyasa (transitions), mudra, (energetic seals/gestures), bandha (energetic locks), drsti (gazing points), meditation, philosophy, Indian folklore, the five elements, and more. This book is an unprecedented road map to the art of yoga, it shares the teachings of Ashtanga in ways that promote physical, psychological, and spiritual growth.

Kleshas: Overcoming the 5 Causes of Pain by David Garrigues

Ty Landrum (https://www.tylandrum.com/ @tylandrumyoga) The impact of the awareness of yoga | Yoga for struggles with depression | Bringing awareness to the body | Awareness of the breath | Yoga opens doors to hidden emotions | Stiff beginnings | Acceptance of pushing in yoga | Being present with whatever is arising | Wanting to feel like Richard Freeman | Following the questions | Prana and Apana impact on asana | Energetic based alignment | Roles of inhale and exhale | Varying the Ashtanga sequence | Qualities a good teacher This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we use and highly recommend. Momence facilitates online, in-person and hybrid classes and events, and there are packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can: · Manage your class and workshop schedule Organize your appointment types and availability Create marketing and win-back campaigns Organize your on-demand videos and courses See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting. Have customers self-check-in via kiosks Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale Best of all, with live support by chat, phone and email Momence is easy to use for yourself and your customers.  2 MONTHS FREE TRAIL: for more information click on the link https://www.keenonyoga.com/momence/ or book a demo and quote “Keen on Yoga” ********************************************************************************************************************************  Support Us Donate: https://keenonyoga.com/donate/ Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/infoRf Become a Patron:  https://keenonyoga.com/membership/  Exclusive content, yoga & lifestyle tips, live Zoom meet-ups & more.  €10 per month, cancel at any time. Connect with us: Instagram Keen on Yoga: https://www.instagram.com/keen_on_yoga/ Instagram Adam Keen: https://www.instagram.com/adam_keen_ashtanga/ Website: https://keenonyoga.com/ ***************************************************************************************************************************** Ty is running Intensives in Europe and in Goa, for bookings and info see here: https://www.tylandrum.com/events Ty has an unwavering love for this unique somatic discipline, which he began practicing back in 2005. Drawing on his formal background in philosophy (PhD University of Virginia), Ty has an unusual power for illuminating the internal dynamics of yoga. He sees yoga as conscious participation in archetypal patterns of human development, which he is ever drawn to explore. Many inspiring people taught Ty about yoga, but the deepest and most lasting imprints have been made by Jennifer Eliot (his first teacher), David Garrigues (his second), Mary Taylor and Richard Freeman (his most recent), to all of whom he is forever grateful. These teachers all did something remarkable, which is to disappear, and allow the spirit of yoga to stand forth from within. Ty now shares his love of yoga in studios and retreat centers around the world. His passion is to share the brilliance of yoga with anyone who wants to learn. learned yoga from pain and heartache, loss and confusion, old books, lost tapes, full moons, long bouts of silence, cold winds, simplicity, forgiveness, surrender, and the caring words of a few good friends. He draws inspiration from children, saffron, sage, carob, almonds, chocolate, wise women, gnarled old men, olive trees, deep rivers, steep mountains, quaking aspen, honeybees, love songs, sunrises, laughter and deep breath.              

Equanimity by David Garrigues

From skiing and horseback riding to fighting fires and then throwing herself fully into her Ashtanga Yoga practice, after being stuck in Marichyasana-D (a difficult twist in the Primary Series) for 4 years, she continued on with dedication and determination, to become a Fourth Series practitioner under the guidance of David Garrigues and Dena Kingsberg. Sarah Hatcher began her Ashtanga practice with an eclectic collection of teacher from which she continues to draw inspiration from. In this episode we talk about how the practice changes through pregnancy and whether students should take time off after giving birth or press on. We explore what has sustained Sarah's passion for practice over all these years. You'll learn her tips for making your morning ritual happen day after day, even while being a mom of two energetic boys, or holding down an assortment of different jobs, or opening a new Mysore program in a brand new city. Near the end we get into a discussion about the balance of masculine and feminine energies within and how it shows up in life, as well as in our yoga practices. Last, but certainly not least, Sarah expresses her sincere thoughts on the value of receiving Authorization from the Institute in Mysore these days, and why she chose to follow a different path. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SARAH: INSTAGRAM I MYSORE I YOUTUBE I WEBSITE The Finding Harmony Podcast is hosted, edited and produced by Harmony Slater and co-hosted by Russell Case. A big heart of thanks to our friends, family, and students from around the world, who've generously supported this podcast through your comments, sharing, and financial donations. If you've enjoyed today's podcast, please consider supporting our future episodes by making a donation. Every little bit goes a long way and we are immensely grateful for any and all of your support. Make A Donation FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HARMONY and become an INNER CIRCLE MEMBER - harmonyslater.com Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! ❤ Give us a 5★ rating! We love to read and respond to your comments - So drop us a note in the comments below and give us a shout out on IG! Opening and closing music compliments of my dear friend teaching Ashtanga yoga in Eindhoven, Nick Evans, with his band “dawnSong” from the album “for Morgan.” Listen to the entire album on Spotify - Click Here. To purchase your own copy - Click Here.

Join David Garrigues and me as we discuss Yoga Sūtra 3.17: There is a natural confusion of words, meanings, and our own conceptual experience that arises when we superimpose one upon the other. But with perfect focus on distinguishing between the three, we learn the language of all beings. Basically - words matter. As does our experience, use, and interpretation. Words like discipline, tradition, modification, and even the word yoga itself. So we chose a few and attempted to dissect. This conversation was also offered live on Clubhouse and if you're interested in attending future talks, follow @pegmulqueen on Clubhouse. Or sign up for our monthly email at www.ashtangadispatch.com

Yoga Sutra 3:17: Why Words Matter by David Garrigues

David is an inspiring light of the Yoga world. He has been practicing yoga since he was 16 and has a breadth of knowledge that spans across yoga most generally. From his understanding of Bhakti Yoga shown in his well-known Kirtans, to his wildly personal and vibrant take on yoga-philosophy, and finally, to his open-minded and minutely thought-our approach to yoga-asanas and the science of vinyasa, he is a wholly unique and much-loved teacher. In this podcast we discuss a range of topics such as diet for yoga, what to do about injuries and the evolving nature of practice.

Certified Ashtanga Yoga teacher David Garrigues discusses the concept of infinity and how it plays out in the asana practice, nirodha, and creates yogic powers (siddhis) in the practitioner. EXTRA NOTES The 8 famous Siddhis Siddhi (special) power:  peculiar skill, mastery, perfection 1) ANIMA SIDDHI Ability to become small, size of an atom  In your pose:  ability to perceive the minutest detail; subtle, fine discernment; isolating the actions of different parts of your body; supra sensory perception  In your life:  attention to details; sensitive; perceive subtleties  2) MAHIMA SIDDHI Ability to become large like the monkey God, Hanuman, who grew to colossal size when he leaped across the water to Lanka from the tip of India.   In your pose: ability to perceive your entire body all at once; seeing many layers of context for activating your body; harmonizing the different parts of your body, causing Life Force to flow freely throughout all the channels.  In your life: see the big picture: more all encompassing perspective  3) GARIMA SIDDHI Power to increase in weight infinitely In your asana:  power to connect to your body (feet, hands, legs, and arms) with the ground beneath you and strike the Immovable Spot; ability to send weight into specific parts of the body: ability to wield your weight skillfully; able to sustain your attention where you choose.  In your life: grounded; able to place weight on what is important, meaningful, and prioritize what is valuable; supportive, steady, constant, reliable like a rock 4) LAGHIMA SIDDHI Power to become lighter than the lightest In your pose:  power to make your body light, buoyant, float, leap, float, and fly; buoyant light spine; nimble, swift, cheerful, ebullient In your life: lightness, able to let go of or avoid heavy states depression, despair, lethargy or pessimism; forgiving not holding grudges swift minded sharp, light on your feet responsive. 5) PRAAPTI SIDDHI  Ability to acquire anything anywhere In your pose: knowing how to get the best from your body and mind; able to work with your weaknesses and limits instead of against them; thinking creatively; able to utilize whatever is at hand—props or modifications-- to attain your objectives for doing a pose.   In your life:  knowing what you want and then making the best of whatever you have in all circumstance to succeed.  Knowing how to compromise, make concessions, and set priorities; knowing how to sacrifice the things that are least important to you and retain what is most important to you; faith that the universe somehow provides whatever you need. 6) PRAKAMYA SIDDHI Willfulness, freedom of will, power of will  7) ISHITVA SIDDHI Lordship over all creation 8) VASHITVA SIDDHI Ability to control the entire creation, especially the 5 elements Extra Siddhis Relevant to your Pose and your Life  DURA SRAVANA SIDDHI Hearing far; masterful listener both external and internal; ability to quiet and still and hear communications from the creative, higher source within  DURA DARSHANA SIDDHI Seeing far; visionary; penetrative outward and inward gaze; living your life according to dharma; in touch with what represents the ‘Ultimate You’; seeing the pith of your life and life.  MANOJAVITVA SIDDHI Swiftness of mind and body KAMA RUPA SIDDHI Ability to attain the desired form—power to strike the asana as you envision it.

In this podcast, certified Ashtanga teacher David Garrigues, gives the 3 top reasons to not let anything steal your practice.

What’s up with yoga as a spiritual practice? Is it legit, or just wishy washy new age woo woo? In this podcast I chat with long-time yoga advocate David Garrigues. We get to the heart of what yoga can do for you, as well as talk about how issues of appropriation, consumerism, and trendiness affect (or don’t) this centuries old sacred practice. Links: Books, retreats, articles: http://davidgarrigues.com Youtube: http://davidgarrigues.com/youtube   Podcast: http://davidgarrigues.com/podcast ------- To enter the weekly giveaway for a FREE book, write a review of the podcast on iTunes (http://stefaniruper.com/listen), take a screen shot of your review, then email it to stefani@nakedhumanity.org. Then you'll be PERMANENTLY entered into the drawing. Check out the list of books you can get @ http://stefaniruper.com/bookgiveaway. I carefully curate the guests on this show alongside a few team members who help me do it. We work hard to bring you nothing less than the most interesting, engaging, insightful, provocative guests out there. *Subscribe on Youtube: http://bit.ly/2Y8fkfV Instagram: http://instagram.com/stefani.ruper Twitter: http://twitter.com/stefaniruper Facebook: http://facebook.com/stefaniruper Website: http://stefaniruper.com *Subscribe on a podcasting app: iTunes: https://apple.co/2JJM4Is Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Ye2b9x Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Y1vXig

Silence, Pattabhi Jois, and Moving Forward in Ashtanga by David Garrigues

Who is Yogi Chris, PhD and who were his influences? What does effective communication sound like? When is it time to transition from student to teacher?   Join us LIVE every Wednesday at 9PM EDT @ https://zoom.us/j/430159301   Join our Facebook group for free coaching @ https://bit.ly/EnlightenedMasculinityGroup   Show Notes: 1:33 How does a PhD learn information quickly? 5:28 When did Yogi Chris read his first book? 5:53 Why read? 7:02 How do you use language to convey your rich ideas? 9:23 When do you know it’s the right time to transition from student to teacher? 10:45 What was it about the communication of your teachers that inspired you to study? 14:22 What makes intelligent communication? 15:18 What does it mean to fall in love with the teacher? 15:35 What is the essence of effective communicators across different fields? 16:47 What communication techniques did HT Odom and David Garrigues utilize most often? 18:45 What is Kearst geology? 19:05 Humans are made of sunlight? 21:58 What is it like to communicate from the energy of a teacher? 23:36 Who really is Yogi Chris? 25:30 What must you do to change habitual communication patterns? 26:14 Is it important to draw upon the communication styles of your teachers to communicate an idea effectively? 28:37 What is Vince Kelvin’s communication style like? CLIP   Online Communication and Mindset Training with Yogi Chris @ http://bit.ly/SilentFlute Chris' Instagram @ http://instagram.com/yogablisschris 9th Limb Website @ https://9thlimb.com Chris’ YouTube @ https://YouTube.com/the9thlimb   Akash's Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/akashinti Akash’s Website @ https://www.akashinti.life Akash’s YouTube @ https://bit.ly/2UGRw22

In this Asana Kitchen podcast certified Ashtanga teacher David Garrigues discusses two empowering perspectives the student can utilize to extract knowledge out of their practice.

In this AK podcast certified Ashtanga teacher David Garrigues uses the Hindu myth of Vamana and Bali to discuss the material and spiritual world, and the need for the yoga practitioner to learn how to balance each of them in their lives. Purchase Maps and Musings on Amazon - https://tinyurl.com/y8ullqh6

This is teacher, David Garrigues’ third time on as a guest on the podcast. David is someone who sees the yoga through the eyes of an artist - finding magic in the ordinary and painting the familiar into delightful new forms. Full of all the same passion, that same spark of enthusiasm that sets souls on fire - he also seemed different. Definitely more clear - and especially about his role in this world and as a teacher. In fact, when he says his whole life has been leading up to this point, I believe him. This is the process, he tells me. A process through practice. Thank you for your spending time, listening to the Ashtanga Dispatch Podcast. Our mission is to explore the yoga practice in mindful and insightful ways - far beyond the shapes we make on our mat. We are an incredibly small team - just my daughter Meghan and me - and we work hard to find inspiring individuals who make this practice come to life - and bring them to you. All without any third-party advertising or interruptions. So if you are enjoying these podcasts, we hope you will take time a moment to share or support your experience here. Like ... - Introduce your yoga friends and community on to the show. - Follow us on FB and IG, sharing with the hashtag #Ashtangadispatchpodcast. - Or subscribing to the podcast on iTunes, rating us and even taking the extra time to leave a review. And if you are in a position to help, please visit ashtangadispatch.com to make a donation in any amount. Trust me, it all helps. Thanks for listening and enjoy the interview. For more, please visit www.ashtangadispatch.com

In this podcast David Garrigues discusses absorption and how the householder yogi can utilize the term in their daily practice.

In this Asana Kitchen podcast David Garrigues uses psychologist James Hillman's article on betrayal to discuss ahimsa and how it plays out in conflict, forgiveness, and resolution. "You can't even learn about trust and forgiveness without being betrayed."

Taoist Manimal Podcast Ep. 35 Elizabeth Sitzler Elizabeth is a devout student, practitioner and teacher of Ashtanga Yoga. Her teachers are Jörgen Christiansson and Sharath Jois. While she was studying history and political science, applying to law school, and competing as a Division 1 tennis player, her father persuaded her to try yoga for the first time; thinking it might help her manage stress. The dynamism of the practice instantly drew her in and she quickly fell in love with the beauty of linking movement, breath, and mindfulness. Soon enough, she was practicing yoga every day; experiencing positive transformations in mind, body, and spirit. As she delved deeper in the practice she discovered Sri K Pattabhi Jois’ Ashtanga Yoga, the Ashtanga Yoga School of Philadelphia, and her first teacher: David Garrigues. The integrity and structure of the Ashtanga Yoga system was a perfect and natural fit for her. Elizabeth taught at and helped run David’s School, AYS Philadelphia, from 2013-2017. Elizabeth is always a student, striving to learn more about herself, the practice, and how she can guide others through their own journey Elizabeth currently teaches daily morning mysore at Prana Das Yoga in Haverford and evening mysore at Mysore Philadelphia in Fishtown. 6/25 she is teaching an introduction to Mysore Style workshop at Prana Das Yoga 1-3 pm all proceeds donated to Yoga Gives Back Search iTunes or your podcast app for the Taoist Manimal Podcast or visit http://taoistman.hipcast.com/rss/taoist_man-imal_podcast.xml Find Elizabeth: https://elizabethsitzler.com/ Find Prana Das Yoga: http://pranadasyoga.com/mysore/ and on Facebook at Facebook.com/ Find Noah Julian: www.NoahMoves.com Find Yoga and Movement Sanctuary at www.YMSPhilly.com Music: Black Hole by: iNFiNiEN (PS. iNFiNiEN recently released a new album "Light At The Endless Tunnel" and it is bada**!) https://infinien.bandcamp.com/album/infinien Subscribe and download in your podcast app and please rate and review in iTunes!

When I asked David Garrigues to sit down with me last week to talk a little about "Parampara", that student-teacher relationship and how, in yoga, information is transmitted, he really took me to the mat in more than one way! You see, I once (or twice) have said that David doesn’t teach me asana – which he disagreed with … strongly! So this became less the interview I had planned with David and more of a lesson I think he had planned for me. And the result is probably one of the liveliest, informative, and impassioned conversations we’ve had to date.

Last Spring I had a chance to take a workshop with David Garrigues at his institute in Philadelphia.   I was impressed by the impetus of his enthusiastic movements, the passion in his way of teaching, and the softness (I cried like a baby) of the chanting part.   David touches a nerve with the devotional side of yoga because when you sit through a chanting session and he is playing the harmonium and singing mantras you "feel things".      It would be very hard not to.  In my case I cry like a sissy...   It's really embarrassing for me.  We talk about it in the podcast, but I still wish I could hide when my emotions go raw like that.       He is easy to approach even if dead-serious about the practice, because he has a great sense of humor, which is necessary, wouldn't you say?   The ONE THING I really got from David was to use support for the shoulder stand.     I don't buy into the no-props anymore. Not after his workshop, because I can see, and feel the difference when I do it with two blankets underneath me.     The "gesture" or the full expression of the pose can be accessed much better when there is support because the body gets help in getting straight and there is a lot less strain in the neck.   Another thing that David had me see differently is that a pose, an asana, is a lot more than just a pose...   It is a GESTURE. A symbol, a yantra, a work of art...       That simple definition "GESTURE" made me look at the whole practice differently...    Even as I am getting into a pose, any pose, I feel like I am gesturing in, forming something, co-creating together with the space around me.   And I know that this can sound vague...    But the more we do asanas, the more we begin to see the profound inner world they take us into, and that is what fascinates me about David's special way of teaching.   WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT   What brought David to the practice almost 35 years ago In the Summer of 2013 David survived a pretty intense car accident, what he experienced. Why is it that in our 30s we might want more poses but at 40 more pranayama? David recently wrote about the practice of yoga being only for spiritual purposes, not emotional or physical healing, I asked him how is that so What was the inspiration behind writing Vayu Sidhi Why did he call it Vayu Sidhi?   The role of devotion, and why is it that I always cry when people chant? The surprising short poem that took David a long time to understand - I have to say, the poem stayed with me for a long time... simple and so very real, so no b/s.     About David   Website  Twitter Workshops Facebook YouTube Instagram Institute in Philadelphia       Books and DVDs by David Garrigues   Download of The Primary Series (Class lead by David)  Vayu Sidhi Beginning The Primary Series of Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series Traditionally Counted Vinyasa A Guide To Ashtanga Yoga Pranayama Ashtanga Yoga The Intermediate Series Disk 1   Upcoming Book Edited By Joy:   This is what Joy says about it: Maps and Musings is a book of yoga based off of David's journal entries, finalized articles he's written, interviews he's done with me, brilliant notes of struggle and inspiration written on envelopes or pieces of scratch paper, poems and sutras he identifies with, and of course his drawings that redefine yantra and asana. The book will be released this May.           Books / Authors that David Recommends   Healing Back Pain: The Mind Body Connection By John Sarno Mind Over Back Pain by John Sarno    TRANSCRIPT Claudia Altucher:    So hello, and welcome to the Yoga Podcast.  I am thrilled to have with me today David Garrigues.  David is the director of the Ashtanga Yoga School of Philadelphia.  He's one of a few teachers in the United States to be certified to teach the ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga System by the late Pattabhi Jois who is the founder of this system.  He teaches workshops all over the world and he has several instructional DVDs on the primary and the intermediate series of ashtanga yoga, as well as a book that comes together with the DVD on the fourth limb pranayama, the branch of breathing.  And he has also recorded two devotional or kirtan CDs called Jaya Sat Guru and Bad Man Bhakti.                                    David, welcome.  Thank you for joining us today in the Yoga Podcast.   David Garrigues:       Thank you for having me, Claudia.   Claudia Altucher:     So let me ask you a question right off the bat.  Is Garrigues a Spanish name?  Do you have any Spanish connection?   David Garrigues:       [Laughs] It's a Basque name.  So right near – it's in the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain, but I think it's on the French side.   Claudia Altucher:        So we're not related.  Not a chance [Laughs].   David Garrigues:      I don't think so.  But I had a bass teacher once that he insisted it was Garrigues.  So who knows?   Claudia Altucher:        Who knows?   David Garrigues:      Yeah [Laughs].   Claudia Altucher:      So David, you started practicing yoga about 25 years ago.  Is that fair to say?   David Garrigues:          Well, even more.   Claudia Altucher:        Even more.   David Garrigues:         Yeah.   Claudia Altucher:      Can you remember what brought you into it?  What was it that – why yoga?  What happened?   David Garrigues:      I can remember it perfectly because it was a very amazing thing happened.  I was young.  I was sixteen.  So that was 30 – more than 35 years ago.  A friend, he – I was a dishwasher.  That was my first job when I was sixteen years old at a restaurant.And there's always an eccentric dishwasher that's, like, older, they – 'cause it's just kind of a job you can do.  And so there was another guy, a dishwasher, an older guy, and he was into all kinds of crazy stuff, but he was into yoga.  And he took me out to a park and taught me the Surya Namaskara, the Sun Salutation outside.  I just – I loved it.  I thought it was incredible and I started doing it by myself outside on the beach every morning.   Claudia Altucher:   Where were you then?   David Garrigues:    I was in West Seattle.  I lived – I'm from Seattle and I lived on Alki Beach in West Seattle, and I would go out in this little park and do it.  And I even wrote a paper about it in – for my school and I called it "The World Is A Sacrament".  So I got – it was very devotional and it took – me, right away I took to it and was just sixteen years old and didn't know anything about it.  And I actually continued to practice the Sun Salutation without knowing anything else about yoga for some years, actually.   Claudia Altucher:   So there was a devotional component that got you right away?  You sensed there was something in it for you?   David Garrigues:     Yeah.  Yeah.   Claudia Altucher:    That's very interesting.    David Garrigues:     Yeah.   Claudia Altucher:     Now, if I may fast forward, you had this story recently.  In the summer of 2013 you were driving in New Mexico and you had a pretty intense car accident.    David Garrigues:     Yeah.  Yeah.  Yep.   Claudia Altucher:     And what happened?  Tell me.   David Garrigues:     Well, it was a real freak thing because it was in the middle of summer in New Mexico on the highway and was going reasonably fast and all of a sudden we came across something I'd never encountered 'cause I'm not from there, but an unbelievable hail storm.  Radical.  Giant balls of hail and a torrential downpour.  Unbelievable.  It went from clear to like that to you couldn't see twenty feet in front of you.  And it was just – the cacophony of weather.  Whoa.  And I tried to stop, tried to put on the brakes, and it totally didn't work.  We started swerving totally out of control at 75 miles an hour.  Totally out of control.                                   And so we were – fishtail to one side, and Joy's there next to me.  She's going, "We're okay."  Then we swerved to the other side.  Three times.  Just all the way across the road, completely thinking –   Claudia Altucher:   Oh, my gosh.   David Garrigues:    – the thing was gonna – if it would have – it could have rolled.  It could have easily just caught and rolled.  And then there was other cars too that were off – that had already spun off to the – off the road.  And so finally it slowed down enough that it righted and we – and then – but I ended up off of the road going really fast on the grass.   Claudia Altucher:        Wow.  Jeez.   David Garrigues:   [Laughs]  And then finally it came to a stop and that wasn't over then because there was, like, three feet of water.  The car started sinking in the water.  And I tried to open it and it was like water started coming in the car.  So I – somehow I managed to back up and get out of it and drove off and nothing happened.  Not a scratch or anything, but…   Claudia Altucher:   That's almost a miracle 'cause when you go into water and mud backing off doesn't just happen.   David Garrigues:    No, I know.  It was [laughs]…   Claudia Altucher:   That's incredible.  And I just want to say Joy [Marzec] is your partner who's also an amazing yogi,  movie director, and an amazing person.  But what I got from your newsletter is that when this was happening, which is terrifying, you had some insights –   David Garrigues:    Yeah.   Claudia Altucher:     in this because you kind of confronted death right there.   David Garrigues:      Yes   Claudia Altucher:   And you said here, I have it, "In those few lucid moments, I saw my shadow clearly and I saw that my shadow contributed to me being in this dire situation.  I saw the wrongness of my impatience, my continual dissatisfaction, the kind that hinders, not helps."  And that's an eye-opening moment there.  When you're confronted with death, you…   David Garrigues:    Yeah.     Claudia Altucher:    It really puts things in perspective, doesn't it?   David Garrigues:    Yeah.   Claudia Altucher:        Well, I'm glad you're here.    David Garrigues:   Yes.  And it's amazing when that veil gets ripped out like that and how lucid that is.  And then when I talk to other people about it, it's so hard because when the danger's over, you remember and you take something with you, but then also, I don't know, it's so strange how that work, the maya, the illusion.  It's so easily comes back that you get impatient again.  But I definitely learned from that and it stuck what me, some of that.   Claudia Altucher:   I guess that's why we call it a daily practice, having to come back to what's real.  "Okay, I'm still facing death.  There's no need to rush [Laughs]."  It's very hard for me.   David Garrigues:     Right. And the practice exactly brings you back to that.  Every day.     Claudia Altucher:   You also said something recently that caught my attention.  When it comes to the difference in practice through age, you say, "At 30 I want more and more Asanas, I want more practice.  At 40, I want my pranayama."  What happens as we age with the yoga practice as we grow older?   David Garrigues:    It's not as much as I want my pranayama.  It's more I definitely explored the Asana in a different way and I'm not as drawn to the transitions.  I'm drawn to the Asana itself and to what – and to being there in that place.  And so – and that, to me, was, I guess, unexpected because of how physical I am and how athletic I've been and just how much I love movement and dynamism and how much – that's one of the reasons I really love ashtanga is the flow and the real amazing transitions that link everything together.                                  But certainly, aging has just made that less important, the flow and  the movement, and made the stillness and the breathing and the exploration of the position – this is different than pranayama.  It's actually like I'm interested in the very basic shapes like triangle and shoulder stand and what they reveal meditatively within internal awareness and consciousness and breathing.  And it's something very different than a sitting practice or even a pranayama practice because it is still a shape, and it's something – and there's variety involved in it.  When you do inversions, that's really different than a seated type of work.  And so it's just coming to love that more.  And fewer Asanas.    Claudia Altucher:   I feel the same way.  I'm 46 right now and I find that the more I step on the mat and the pranayama practice grows, the breathing practice grows, then it – I don't even need to do so many postures because you start to get kind of more juice out of each of the postures.  You identify new things happening in the body.  So I guess would you say the Asana has enough in it to bring you inwards from being totally out there and thinking about where the next paycheck comes from to going really to that central axis that you talk about and to focus your energy within you?   David Garrigues:   I do.  I say, for me, there's – because it's combining so many important elements that – 'cause there is a seated kind of meditation type of aspect that would not require Asana that – other than sitting, but it's more than that because it is physically expressive.  And I also liken – I think Asana is yantra.   Claudia Altucher:   What is yantra?  What does that mean?   David Garrigues:    Yantra is like mantra, but it's – so mantra is mind instrument, so it's a corolla of the mind, a sacred sound that you utter. And yantra is a – it has to do with form and order and a physical device for meditation or shape.  And so Asana is that.  It's a shape or a form, a certain ordered-pattern form and there's an aesthetic quality to it to.  That it has something compelling to the eye or to the senses.  And so for me, that's why the Asana can do what you're saying.  It draws you in completely because it has so much interest for somebody that – I don't know.  There's an aesthetic aspect to it, right?   Claudia Altucher:    Yes.   David Garrigues:   And that's included in movement and posture that is particularly compelling to me.   Claudia Altucher:  I was lucky enough to participate in one of your workshops earlier this year and you were calling it a gesture.  It's not just a pose that you're doing.  It's a gesture.    David Garrigues:   Yeah.   Claudia Altucher:  And you said the difference between a beginner student and an intermediate student – do you remember what you said?  You said it's the gesture.   David Garrigues:    It's the…   Claudia Altucher:    You said is that you maintain these – I guess the yantra, we could say.  Would that be fair to say?   David Garrigues:   Yeah.  And that the yantra – to make a yantra, a skillful yantra, is to make a gesture.  And that gesture has – like mudra, the word mudra, which is an important…   Claudia Altucher:   What does that mean, mudra?   David Garrigues:    Mudra is – well, it means seal or it has many meanings, actually, but it means like a stamp.  So you – like a king when he signs his thing, he leaves his stamp.  That's a mudra.  But it's also a gesture, like a hand gesture they have.  The classic mudras are like dancers.  Indian dancers do all the hand gestures or all mudras.  And then in yoga they have those – the classic ones too for meditation and things.  But it's a broader term that any – all the transitions between the postures in the ashtanga system they're gestures.  So you gesture  between the posture.  And they're alternating, opposing patterns, those gestures, that they're – so your gestures reveals one pattern when you inhale and another pattern when you exhale, and those are opposing patterns.                                   But then the Asana itself is a gesture.  And in that way, it can be a kind of very slow unfolding gesture.  It could take ten minutes to complete this gesture that is headstand or whatever you're working on.   Claudia Altucher:   And then these opposing forces that happen, say, for example in the down dog where your heels are going to the ground and the seat bones are aiming towards the ceiling or even in the headstand where you're inverted and everything is upside down, learning to breathe in the face of these opposing forces, I guess that's part of what yoga is all about, right?  Even when you step off the mat –   David Garrigues:    Yeah.  Yes.   Claudia Altucher:        – maintaining that equanimity.  I think you talk about equanimity in your book as well.    David Garrigues:    Yeah.  And so that – and it's a very curious thing, opposing forces, because they – in one sense, if you get – go right to the root of it, of yoga, the source of all that is you is completely equanimous.  In fact, it seemed as, like, all equal, everything, like there's a unity that exists.  And then what actually starts kind of creation or manifestation is imbalance.  So form is based on imperfection and in that sense, like ignorance in a way.  And so those – and the opposing forces are the quintessential pair that come right from that equanimity.  And that – and so all the forms get created from just those two original forms like the yin and yang.                                   And so what's interesting is you have to use those opposing forces to get to the unity, to get back to it, to kind of return to this source that we've forgotten.  And so the – that's how you do it, with breathing, with the inhalation and the exhalation.  And like what you're saying, by stamping the heels down and lifting the sitting bones up or pushing the thigh bones back as you resist.  They're everywhere, those.  And then you learn how to use those to get, to find that center line, that elusive middle that is dynamic.    Claudia Altucher:   and I suppose when you add all of these elements and you just go to regular practice, you step on the mat.  But with this kind of knowledge, then it becomes a whole exploration trip into just the Sun Salutation [Laughs].  It's amazing how much can go into it, right?   David Garrigues:    Totally.  Yes.   Claudia Altucher:   It's incredible.  You said that in the book "Vayu Siddhi", by the way, that you wrote, and which to to me is total poetry.  I find you to be a poet because the descriptions are very vivid, there's a lot of – the way you write is just very – it's very well written.  And you said that the inspiration for this book came to you during a period of immobilization.   David Garrigues:    Yes.   Claudia Altucher:   What happened to you?  How did this book come to life?   David Garrigues:    You won't believe this.  So we – it was after Guruji [Patthabhi Jois] passed away, my teacher.  And the next time I went to India after he passed away, I was supposed to go to Mysore and Joy and I got to Bangalore, that's the city that you fly into to go to Mysore, and we – for some reason I couldn't go there.   I got totally – just I couldn't go.  And so we decided – I started looking for other places we could go and we ended up going to this place really remote.  It's called the Andaman Islands.  So it's a set of islands that are off the coast of – the East Coast of India and they're completely remote.  There's Aboriginal tribes living on some of the islands.  It's just crazy wild and you have to get – you fly in a plane and then you go in a boat.                                   And finally we – so we went there and I was gonna focus on my practice and we ended up staying at this place where there was a yoga shala up – you walked up these stairs and it overlooked the jungle and everything.  And so I was amazingly stoked for this kind of time just to retreat and do that.  And then I also – there was surfing there [Laughs].  So I got a little bit distracted with some surfing.  And for some reason, a really – I don't know, within one week, less than a week, I was working on Twist, the stand –    Claudia Altucher:   I'm not even gonna ask what that is.  I'm not sure I want to know [Laughs].   David Garrigues:    Well, it's a twist, but I trenched my back, tweaked it really bad.    Claudia Altucher:     Oh.         David Garrigues:     I could barely walk.   CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL TRANSCRIPT

Hi and welcome to the first episode of Ashtanga Dispatch: The Podcast. I'm Peg Mulqueen and I am very excited to share with you one of the people most important to my ashtanga practice and my life, my teacher David Garrigues. We talk about his family, his experience as a student of Guruji, and exciting upcoming projects that he's working on, revealed here first!