I chose this set of images (utkata konasana with namaste mudra) to share some thoughts and interesting story of false reality or Illusion. I am recently reading a book of myths of the asanas and I came across with the story of Mahāmāya “the great Illusion”. First of all, when I read it and did more research I found that according to many traditions, cultures, civilization, etc., therefore, you can find the name Mahāmāya in different context. This story is just one of many myths you can find.

The story begins with a demon named Mahishasura who threatened the gods and goddesses with overthrowing them from the heavens. The demon tempted them with worldly and momentary pleasures. These distractions distressed the sacred trinity: Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu. To stop the demon, the trinity joined forces and created a great Goddess named Mahāmāya. [This union of the 3 to create her is very similar to the creation of maya (illusion) with the union of the 3 gunas.]

Mahāmāya, along with her lion as a companion, fought fiercely against the demon until they managed to overthrow him and kill him. The triumph of Mahāmāya brought back light and harmony to the heavens. Mahāmāya means the great illusion and its a reminder of how we can easily fall into false realities.

Here is where I want to link the story to Patanjali’s teachings. An important concept in Patanjali’s yoga sutra is perception and action. How do we perceive our reality? our job, our relationships, environment, culture, ourselves, and so on; we believe that we perceive “correctly” and act accordingly to that perception, but Avidya (incorrect comprehension) plays an important role in daily life. Avidya can be understood as the accumulated result of our many unconscious actions that will create ignorance or false truths; we are not aware of them and we trust this perceptions. The constant trusting of the false perceptions create habits (samskaras) that will cover your mind like a veil that blurs our consciousness.

Avidya has four ramifications: The first one is the ego, beliefs and ideas that create comparison and division between yourself and others. The second avidya is rāga, the wanting things because they were pleasent before and we believe they will give us constant pleasure. The third is dvesa, the rejection of things because they have been unpleasant in the past. Fear is the forth and last. We experience all of them and all of them clouds our perception.

Mahāmayā fights against changing illusion that creates false reality, rather than see it as it is. Our mind is like this story’s demon, creating avidyas that will create distractions and separate you from your true nature.

Take a moment to reflect on how these four ramifications of avidya cloud your consciousness and create this false reality. We can divide ourselves by feeling superior or inferior to others, we can live in a city full of luxuries, or in a neighborhood in need and poverty, we can escape and avoid experiences simply because they are unpleasant, we can live in constant fear of what could happen but none of the above is accurate, it is not your reality; or we can work daily to accept without judgment and understand our true nature of compassion and union. Your yoga practice will help to remove the veil and have a better understanding of our reality.

Thank you to Alanna Kaivalya and Arjuna van Der Kooji for the lovely compilation of myths and stories of the asanas.

Let me tell you about my summer in India. I enrolled myself in another yoga teaching training, this time in Rishikesh, because where else can you really learn the true teachings if not from Yoga’s home? On my way to  the ashram, I was delighted to just look through the car window mesmerized by the beautiful bright green forest, although many times I had flashbacks  of when driving in Mexico City due to so many bumps on the road. Finally I arrived with a very sore butt. The view was worth it though.
Next stop, a hotel besides the ashram, my new home for the first month. The entrance was at the back of the building, very narrow corridor, an unpaved street of mud and decorated with cow’s poop. I managed to pass through a broken gate and carry my luggage to the 2nd floor. They opened the door to this small dark room with a strong smell coming from the bathroom, no window or any kind of ventilation, no light at that time, only mold and dirt wherever you turned. Dungeon sweet dungeon! 
I ran to the school’s office and almost begged for a room change, they patiently listened to my kind of dramatic explanation and they managed to give me a room with a window facing the main street. A month of pilgrimage was just starting, all day and all night the “orange people” devoted to Shiva were passing by from all across India, cheering loudly at 4 am on their way to mother Ganga River. But I had my window…Lesson no. 1: karma.
First day was easy: Ceremony of Fire, welcome and introduction, nice traditional and ayurvedic lunch, and evening classes began. Now the fun begins: waking up 5 am for shatkarma, pranayama, breakfast, philosophy, ashtanga practice,  anatomy class, adjustments, hatha, meditation, sankalpa, dinner, and sleep. Learning was amazing. That time inside the shala was invaluable, but as soon as I stepped out, discomfort and dissatisfaction of everything else: the meals, the hygiene, the bugs, the poo, the poverty, the mold, the smells, the crowds, the noise…Lesson no 2: unfulfilled expectations create frustration.
Before this trip I used to consider myself as a non complainer kind of person. I saw myself more like a humble woman who understood that you need to adapt wherever and however. So little I knew about myself. I’ve never struggled so much accepting such circumstances. It was a daily battle with myself to feel comfort and contentment with what I had in that moment, and to be completely honest, I don’t think I really achieved that full peace and joy even though I was taught about it on daily basis during class…Lesson no 3: Self-knowledge is endless.
Western society has set the parameters to be happy, creates desires, and we seek  maximum comfort that gives us security and pleasure. We rarely experience how lucky we are to be part of a society that is able to get whatever it needs whenever it wants. I write need, not want because we are easily confused by it. 
So yes, we are very lucky but also we are doomed for lacking awareness and peace of mind, that peace of mind that is never satisfied because it will always be looking for more desires to satisfy.
My intention with these words is not to lecture anyone about anything, just to invite you to do a small and simple practice of acceptance and contentment. I realize how easy is to be blinded by comfort and privileges that you might aspire to, and that’s not bad. I am to. It’s part of the pursuit of a better quality of life. But while we are trying to feel that, don’t forget to feel grateful for whatever circumstances you have in life, pleasant and unpleasant. We cannot always control such circumstances, so our happiness should not depend on them.
Practicing these two qualities, acceptance and contentment is a huge step to give freedom to our Being and nurture compassion for others. These two words were the biggest gift I received and I will be grateful forever…My greatest lesson.

I say goodbye with this quote that captures the spirit of what  I’m trying to say:
“Serenity comes when you trade expectations for acceptance”
-Unknown

Just for a laugh, some brief highlights of my experience:
Getting a catheter through mi nostril and pull it out through my mouth.
Feeding watermelon and bananas to cows.
Making peace with flies flying from poo to my face.
Falling 7 steps from very painful iron stairs with no broken bones.
Getting both my feet behind my head.
Standing up for myself when threatened by mean thieves monkeys.
A world record (must be) of eating rice and cauliflower every single day for 2 months.
Taking selfies with strangers.
Having mold everywhere, and when I mean everywhere I mean even in my passport.
Sharing my room with a tiny stubborn mouse.
Treating myself with delicious mangos and vegan home made chocolate.
Doing weekly laundry with my bare hands.
Dodge the endless poop of dogs, monkeys and cows.

If you had asked me a year ago if I wanted to try teaching yoga online, I would have said: of course not, that wouldn’t be yoga. There is no energy felt as powerful as when you share with others, synchronize with others, vibrate the same.
And then I remembered that I started doing yoga with DVD’s. As still a student, I had no money to pay for classes in studios and I was very new at it. So I managed for more than one year to practice following the screen. Same class over and over again until I knew it by heart.

Then facebook happened, and youtube, and twitter, Instagram…and for the one’s who know me, I still don’t enjoy social media. But I have made my peace with it and do my best with what I feel comfortable.
When staying at home due to pandemic began I felt live stream classes with clients was going to be temporary, a two month thing until things “went back to normal” but time passed by and teaching with videos was not only my only option but also what kept me motivated and sane.

Now, I have moved countries, many of my students have moved too and I am thrilled to still see them or know that they can see me and enjoy a yogasana practice. I feel blessed to have the resources to reach people and share with them.

So yes, it’s not the same. But here is something to think about: (my opinion only based on my experience)

What you are missing:
* The touching. I recently found out about the consent cards they are using in studios for adjustments. I am sure there are people that doesn’t feel comfortable when adjusting with hands. But for me, going to my teacher’s class was all about eye contact and hand adjustment. Sounds weird maybe but that was my experience; I looked at my teacher and saw a deep ocean in his eyes and whenever he adjusted me it was barely an indication with part of his hand or fingers and I knew exactly what to move and where to feel the difference. It made my experience much more enriching. I Also believe in healing energy, healing hands. And when touching in a still or restorative pose adds that love that your body needs to nourish itself.

* Meeting new people and making yogi friends. Your friends are ok, but your yogi friends share a special interest, a particular interest. They understand what you feel because they also feel it. And when you finish your meditation or yogasana practice, there is no ego, only being present, the only thing to share is love and kindness. That environment is not easy to find.

* A temple. Not for everybody, but for many, they prefer to go to a designated place for your practice. Many find convenient to have that place close to their work place, home, children’s school, etc. Being in a yoga studio can give you that relaxed mood just by being there.

* Props. Although I always recommend to bring your own mat, sometimes its easier to not worry about the tools you need for practice. Yoga studios usually have extra mats for rent or free use. And if they are well equipped, they will also provide blocks, bolsters, blankets, chairs, ropes, etc.



What you are gaining:
* Freedom of schedule. Being home your departure and final destination of everyday, we save time by not needing to go to any distant studio and experience traffic. Just plug in the device, look at the screen and allow yourself to be guided whenever is convenient for you.

* Choosing your style of practice, instructor and length of class. There are many platforms very well known that have plenty of options to choose. There is collaboration among many instructors, the classes can be short or standard duration, specific topics, for all levels, etc. And if you are one of those who likes following one instructor only, then you already know what you are signing for and still enjoy your favorite teacher. I’m sure most of today’s yoga instructors are teaching online.

* Be wherever you want to be. I remember that whenever I was traveling or away from home I was somehow upset for missing my yoga lesson. Now you know you can always find a small corner with WiFi to place your mat and practice.

* Make your sacred temple. Be creative and design a spot where you can immerse yourself in the mood for relaxation, self awareness and peaceful mind. You’ll be surprise how much you can add to your practice when you set the right environment. A soft light, candles, incense, bergamot oil, my earplugs to isolate from any noise and a herbal tea for after class is my formula fo my yoga and meditation corner.

* Less investment. Not only the class is cheaper but also consider the extra expenses when driving to a studio. Even if you buy own yoga props the yoga lessons will be cheaper in the longterm, plus it is better to use always your own stuff, not only to be hygienic but because they have your energy.

* Share your experience. Unless you want to be alone, practicing with friends or partner can be a very nice experience. Remember yoga is a self practice you can do together. That energy you