My two roommates and I walked across the street to RIMYI, otherwise known as the Institute, for our first class of the month. Although I have seen many photos, this is my first time at the Institute.
My initial impression was that it is smaller than I imagined. I had that same feeling I have when I go back to someplace I remember from my childhood. It felt so big as a kid but as an adult it just doesn’t have the same size as in my mind. The stage is a half circle-ish shape (five flat sides making a half circle) with rows of yoga mats in a semi-circle around it. To the right of the stage is the rope wall, which has six or eight sets of ropes – not as many as you would think. The back of the room has wooden props and mats and there is a closet with bolsters, blocks, and blankets. BKS Iyengar’s photo is everywhere. The windows have bars on them and are used to do rope work when the classes are large.
Today there were 70 or 80 people in class, mostly westerners, some Indians and a couple of Asians. It didn’t feel crazy crowded or cut throat, as so many of the stories go. It is certainly a community feel; “your” mat and props are just mats and props. People grab what they need for whatever they are doing.
Prahsant, Mr. Iyengar’s son, taught the class. Even though he had a microphone headset thing it was hard to hear and hard to understand. I must not have been the only one because about 45 minutes in someone adjusted the volume and once it was louder, it was a bit better. Even so, I probably only got about 30% of what he said.
Here’s what I remember about the sequence.
Full arm balance against the wall for half the class, downward facing dog for the other half of the class. Switch spots.
Rope downward facing dog for half the class. Trikonasana on the mat for the other half. Switch spots.
Trikonasana at the rope wall hanging onto the rope with the top hand, trikonasana on the mat for the other half. Switch spots.
Trikonasana at the rope wall hanging onto the rope with the top hand, virabhadrasana II into trikonasana on the mat for the other half. Switch spots.
Parivrtta Trikonasana at the rope wall hanging onto the rope with the top hand, Parsvakonasana into trikonasana on the mat for the other half. Switch spots.
Bharadvajasana.
Choice of either janusirsana or sarvangasana.
Paschimottanasana
All the poses were held a long time, at least two minutes on each side. There’s no instruction on who is in what group – it is all self selection. There were no physical instructions on how to do the poses but commentary on the breath and doing the poses for the organs; lungs, kidneys, bladder, and (at least I think he said) the organ of imagination. Like I said, it was hard to understand him with the accent. He also encouraged us to know through practice, not to just do because the book tells you to.
After class we went downstairs to the office where Pandu, the secretary was taking registration forms and payment for the month. We got a form and our balances and the daily schedule of classes and practice times.
Mon/Tues/Thurs – class at 7 am and practice hours from 9-noon
Wed/Sat – class at 9:30 and practice hours from 4-5:45
Fri – pranayama at 6 pm and practice hours from 4-5:45