I’d been in Goa just a matter of hours and although I had embarked on a self proclaimed mission to progress my yoga practice that I didn’t know where it would take me, I knew I was in the right place.
Just the day before I’d been sitting at home on a cold, wet, windy winter morning in London, homemade chai in hand, contemplating the excel spreadsheet of potential yoga centres I’d compiled (Insert > Tragic!) dreaming of the tan and enviable pretzel-practice I’d surely acquire. I had wondered if my travels would take me to the infamous Rolf & Marci or Brahmani Yoga in Anjuna with its wealth of humbling & impressive teachers or if perhaps I would end up in Mysore, at the source, or moving South to the back waters of Kerala for a slower, more soothing Sivananda experience.
I had not expected to spend the entire trip on a small but perfectly formed slice of paradise, sweeter than a sweet lime soda and more homely than one of those soppy stray dogs you end up surrendering your breakfast Paratha to. But here I was, having stumbled across a hidden gem of a yoga school on Patnem, I found myself sweating, grunting and sobbing (yoga does that) my way through practice whilst a transformational shift occurred challenging my perception of what yoga meant to me under the guidance of Kranti.
"Kranti the revolutionary"
Kranti means revolutionary and he is certainly making waves amongst the yoga community in Southern Goa and all that train with him.
Enigmatic and charismatic, he is the embodiment of a living Yoga master; one that drives a pretty awesome motorbike & smokes the occasional cigarette.
To quote a fellow student of mine ‘One month with Kranti will turn you into a wet over-cooked noodle.’ I believe this was intended to be complimentary.
At the age of 32 Kranti has been running the Chakra Yoga School, which specializes in Ashtanga Vinyasa and his home-grown brand of ‘Kranti-yoga’ for 4 years after a life time of learning, which began with Satsang – spiritual lectures & discussions - with his beloved Guru at the tender age of 8 close to his home town in Dongargarh, central India.
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From our first meeting I knew that this was the teacher I had been looking for. His enthusiasm and energy was boundless, matched only by the sarcasm and razor sharp wit on display as he showed me around his sun filled Shala.
Stepping through the gate (to keep out sacred cows) beneath some Christmas tinsel (to keep out Santa?) I first notice the warmth and peacefulness of the space.
Set beneath cashew and coconut trees it is decorated with floating coloured muslin, wall hangings of Shiva, Ganesh & Krishna and tiny, twinkling lights & candles which provide the perfect setting to go deep within. There is chai on tap and bananas if you want them, hammocks for snoozing in and little lotus blossoms growing in water butts.
Kranti means revolutionary and he is certainly making waves amongst the yoga community in Southern Goa and all that train with him.
Enigmatic and charismatic, he is the embodiment of a living Yoga master; one that drives a pretty awesome motorbike & smokes the occasional cigarette.
To quote a fellow student of mine ‘One month with Kranti will turn you into a wet over-cooked noodle.’ I believe this was intended to be complimentary.
At the age of 32 Kranti has been running the Chakra Yoga School, which specializes in Ashtanga Vinyasa and his home-grown brand of ‘Kranti-yoga’ for 4 years after a life time of learning, which began with Satsang – spiritual lectures & discussions - with his beloved Guru at the tender age of 8 close to his home town in Dongargarh, central India.
.
From our first meeting I knew that this was the teacher I had been looking for. His enthusiasm and energy was boundless, matched only by the sarcasm and razor sharp wit on display as he showed me around his sun filled Shala.
Stepping through the gate (to keep out sacred cows) beneath some Christmas tinsel (to keep out Santa?) I first notice the warmth and peacefulness of the space.
Set beneath cashew and coconut trees it is decorated with floating coloured muslin, wall hangings of Shiva, Ganesh & Krishna and tiny, twinkling lights & candles which provide the perfect setting to go deep within. There is chai on tap and bananas if you want them, hammocks for snoozing in and little lotus blossoms growing in water butts.
“Remove your shoes & your mind here”
At the steps to the yoga platform you are kindly reminded to ‘Remove your shoes & your mind here’ – so I did.
I had done a 200 hour teacher training 2 years previously, had good intentions to teach, but discovered that 200 hours felt like a drop in the ocean. I found the experience all very humbling & despite a very thorough training, I felt overwhelmed at the vastness of the subject of yoga - how could I call myself a teacher now?
I needed this trip to feed my appetite for yoga, to quench my thirst for knowledge so I could gain the confidence I needed to make the leap from the career in advertising I had invested in for 10 years to Yoga Teacher and make a few life changing decisions.
I was very conscious that I didn’t feel I could take myself seriously as a yoga practitioner. I was not a Sanskrit scholar, I’ve forgotten the names of certain postures, I can’t get my leg behind my head, I’m intimated by anyone that has been to The Ashtanga Research Institute and I don’t necessarily follow the Eight Limb philosophy – despite trying (sometimes).
It’s very challenging in the modern world you know. I mean, how can you consistently practice Ahimsa when you’re in a packed tube carriage on a Monday morning and someone treads on your toe, spills their coffee on your freshly laundered white shirt and doesn’t apologise? You’re going to get mad and all sentiments of non-violence and compassion will escape you!
And, I felt enormously inadequate because I have never been to Mysore despite it never really appealing – joining the throngs of Ashtangi’s practicing nose to tail alongside hundreds of others (all of whom would inevitability be better than me!) taking themselves so, very seriously.
I needed hands on – I needed someone to push me further, deeper than I could push myself.
“Be careful what you wish for”
Well they do say when the student is ready the teacher will appear and I found myself thinking that perhaps I should be more careful what I wish for because suddenly there was Kranti climbing on me to adjust my posture for the hundredth time that day and shouting ‘More, more – go more. You can go more.’ I could always go more. All of us could always give it more, even when we thought we couldn’t.
Kranti had a unique way of unlocking our bodies, casting aside our minds and pushing us deeper, harder than we ever thought possible whilst injecting a tremendous sense of fun into it all.
He teaches the traditional Ashtanga method, but in a more unorthodox way, which I’m sure is red-flagged as controversial in certain circles, with just as much discipline that is to be found in Mysore and ten times the attention. TTC & Intensive courses are structured in such a way that you will find yourself doing Mysore self practice & workshops, focused on progressing your practice, strengthening & opening the body and focusing your attention, on alternate days – such as back bending, hip opening, Jump backs / Jump throughs – all of which are structured around Primary Series postures to improve your practice at rocket speed faster than you can say Spirulina Smoothie.
Well they do say when the student is ready the teacher will appear and I found myself thinking that perhaps I should be more careful what I wish for because suddenly there was Kranti climbing on me to adjust my posture for the hundredth time that day and shouting ‘More, more – go more. You can go more.’ I could always go more. All of us could always give it more, even when we thought we couldn’t.
Kranti had a unique way of unlocking our bodies, casting aside our minds and pushing us deeper, harder than we ever thought possible whilst injecting a tremendous sense of fun into it all.
He teaches the traditional Ashtanga method, but in a more unorthodox way, which I’m sure is red-flagged as controversial in certain circles, with just as much discipline that is to be found in Mysore and ten times the attention. TTC & Intensive courses are structured in such a way that you will find yourself doing Mysore self practice & workshops, focused on progressing your practice, strengthening & opening the body and focusing your attention, on alternate days – such as back bending, hip opening, Jump backs / Jump throughs – all of which are structured around Primary Series postures to improve your practice at rocket speed faster than you can say Spirulina Smoothie.
“Find your edge, then go beyond it”
Despite teaching the traditional method, he is not insistent that you are perfect in one posture before giving you the next. In fact, to the contrary he encourages you to give it a go – and the results speak for themselves – more confident students, a great can-do attitude and a posture-perfect practice in no-time at all. Nothing is off limits with Kranti – his philosophy is to let you find your edge and then takes you beyond it.
With great satisfaction he admires his handy work in the surprise on our faces when we find ourselves deeper in a posture and more focused than we thought possible.
He made me reconsider what yoga was to me. Having been stuck at Kurmasana for months, I suddenly found myself doing full Primary without any struggle. He made me realise I could go further, much further than I thought possible and taught me that there are no “ can’t do’s” in yoga and that we should not think so hard about things, in yoga and in life – ‘It’s very easy’ he tells me – ‘Put all that thinking energy into doing.’ He showed me that rules can be broken, that new heights and highs of practice can be found and within them a new level of peace and devotion will be revealed.
I was able to leave behind all misconceptions of what I thought my practice should be like, who I should be as a teacher and with a quiet acceptance, simply be.
We all try so hard to be good students by clinging to an idea of what yoga should be (which can get a little fanatical and pretentious) in the hope that it will make us a better person and deliver us to the door of enlightenment that we miss the point altogether.
In the west we’re very good at doing what we’re told, rather than thinking for ourselves. We all set out on our journey with differing motives, seeking something. But in our desperation and hunger to fast track to the end goal we forget to savour the process and let it evolve from within.
Despite teaching the traditional method, he is not insistent that you are perfect in one posture before giving you the next. In fact, to the contrary he encourages you to give it a go – and the results speak for themselves – more confident students, a great can-do attitude and a posture-perfect practice in no-time at all. Nothing is off limits with Kranti – his philosophy is to let you find your edge and then takes you beyond it.
With great satisfaction he admires his handy work in the surprise on our faces when we find ourselves deeper in a posture and more focused than we thought possible.
He made me reconsider what yoga was to me. Having been stuck at Kurmasana for months, I suddenly found myself doing full Primary without any struggle. He made me realise I could go further, much further than I thought possible and taught me that there are no “ can’t do’s” in yoga and that we should not think so hard about things, in yoga and in life – ‘It’s very easy’ he tells me – ‘Put all that thinking energy into doing.’ He showed me that rules can be broken, that new heights and highs of practice can be found and within them a new level of peace and devotion will be revealed.
I was able to leave behind all misconceptions of what I thought my practice should be like, who I should be as a teacher and with a quiet acceptance, simply be.
We all try so hard to be good students by clinging to an idea of what yoga should be (which can get a little fanatical and pretentious) in the hope that it will make us a better person and deliver us to the door of enlightenment that we miss the point altogether.
In the west we’re very good at doing what we’re told, rather than thinking for ourselves. We all set out on our journey with differing motives, seeking something. But in our desperation and hunger to fast track to the end goal we forget to savour the process and let it evolve from within.
“Yoga is whatever you want it to be, for you.”
Allow me to let you into a secret. Yoga is whatever you want it to be, for you.
All too often we’re so eager to apply a set formula for spirituality, following it with great discipline and exerting great effort to make ourselves feel more secure without ever really understanding why we’re doing it or really wanting to.
The result? We find ourselves restricted and repressed by a list of rules, do’s and don’ts, should and should not’s that only serve to create conflict and confusion within us because we are trying to intellectualise our intentions instead of following what is in our heart. We are silencing our inner teacher because we think that someone else knows better. Let me tell you, no-one knows you better than you know yourself so if you don’t feel like doing the 15th Vinyasa what will happen if you don’t? Do you really think the things you seek will be withheld from you?
Life is simple. Sometimes we choose to make it hard. It’s a problem. The fundamental difference between many eastern philosophies and the western way of thinking is the West teaches us to cram, to intoxicate ourselves with information overload, so we can make better decisions, better choices. The East says empty your mind.
From a place of emptiness anything is possible. Enough with the rules – let go – on and off the mat!
As children we are conditioned from a very early age to conform, to fit it, to remember these facts and figures, because it makes us clever and that is what we need to find our way in the world in order to make sense of it and avoiding the fact that maybe it just doesn’t make sense at all.
We are told to sit still and shut up. Yet this does not bring us stillness or silence within. We are taught to be seen and not heard. Yet it does not teach us how to see. We are told we should feel bad, but it doesn’t teach us to feel and all it does is breed insecurity, stunts self-belief, freedom of expression, creativity, and self-knowing and we grow into adults who have no idea who they are or how to be.
So really the key to all of this is to let go -allow ourselves to be. To not judge ourselves based on someone else’s rules and to make the most out of every single moment by recognising it’s all we have, and that all we can do is sow the seeds of intention and nurture the soil from which yoga can grow so that we become established in our own hearts and minds.
With this knowledge my practice shifted. My life, shifted.
Kranti does not preach yogic philosophy, but whilst under his guidance he asks his students to commit to one thing – to give up one thing – and see where that leads. He imparts on his students a sense of perspective – reminding all of us to begin with the small and let the big things take care of themselves. After all, how often are we guilty on thinking six steps ahead of ourselves and worrying about the bigger picture, without thinking about the small stuff? The small stuff counts!
So from now on I am planning on living my life exactly the way I want to live it, from the heart, with love and compassion and a lust for life front and centre, in the pursuit of fun and the pursuit of my passions, from a place of authenticity, without trying to be anything to anyone – that is yoga to me. And with regards to teaching? It’s no longer about me or my insecurity. I now know I have something that I can share with someone, so why not try.
Watch this space.
Further info…
Kranti runs 200, 300 & 500 Yoga Alliance accredited Teacher Training Courses and weekly Intensive training courses seasonally from October to April at the Chakra Yoga School in Patnem, Southern Goa and can be found running a series of workshops across Europe during the summer months.
For more information visit http://www.krantiyoga.com/
Allow me to let you into a secret. Yoga is whatever you want it to be, for you.
All too often we’re so eager to apply a set formula for spirituality, following it with great discipline and exerting great effort to make ourselves feel more secure without ever really understanding why we’re doing it or really wanting to.
The result? We find ourselves restricted and repressed by a list of rules, do’s and don’ts, should and should not’s that only serve to create conflict and confusion within us because we are trying to intellectualise our intentions instead of following what is in our heart. We are silencing our inner teacher because we think that someone else knows better. Let me tell you, no-one knows you better than you know yourself so if you don’t feel like doing the 15th Vinyasa what will happen if you don’t? Do you really think the things you seek will be withheld from you?
Life is simple. Sometimes we choose to make it hard. It’s a problem. The fundamental difference between many eastern philosophies and the western way of thinking is the West teaches us to cram, to intoxicate ourselves with information overload, so we can make better decisions, better choices. The East says empty your mind.
From a place of emptiness anything is possible. Enough with the rules – let go – on and off the mat!
As children we are conditioned from a very early age to conform, to fit it, to remember these facts and figures, because it makes us clever and that is what we need to find our way in the world in order to make sense of it and avoiding the fact that maybe it just doesn’t make sense at all.
We are told to sit still and shut up. Yet this does not bring us stillness or silence within. We are taught to be seen and not heard. Yet it does not teach us how to see. We are told we should feel bad, but it doesn’t teach us to feel and all it does is breed insecurity, stunts self-belief, freedom of expression, creativity, and self-knowing and we grow into adults who have no idea who they are or how to be.
So really the key to all of this is to let go -allow ourselves to be. To not judge ourselves based on someone else’s rules and to make the most out of every single moment by recognising it’s all we have, and that all we can do is sow the seeds of intention and nurture the soil from which yoga can grow so that we become established in our own hearts and minds.
With this knowledge my practice shifted. My life, shifted.
Kranti does not preach yogic philosophy, but whilst under his guidance he asks his students to commit to one thing – to give up one thing – and see where that leads. He imparts on his students a sense of perspective – reminding all of us to begin with the small and let the big things take care of themselves. After all, how often are we guilty on thinking six steps ahead of ourselves and worrying about the bigger picture, without thinking about the small stuff? The small stuff counts!
So from now on I am planning on living my life exactly the way I want to live it, from the heart, with love and compassion and a lust for life front and centre, in the pursuit of fun and the pursuit of my passions, from a place of authenticity, without trying to be anything to anyone – that is yoga to me. And with regards to teaching? It’s no longer about me or my insecurity. I now know I have something that I can share with someone, so why not try.
Watch this space.
Further info…
Kranti runs 200, 300 & 500 Yoga Alliance accredited Teacher Training Courses and weekly Intensive training courses seasonally from October to April at the Chakra Yoga School in Patnem, Southern Goa and can be found running a series of workshops across Europe during the summer months.
For more information visit http://www.krantiyoga.com/
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ReplyDeleteI began yoga lessons on the advice of my physician for the treatment of high blood pressure, to gain more physical flexibility and diminish back pain. I had already been working out by lifting weights three times a week and doing cardio three times a week on non-weight-lifting days.
You have all been such patient and caring instructors, helping me to grow and foster my practice of yoga, and helping me integrate it into a healthier lifestyle.
I look forward to practicing yoga together for many years.
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