Return to innocence: just like a quadruped

One of my favourite films, above. Why? You might ask. Because it portrays what I love most on this earth: children, the relationship between a parent and child, yoga and most of all, it's a silent movie. I'm a supporter of the truism less talk, more action or less is more. You get the picture.

Move the timeline of this 1938 clip of Krishnamacharya teaching yoga to his two children to the following time stamps: 00:26, 00:57, 01:26, 2:30 and marvel at the ease the young boys fly through their vinyasas. I know, I know. I keep talking about jumping back/through ad nauseum. I really should practice more non-attachment.

How does one really practice Aparigraha in a yoga class? Often teachers remind students to let go of something in their practice that they feel attached to: their ego (doing poses well or better than others), for instance. I've also seen some prod students to practice with patience.

Where I practice, it's been really effective how E asks us to meet challenging poses with a soft attitude, to approach difficult asanas with curiosity rather than ambition. Another yama, Ahimsa, is evident in how I am re-learning Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. According to John Scott, a direct student of Sri K Pattabhi Jois, knees are bent gently when reaching down to grasp the toes in the standing poses before straightening the leg. We are also taught to be like quadrupeds during asanas like the downward dog. Janu Sirsasana A-D and Marichyasanas A to D wherein we lean to our sides before extending our arms in front and wrapping them behind us to bind.

On the subject of children, I'd like to go back to that and the concept of being a quadruped when practising yoga. David Merchant, from Washington University in St Louis, writes in his Quadruped Fundamentals:

“Quadruped” is the name I give to a contemplative movement practice that re-investigates our floor-level, four-footed origins to build integrative strength and improve our fundamental coordination. Developed from principles of movement coordination investigated by F.M. Alexander, Raymond Dart, Irmgard Bartenief and others, Quadruped Applications are movement activities that can be practiced for a variety of purposes. They can be used as an exercise, and as a meditative or “somatic” practice (in a manner analogous to yoga or tai chi) to improve personal movement skill.

Quadruped re-investigates early-childhood developmental movement processes, and then extends them with adult conscious awareness and skill. We all started by rolling, crawling and cruising, before walking and running in progressive stages. Coordination develops accumulatively, building more advanced skills on the foundation of previous basic ones.

Our study of crawling did not need to stop once we could walk on two feet; it can continue, and advance into adulthood, using our increased strength, control, and conscious attention toward efficient form. By dynamically interacting with gravity and the floor, the Quadruped method recognizes our constant relationship with the ground and uses its force/support as feedback, teaching us to move as a unified Self. Thus the floor teaches us how to balance so that we are most free to move.

Makes sense, doesn't it? I'm going to re-connect with and explore my inner child at next practice, that's for sure. Back to my original train of thought. Too much citta vrtti and not enough nirodhah, haha. Here's a mantra I found online that I find helpful in calling aparigraha to mind:

"As I inhale, I open to possibility.
 I welcome change.
 I invite the present moment."

And upon exhaling, say: "As I exhale, I let go."

Om.