Tuesday
July 9, 2024
Summer · 5 entries
When I got to Goa, I felt anonymous again.
In Mysore, I felt like everyone had heard. I was the ashtangi who got hate crime'd in the face after his house burned down. I wanted to be the tall pretty one. Or the smart one. But for now, I was very much the tragic one.
Luckily, Rolf wasn’t watching the news. I was just one more 6'3 drop back for him to do. And he was happy to oblige-- quietly sharing lite bits here and there in my ear about his work. But not so happy with it that I didn’t get assigned sone extra. Great.
After 26 years of shrinking myself for others, I got to just be the big one. You gotta gang up to take the big one down, and that's what was happening in real life. Literal gangs at home on the street, and little yogi gangs jockeying for status in Mysore.
When you question your ability to be loved by the universe, it is very helpful to see real love pouring out of someone else’s eyes.
Rolf didn’t need to know that I was stitched together with laughy taffy and titanium. Marci went to work on putting my physical injuries to bed and Rolf my heart. Neither needed a narrative. it is good, because I was so sick of my own story I couldn’t take it anymore.
As I’ve been working on my book-- it’s almost done -- the only part that I haven’t gotten into is my introduction into Systems Thinking-- through a gang beatdown.
I have known catastrophe again and again and gotten up to go again and again. This might sound like hubris, but check my receipts.
Rolf was able to help me see the interconnected nature of things in a way that makes the big picture possible. He also helped me understand how unspecial I was — while also feeling very very, very special. As Rolf would say, you do as you feel, and every day, the Yoga grows inside of you like a little plant.
In many ways, the development of my practice and the autonomy — the Santosh— the self sufficiency — means that there is less labor for my teacher to take on. Now i understand that my desire to be better in my physical practice was also so that Rolf had to do less for me.
Since he’s dead now, I will have to put my thigh down on the ground myself.
In Mysore, I felt like everyone had heard. I was the ashtangi who got hate crime'd in the face after his house burned down. I wanted to be the tall pretty one. Or the smart one. But for now, I was very much the tragic one.
Luckily, Rolf wasn’t watching the news. I was just one more 6'3 drop back for him to do. And he was happy to oblige-- quietly sharing lite bits here and there in my ear about his work. But not so happy with it that I didn’t get assigned sone extra. Great.
After 26 years of shrinking myself for others, I got to just be the big one. You gotta gang up to take the big one down, and that's what was happening in real life. Literal gangs at home on the street, and little yogi gangs jockeying for status in Mysore.
When you question your ability to be loved by the universe, it is very helpful to see real love pouring out of someone else’s eyes.
Rolf didn’t need to know that I was stitched together with laughy taffy and titanium. Marci went to work on putting my physical injuries to bed and Rolf my heart. Neither needed a narrative. it is good, because I was so sick of my own story I couldn’t take it anymore.
As I’ve been working on my book-- it’s almost done -- the only part that I haven’t gotten into is my introduction into Systems Thinking-- through a gang beatdown.
I have known catastrophe again and again and gotten up to go again and again. This might sound like hubris, but check my receipts.
Rolf was able to help me see the interconnected nature of things in a way that makes the big picture possible. He also helped me understand how unspecial I was — while also feeling very very, very special. As Rolf would say, you do as you feel, and every day, the Yoga grows inside of you like a little plant.
In many ways, the development of my practice and the autonomy — the Santosh— the self sufficiency — means that there is less labor for my teacher to take on. Now i understand that my desire to be better in my physical practice was also so that Rolf had to do less for me.
Since he’s dead now, I will have to put my thigh down on the ground myself.
my most precious of memories are kept safe with friends
in imageashtangalovebarcelona
TL-T
EARLY ANJUNA MORNINGS
WITH ROLF. post pranayama
pre asana.
the years when he would
start extra early to
teach us pranayama were
indescribably precious
he gave us so much
he taught me the full
ashtanga pranayama series
om
namo narayana
also in the room at this
moment, but not visible
here is my dear friend
@michaelioelhall
my most precious of
memories are kept safe
with friends
TL-T
EARLY ANJUNA MORNINGS
WITH ROLF. post pranayama
pre asana.
the years when he would
start extra early to
teach us pranayama were
indescribably precious
he gave us so much
he taught me the full
ashtanga pranayama series
om
namo narayana
also in the room at this
moment, but not visible
here is my dear friend
@michaelioelhall
my most precious of
memories are kept safe
with friends
Translated from Croatian: more about rolf: @toncigulisija_shivarishi
in imageTranslated from Croatian:
more about rolf:
@toncigulisija_shivarishi
toncigulisija_shivarishi My dear ashtanga yoga teacher Rolf
Naujokat, Narayan Puri left his body the day before yesterday.
My heart is heavy even though I feel my soul is freed. Only his
presence in this world has always given me strength to push
my way. Ashtanga has not been a part of my life for quite
some time. It is completely irrelevant to how I feel about him.
Neither did it matter to him what physical practice of yoga a
man does, nor did it to me.
Rolf was a disciple of Santosh Puri who was Naga Baba. He
initiated him into that sacred order 45 years ago and gave
him mantras and rituals. He spent 2 years with his Baba in
Haridwar.
After that he left his kutir and found ashtanga yoga he had
been teaching for the rest of his life.
Rolf was a being of light. Over the 10 years period, as long as
I used to come to him, somehow he was always the same.
The body slowly aged, its insides did not really change. Every
time you would come we would carry on as if we had never
parted.
His presence radiated softness, love and eternity, with which
he touched the hearts of many people. Most of such beings
from the Baba order have their own lilac, game, through
which limits the number of people who will be around him.
Marcy, Rolf's wife did the duty well. I think they had a blast.
Dear friend and teacher, you will always remain in my heart
• Marcy hugs to you
more about rolf:
@toncigulisija_shivarishi
toncigulisija_shivarishi My dear ashtanga yoga teacher Rolf
Naujokat, Narayan Puri left his body the day before yesterday.
My heart is heavy even though I feel my soul is freed. Only his
presence in this world has always given me strength to push
my way. Ashtanga has not been a part of my life for quite
some time. It is completely irrelevant to how I feel about him.
Neither did it matter to him what physical practice of yoga a
man does, nor did it to me.
Rolf was a disciple of Santosh Puri who was Naga Baba. He
initiated him into that sacred order 45 years ago and gave
him mantras and rituals. He spent 2 years with his Baba in
Haridwar.
After that he left his kutir and found ashtanga yoga he had
been teaching for the rest of his life.
Rolf was a being of light. Over the 10 years period, as long as
I used to come to him, somehow he was always the same.
The body slowly aged, its insides did not really change. Every
time you would come we would carry on as if we had never
parted.
His presence radiated softness, love and eternity, with which
he touched the hearts of many people. Most of such beings
from the Baba order have their own lilac, game, through
which limits the number of people who will be around him.
Marcy, Rolf's wife did the duty well. I think they had a blast.
Dear friend and teacher, you will always remain in my heart
• Marcy hugs to you
There was always a pack.
in image@ybyogi J
There was always a pack.
There was always a pack.
in imageDON'T
TRY TOO
TRY TOO
Get MichaelFilter
Enter your email. We'll send a one-tap link to read today's edition free, in your browser — the link works for 24 hours. Membership unlocks every issue, PDFs, and transcripts.
Already a member of theyoga.club or ashtanga.tech? You're already on file — no re-registration. We won't add you to any list.