Respect to the Guru

I just got my connection up and running this morning.

Yoga Manila paid its respect to Guruji last Sunday by having a small tribute to him at the Alabang studio.

Hoze Arando, probably one of the very few Filipino ashtangis who have studied with Guruji in the old shala, shared his experience in meeting and studying with Guruji in 1999 and 2000. Fellow YM teacher Becky led the chanting of the Gayatri mantra and the Heart Sutra.

Of all the YM teachers, I believe it was only Hoze, Michelle and me who have been to Mysore and have studied at AYRI (now KPJAYI). Of the three, I'm the only who wasn't able to study under him because he was no longer teaching when I went there last year. I am deeply grateful still for being able to see him in person and bow before him in one conference.

I guess, it's was like my relationship with both my paternal and maternal grandfathers... I never really got to build a relationship with them because they both passed away even before I was born.

For Guruji, it was like meeting one of my grandfathers and not really knowing what to do whenever I was in his presence... but there was a feeling of sincere gratitude and respect. Gratitude and respect for sharing to us this great practice called Ashtanga.

Gurubrahman guruvishnu gurudevo mahesvaraha
Gurusakshat parabrahma tasmai shri gurave namaha

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