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Interview with Elle Sirilak
KPJAYI Authorized Level 2 Ashtanga Yoga Teacher
May 6, 2015
1. How did you choose to practice and teach
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga given the vast ocean of
yoga styles?
I started with Bikram, did Hatha and Vinyasa Flow
classes even Anusara Yoga. I believe that before
you can judge something if it is good or bad you
have to try everything and have your own opinion. If you ask people you will their idea but not
your own so I decided to find what works best for
me.
I tried everything and then one of my first teachers told me “You should go to Mysore and try
Ashtanga Mysore style”. I tried with the first
Authorized teacher in Bangkok but back then
didn’t understand the system why she stopped
me in Navasana when I felt sure to be able to do
everything. Somehow as a beginner I had a big
ego and didn’t really like being stopped there.
Later the studio changed the teacher and this is
how I met my first real Ashtanga Yoga teacher
Jamie Arlington and I got back to practice with
him.
2. What do you find magical about Ashtanga
Yoga?
Every day I step on my mat and it’s different. The
feeling is different. Some day the practice is good,
some is bad. You start and the practice gets you
to a place you never expected to reach. It’s a kind
of magic as some day I approach my practice
expecting a very deep immersion but it is just
not happening and sometimes I start without
any expectations and it’s just “wow”. At the beginning I never imagined to ever go this far to finish
Primary, Intermediate, never even wished to do
handstand or the deeper backbends.
The magic happens when you develop a commitment as the practice is the same every day
but it pulls you every day back to your mat. It’s an
adventure as we do the same practice every day
but the inner experience is totally different every
single moment.
3. You had the privilege to practice with Guruji
Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Please, share some personal experience with him?
Oh my god that’s amazing! When I practiced
in 2007 he has been in his 90’s but still looked
like 60. He made me feel like I’m home with my
grandfather. Guruji has been a lovely old man to
me, very kind. Once he came for the Led class on
Friday. I thought he would count faster on head-
stand but he started counting like 1 and then he
went very quiet and it felt like forever to me. I just
felt exhausted and came down. Next moment I
saw Guruji coming from the men’s changing room
and Sharath was telling me “Go back, go back,
come up to headstand!”
In 2007 the last day we went to the Shala to say
goodbye to Sharath. At that time he didn’t have
office and Guruji was sitting at what is now Usha’s
office. So we ask Guruji where is Sharath and he
said upstairs and told us to go up. He actually
urged us to go up to his house. We asked if he is
sure and yes he told us to go up so we went up
and we met Sharath. He was so surprised and
started calling Prakash asking why these people
are up in the house. We were supposed not to go
there and we told him that Guruji told us to go
up and it was such a funny accident. It was a very
simple house and we met there all the family.
4. What is your formula for success as a yoga
student but also as a yoga teacher?
Be a good yoga student so you can also be a
good yoga teacher.
5. How do you think yoga affects our life? What
is the benefit from the yoga practice?
First comes the physical aspect. We are getting fit
and healthy. Then with regular practice the mind
becomes calm but it takes many years of dedicated practice. As they say yoga doesn’t need you,
you need yoga.
Yoga affects us in a great way as it makes us
sacrifice some part of our life like the Friday night
so we can sleep early, do our practice. It makes us
change for the better. And maybe boring for the
other people who don’t do yoga and they can’t
understand why we need to go to sleep early and
get up at 3 am to practice.
6. Why Mysore style?
Mysore is very unique. It’s all about our own
benefit. We can breathe the way we find best for
our practice. We do the same sequence every day
but the experience is always different. Gradually
it becomes an integral part of our life. In Led class
we breathe to the count and in Mysore style we
can stay in the asana for as long as we feel comfortable. It’s a deep and spiritual process of self
discovery on the path of self realization.
It is an individual practice, tailor made specifically
for the person. When we step in the Mysore room
we see so many practitioners starting from beginner to more advanced and they all do their own
thing. Even for the same Primary series people do
it in different way. Depending on their body type
and ability they breathe slower or faster, some
suffer and some get really relaxed in the asana.
Why Mysore? Because it is magic that makes you
open your mind be aware of the present moment
and accept your own body as it is.
7. Sometimes it is very hard to step on the mat
every day. Do you have some secret?
I actually don’t. I just want to be healthy. It helps
me to balance my mind. I feel at home and secure
when I step on my mat. I have bad days of course
but when I step on the mat I feel connected with
my inner self. I feel the need to come back every
morning to find that sense of peace and harmony.
8. How to keep the devotion, determination,
discipline and dedication to the practice?
If you choose to practice Ashtanga all is happening beyond you. It just comes naturally.
Everything happens within me. When I wake up I
just step on the mat. It’s a personal choice. I had
to sacrifice the fun nights, then change the diet to
be able to focus on the practice. First it’s only the
asana but later there is a shift towards the mind.
It was not easy and took a lot of time and effort.
Eventually it started feeling great to get up early,
go to the studio and enjoy the practice.
As a student I enjoyed a teacher to tell me what
to do and what not to do. At some point, however
I started practicing at home for some reasons. It
was very difficult as I usually was starting late and
finished by lunch time. I really had to manage
better so I started getting up very early like 3 am
when people sleep.
Later when I became a teacher I had to sacrifice a
lot and keep my eyes and ears open. Most importantly is to keep my mind open because it is all
about the students. You can’t choose the students. No matter if they come to test your ego or
teach you a lesson or come to be your friend. They
all bring different stories and I have to manage a
certain level of energy and emotional balance in
the Mysore room, keep the positive attitude.
When the student comes with attitude I do not
think if they will come next time but I only focus
on teaching the authentic method. If they like me
that’s fine. Everybody has to find his own teacher
and everybody should have respect and be willing to learn.
9. What changed after you got KPJAYI Authorization Level 2? How do you feel now after you
received this blessing from R. Sharath Jois?
I’m still the same person as before no matter I got
the Authorization. However the blessing from
Sharath has empowered me as recognition that
I really deserve it. It’s been many years and many
trips to Mysore, a lot of hard work and I really dedicated myself to Ashtanga Yoga.
Authorization just means I really worked a lot
and I am still the same person, it doesn’t change
me. But it means a lot of responsibility. Generally
Sharath gives people blessing because they really
deserve it. It should be deserved and when the
teacher decides you are ready he gives his blessing.
This is not a 200 hour teacher training. I practice
3 hours a day, 6 days a week, now almost 9 years.
It can’t be compared to a teacher training. You
really have to be committed to the practice and
this is what Mysore magic is all about. The tradition of Ashtanga Yoga means that all authorized
and certified teachers got the blessings because
they really showed very strong dedication and
commitment to the practice. Come to Mysore and
experience the magic yourself.
Questions by Petra Bianco, Pink Elephant Yoga House &
Kiril Yordanov.