Of group energy and 108 suryanamaskars

It’s been slightly less than a year since I took up yoga. My body’s responded in ways I never thought possible. I don’t remember my head every touching my knee before I knew it was the Paschimotasan; I’d have choked on my lager at the thought of my balancing my knees on my elbows with the Kakasan. I never imagined I would look forward to waking up before sunrise for my daily practice. It took a month in an Uttarkashi ashram for an old dog to learn new tricks.

Even so, when one of my informal gurus proposed a Saturday  morning filled with 108 Suryanamaskars, a familiar sense of fear  struck. The most I’ve ventured before this was a measly 12. “There’s something about group energy that’ll put a wind beneath your wings”, I was told. I agreed reluctantly, dragged another friend of mine, and made that leap of faith.

Come Saturday, and there were around 30 people, mostly strangers. Perfunctory introductions made, the beeja mantra chant began along with instructions that go into the sun-salutations. I counted up to 12, which was pretty effortless. I lost count soon after. It didn’t matter, because I was enjoying the rhythm I had got into. We were given a break after 36. I wasn’t even breaking into sweat and I was worried my grin would get so wide that it would tear my face in two.

Was it me or was it group energy?

We began again, and I quickly got back into that zone where I began to feel like a well-oiled machine. Pretty soon, I realized that whilst the first break came unexpectedly, I was looking forward to the next one. Now, this is pretty disastrous territory and 72 suddenly seemed a bridge too far. I kept egging myself to do ‘just one more, and then stop’. I then happened to notice the girl next to me, huffing and puffing herself. Reed thin, I had a feeling she’d haunt me if I stopped before she did. I gritted my way to 3 more before the instructor chirped, “Well done, y’all! We’re two-thirds there!” Pheeew…that was close!

I’d already begun to dread the last round even before we began. Was this a good time to call it quits?

“The tough part is done. Now, it’s only a question of seeing it through. Go with the energy of the group”

The neighbour and I smiled at each other.

Round 3 was smooth sailing and I was beginning to believe that the tough part was really over until I noticed weariness creeping in. I noticed a blister on my toe because of the continuous drag on the mat. I also noticed the neighbor dragging herself.

“One more than her”, I chanted to myself, and it grew louder and louder with each cycle of the suryanamaskars till the Beeja mantra in the background was completely inaudible.

My eyes were getting blurred with sweat trickling down my forehead. I could feel every sinew strain. “One more than her” thumped in my head like a heavy metal riff.

She wasn’t giving up, the feisty little thing.

There’s no way I could keep up with this much longer.

“Five more”, I told myself. “Whether she stops or not, I am. After five more”

After the third of those, I could see her on the verge of giving up.

“Not now!”, I yelled within. “Two more, c’mon!”, I found myself egging her on. I could see her eyes popping out of her sockets, but she went on!

And then, at the fourth, the counting slowed. We’d done it!

“Well done, you guys! You’ve earned yourself a yoga nidra” – that deep relaxation that helps one zone out in relaxation after a great practice session.

There was spontaneous applause that broke out, some in joy and some in relief. 108 suryanamaskars? Dragging a mahogany table with your teeth seems simpler.

But yes, I was now a believer in group energy.

Relaxation over, the neighbor girl came over to greet me.

“I owe my last 20 sun-salutations to you”

Uh-oh.

“I felt if you, who look much older than me, could do it….”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I could see you struggling. Every time I was on the verge of giving up, I told myself that I’d only stop when you did. After doing one more”

Group energy, anyone?