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The Evolution of KnowledgeBy Kino MacGregor

It is said that the Buddha's definition of truth is "what works." His pithy statement points toward one of the essential teachings about truth also contained within the path of yoga: impermanence. Knowledge and information come into our consciousness at an appropriate time, enhance our being, and when we have integrated the lesson, it passes. The intelligence to accept the impermanence of all experience is the seat of true knowingness.
Great joy can arise when we experience new layers of truth. It can be so enticing that there is the temptation to hold onto it in attachment and perhaps proselytize to others. We often identify with what we know. Every time you say, "This is the way things should be done," you close yourself down to the possibility of a new, perhaps more evolved, efficient or friendly way of being. You also distance yourself from those who do not know, increasing division along lines of right and wrong. Even in the world of yoga, we sometimes find ourselves debating about the "right" method.
If we look again at the Buddha's definition of truth as "what works," we see that what works constantly changes. Hence, we already have the basis for a relaxed, open understanding of reality. What works one day will not necessarily work for every day that follows. Even what seems perfect will one day pass away, and what's absolutely suited to you in a particular moment changes—try to hold onto it and a small part of you dies inside and remains caught in the past!
Throughout our journey in yoga, we have met many inspirational teachers. One of the most evolved states of yoga involves being both open to new information and ready to simultaneously let it go when the cycle is finished—that is, non-attachment even to the very knowledge which enlightens our lives. Even the great truths of Western science are merely hypotheses that are meant to be true for a given period of time, until refuted. Zen teacher Suzuki Roshi gives us the phrase "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" (the title of his influential book) to explain that in the expert's point of view, there are no new possibilities for learning, while the beginner's experience holds all things possible.
In terms of your practice, if you "know" that your shoulder is weak, how will you approach certain postures? If you "know" that a particular teacher is good (or bad) how will you feel in the class? What would happen if you walked into every situation with a beginner's mind?
Knowledge in its highest sense satisfies our hunger for the spiritual, elevating us beyond our daily identification with our small self. Knowledge belongs to no one, but can be felt, experienced and uncovered by all. Be open to it.

Pilgrimage To the Heart Of Yoga Devotees from around the world head for Mysore, India, home of the vigorous form called Ashtanga

At 5 p.m. on a breezy Saturday, the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in the southern Indian city of Mysore is buzzing. Students from around the globe are thronging the steps of the three-story, light-gray concrete building. Clad in light-colored cotton pants and T-shirts, their backs ramrod straight, their eyes and skin aglow, they are queuing up to greet Sharath Ranga-swamy, 35, a master of Ashtanga yoga, and his grandfather, Guruji K. Pattabhi Jois, the institute's founder. Some are there to inquire about their classes, which start at 5 a.m. the next day, and some are still hoping to enroll.

While there are numerous yoga centers in Mysore, a two-hour trip by car or train from Bangalore, Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute is the most well-known and the one that attracts the greatest number of visitors from overseas. Ashtanga, which means "eight limbs" in Sanskrit, is an extremely active form of yoga. It combines "vinyasa," or flowing breath, with "asanas," or poses. The rigorous mix heats the body in an intense workout that some say is equal to a grueling session at the gym.Russell Smith, a New York entertainment lawyer, says part of the attraction of Ashtanga yoga is the physical rigor. When he first took classes in New York, "I couldn't do any of the poses, and I felt awful," he recalls. "Even so, I was on a cloud. The class really opened me up—the combination of movement and breathing was amazing. I'm hooked." Since 2004, Smith has spent at least three months a year studying in Mysore.Perhaps because of the physical challenge, Ashtanga appeals to "type-A, overachiever kind of people," says Andrea Varalli, a freelance graphic designer from Maui and student at the Institute. Yet even people who push themselves, he says, soon realize that, as in all yoga practices, "the physical part is just an entry" into enhanced mental well-being.Classes start at 5 a.m., but many students arrive earlier to find choice spots for their mats. Five days a week, sessions are "Mysore-style"—that is, students work at their own pace while Sharath, who goes only by his first name, and his mother, Saraswati, move around the room, correcting students' poses and demonstrating new ones. On Fridays and Sundays, classes are taught to the group as a whole. Beginners get separate instruction for part of the day. Class ends at 8:30 a.m., after which many students adjourn to nearby cafés. Whatever they order must be vegetarian. Alcohol, too, is off-limits.The strict regimen doesn't seem to be a problem for the students, according to Marcus Fontoura, a senior research scientist at Yahoo! Research in Sunnyvale, Calif., who is on his first pilgrimage to Mysore. "I practice at 5 a.m. in California, too. I'm used to it. Everyone is."A month's tuition is 26,900 rupees (about $600), with additional months 17,900 rupees (about $400) each. There's no weekly rate since the school requires a one-month commitment—no refunds if you leave early, either, and some students do. The Institute is open from January through March and June through December, except for a short break around yearend.When the school is closed, Sharath travels abroad. His workshops in New York, London, Sydney, and elsewhere have been attended by a host of celebrities, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna, Willem Dafoe, Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler, and Mike D., drummer for the Beastie Boys. Sonya Jones, wife of hedge-fund magnate Paul Tudor Jones and a close friend of Guruji and Sharath, has made a few low-profile visits to Mysore, too.While yoga beckons many tourists, it's not the only reason to visit. Mysore and its 1.5 million residents are still somewhat sheltered from the wave of modernity that has swept through India over the past decade. An ancient city, Mysore gained sovereignty as a kingdom near the end of the 18th century. The main palace, built in the Indo-Saracenic style that incorporates Hindu, Muslim, Gothic, and Rajput styles, was commissioned in the late 19th century and completed in 1912. It remains one of the city's most popular tourist attractions.Mysore is also close to some of South India's finest wildlife sanctuaries. Two national parks, Bandipur and Nagarhole, draw visitors for jeep safaris into the jungle and stays at eco-friendly resorts. The area also boasts renowned health-and-beauty spas, such as Indus Valley Ayurvedic Centre, and the regal Brindavan Gardens, which has served as the colorful backdrop of countless Bollywood movies.Residents have adapted enterprisingly to the stream of yoga adherents. Locals rent rooms, apartments, and even houses to visiting students, and they will arrange for phone and Internet service.For travelers who prefer something more upscale, there are several good hotels in the area, including Hotel Regaalis, Royal Orchid Metropole, and Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel. Rates run from around $100 to $170 a night for a double room. Dinner at a high-end restaurant, such as the Tiger Trail at the Royal Orchid Metropole, costs about $40 to $60.The best times to visit are winter, fall, and—if you don't mind the monsoons—summer. The Institute is closed in April and May because it's just too hot, even for those who seek to transcend the physical.