stupid yogi... tricks are for kids

I have to share a little story with you.  Yesterday was conference here in Mysore.  Each week, the students gather to listen to lecture from Shrath (used to be Guruji) and ask questions.  The lecture that Sharath gave was great, about focus, and the purpose of yoga being to find steady state of mind throught purification of nervous system, etc.  When he opened it up to questions the first was "Do all students need to progress to the same palce / postures in asana practice in order to reach enlightenment."  (paraphrasing here)  Sharath quickly and succinctly andswered "No."  Pause.  Then he smiled.  He said that each of us is different and it is possible to reach enlightened state just by practicing primary series.  So another student had a follow up question regarding this and is it really possible to reach enlightenment by practicing primary series and what is Sharath's definition of enlightenment... "  So Sharath explains that it is necessary to really only be able to do one posture comfortably and long enough to turn the senses inward and reach meditative state conducive to progressing toward enlightenment.  Primary series may be enough to prepare the body, nervous system, mind so that this is possible.  It has to do with the way the practice is done, with what intention and focus, not with the postures themselves.  The follow up questioner then commented that Guruji once said that intelligent person can reach enlightenment from primary series, less intelligent person, second series, even less intelligent third series, and so on, etc.  Sharath laughed " I must be the stupidest...  I practice all the series."  laughing again.  It was fantastic! - humble and amused.  Then of course he went on to explain Guruji's meanig with that statment - that students should not be concerned with more poses, what's next, getting the next tricky posture.  But instead should focus on the inner work and becoming steady in the postures they are already doing.