Guru Purnima is celebrated on the first full moon after the summer solstice. It is celebrated as a festival in India, Nepal, and Bhutan by Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists. This festival is a celebration of gratitude for gurus– spiritual or academic teachers. It is the brightest full moon of the year. Guru Purnima literally means large darkness dispelling moon. A guru is someone who destroys the darkness of ignorance and brings one to the brightness of clarity and knowledge. The brightness of the big full moon against the vast dark sky is a beautiful representation of what a guru signifies.
Today is Guru Purnima and this post is dedicated with gratitude to the selfless and inspiring teachings of Manouso Manos. Here are the reasons I chose Manouso as my teacher and continue to study with him.
- Manouso knows his shit. His knowledge of the physical body and the intricacies of how each asana affects the mind body experience is astounding. I mean, mind blowing. I also learn a lot about history, physics, science, anatomy, philosophy, and an occasional basic cooking tip in his classes.
- Manouso inspires. He pushes. He is passionate. His teachings are clear, concise, and methodical and make me a better yoga practitioner, and more importantly, a better human being.
- Manouso is compassionate and sensitive. He has gone out of his way to help me with injuries and emotional distresses.
- Manouso tells me the truth. He doesn’t try to please me or earn my devotion. He tells me straight.
- Manouso leads by example. He consistently reinforces themes of shared humanity, taking care of each other, the environment, and future generations. He does not engage in gossip and keeps confidences. He subscribes to the notion that the rising tide lifts all boats. He genuinely wants to see his students advance.
- Manouso is generous in mind, body, and spirit. He responds to emails promptly with information. He generously donates his time for studio openings, conventions, and other causes. He helps students who are strapped for cash. He wants his students to take up the practice of yoga themselves and not rely on him.
- Manouso has a keen sense of humor and can laugh at himself.
- Manouso is unapologetically comfortable with who he is. He stands tall and holds his head high. He is not afraid to disagree. He is not afraid to say he was wrong. He is not afraid to say he doesn’t know.
- Manouso gives credit to his teacher BKS Iyengar in every class.
Thank you Manouso for being you. Your teachings transform. I am grateful to you for your teachings and to your teacher BKS Iyengar.
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