Sounds like an awesome 5 days! Thanks for sharing your insights too. I found your points 3 – 5 very interesting.
At Manju’s workshop I asked him why Urdhva Dhanurasana is not included in Yoga Mala. He said that in preparation for the first release of the book both him and his sister posed for pictures and these included Urdhva Dhanurasana. He didn’t know why they were omitted.
In John Scott’s book Ashtanga Yoga covering the primary series which was published much later (in 2000) he did include Urdva Dhanurasana. Guruji also gives his blessing in the foreword and asserts that the book shows the correct method.
Every single Ashtanga teacher I’ve read or practiced with has had different takes on various details of the practice.
Some of which are directly contradictory. It’s so easy to get caught up in all the seemingly confusing paradoxes. The one thing they all agree on is that regular asana practice is good for body and mind.
In an interview with Manju last week he said practicing twice a week is good, he also warned that the body gets addicted to asana and practicing every day was addiction. I’ll be blogging more about his visit next week.

G