Pattabhi Jois and Sharath - Opening Chant

Can I practice if...?

Mahesh asks:

Was checking about if Ashtanga was suitable for me or not. So the first thing is suryanamaskar and then padmasana?

As I know padmasana needs lot of practice and most basic thing is lot of hip joint flexibility. Making a person jump to padmasana directly wouldn't break/weaken the knee?

Mahesh, this is a really reasonable concern.  I remember when I first saw a picture of someone practicing ashtanga.  I was horrified!  I thought to myself "oh, this yoga is only for very advanced athletes who are wildly flexible and strong, etc."  It took a long time before I realized that what I was seeing in the picture was not at all what I would be expected to do in my own practice...at least not right away.

My favorite Ashtanga FAQs always include a line about how one should avoid looking at asana stuff on the internet, blogs, youtube, etc.  Often we get really enthusiastic about something and want to learn everything we can about it and so we get books, magazines, videos, etc. hoping that exposure to the information will help us get closer to that thing we are enthusiastic about.  While this is often helpful -- we do need information in order to know what to do and how to go about doing it -- it can also be very confusing and misleading.

Yogic texts always include a line or two about how you can't experience yoga from just reading books or from having all the gear or the perfect clothes.  You're suppose to practice.  That's what the whole 1% theory 99% practice thing is all about.  The best way to go about this is one-on-one with a good teacher.

The hard part about talking about what we do in practice in a public forum like a website or whatever is that it is completely individual.  So, to your point, do we always start with surya namaskar?  Yeah, we do, but it might not look like what it looks like in a yoga demo video on youtube.  I mean, think about it, most of the time something gets published because it is nice looking.  The reality is usually much different...  Imagine someone who has a broken leg.  Do they start with surya namaskar?  Yes.  But maybe their teacher has them do the whole thing on the floor or with a chair or in bed.  This is why it is important to work with a teacher.  They can provide the appropriate instruction and develop a curriculum just for you.

Do we always finish with padmasana, even as a beginner?  Yeah, we do, but it might not be in the exact shape you are thinking of.  Asana should be steady and sweet and one should work gradually, slowly, consciously, and consistently, over a long period of time.

The important thing to remember is that this is a breath-based practice.  If you can breathe, you can practice.  The second is that asana is only one of the 8 limbs of Ashtanga yoga.  Maybe you will simply sit in a chair for your padmasana and that is perfect.  Not everyone needs to bend into a pretzel.  But everyone definitely can practice the drishtis, the breathing, and the quality of steady and sweet asana.  Everyone definitely can practice ahimsa (yama is the first limb of Ashtanga yoga and ahimsa is the first yama)...

Look for a traditional Mysore program and as my teacher says "No fearing, you come!"

Here is also a sweet post you might find inspiring:
"The importance of a daily yoga practice" by Ivey DeJesus

Weekend Edition # 12: Injury Inspiration

Life happens.  Relationship troubles, financial troubles, work troubles, the weather, illness, digestion troubles, injuries...  In yoga, all these things and more are summed up as the "three miseries" or  "three obstacles".  They are:

adhyātmika --miseries of body and mind
adhibhautika --miseries from other living creatures
adhidaivika --miseries from natural/supernatural disturbances

These names are old and the miseries timeless.  They will always come to us and they always have.  If we wait to practice until the obstacles stop, then we will probably never practice.  It is easy to do some asanas when we feel nice and there is a nice view and the teacher is nice and there was no traffic and we get the spot we like and everything is going well.  We should definitely be grateful and notice when we have it easy.  But often it is when things are not going well, when things are very hard or seem impossible when the true meaning of yoga is there for us to realize.  It is then when we have the opportunity to really practice and to rise to the occasion.

Eventually, practice becomes the baseline, the steady beat of our lives.  Before that, each time an obstacle arises, we ask ourselves "should I practice if...?"  It is in this moment when we begin to explore our intentions and the meaning of the practice.  This is the moment when a lot of people - confusing yoga with the mere performance of asanas - quit.  This is also the moment when others start to question their motivations and show up anyway.

To anyone who has ever shown up anyway, started from the ground up, or who has fallen to rock bottom from the highest cliff knows the feeling.  The infinite sorrow, the despair, the irrational impossibility... and then when we are patient just a few moments later, the warmth of humility and the curious strength of complete surrender.  It is the relief of having nothing to prove, no expectations, and nothing but the here and now.  All of a sudden it all comes together - the showing up, the exploration of what the asana practice is really asking, the patience of being sensitive and receptive - and it starts to seep into every other part of our lives.  We start to make connections between all of our actions throughout the day and the world around us.  The definition of asana as a "steady and sweet seat" becomes the establishment of a constant steady and sweet connection with the earth. We start to realize that we can always practice and that the effort toward steadiness of mind is what we have been cultivating all along.

In times of injury or bodily obstacle, our asana practice may change, but it is important to remember that there are 7 other limbs of Ashtanga yoga that can be practiced all the time.  But this post is about injuries and here are some sources of inspiration if you are finding yourself grappling with bodily obstacles:


"Breathing the practice" by Jangalikayamane
"Healing injuries with Ashtanga Yoga" by Paul Mitchell Gold

One final note:  everything is relative.  An emotional blow feels 100% as devastating to the person experiencing it as a broken arm feels to the person experiencing the broken arm.  Just show up.  Identify with the true nature of the self.  Let go of the asanas.  Make showing up to practice about others and something larger than yourself (Ishvarapranidhana).  Showing up anyway is a chance to add to the group energy, to inspire others who are also having a tough time.  It is a chance to be grateful and for tapas... for it often takes some serious obstacles for us to open to the possibility of yoga.

How to learn Ashtanga yoga

People are sometimes a little confused about what Led and Mysore classes are, what they are for, who they are for, etc. Here's the rundown from the main shala in Mysore, India (KPJAYI) and authorized teacher Magnolia Zuniga.

Mysore in a nutshell via KPJAYI:

All students commence their instruction in the same manner in which on the first day of class they are taught Surya Namaskar A, followed by Padmasana and deep breathing, and a few minutes of rest to conclude their first day of practice. The next day after Surya Namaskar A has been performed, Surya Namaskar B is taught, and one then again concludes in the same method as the previous day, with Padmasana, deep breathing, and rest. After both of the Surya Namaskar have been learned correctly, each of the various asanas are added one by one. When one asana is correct, the next one is taught.

Led class in a nutshell via KPJAYI:

Because of the difficult nature of remembering and mastering the various vinyasas, on Fridays and Sundays, group guided classes are taught, in which all the vinyasas are counted out loud and all students follow along together accordingly. 

For a deeper look and further explanation, read Magnolia Zuniga's post at Mysore SF.  Here's a little taste:

I know, I know, you’re not in India. I get it. But you are in a city/town/place where you have responsibilities and an active life. All the more reason to take it slow and be reasonable with your expectations. Supta Kurmasana is certainly not a beginner posture. Just because it’s called primary series, that doesn’t speak to it’s actual level of proficiency necessary to do the postures safely.  Continue reading...

Summer Schedule 2013

Class Schedule : June/July/August 2013
Sundays 8:15 - 9:45 am Led Primary Series
Mondays 6:30 - 9:45 am Mysore
Tuesdays 6:30 - 9:45 am Mysore
Wednesdays 6:30 - 9:45 am Mysore
Thursdays 6:30 - 9:45 am Mysore
Fridays 6:30 - 7:45 am Led Primary Series

Doors open at 6:30 am Sunday and 6 am Monday-Friday.
Doors close at 10 am Sunday - Thursday and 9 am Friday.

Schedule updates here.

Weekend Edition #11 Luiz Antonio: Why He Doesn't Want to Eat Octopus

Sita Sings the Blues

Nina Patel's Sita Sings the Blues is all kinds of beautiful animation, sweet music, and the Ramayana.   

"Sita Sings the Blues is a musical, animated personal interpretation of the Indian epic the Ramayana. The aspect of the story that I focus on is the relationship between Sita and Rama, who are gods incarnated as human beings, and even they can't make their marriage work."  Read more about the film here.

Watch the film:

Show your support and donate to the film or just buy stuff...
 

Vinyasa

Vinyasa:

“To begin the practice of yoga, an aspirant should first do the Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutations), and then proceed to the asanas. The Surya Namaskara and the asanas must be practiced in the correct sequence and follow the method of vinyasa. If they are not, or the movement of rechaka and puraka is neglected, no part of the body will become strong, the subtle nadis will not be purified, and, owing to the resulting imbalance, the body, sense organs, mind, and intellect will not develop. They may even become further imbalanced. 

If the asanas and the Surya Namaskara are to be practiced, they must be done so in accordance with the prescribed vinyasa method only. As the sage Vamana says, ‘Vina vinyasa yogena asanadin na karayet (O yogi, do not do asana without vinyasa).’ When yoga is practiced with a knowledge of its proper method, it is quite easy to learn, but practiced without such knowledge, it becomes a very difficult undertaking, Therefore, aspirants should not forget to learn the method of vinyasa, as well as of rechaka and puraka, and to follow it in their practice.”

From Yoga Mala (Sri K.Pattabhi Jois)

“Vinyasa” means breath-synchronized movement or the marriage between the breath and the movement. By practicing the vinyasa system, an intense internal heat is produced that purifies muscles and organs, expelling unwanted toxins, and increases the circulation. The balance between breath and movement eventually brings balance to the practice, creates a balance of strength and flexibility, and encourages the practice to become a moving meditation. The vinyasa is carried out after nearly every asana during the practice and aside from bringing balance to the body and mind, it brings the body back to a neutral position before starting the next posture. The vinyasa always begins and ends the journey, wiping the slate clean to begin again.

The Yoga Comics

Awesome Editor: Jessica Walden and Elise Espat  (Albuquerque Ashtanga Yoga Shala)

Cartoon guy: Boonchu Tanti,  Ashtanga Illustrations by Boonchu

Yoga Comics: Life is Precious

"In the yoga shastra it is said that God dwells in our heart in the form of light, but this light is covered by six poisons: kama, krodha, moha, lobha, matsarya, and mada. These are desire, anger, delusion, greed, envy and sloth. When yoga practice is sustained with great diligence and dedication over a long period of time, the heat generated from it burns away these poisons, and the light of our inner nature shines forth."

Comic via The Yoga Comics
Quote via the KPJAYI

Weekend Edition #10 Grow Food

Time to get gardening and learning is simple with these cute infographics on growing herbs, starting a home garden, and composting!

"Grow Your Own Herbs" by Heather Diane Hardison of Illustrated Bites.

 "Square Foot Gardening" by Frugal Dad

"How to make compost work for you" by WellHome via treehugger

Shala Shirt Project

अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिर् ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः
abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhir jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ
"Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in knowledge and devotion."

1st ever Shala shirts designed by me and Ashtanga Illustrations by Boonchu Tanti, printed locally by Guerrilla GraphiX on 100% organic cotton made in the USA tees :)

Weekend Edition #9

Some notes and highlights from the week:

Leslie Kaminoff explains "accessory breathing":


Meet the Sweetest Vegan:

I'm going to Florida August 17 & 18 (I'll see you there!)
On facebook
The Shala's website
The details:

Sat. 8:30AM – 11AM Led Primary
Traditional Sanskrit count of asanas and vinyasas we well as each and every inhale and exhale. Ride each breath in and out, allow your mind to sink down, and surrender to the current. We will finish with deep relaxation and chanting.

Sat. 1PM – 4PM The Strength to Surrender
When we untether ourselves from mental chatter we are able to soften the heart, trust fully, embrace faith, and open to possibility. We begin to experience a lightness in the body and mind and an ease in practice that flows into all areas of our lives. Spend the afternoon with Elise delving into this topic to gain insight into where you are in your journey, what is holding you back, keeping you stuck, or bringing stuff up. Learn how to tap into the tools you already have to help you trust this process, let go, and feel more joy in life. Elise will touch on the mental and physical aspects of heat, resistance, purification and sweet sweet surrender.

Sun 8:30AM-11AM
Mysore & Chanting The weekend culminates with Mysore practice and chanting that shakes us to the core and aligns all aspects of our being with the light within.

Recommended Reads:
I may have recommended this before and here it is again:  The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with commentary by Swami Satchidananda.  Yes, it comes en espanol tambien.

"Disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, sensuality, false perception, failure to reach firm ground and slipping from the ground gained -- these distractions of the mind-stuff are the obstacles.
Accompaniments to the mental distractions include distress, despair, trembling of the body, and disturbed breathing.
The practice of concentration on a single subject [or the use of one technique] is the best way to prevent the obstacles and their accompaniments."

vyādhistyānasaṁśaya pramādālasyāvirati
व्याधिस्त्यानसंशय प्रमादालस्याविरति
bhrāntidarśanālabdha bhūmikatvānavasthitatvāni
भ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्ध भूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि
cittavikṣepāste 'ntarāyāḥ
चित्तविक्षेपास्ते ऽन्तरायाः
duḥkhadaurmanasyaṅgamejayatvaśvāsapraśvāsā
दुःखदौर्मनस्यङ्गमेजयत्वश्वासप्रश्वासा
vikṣepasahabhuvaḥ
विक्षेपसहभुवः
tatpratiṣedhārthamekatattvābhyāsaḥ
तत्प्रतिषेधार्थमेकतत्त्वाभ्यासः
~Yoga Sutras 1.30-32

Yoga Comics: Isvara Pranidhana

 

"Awaken isvara pranidhana...especially when Sharath is counting soooo slooooowly during these three postures. Surrender and feel the inner strength expand (even as the outer strength diminishes)."

Isvara pranidhana means surrendering to the supreme soul, or worshipping God. Isvara is the purest form of the soul, not unlike samadhi. Once you surrender to isvara, to the divine, there will be no delusions. The yoga practice is a spiritual practice - not just doing exercise - it is striving to attain spiritual knowledge. First you surrender to the guru, then to the teachings. Only then will isvara pranidhana come. The more you think of God, the more you become attached to the divine, providing inner strength to deal with the uncertainties of life and with samsara.

Via The Yoga Comics

Weekend Edition #8

Been a bit busy planning this:

Here's a bit more about Krista:

Krista Shirley is a level 2 authorized Ashtanga Yoga instructor and founder of The Yoga Shala in Winter Park, Florida. Krista teaches traditional Ashtanga yoga classes in the Mysore method Monday-Thursday mornings 6:30-8:30am and counted led Ashtanga Primary series Friday mornings 6:15-7:45am followed by guided meditation from 8:00-8:30am. She also leads asana, meditation, and self help workshops and retreats at The Yoga Shala and around the globe.

Krista has been a dedicated student and practitioner of Ashtanga yoga for over a decade. She found this practice in college and it touched her so deeply she traveled down a path different than what was originally laid out for her. After graduation she started traveling the world delving deeper into her yoga studies. After meeting Shri K. Pattabhi Jois in a workshop in New York in 2004 Krista knew she had found her Guru – his essence was undeniable, his spirit light and loving, and his vast knowledge of asana, Sanskrit, chanting and philosophy was an endless well to draw from. Krista has made eight trips to Mysore, India to study at the Krishna Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute (KPJAYI) in order to study with Guruji and Sharath, connect to this lineage and feel the essence of this living parampara. Guruji passed away in May of 2009, the same month The Yoga Shala opened its doors. This space is a living, breathing dedication to Guruji, to his life’s work, and his never-ending passion for Ashtanga Yoga.

Krista’s dedication to her personal yoga practice and the Ashtanga lineage shine through in her teaching. Her energy is contagious and inspiring! Krista specializes in meeting each student where they are, helping them not only create a habit of daily practice, learn the sequence of asanas, work towards physical mastery of the postures, but also helping each student go inside themselves to heal old wounds, forgive old hurts, let go of the things in their lives that no longer serve them. Krista is here to help you begin or advance your Ashtanga Yoga journey and looks forward to sharing this transformational and enriching practice with you.

And there is this super sweet video as well:

Yay. Be sure to sign up early here!

Weekend Edition #7 Videos

One can't learn yoga from youtube videos, but if you are going to watch videos, watch these ones :)

Mini documentary on London's Stillpoint Yoga capturing the warmth of practicing together:






Kino MacGregor describes the stories we tell ourselves in "Strength of Body and Mind in Yoga - Stay Up for the Full Ten Counts in Utpluthih":

Guy Donahaye shares footage from the old shala in 1999:
 





An interview with Saraswathi Jois & Sharmila Mahesh:





Yuko's Story - Cancer Recovery and Yoga | URBAN YOGIS Episode 2:





Mysore clip from the film Enlighten Up:





Mr Ramesh - La peur (the fear):