Ashtanga Yoga Library

Oct 6, 2024

Oct 3, 2024

Ashtanga Yoga Home Practice Kit

You'll need:
Practice Space
Practice Surface
Comfortable clothing
Yoga Mala book

Method:
1. Tristhana - Focus on breathing (through the nose, around the ribs), squeezing anus, concentrating the gaze
2. When not to practice - first 3 days of menstruation, sick with fever, saturday or sunday, full/new moon day

What to practice -
Surya Namaskar A 1-5 times and last three asanas each day until you can keep the tristhana the whole time. If you can maintain that for at least a week, then add the next element, Surya Namaskar B.
Repeat Surya Namaskar A 1-5 times and Surya Namaskar A 1-3 times and last three asanas each day until you can keep the tristhana the whole time. If you can maintain that for at least a week, then add the next element, padangusthasana and padahastasana.
Keep going like this and eventually get yourself to a teacher!

Home Practice Support

What to do if you can't make it to a Shala everyday.

Establish a relationship with a living person.
Ideally with just one.
Drop in when you can.
Workshops and retreats.

Create a space.
Clean, distraction free.
Regular time of day.
Quality, not quantity.

In the meantime.
Yoga Mala.
Sharath DVD
Sharath CD

Should I practice if (continued)... by Elise Espat

I don't have very much time?
Yes. Do what you have time for.

I'm running late?
Yes. See above. Quality, never quantity.

I don't have a local shala and I've never established an Ashtanga practice?
Yes.

I don't have a local shala but I do have an established practice?
Yes.

Pinto bean hummus with beet & avocado salad, chapati, and rice

This simple dinner is delicious and easy to prepare.

Pinto bean hummus

Pinto beans (drained of liquid)
Tahini
Lemon
Salt
Olive Oil
Paprika

Place pinto beans and tahini in blender and blend playing with ratios until desired consistency is reached. Add lemon and salt to taste. Blend until smooth. Garnish with olive oil and paprika.

Beet & avocado salad

Red cabbage
Beets
Avocado
Lemon
Pomegranate seeds
Olive Oil

Slice red cabbage super-thin and place in bowl. Shred beets and add to bowl. Slice avocado. Add poegranate seeds. Add queeze of lemon and olive oil.

Rice

Water
Rice

1 cup rice to two cups water in pan. Cover and bring to boil. Turn down low until fully cooked.

Chapati

2 cups Wheat flour
1 cup Water
Salt to taste
Oil

Place wheat flour in bowl. Slowly add a little water and knead. Add a little more water and knead. Keep going like this until similar to play-dough adding more or less water as necessary. Set aside for at least a half hour and even overnight in the fridge. Turn on skillet. Dust surface with flour. Pinch of golf ball size of dough. Roll into ball and then press down on surface. Roll it out. Putoil in pan. Place rolled out dough in pan and let cok until medium sized bubbles begin to form. Flip. Let it puff up for a little bit. Serve.

The Yogic Diet - 3 Gunas

Sattvic (pure) foods
Vegetables -
Fruits - fresh, dried, pure juice
Protein -legumes, nuts, seeds
Grains - corn, barley, wheat, unpolished rice, oat, millet, quinoa
Herbs -
Natural sweeteners - honey, molasses, maple syrup, apple juice concentrate
Dairy - milk, butter, cheese, yogurt

Rajasic (overstimulating) foods
Vegetables - onions, garlic, radishes
Stimulants/intoxicants - coffee, tea, tobacco,
Heavily spiced/salted
Chemicals
Food eaten on the run
White sugar
Soda
Prepared mustard
Pungent spices
Anything excessively hot, bitter, sour, or saline

Tamasic (putrified) foods
meat, fish, eggs
intoxicants, alcohol
stale, rotten, decomposed, unclean, underripe, overrripe, fermetned, burned, fried, barbequed, reheated, canned, processed, prepared, mushrooms, vinegar, overeating (overeating sattvic foods makes them tamasic)

Additional considerations
Factory farming and dairy...

References
Sivananda Yoga Cookbook

Eat more chapatis

The first time I ate a chapati was in Mysore, India and it felt very familiar. I grew up in New Mexico on my grandma's flour tortillas which we used instead of a spoon to eat pinto beans and chile. I was really struggling on my first trip to India and those chapatis helped me feel at home. I later took a cooking class with Tina in Mysore and I remember being very impressed at how simple they were to make and delicious! I attempted my own chapatis, only to yield crackers that were nothing like the fluffy pillows Tina had taught us to make. I gave up for some time, focusing instead on homemade dosas. I was also gluten-free for a few years, so chapatis weren't on my mind...until recently.

I decided to give chapati making another go. The first time, the dough was too dry, but the chapatis came out alright. After that, they keep getting better and better!

You'll need:
2 cups Wheat flour
1 cup water
salt to taste
rolling pin
pan
oil

Make the dough:
Combine ingredients
Knead dough
Set aside

Time to make the chapatis:
Dust a little flour on your rolling surface. Heat oil in pan. You know it is hot enough when you sprinkle water on the pan and it pops.

Pinch off a golfball size amount of dough and roll into a ball. Place on dusted surface. Be careful not to burn the oil.

Gently press ball into disc shape.

Roll out dough.

For some reason, it seems to be helpful to turn the dough between rolls.

Place chapati in pan and repeat rolling process.

Allow air bubbles to form.

When the bubbles get more prominent, flip the chapati.

The chapati will inflate like a hot-air balloon. If it is not inflating, you can press down the edges with a towel. This seals any cracks and will allow the chapati to inflate.

Time for an oil bath?

Directions and videos http://aylibrary.blogspot.com/2012/01/castor-oil-baths.html

Boonchu Tanti http://alliscoming.com/
Jessica Walden
Elise Espat
Facebook facebook.com/theyogacomics

Led Class Etiquette

How to be the most polite of Ashtangis:

ARRIVING

Read our etiquette

1. Know your practice space. Go the yoga shale's website and find out how much class will cost and if you can pay by cash, card, or either. Are there yoga mats available to borrow or should you bring your own? Read any recommendations or etiquette notes and follow them.

2. Leave refreshments at home or work, etc. Asana is practiced on an empty stomach. There are some exceptions (such as pregnancy). If you aren't sure, contact the shala and ask.

3. Wear clean, comfortable clothing.

4. Arrive early. If class starts at 6:30am, be there at 6:15am. This allows plenty of time to sign-in, pay, fill out forms, put away your belongings, use the restroom, set up your mat, etc.

IN THE ROOM

1. Introduce yourself to the teacher if you are new.

2. Always alert the teacher to any conditions.

3. Ask the teacher where to place your mat.

4. Be aware of where water is for Garba pindasana

5. Maintain silence.

DURING CLASS

1. Wait for the count.

2. If you are a Mysore student, stop at your last asana and wait for further instruction.

Visual Traveling: India

http://www.bbc.com/travel/video/one-day-in/20121102-mumbai

Surya Namaskar A Demonstration

No Fearing! A practical guide to starting a Mysore practice

Anyone can practice.

Don't be intimidated about starting your practice.

You don't need to know anything. Your teacher will show you.

Everyone starts this way.

I was very afraid before I started. I get it. Now I know better.

In India you can't be afraid.

Read up. KPJAYI on the practice and where to find a teacher nearby.

Contact the teacher and set a time to observe a Mysore class.

Start by observing. The whole point is to get settled into the vibe of the space including the people. TO feel relaxed and comfortable. You are investing in your education and a community, not a massage or gymnastics. Email to request a time to observe. You'll get a tour. Find out how the classroom works, etc. Be ready to remove your shoes and turn off electronics! Read the etiquette. Ask about the schedule (below) and tuition. You'll figure out where it is and how long it will take you to get there. Essentially we are trying to set a strong and fertile foundation for a lifelong sustainable practice. Slow and steady. Tell them about injuries, concerns, etc. Here is our etiquette at the shala.

You've decided the practice is for you. Read the schedule. When does the door open? When does the teacher arrive? What time is the opening mantra? When should you pay? What will you need? Budget an hour although it will probably be less.

You've figured out a start date and time. What to wear and where to find it. Towel. Yoga mat and rug maybe. You'll need fresh ones each day. Be barefoot. Pay your tuition.

The day before. Eat light, sleep well, and hydrate. Set out your clothes. Establish good habits from day one. Review etiquette. Pay tuition.

That day. Bathe. Don't eat or drink. Arrive in advance. Fill out forms if you haven't already and pay tuition. The teacher will show you what to do.

Return the next day and the next.

Part II The first month of practice.

Interview with Paul Gold

e: Paul Gold

Age: 45

Hometown: Toronto, Canada

# of trips to India: 9, I think.

Current Location: Toronto, Canada

Your yoga shala: Ashtanga Yoga Shala Toronto

Established: 2002

Practice with help from Rachelle, 2013.

What was your first impression of Mysore practice?

It felt very authentic and exotic at the same time.

A Mysore room was quieter than any yoga class I’d ever attended. All I could hear was the sound of breathing and the occasional whisper of the teacher.

When I first started practicing in 1995, there were no Mysore classes in Toronto; so, my first months were in led classes. When I got to my first Mysore class, even though I had done loads of led classes and had memorized the sequence, the experience of not having a teacher leading me through practice made it apparent that I had a very distracted mind. It was very hard for me to keep my eyes on my own mat. It was equally difficult to keep my practice moving. I would dawdle and lose the vinyasa constantly. I hadn’t realized the extent that I’d become dependent on the teacher’s voice to move me through my practice.

I clued in that Mysore practice was going to require me to be a much more self-motivated student than I ever had to be in a led class.

What inspired you to get started?

My interest in yoga practice started in 1995 out of a bad break up with a woman whom I had been seeing on-and-off since I was sixteen. Let’s just say that when things finally blew up, I was suffering and was keen on doing some personal work to ensure that I would never be in such a messed up relationship again. So when I saw a pamphlet for a yoga studio in my neighbourhood, I thought “yoga is supposed to be good for me. I think I’ll check it out.” The rest is history.

Toronto, 1996.

What did you like about ashtanga yoga?

I loved the vinyasa and loved how the movement between asanas forced my mind into a more meditative state that had the result, after class, of greater peace and clarity. In effect, just trying to get through class was enough to make thinking about anything else impossible; so, after practice, I would notice that I hadn’t thought about anything for 90 minutes and gained some valuable perspective on my life.

What was hard about it?

Everything was hard. Before starting yoga, I was as an avid alpine skier who skied moguls all day long. I have very bowed legs and limbs that don’t entirely straighten. I also have wrists that don’t bend. Add to the above a stiff back, tight hamstrings and tight shoulders from playing bass guitar. So, everything was difficult for me. It was a festival of resistance, soreness and intense sensations. The only thing that I could do, almost from the first day, was lift up and jump back. The fact that I persevered is really incredible when I think back. I must have strong yoga samskaras from past lives.

Feeding cows in Gokulam, 2009.

What keeps you inspired?

The benefits of practice keep me inspired. For 20 years, I’ve seen how practice makes my life better than it would otherwise be. When I practice, I have more equanimity and that keeps me coming back to my mat. Early on, I noticed that when I busted my ass on my mat and was humbled by the effort of practice, I was more patient and compassionate with others off my mat. That was a huge connection between my practice and my life off the mat. It was very inspiring to see that the benefits of yoga weren’t just limited to the physical realm.

What do you keep with you from your time with Guruji?

I am grateful that I had the opportunity to practice with Guruji many times. My time with him is really the heart and soul of my practice. I can’t imagine what my life would be like if he hadn’t been so dedicated to sharing this method. He is The Source for me and I’ll always be indebted to him for changing my life.

With Rachelle and Guruji, 2003

What do you keep with you from your studies with Sharath?

I have learned from Sharath that steadiness and consistency are the true measures of one’s practice. He has also taught me to be quietly confident in my abilities. I respect Sharath’s dedication to continuing his own practice and sharing Guruji’s teachings. Sharath works so hard and gives so much of himself to others. It’s really incredible and I admire and respect him so much.

What advice do you have for beginners?

1. Focus on your own practice and measure your progress from where you’ve started not from some preconceived idea of where you feel you ought to be.

2. Stay aware of how yoga practice is affecting other areas of your life off the mat… like your sleep, temperament, digestion, sex drive, and courage. There are so many ways that practice benefits us if we pay attention.

3. Find a reason to practice and to keep getting on your mat that is outside of progress in yoga asanas and you will reap the true benefits of yoga.

What books do you recommend people read?

Edwin Bryant’s edition of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

Bhagavad Gita – Ramakrishna ashram edition with commentary is quite good.

Yoga Mala by Sri K Pattabhi Jois

In Search of God by Swami Ramdas

Our old Shala in downtown Toronto.