A. P. P Goes To Mysore: Unnecessary Shoulder Movements In Ashtanga
The 411
This morning was great. Lots of joking and laughing from Sharath. He dropped me back. Everything was good.
Mysore Musings
Information filtered through my citta
Last week, Sharath talked about unnecessary movements. He spoke about how “doing jump backs like handstand” can cause stiff backbends and tight shoulders . He said that some people are working on handstand before they need to and that it is not needed until advanced series.
He also said that straightening the arms in Marchi is unnecessary. He said that when we bind, we bond with the body and we should be moving towards it and not away from it. It also puts unnecessary strain on the shoulders.
Shanna Small
Shanna Small has been practicing Ashtanga Yoga and studying the Yoga Sutras since 2001. She has studied in Mysore with Sharath Jois and is the Director of AYS Charlotte, a school for traditional Ashtanga in Charlotte NC. She has written for Yoga International and the Ashtanga Dispatch. Go here for more information on AYS Charlotte. For information on workshops, please e-mail shanna@ashtangayogaproject.com.
2 Comments
Ursula Preiss
Thank you for sharing this. Keep posting for those at home. 🙂
Caroline Barranco
Dear Shanna, I’m so enjoying your Mysore stories, not least because in a few months time I will be where you are now…. in Mysore for my first visit (after nearly a decade of practice). I too am really looking forward to immersing myself in as much philosophy and chanting as I can cope with!! As well as, of course, just being able to focus on my own practice for a while with no distractions. what a luxury that will be. Keep writing, I love it all.