Ashtanga Yoga Project

Making the Philosophy and Poses of Ashtanga Accessible for All

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  • Home
  • Blog
  • Shanna Small
  • Submissions
    • Blog Submissions
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Instruction
    • Workshops
    • Classes
    • BIPOC Mentorship
  • Teaching Ashtanga,  Videos,  Yoga Philosophy,  Yoga Sutras

    Ashtanga Picture Project on Periscope

    August 22, 2015 / No Comments

    The APP is joining periscope. I will be using periscope to go more in depth into what is being presented here. What it will be: Tips on the pose of the week Commentary on the Sutra of the Week Commentary on APP blog posts In depth conversations on Ashtanga Conversations on events happening in the yoga world   What it wont be: Rambling Conversations about me personally like who cuts my hair, what I wore last week, what I had for breakfast Perfect   Join me at @AshtangaPicture on periscope. My personal account is @wellnessyogini..like if you want to know what I had for breakfast or something.

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    Shanna Small

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    Pose of the Week: Vrschikasana B

    November 1, 2015

    Pose of the Week: Supta Padangusthasana

    November 29, 2015

    Yes, Virginia, Gurus are Real

    December 18, 2014
  • Uncategorized

    Pose of the Week: Upavistha Konasana

    July 27, 2015 / No Comments

        How To Do Upavistha Konasana  

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    Shanna Small

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    Teaching Ashtanga and the Benefit of Doubt

    June 20, 2018

    Spiritual Laziness: Active Body, Lazy Mind or Active Mind, Lazy Body

    May 11, 2017

    The Update: The Demon, the Yogi and Piriformis Injury

    August 19, 2014
  • Alignment and Injuries,  Ashtanga Quotes,  Uncategorized,  Yoga Philosophy

    The Magic Happens When Your Yoga Practice Sucks

    July 3, 2015 / 16 Comments

    Unfortunately, the magic happens when it sucks. This is why the yogis and Patanjali told us to practice consistently. They knew that we needed to come face to face with the suckiness and often.  I am not talking about pain from injuries. I am talking about the suckiness of being uncomfortable. The suckiness of wanting to be anywhere but on that mat. When it sucks, the biggest opportunity for transformation occurs. History shows us this. When we hear stories of huge internal life shattering transformations, it is usually prefaced by a heart wrenching story that sucks. For something to transform, it need to hit its “boiling point”. The boiling point is where the…

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    Shanna Small

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    What Is An Oil Bath and Why Should You Take One?

    January 28, 2014

    Pose of the Week: Utplutihih

    March 28, 2016

    Yoga Sutras For Modern Life: Comparison is The Thief of Joy

    April 18, 2016
  • Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized,  Yoga Philosophy,  Yoga Sutras

    Yoga Sutras For Modern Day Life: A Yogi on the Mat and a Jerk In the Streets

    June 25, 2015 / No Comments

    Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 1:18:  By the firm practice of the cessation of the mental modifications(right knowledge, misconception, verbal delusion deep, sleep memory), the impressions only remain. This is the other samadhi (objectless samadhi).   Go here for more in depth information on the mental modifications and objective Samadhi. Defining the Sutra In this form of samadhi, you are totally liberated and free from the mental modifications. They don’t pop into your mind anymore. You are jivanmukta, liberated while still alive. Many spiritual teachers view death as the great letting go. Many people will not let go of the false self until they are forced to through death. To be jivanmukta is…

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    Shanna Small

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    Yoga: The Cure for Phantom Life Syndrome

    March 30, 2018

    Brush Up On Your Sanskrit Counting and Pose Names

    February 26, 2014

    How To Prevent Ashtanga Crazy Making

    September 28, 2015
  • Alignment and Injuries,  Ashtanga Adaptability,  Reblogs,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized,  Videos,  Yoga Philosophy,  Yoga Sutras

    Asteya: Stealing a Yoga Practice

    June 24, 2015 / No Comments

    Photo above by Wanda Koch   When our culture (our media, our power structures, our society) says, “people who look like you shouldn’t expect to have a life like that,” we’re stealing. Stealing from people capable of achieving more, and stealing from our community as well-Seth Godin   I feel blessed to have started yoga with my Atlanta teachers. In my 5 or so years of working with them. Never once did anyone tell me that I could not do anything. There were never any talk about the short falls of my anatomy. There were never any talks about disadvantages of my body or body type. The message was always…

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    Shanna Small

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    Pose of the Week: Bakasana

    February 28, 2016

    Reasons Your Ashtanga Teacher May Not Be Giving You More Poses

    February 12, 2014

    Yoga Sutras for Modern Day Life: 4 SOS Signals In Your Yoga Practice

    January 2, 2016
  • Ashtanga Quotes,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized,  Yoga Philosophy

    Why It Is Important To Be Uncomfortable in Yoga

    June 23, 2015 / 7 Comments

    One reason why ascetic paths were set is simply because of this: you start doing things that are naturally not comfortable for you. If you have to do something that you do not like, you can only do it consciously. There is no other way to do it. Things that you like, you can do compulsively, but things that you do not like, you can only do consciously. That is why the ascetic path. You start doing everything consciously. There is no other way to be. You are practicing how to be conscious in various situations in your life-Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev Yoga is supposed to wake you up-Peg Mulqueen  …

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    Shanna Small

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    Yoga Sutras For Modern Day Life: Staying Focused During Yoga

    March 24, 2016

    Yoga Sutras For Modern Day Life: The Choice is Yours

    March 11, 2016

    Yoga Sutras For Every Day Life: Verbal Delusion in the Yoga World

    February 2, 2015
  • Alignment and Injuries,  Ashtanga Adaptability,  Pose How To,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Videos

    Pose of the Week: Urdhva Dhanurasana

    June 18, 2015 / No Comments

          How To Do Urdhva Dhanurasana

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    Shanna Small

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    Yoga Sutras for Modern Day Life: A Firm Foundation

    December 5, 2015

    Pose of the Week: Parighasana

    September 21, 2015

    Why Is It Important to Follow The Ashtanga Sequence?

    March 8, 2015
  • Alignment and Injuries,  Ashtanga Adaptability,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Videos

    Pose of the Week: Ubhaya Padangusthasana

    June 9, 2015 / No Comments

      How To Do Ubhaya Padangusthasana  

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    Shanna Small

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    Pose of the Week: Navasana

    December 28, 2015

    A Deeper Conversation on Pain In Yoga with Gregor Maehle and Satinder Khalsa

    December 3, 2015

    Reasons Your Ashtanga Teacher May Not Be Giving You More Poses

    February 12, 2014
  • Alignment and Injuries,  Pose How To,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized

    The Most Common Transition Mistakes of Primary Series

    June 6, 2015 / 8 Comments

    “Many teachers, crazy making, one teacher, shantih is coming-Pattabjhi Jois Below are the most common transition mistakes of Primary Series. For more information on transitions and pose counts, read the Astanga Yoga Anusthana by Sharath Jois and The Yoga Mala by Pattabhi Jois.   Padangusthasana Common Mistake: taking the hands to the waist before folding Correct Method: Inhale, catch the big toes and head up     Trikonasana Series and Parsvokonasana Series Common Mistake: stepping to the right and turning the feet at the same time Correct Method: Step out inhale, turn the foot and come into the pose on an exhale     Trikonasana Series Common Mistake: Feet too wide Correct…

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    Shanna Small

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    Pose of the Week: Marichyasana D

    May 1, 2015

    Pose of the Week: Parsvottanasana

    August 9, 2015

    Pose of the Week: Dropping Back/Standing Up During Urdhva Dhanurasana

    November 9, 2015
  • Ashtanga Quotes,  History,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized,  Videos,  Yoga Philosophy,  Yoga Sutras

    Yoga Practice Vs Asana Demonstration vs Asana Inspired Play

    June 4, 2015 / No Comments

      I got a wake up call recently when Peg Mulqueen of Ashtanga Dispatch cautioned us against incorporating things we see on social media into our Ashtanga practices. It was a wake  up call because I realized that I had been doing just that. Over the past few days, I have been thinking long and hard about this.   It is important to understand the context under which the video or picture is being presented. Even if a certified/authorized Ashtanga teacher is doing it, we have to ask, are they giving us a glimpse into their yoga practice, is this a demonstration or is it asana inspired play? It is also important for us…

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    Shanna Small

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    Follow Where Your Guru is Walking

    July 2, 2016

    Yoga Sutras for Modern Day Life: Help For Those Who Don’t Just Wake Up Like This

    April 20, 2015

    Ashtanga Vinyasa VS Ashtanga Yoga

    May 25, 2016
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