- Alignment and Injuries, Ashtanga Adaptability, Teaching Ashtanga, Uncategorized, Yoga Philosophy, Yoga Sutras
The Reo Speedwagon of Ashtanga Practices
This may be the cheesiest post on Ashtanga that you will ever read. I swear to God the last few weeks of my practice have had me saying, Oh I can’t fight this feeling any longer And yet I’m still afraid to let it flow What started out as friendship, Has grown stronger I only wish I had the strength to let it show Reo Speedwagon,Can’t Fight This Feeling I have no clue what it is but there definitely has been some energetic shifting and it is scary as sh%$. Hell, I even bought some Mala beads this week because I was like, woah Nelly, lets balance this ish…
The Magic Happens When Your Yoga Practice Sucks
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…
Pose of the Week: Garbha Pindasana to Kukutasana
How To Do Garba Pindasana & Kukkutasana
Yoga Practice Vs Asana Demonstration vs Asana Inspired Play
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…
Ask The APP: Am I Ready To Add On?
Should I really master surya namaskar A with correct breathing before I start adding SN B to my practice? Here’s some background: I’m not particularly flexible and about 30-40 lbs overweight, yet despite all rationality I feel compelled to start practicing ashtanga yoga. I’ve been reading a lot about it and practicing 6 days/week for 2 weeks now. That’s not a lot of time, I know. I’m not seeing results yet, but I do feel better when I do it. I’ve been following (name removed) advice and just doing Surya Namaskar A 5 times and the last 3 closing poses each morning. I tried a SN B this morning…
The Demon, The Yogi and the Piriformis Injury
by Shanna Small Lets get this straight right now. I am not a doctor. This is my own chilling tale of dealing with the demon in my right leg. Use these words at your own risk. I think I have piriformis syndrome or maybe a demon in my right leg. When I looked up “demon in the right leg” on WebMD, I didn’t get what I was looking for but this is what it said about piriformis syndrome: Piriformis Syndrome Signs and Symptoms Piriformis syndrome usually starts with pain, tingling, or numbness in the buttocks. Pain can be severe and extend down the length of the sciatic nerve (called sciatica). The pain…
Check This Out: Does Pleasure and Yoga Really Go Together?
Original Pleasure and Yoga: Do They Really Go Together? I already know that many of you will hate this post. It tears down the main reason why many people practice yoga…..It gives them joy. I am here to tell you that the purpose of yoga is not to give you joy, or make you feel good…..that is a side effect. According to the teachings of yoga, the purpose of yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. When we pursue yoga for its side effects and not for its main effect, it sets us up for suffering and heart break. In modern media, advertising, yoga books, and…
Check This Out: Do You Teach “Regular” Ashtanga?
From Shanna Small @ Wellness From Inside and Ashtanga Picture Project. Check out the original here. These are real questions that I got from someone yesterday. These are so common in the Ashtanga community so I put them here. Question from yesterday: ” You don’t do “regular” Ashtanga” classes? Answer: Mysore is “regular” Ashtanga. Mysore is the way that Ashtanga is supposed to be learned. Guided classes are for people who already know and practice Ashtanga. Ashtanga is practiced 6 days a week. The student is to do Mysore 5 days a week and a guided class once a week. Comment from yesterday: “It is better to learn the…
Check This Out: Any Body Else Feel Like an 80 Year Old When They Practice In the Morning?
Article by Shanna Small of Wellness From Inside and Ashtanga Picture Project Photo by Wanda Koch I always tell my students to listen to their bodies and adjust their practices accordingly and I pride myself on practicing what I preach,but lately, my body has been straight up bi polar. I never know when my 30 something self is going to show up or when Grandma is going to take over. One day I can put my legs behind my head, sit in full lotus and do handstand. The next day, I fall out of every arm balance and can barely touch my toes. One day I feel like I could audition…
Making the Philosophy and Poses of Ashtanga Accessible for All
