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The Choice To Thrive
The Choice to Thrive “Do you teach at a yoga studio?” “I really loved it when you taught at XYZ Yoga Studio.” “Are you planning on teaching again at XYZ yoga studio?” Dear Yoga Student, I know these questions come from a well intentioned place. I know that the studio was convenient for you. I know that you don’t understand that sometimes, I taught 2 hours of Mysore style Ashtanga for under $10. I know that you don’t understand that most of your monthly membership went to pay for the overhead of the yoga studio and not to me. I know you don’t understand that the average yoga teacher in…
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What do Kapotasana and Swimming Have in Common?
Bear with me. Like your yoga practice, this story is going some where. When I was in college, I took a beginner swim class. At the end, my teacher told me I could swim, passed me and gave me an “A”. Summer came around and I was at the pool with my husband, an ex marine and expert swimmer. I was ecstatic about showing him my new skills. I get in the water. Show him what I can do and he says, Husband: Sweetie, you can’t swim. Me: Yes, I can. My teacher said I could. I passed the class. He moved me on. Husband: Sweetie, if I pushed you…
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Happy Guru Purnima
Today is a day for giving thinks to the gurus of your life. What is a Guru? Interesting enough, there are a lot of different etymologies. As a noun the word means the imparter of knowledge (jñāna; also Pali: ñāna). As an adjective, it means ‘heavy,’ or ‘weighty,’ in the sense of “heavy with knowledge,”[Note 1] heavy with spiritual wisdom,[16] “heavy with spiritual weight,”[17] “heavy with the good qualities of scriptures and realization,”[18] or “heavy with a wealth of knowledge.”[19] The word has its roots in the Sanskrit gri (to invoke, or to praise), and may have a connection to the word gur, meaning ‘to raise, lift up, or to make an effort’.[20] Sanskrit guru is cognate with Latin gravis ‘heavy; grave, weighty, serious’[21] and Greek…
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Dear Physically Gifted People
Dear Physically Gifted People, Please stop using words like “easy” or “simple” when doing a demo, teaching a student or posting a video or picture. Why? It is too subjective. Just because something is easy for you does not mean it is easy for someone else. Using the words “simple” or easy, with a student who finds the movement to be difficult, can make them feel like there is something wrong with them, that their efforts will never be good enough, and that they are inadequate. It can make them feel shame and question whether or not yoga is for them. I understand that this is not happening on purpose. …
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Alignment and Injuries, Ashtanga Adaptability, Teaching Ashtanga, Uncategorized, Yoga Philosophy, Yoga Sutras
Teach What You Want, Just Don’t Call It Ashtanga
At a workshop, when asked about teaching a modified version of Ashtanga, David Swenson said, “Teach what you want, just don’t call it Ashtanga” The beauty of Ashtanga is that it was laid out count by count, pose by pose by Pattabhi Jois, via what he learned from his teacher Krishnamacharya so that there would be no confusion about the method and to maximize effectiveness. Theoretically, you should be able to go anywhere in the world and seamlessly join any Ashtanga class without missing a beat. There have been some changes made over the years but they have been relatively small. The wheel of Ashtanga has not been reinvented. David…
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Alignment and Injuries, Ashtanga Adaptability, Ashtanga Quotes, History, Teaching Ashtanga, Uncategorized, Yoga Philosophy, Yoga Sutras
Yoga Sutras for Modern Day Life: How To Get the Quickest Results in Yoga
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 1:22-The time necessary for success depends on whether the practice is mild, medium or intense. Defining the Sutra Everyone can have success in yoga but the more intense the practice the faster the results. It is important to reiterate that Patanjali is referring to yoga as the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind . He is not merely talking about yoga as a physical practice. Many commentaries on the Sutras, allude to 9 levels of practice that are not mentioned in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali but are mentioned in other texts and supposedly directly relate to this verse. I don’t think these 9 levels are…
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Pose of the Week: Paschimottanasana
How To Do Paschimottanasana Shanna SmallShanna 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. ashtangayogaproject.com
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Ashtanga Adaptability, Ashtanga Quotes, Teaching Ashtanga, Uncategorized, Yoga Philosophy, Yoga Sutras
Yoga Sutras for Modern Day Life: Quantum Physics Meets Yoga?
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 1:19 Among the bodiless ones and the ones absorbed in prakrti, there is intention of coming ind being. Defining the Sutra This post may require a suspension of your disbelief. But then again, so does yoga. The thought that there are bodiless beings sounds just as crazy as the idea of Samadhi or getting rid of non essential thought. To help us to fully understand this verse, I have brought in Greg Nardi, authorized level 2 Ashtanga teacher and avid student of the sutras and Gregor Maehle, author of many popular books on Ashtanga and Yoga, such as, “Ashtanga Yoga Practice and Philosophy and “Pranayama, the…
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Words of Wisdom For those on the Ashtanga Yoga Path
A friend posted this and I wanted to share it. Great advice for the Ashtanga journey from David Swenson * I want you to understand, the Ashtanga Yoga can be practiced for the rest of your life. You can enjoy this practice. About Yoga * This mat should be the place we come to free ourselves from all the stresses of the world. Don’t make it another place to be stress to you. * The mat is like a loving mother; The practice is a loving place. * If you enjoy your practice today, you will want to practice tomorrow. No one has to tell you. * Keep…
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Pose of the Week: Garbha Pindasana to Kukutasana
How To Do Garba Pindasana & Kukkutasana Shanna SmallShanna 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. ashtangayogaproject.com
Acessible | Trauma Informed |Philosophy |Social Justice
