Today I would like to discuss a little about my experience of how the regular sustained practice of yoga (any yogic technique, mediation and posture work for example), benefits our daily lives.  First we need to look at the effects of a yoga practice, which could be meditation or posture work (asana), and how that makes us feel. We can then continue on to how this effects our daily lives.

The practice is the seed of the fruit, the fruit lasts longer the more we foster the seed with regular sustained practice. It may help to bring a little yogic science/philosophy into this article, only a little mind. Lets introduce 3 qualities; laziness (inertia), very active, and, a balance or a transcending of the active and lazy qualities.  These three states are tamas (lethargy), rajas (activity) and satwic (lightness and awareness, balance and harmony), and are known collectively as the gunas.

When practicing yoga techniques (or equivalent ones in other traditions) I find my state of being changes. I find that I’m more calm, relaxed and aware which is satwic (lightness). I’m more in tune with myself and things take less effort. Emotionally I’m more stable, not that I’m an emotional sort of person, I’m not, it’s all relative. I also have more energy. These effects do wear off over time, but less so the more regular and sustained I am with my practice. Over time the quality of the experience and state of being attained in the practice increases and remains longer, essentially the state of being cultivated over many practice sessions becomes easier to attain and maintain. Each practice session is like a pulse, which helps the satwic qualities permeate your being.  Each day you generate more satwic qualities around the various aspects of your being. The practice sets up a rhythm that generates it’s own energy and vibe in your life, which sets the tone for you and how you are.

When regular practice is sustained over long enough time you will end up being established in your yoga practice. One way you will know this, is when you don’t practice, you notice your state of being becomes less than what you have become accustomed too, a degeneration of the rhythm and vibe. It is when you reach this level in practice that it is easier to practice than not to practice. Of course everything becomes easier the more we do it, and we will have found practicing becoming much easier while we are establishing our practice.

In my daily life I find my working day is easier, more productive and flows better. My relationships with people are enhanced and remaining calm in difficult situations becomes easier, more natural and spontaneous, therefore my actions become more appropriate to the situation and everybody wins. As the saying goes yoga is a win-win thing. Needless to say work isn’t the only aspect if my life that is positively enhanced

So it comes down to choosing how we want to live our lives, making choices. We can all say we don’t have time, or make up many excuses, or allow ourselves to become distracted. The bottom line is we modern western people have plenty of time, or at least the lucky majority seem too. How much TV, game playing or chatting on the phone do we do, not to mention other activities. Simply put most people do have time to incorporate regular practice. I think the real barrier in most cases is twofold; 1) not knowing a technique/teacher who can help us, and 2) the discipline to get on with it when we have a technique to use. Sure, I know there will be other reasons, but mostly I think they will be superficial reasons. I know there are exceptions, and this isn’t a blanket statement, but it has held true for most people I meet that are interested in developing a personal practice.

Copyright © 2009 Russell Smithers

I just received the first official newsletter from the K Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute, at the end was the following quote that I wanted to share.

“If you only read books, you only have book knowledge. You have to have practical experience by practicing the yamas and niyamas, and asana in the correct method, with correct breathing and correct gazing, in your daily life. This is how you realize the meaning of yoga—how you realize who you are.”

R. Sharath (taken from the offical www.kpjayi.org January 2009 newsletter)

Just sharing a link about the physcial Ashtanga asana practice; ashtanganews.com/2008/08/03/lessons-from-lino-miele

It’s very informative for those of us who have a personal daily practice. Enjoy.

It’s been nearly 5 years since I started Ashtanga yoga, and for most of that time I have had a personal practice at home. It’s been interesting seeing the progress one makes in yoga over the years, and during that time it has become increasingly obvious that both a personal practice and yoga classes are essential. Lets not confuse personal practice with one on one coaching. For the purpose of this article I will treat one on one coaching and the class room as the same, clearly in reality you will gain more in a shorter period of time with one on one coaching. What have I found to be some of the differences?

The teacher will introduce you to the basics, help you progress and show you where your doing something inappropriate, and as you progress they will show you new aspects to practice. Also, a teacher is some one you can discuss yoga related topics with, physically performing Asana is one thing, but there is allot going on, and so discussion can be a big help. This helps the practice stay fresh and you moving along the path.

The personal practice is where you teach yourself and progress on the path. You need more regular Asana sessions than once a week, and even if you had a class everyday, you would be missing allot if you didn’t do a practice solo a few times a week. The personal practice you do at home helps you to be better in class, and as you do better in class you are helped in your personal practice. The two combine to form a positive feedback loop that nurture each other.

When practicing at home on your own, you are afforded a unique opportunity to be the teacher and the student at the same time. In class you are led through, guided, and advised at various times, whereas, at home you have only your self. You need to be motivated enough to get to your mat. You have to direct your practice and understand it for your self, this may sound tricky, but, at home you have no distractions like that of the teacher and other students. When you practice solo you can become more absorbed into your practice, and thats good because it is in the absorption and self guidance that real yoga is experienced. In class you can never get to the essence of yoga, at home, bit by bit, you increase the depth and realism of the yoga experience. Class and teachers are like school, personal practice is like the real world. It is good to learn from people, but, it’s ones personal experience through self directed action that allows you to grow and heal through the practice of yoga.

Going to class and not practicing on your own, well you will make some progress and benfit a little maybe. Practicing at home on your own is like being an adventurer. Would you rather go to a history class, without ever having explored it for yourself? Personally, I wouldn’t. The history class is good, go and learn, but don’t miss out on the adventure, experience, healing and growth that self practice bestows on the ardent adventurer.

Copyright © Russell Smithers 2008