“Yoga is Self Knowledge.” and “Yoga is Universal.” – I absolutly agree.

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)

The effects of practice are felt most over an increasing length of time spent attending to your practice. This is something I can now see for myself, for those of you who follow the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali you will know this is Sutra I.14.

So how then do I see this in my own life, proving for myself the path of yoga to be fruitful?

Firstly I have seen it emerging  within me during the years of my yoga practice. Little bit by little bit, obstacles falling by the way side freeing me up. This is a lesson in non-attachment as much as it is about staying with your own yoga practice, see Sutras II.30, II.32 and II.37 (although probably others too).

The other way I see it is when I see how others take their happiness from things external to themselves, and how that all goes horribly wrong for them when their expectations are not met. I am reminded of how more and more I am going within to that which is unchanging, to that which is not dependent on the external world. The longer I practice the bigger the chasm between my reactions (or lack of reaction) to external events in comparison to others. The difference in how external things affect me in comparison to how they effect others becomes a more obvious indicator of progress on the path.

Along the way I have found as Gregor Maehle discusses in his book “Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy“, that studying the Yoga Sutras, Upanishads and other  yogic/spiritual texts are in balancing a daily asana practice. The two help each other, in fact Gregor says that these are “two sides of the same coin”.

Copyright © 2008 Russell Smithers

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

It is a shame I have not shared my experiences of previous workshops and yoga teachers before. I have attended workshops with; Mark Freeth, Maru Musso, Helen Painter and Jane Sleven. The one thing that links all these good yoga teachers, apart from the ashtanga yoga itself of course, is their personalities and the kind yogic nature they emanate. Liz is no exception, and I am glad I have had the opportunity to meet and study with her.

Liz is a warm and kind person, and although she knows how to guide one to their limits, she always encourages one to ease back when appropriate. I never felt pressured to do anything to the extreme, and she included plenty of modifications for all levels of student. As she guides the students through the four 2 hour sessions, her extensive knowledge of yoga, kindness and humour permeate the class. I felt her kindness even more during the last session when I had a mild headache, she directed me to some water, to some this might seem an insignificant action, but when your in that position and some one like Liz does that sort of thing in the kind and supportive way they do, it’s like there is a deeper level of communication happening.

I find it a wonderful experience when mantras like OM are used in a session, it’s amazing being part of over 50 yogis Oming at the same time, quite an experience. The sound of us Oming in harmony, resonating through the entire room, is like a lots of sponges being bathed in sound; where the yogis are the sponges and the sound of OM the water. A very special moment that starts and finishes a session very nicely.

The more yoga workshops and classes you go to, the more you see familiar faces, and it was with pleasant surprise I bumped into a few of these familiar faces during these sessions, although it is nice to chatt with people and make some new friends, even better was the fact I found a local ashtanga yoga teacher near me, Simon Chandler (www.yogaandayurveda.co.uk) who teaches in Swindon and Bath, I have heard good things about him. Regular classes are essential when ever the opportunity is available, it will be good for me to have regular classes again.

The following article is pretty good at describing the differences between Ashtanga and Iyenger; however, it misses a couple of aspects about Ashtanga.

• Astanga vs Iyengar yoga

Those who practice Ashtanga know that it builds up heat in the body and muscles, this helps a yogi get deeper into postures;

“Astanga yoga differs from all other schools in that you deliberately heat the body first. The theory is that warmed muscles can stretch further and with more ease.” from www.whatreallyworks.co.uk/start/articles.asp?article_ID=90

Another aspect of Ashtanga is that the postures are arranged in sequences that help open the body up during a single practice. This means you will safety and easily stretch further into a postures (like a forward bend) as you progress during a session.