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| Hi!
I've been practicing ashtanga yoga on and off for a while. At the moment only once weekly, but earlier on I practiced 3-4 times a week (mostly Mysore style). Physically it does wonders for me, and I really like the heat generated by the movements and ujjai pranayam as well as feeling my strength and flexibility developing.
However, each period I've practiced more than twice a week I feel there is some sort of energetic imbalance building up in my body - and my impression is that it comes from the ujjai breathing. Either from ujjai itself, or from me practicing it incorrectly.
The teachers I've had don't seem to recognize my problem when I've mentioned it to them, and I haven't been able to find anything written about it.
The sensation that I experience is that of being tense just around the lower end of my breast bone, and a few inches over that. My relaxed breathing seems to be a bit forced, and high up in my ribcage. I dont like it. To start with, the feeling was a bit positive, as there was a more "awake" and active feeling than normal - but I really feel that it is somehow contrived and out of balance. When I REALLY slow down and do the practice all on my own, trying hard to not let my breath sort of escape up too high in my chest, the symptoms don't come as easily - but still my impression is that there is something that is not right.
Help anyone? Does anybody recognize this? Normal problem?
/Peter
Edited by peterolin 2006-11-26 4:42 PM
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| Peter - I do not do ashtanga, but I would suggest trying to just do the practice with nice, even, quiet, "normal" breath and see what happens. |
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| Dear Peter: This is my response:
1. Your question should be directed to your actual teacher. If he/she can not answer, then you should ask them for another better resource for answering it. Then, you should actually take a class with that other teacher and ask the question again.
2. From what you wrote, you have no problem with two times a week. So, do two times a week!
3. I am glad that you are accepting that something is wrong when you feel pain or whatever you are feeling. And, you have not decided to go on a missile cruise! |
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| tourist - 2006-11-25 5:51 AM
Peter - I do not do ashtanga, but I would suggest trying to just do the practice with nice, even, quiet, "normal" breath and see what happens.
I'll do that just to experiment at home - but I'm a bit hesitant - since the asana practices of ashtanga seems so fokused on the ujjai breathing. |
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| kulkarnn - 2006-11-25 12:22 PM
Dear Peter: This is my response:
1. Your question should be directed to your actual teacher. If he/she can not answer, then you should ask them for another better resource for answering it. Then, you should actually take a class with that other teacher and ask the question again.
2. From what you wrote, you have no problem with two times a week. So, do two times a week!
3. I am glad that you are accepting that something is wrong when you feel pain or whatever you are feeling. And, you have not decided to go on a missile cruise!
1. I'll ask the teacher(s) again, and ask them to forward me to someone else that can answer unless they recognize my problem.
2. Actually, the problem is there even if I practice once a week, only more subtle.
3. Nope, I'm not into missile crusising any longer, if I can detect it.
Does anybody recognize the symptoms that I describe, even if I'm not that precise? Is this just me, or a general thing with ujjai? I sense that there is some inherent "danger" in ujjai breathing since it is so powerful, so I would guess others stumble upon this obstacle as well.
I seem to lack the proper language to get my point across properly.
In Tibetan medicine, I would probably say that I get some problem with "lung" - so that would be "prana" in Sanskrit, I suppose.
/Peter |
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| Hello Peter,
I've just wandered in here to the Ashtanga section.
I do not have an Ashtanga practice but there was a period of time where I experienced the 1st (or is it Primary) series.
What you describe, based only on what you've shared which is NOT comprehensive, sounds like a hardening of the diaphragm. If you fell it's the pranayama within your asana practice then try normal breathing in your practice but dedicate some time at home to a supine pranayama practice using Ujjayi. Do this for only 4 minutes iitially. You will need some props to create the proper separations.
thingh bones on the floor. Bolster lengthwise behind the sacrum (while sitting in dandasana). Some space please between the sacrum and the bolster. another prop (likely) under your head. the forehead must slope toward the heart center, the belly must break away from the diaphragm.
It's best to have this instructed but I didn't want to leave you with nothing and 4 minutes doing this, even if you miss the boat, will not do harm. See if this is more suitable to your constitution. |
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| peterolin - 2006-11-27 12:23 PM
kulkarnn - 2006-11-25 12:22 PM
Dear Peter: This is my response:
1. Your question should be directed to your actual teacher. If he/she can not answer, then you should ask them for another better resource for answering it. Then, you should actually take a class with that other teacher and ask the question again.
2. From what you wrote, you have no problem with two times a week. So, do two times a week!
3. I am glad that you are accepting that something is wrong when you feel pain or whatever you are feeling. And, you have not decided to go on a missile cruise!
1. I'll ask the teacher (s ) again, and ask them to forward me to someone else that can answer unless they recognize my problem.
2. Actually, the problem is there even if I practice once a week, only more subtle.
3. Nope, I'm not into missile crusising any longer, if I can detect it.
Does anybody recognize the symptoms that I describe, even if I'm not that precise? Is this just me, or a general thing with ujjai? I sense that there is some inherent "danger" in ujjai breathing since it is so powerful, so I would guess others stumble upon this obstacle as well.
===> What you experienced will be experienced by anyone who crosses the limit, with Ujjayi. But, that is true in any other case. For example, if you do a perfect aligned Triangle pose for 2 hours, you will get some problem. Or, even just sitting in a cross legged pose for 10 hours may create some other problem. Therefore, there is NOTHING to blame Ujjayi, the culprit is going beyond your limit. Now, if even 10 min of Ujjayi+Ashtanga cause you problem as shown by regular practice, you are NOT prequalified for Ashtanga exercise, as is the case with more than 90 percent of Ashtanga students (and teachers ) all over the world. But, I must say the system itself is fantastic, I mean missile. But, it should be cruised only by a prequalified one.
I bow down to Vamana Rishi who founded this system. But, I throw hats off those who try it without being prequalified.
I seem to lack the proper language to get my point across properly.
In Tibetan medicine, I would probably say that I get some problem with "lung" - so that would be "prana" in Sanskrit, I suppose.
/Peter |
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|  First of all, recognizing imbalance is a great first step to finding out what is really going on. I would recommend taking a pranayama class. This will broaden your knowledge of the ujjai breath and teach you more about other types of breathing. Perhaps you are breathing too hard, holding on to your breath too long, or you are not letting the breath move through you victoriously. Ujjai should feel comfortable, not be strained, and it should feel liberating - not constricting. If you seriously feel discomfort in your rib cage then I would back off from ujjai breath and take normal three to four count inhalations and exhalations. This will enable you to come back to the ujjai breath when you don't feel discomfort. Mostly tho - my advice is to deepen your breathing pranayama practice by goign to a trained teacher who can assist you in different breathing techniques. |
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| kulkarnn - 2006-11-27 12:42 PM
I bow down to Vamana Rishi who founded this system. But, I throw hats off those who try it without being prequalified.
neel-what do you consider to be prequalification for practice of this system?
peter-perhaps consider taking some classes of a more static yoga style. staying in poses longer with greater focus on alignment may assist you in delving deeper into imbalance in your body, you know?
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| dhanurasana - 2006-11-27 3:24 PM
kulkarnn - 2006-11-27 12:42 PM
I bow down to Vamana Rishi who founded this system. But, I throw hats off those who try it without being prequalified.
neel-what do you consider to be prequalification for practice of this system?
Qualification 1: Not being disqualified. That is no pains, rashes, breathing problems, hyperactivity, tiredness when Ashtanga Practice is done.
Qualification 2: Let us say 50 to 100 Sun Salutations with Qualification 1.
Qualification 3: Work less than 4 hours a day for making living.
Qualification 4: Take sufficient rest, eat good food.
Qualification 5: Travel mostly on feet, like the Sage Vamana Risihi and the great Krishnamachar did. Do not travel around the world too fast.
ETC.
peter-perhaps consider taking some classes of a more static yoga style. staying in poses longer with greater focus on alignment may assist you in delving deeper into imbalance in your body, you know?
===> That is a good suggestion. But, taking static practices shall give the static practice benefits. It shall not give Ashtanga Style Exercise benefits. And, as I wrote earlier, even the static practice beyond capacity shall result in some kind of balance as it has happened in many cases including ones on this forum.
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| Thanks all for your analysis and suggestions.
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| If you're doing Ashtanga, you must use Ujjayi breath. It's there to help heat the body, it's also to access the prana. Guruji says "you do Ujjayi, heat body, then flexibility is coming".
If you are having trouble with it, speak to your teacher, you are most likely doing something wrong, but remember that it also takes a while to get used to when you start.
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Ujjai causes energy imbalance?
