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| Hi everyone,
I'm new to this forum and I need a bit of advice.
I moved to Bilbao, Spain, from the U.S. two and a half years ago. I have been to endless "yoga studios" and have been continually disappointed, so I have decided to start practicing at home.
When I lived in the States I was practicing every day, sometimes twice a day, and usually in a class with other students and a teacher. Now I am starting all over, and I would like to return to my prior level. Can anyone give me any advice on how to start from zero? I have several books and manuals, so re-learning the postures is not a problem... just easing back in!
Thanks in advance for any help.  |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
 
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | Hey Jessica,
What's wrong with picking up where you left off? Yoga is sooo interesting, you never loose it. If you're worried about it, just take the postures you know really well, make a sequence and just do it. Pick a day and time and commit yourself to that time slot. Another words, make an appointment with yourself. I've found that's what I have to do these days with my home practice. I actually have a daily planner with all my appointments scheduled, including my yoga times at home. For some reason when I see my appt. time on paper, it helps stick to the practice. Although, I admit, I do cancel and re-schedule too, I allow myself the freedom to do that. But, I make sure I re-book it right away, LOL!!! I've found that if you pick the same days and times, it's better. Like for instance, I do a regular yoga class on Wednesdays at 11:00 am. So, 11 am is a good time for me on other days. It's also a good time to do yoga when the class is not in session too, on Wednesday. I also like 4:30 in the afternoon as well. Best wishes and good luck making this work for you. Where there is a will, there will be a way. |
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| Advice: Keep all the books and notes away. If not possible, read them only 15 min a day.
And, start practicing.
You shall see the light. |
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| kulkarnn - 2008-05-10 9:35 AM
Advice: Keep all the books and notes away. If not possible, read them only 15 min a day.
And, start practicing.
You shall see the light.
I started practicing this afternoon. It felt good, even if it was a bit difficult.
Out of curiosity, why do you recommend keeping the books and notes away? The reason I like to refer to them is because I don't have a teacher/guide, but I am curious as to why you recommend this.
I am so excited to get back to my practice.
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| Hello Jessica,
If "starting all over" means beginner's mind then you are to be commended. It is in fact this very state of mind in which we should approach our practice each day, be it just asana or a more robust Yoga practice. Beginners mind actually keeps us out of Ego and rational thought (when properly directed). We approach our practice devoid of that sense of "I know this" and therefore have set a table for a series of completely new "tastes".
However, there really is no way to start at zero unless you've somehow found the key to unlock the mysteries of Samskara. We do have certain things etched upon the consciousness. This is akin to Cyndi's point about picking up where you were, or where you ARE. But it is not "zero".
Though I cannot speak for Neel I suspect he is encouraging you to feel and be in your practice and allow it to show the way rather than text. The heart will steer when the rational thought and vital forces are transformed (brought into the heart center) rather than being allowed to captain the ship. |
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| Thanks so much for all the advice and encouragement!
If I have any questions (and I am sure that I will) I will definitely be checking back here.
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| Good question Jessica. The reason for keeping books away is:
99 percent people in Yoga Field including Yoga Teachers spend - 90 percent time in reading and 10 percent in doing.
Whereas a real yoga student (that is my definition) spends 5 percent in reading and 95 in doing. (Of course, here Yoga means Yoga Exercise. In Philosophy, one has to read more.)
Of course, the above is my opinon.
Jessica M - 2008-05-10 10:25 AM
kulkarnn - 2008-05-10 9:35 AM
Advice: Keep all the books and notes away. If not possible, read them only 15 min a day.
And, start practicing.
You shall see the light.
I started practicing this afternoon. It felt good, even if it was a bit difficult.
Out of curiosity, why do you recommend keeping the books and notes away? The reason I like to refer to them is because I don't have a teacher/guide, but I am curious as to why you recommend this.
I am so excited to get back to my practice.
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| i can definitely agree with that, neel.
the philosophy takes a lot of contemplation though, too. i would say that's a form of doing or being rather than reading.  |
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| I went through the same thing. I had a really solid practice in Asheville, NC and then I moved to Buffalo, NY. The culture shock of going from a more Dharma based yoga to a class filled w. suburban women trying to get their stomachs flat was way too much for me. Anyhoo, I took time off for I dunno, awhile. When I came back to yogs. I was really frustrated with my body. Being so out of yoga shape was really frustrating. It's disappointing not to be able to do asanas I could do before. This happened to me again when I stopped going yet again. I totally get where you are coming from. However, all the breaks and stops lead my practice to where it is now. I've also vowed not to leave yoga again. It is frustrating to think where I would be if I kept up my yoga. |
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| Personally I am big on collecting DVDs for the days when I want extra motivation. My current favorite is Ashtanga Yoga with Mark Darby and Nicole Bordeleau by Yoga Monde. What I like to do is the beginning - sun salutes through standing poses. Then I follow with my own thing. A few more standing poses, handstand against the wall, wheel, shoulderstand, easy twists, shouldstand & plow, full forward bend, corpse pose. Or, I just run through all the standing poses first, then segue into handstand etc. |
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| I support your goal of home practice.
I do it everyday. I'm with you Jessica!
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| Wow - thank you so much for your post.
I came to this forum with the same questions in my mind. Reading the responses you received was useful to me. I just moved to a new town and state a month ago. I am having the same problem as you - i loved my led primary series classes mixed up with some Mysore classes and i cant find any traditional Ashtanga here. I am noticing my judgments about the types of yoga, the way things are taught, how no one does opening prayer, and how its just not what i think i want or need. I am finding myself drifting away from my practice ... and the state of mind that it cultivated. My brain chatter is getting really loud and meditation really hard. I came to a different solution though - i do some home practice, but as i am in a new place i really wanted to build community with other yogis here and i really like practice with others - it creates a harmony - connects me to others and the earth and well ----------- gets me the hell out of my own head.
So i think im going to try offering a free community ashtanga class. I have sharath's cd where he leads the full primary - and we have a great co-op local grocery with a practice space over it. Im thinking i could set the time 3 times a week and show up and do my practice and invite others to join me in a sacred space and see what happens.
I will work on it and let you know how it goes.
Any other ideas?
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
  
| Hi Jenifer - it is a great idea.  I would just be cautious about how you word your "class" as these things can be potentially tricky nowadays. If you set up as a "class" you may be expected to act as a teacher and take on teaching responsibilities (which may be fine with you - that's how I started teaching) - but you have to make sure you are not going to be in a position to be legally responsible for the people practicing with you. Sad to say that we have to think about liability etc. these days.  If you set up as a casual "practice together", much like people who run or bike together, you should be ok.
A few years ago I would have qualified that advice with "if you are in the litigious US" but even up here in polite and mild Canada, we are having to bump up our liability insurance all the time now. 
Anyway, I hope you find a group and have a great experience practicing together. It could create some real growth for you and maybe for your community as well. |
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| blueha - 2008-07-23 9:23 PM
So i think im going to try offering a free community ashtanga class. I have sharath's cd where he leads the full primary - and we have a great co-op local grocery with a practice space over it. Im thinking i could set the time 3 times a week and show up and do my practice and invite others to join me in a sacred space and see what happens.
I will work on it and let you know how it goes.
Any other ideas?
Welcome Jenifer,
If you are "leading" a class you could be held liable for any injuries (real or imagined) as could the co-op. Insurance is cheap and worthwhile. (See www.yogajournal.com) If you get more than a couple of people attending regularly, you might as well accept that you have become a teacher and attend some teacher trainings, take some anatomy courses, get certified etc. and accept your fate. Since many yoga teachers teach as a "second" job, you could continue whatever you do. Teaching yoga is a wonderful growth experience. I also started teaching by "leading" others from a discontinued Tuesday and Thursday class where everyone still wanted to practice together. I became the "leader/teacher" because I was the most experienced (or maybe I was just the pushiest?) and have taught part-time ever since. Teaching yoga is generally a poor way to make money but a wonderful way to grow and encourage others to grow as well. Let us know how it all works out.
Namaste,
jimg |
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| Thank you for the advice.
This community is a real treasure. ------------------
I agree - i should not call it a class but a 'practice' and i will be clear that there will be no teacher. I guess my challenge will be to create a space and time that is specific to its purpose and respected in that purpose WITHOUT a teacher. (hopefully the leading of a cd or dvd will help)
I have been through a few awesome teacher trainings but not with the intention of becoming a teacher. I just would not be comfortable teaching without myself having a solid daily practice.
Which brings me back to my problem - ha ha.
p.s. - anyone want to move to Asheville NC and lead a Mysore practice. - ha ha |
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| You might want to call it a yoga club. If you are a club, everyone can be equal and you could have membership rules (which include not holding anyone liable for injuries) and the ability to collect dues if you have any expenses. Your club could have regular practice as well as meetings if you want to discuss any topics (from yoga philosophy to housekeeping). Generally, if you don't start out with some form of organization, someone will take it over and you might not like the result.
Also, maybe teaching is just the motivation that you need to have a solid daily practice.
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Isn't Asheville one of those places with lots of yoga? Try sending a PM to Cyndi. She may know of something for you. |
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| With all due respect, I am a little perplexed by some of the responses to this post. Not that there is anything wrong with any of them or that they aren’t helpful in their way; it's just that they don't all seem to address Ashtanga yoga per se, but yoga in general; and given that this is an Ashtanga forum I assume that the original question was how to re-start one's Ashtanga practice.
Given that, if the question is how to re-start one’s Ashtanga practice, isn’t the answer very easy? I would think the way to re-start it is the same way you started it; that is: at the beginning. The thing I love about Ashtanga is that there is very little vagueness about it. The sequence of postures in the first series is no mystery. I do not see any need, therefore, to create one’s own sequence, as one post suggested, or any particular need for books and DVDs outside of re-learning the first series. These issues do not seem relevant to the question. The sequence is the sequence; books and DVDs are useful in as much as they can remind one of that sequence. The first part of that sequence is sun-salutation A; so why not start there? Isn’t that how you started to begin with? Or, did you have the misfortune (as I did) to be introduced to Ashtanga through a lead class? If so, then I highly recommend just starting by doing a few sun-salutation A’s every day (but the traditional days off) at whatever time is convenient, and rebuilding your practice on your own from there. Ashtanga is, after all, a self practice; that is it’s beauty. You should have no trouble starting over if you simply approach your practice as any beginner would. Of course, given that you have already practiced quite a lot your progress will be very rapid.
In any case, I have stopped and started my practice too many times to count; and I have always used the above approach to re-start it.
Hope it helps, and best of luck,
Andrew
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| Dear Andrew: 1. From reading of the Original Post, there is absolutely no need for the reader to assume that the question is ONLY related to Ashtanga Yoga Style Exercises. 2. There is also NO need for the reader to respond ONLY in terms of Ashtanga Yoga Style Exercises. 3. While I respect some of your comments and experiences with your own Ashtanga STyle Exercises, and your advice thereof, I wish to completely OPPOSE your statement that one should NOT create their own sequence. Now, I shall take this further: Actually, I agree with you that in order to learn something, one may follow a fixed sequence for a while. However, after learning, one MUST create their own sequence. Otherwise, they are NOT doing Yoga Exercise at all.
ahubbard - 2008-07-28 9:03 AM
With all due respect, I am a little perplexed by some of the responses to this post. Not that there is anything wrong with any of them or that they aren’t helpful in their way; it's just that they don't all seem to address Ashtanga yoga per se, but yoga in general; and given that this is an Ashtanga forum I assume that the original question was how to re-start one's Ashtanga practice.
Andrew
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Andrew - this is a matter of thread-skewing and it does happen a lot. The OP was in May and then after that conversation had run out, a new poster came in with a related question. So we have wandered a bit, which is fine with me. As yogis I like to think we are flexible in more ways than just our hamstrings.  |
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| kulkarnn - 2008-07-28 6:27 AM
Now, I shall take this further: Actually, I agree with you that in order to learn something, one may follow a fixed sequence for a while. However, after learning, one MUST create their own sequence. Otherwise, they are NOT doing Yoga Exercise at all.
I totally agree. I know that this does not agree with the approach of some styles of yoga (like Astanga or Bikram), but I believe that after your have learned a good basic style, you need to find your own style of yoga and learn to sequence it. A style and sequence that fits your own unique mind/body/energy and changes with you. You need to find it new each and every day. Krishnamacharya taught that the yoga must fit the person, not the person fit the yoga. That is why his students all developed their own unique styles of practice (Iyengar/Iyengar, Jois/Astanga, Desikachar/Viniyoga etc). It would be very time consuming to start from scratch to develop your own yoga. There are many fine styles or systems that can lay the ground work for you and give you enough technique and knowledge to find your own. Don't limit yourselves! Don't be content with a copy. Find your own unique yoga to fit your own unique body/mind/energy.
PS Remember that every time you practice, it is the first time that you have practiced yoga with a body that old! Iyengar dealt with aging by using more and more props. Jois dealt with aging by stopping asana practice. What are you going to do? |
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| Dear Neel,
Well . . .
1. I guess since this is an Ashtanga-yoga forum I foolishly assumed the question pertained to Ashtanga yoga.
2. Of course, the reader can respond however they like, (especially if they are interested in promoting their own proprietary style of yoga and its philosophy).
3. Naturally it is fine for people to create their own sequences. I was referring only to Ashtanga, not other approaches to yoga.
And . . .
DUDE, WHAT'S UP WITH THE CAPS? Maybe in between all that yoga you do you could find an occasion to take a CHILL PILL.
Just a suggestion.
Andrew
kulkarnn - 2008-07-28 9:27 AM
Dear Andrew: 1. From reading of the Original Post, there is absolutely no need for the reader to assume that the question is ONLY related to Ashtanga Yoga Style Exercises. 2. There is also NO need for the reader to respond ONLY in terms of Ashtanga Yoga Style Exercises. 3. While I respect some of your comments and experiences with your own Ashtanga STyle Exercises, and your advice thereof, I wish to completely OPPOSE your statement that one should NOT create their own sequence. Now, I shall take this further: Actually, I agree with you that in order to learn something, one may follow a fixed sequence for a while. However, after learning, one MUST create their own sequence. Otherwise, they are NOT doing Yoga Exercise at all. |
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| Andrew: I agree that I should wear correct cap for various occassions, and also remove the cap when inappropriate. For fun: once one Yoga Teacher invited me for a dinner during the Christmas for some kind of fundraisting where dignitaries were present. In India, it is considered respectful to wear a cap on any kind of occassion. So, I wore a baseball cap and I was eating the dinner, etc. Then she took me by the side and asked me to remove the cap. I felt very insulted as she was my student. But, I removed the cap, and later I came to know that the custom is opposite.
But, that is not to say my cap is correct in any particular country. I should use cap or remove it the same whether in India or USA.
Thanks for the suggestion. |
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| Hi Neel,
I like your parable, and thanks for taking my suggestion in the spirit it was intended. Maybe you didn't realize that when people use caps it often comes across as a scream.
All the best,
Andrew |
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| As Patabhi Jois says "Yoga is 99% practice and 1% theory" so do the practice and worry about the reading later. |
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Starting over
