Applying the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga method
There comes a time when one encounters a feeling, a desire for yoga to become a constant companion in one’s life. When this happens, it is important to recognize the preciousness of this, and care for it with great attention until it grows, steady burning, as a sacred element.
Though it may be somewhat overwhelming for some to imagine taking on such a commitment, one need not entertain such concerns. Yoga will adapt, and this includes the level of implication one wishes to give. It can be taken as a gentle stroll around the block or a great adventure into unknown places.
-
What are your motivations for practicing Yoga?
Physical, Therapeutic, and Spiritual are the three categories Krishnamacharya mentions, and though the basic methodology of practice can remain unchanged, it is important to understand that it is this underlying motivation that dictates where the practice will lead you. The real “why” lies at the core of your Being. It is certainly not some mental construct and as such, isn’t something that can be easily accessed or manipulated. Part of the process of yoga involves aligning both the conscious and subconscious motivations and creating harmony in your efforts though it may take time for any clarity on the matter to come about.
Through studying the quality of our efforts, where we put our energies and hard work, we can catch glimpses of our true motivations. This can sometimes be near and sometimes hide in deep corners of one’s being… and as things do reveal themselves, it is very important to cultivate the attitude of acceptance. We might not always perceive what we hope for, but denial will leave it unaddressed while to accept it will allow for some of the deepest transformations this practice has to offer; into the core of our being, where what motivates our Yoga has its parallels in how we journey through the walk of life.
If our entire being longs for a connection to the Great Spirit, this will align our efforts accordingly, transforming completely the quality of our practice into a very focused endeavor.
If purely physical or health benefits are what you wish to imply yourself into, the same method will provide amazing results, though it will need to keep an open mind. It will ask you to make unexpected efforts and work in ways that if followed will prove themselves effective by the results they give… but not necessarily in line with your preferences or tendencies.
Consider the process of daily practice as if it were an open book. In the beginning, it may seem to be written in a foreign language, contain symbols and diagrams that are difficult to decipher. One can simply turn the pages as if it were a beautiful book, full of wondrous images, and experience great joy. Though this practice is filled with great potential, it can also lead into perilous places… to turn the page on some of these darker situations and take a closer look may spark even small things, previously under the radar, to be taken into account, and through this steer clear from some of the dangers inherent in this practice.
Learn the language of your body, the meaning of every quality of sensation, from the gross to the subtlest. Learn your process of applying the practice, your tendencies, preferences and aversions. Learn to adapt, facing your challenges, seeing the process through to a point where what was previously a hurdle is now a well-trodden path. With the understanding gained from observing your experiences, ask those questions and visit those places you didn’t think to look initially. This can develop to the point of learning about and eventually experiencing your spiritual essence. Patience and sincerity will allow for this truth to surface.
Most importantly in the beginning, learn the practice methodology and not merely in theory. Apply the basics, in a context outside practice if needed, and then explore their implications in practice… the 99%. By this I mean, to the best of your ability, keep these principles alive, in the warm up, in the tougher times and in the boring times... and you will learn so much through this. The notion of austerities (tapas), in the context of this practice, is to accept that you are to make consistent (ideally daily) efforts and persist through tough times all the while following an established method.
There is a way to work with these principles of Posture, Breath and Gaze, that is both accessible to the beginner and, in the deeper refinement of the practice, is an integral part of the meditative process. It is stated that the asana practice is an accessible doorway to deeper experiences in yoga. How that progresses is as much a function of consistent practice as it is a function of our focus and intention as we approach the practice. Tough we can rely on the practice method, a certain level of maturity and understanding must be cultivated and ideally, a good teacher whom we respect enough to follow through with their recommendations.
This quality of practice is truly a wholistic process, and it is not only your physical ability to go through it all that can dictate what is an appropriate amount for you at this time. A complete practice will reveal itself as what you end up maintaining consistently, not for a few months, but over the course of years, and this whether you are in a space with others, or alone in your home.
-
From the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
(In the context of the Ashtanga Vinyasa system as a spiritual endeavor)
2.1- Preliminary yoga consists of Practice, self-study and dedicating our efforts to the Great Spirit.
These three have equal importance in our initial journeying with this practice although it may be some time before their true implication becomes clear.
This is indeed the nature of the beginnings of meaningful relationships.