Blog Housekeeping: New permanant page, Beginning Yoga / Ashtanga / Vinyasa krama

Key posts/pages ( in progress)

Beginning Yoga / Ashtanga / Vinyasa Krama

Background yoga Philosophy

A little background philosophy at the beginning or early on in practice can be a good thing, it's something to keep coming back to.

Summary of the Yoga sutras - simplified into plain English

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2015/03/summery-of-yoga-sutras-in-plain-english.html

Yama and Niyama

The yama and niyama are the mental and behavioural guidance. One reason they are there is to help provide a calmer more peaceful, less complicated environment for practice to take place, they can also be a support of practice. Reflecting for a few minutes at the end of the day before sleep on to what degree our day passed in accordance with one or more yama niyama can be a useful practice, not in the sense of self-judgement, but merely noting, this can be enough.

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/p/ashtanga-practice-as-vehicle-for.html

Asana

If new to yoga, Vinyasa Krama can be a gentle introduction. Start with the arm movements following the breath in the first 'on your feet' sequence. Moving on, the first few postures in each of the subroutines that make up the different sequences tend to be preparatory or basic postures, take some of these easier postures from some of the different sequences to construct your practice. In each subroutines in the different sequences the postures lead from preparatory to key asana to more challenging variations.

VINYASA KRAMA

How to practice Vinyasa Krama

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/p/how-to-practice-vinyasa-krama_22.html

How to practice early Ashtanga

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/p/in-2010-i-had-of-attending-srivatsa.html

Slow Ashtanga

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/p/krishnamacharyas-yoga-makaranda-part-1.html

ASHTANGA

A good, experienced Ashtanga Mysore teacher is invaluable however if you do choose to learn at home (as I did) see the resource section and some of the book and dvd reviews ( I will be adding a beginner section). There is a tendency to rush on to the next asana and even the next series, forcing ourselves into new asana or finding ever new 'tricks7 for getting into the posture. Over time our bodies WILL become more flexible and more challenging postures more available to us, patience and common sense can't be over stressed. Even a minor pulled hamstring will either put a halt to your practice or make it unpleasant for months.

On Ashtanga practice

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/p/on-ashtanga-practice.html

Learning the Sanskrit Count

At some point ( the earlier the better) the count can tighten up our practice and bring focus, learn it, internalise it, forget it.

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2014/02/one-approach-to-learning-ashtanga.html#uds-search-results

Ashtanga and Ageing

This should really be titled Ashtanga and maturity, at some point we may wish to slow our practice down and explore longer slower breath and even some extended stays, this is most likely in keeping with Krishnamacharya's original intention. As we age this may be a physically necessity or advisable but it may be that after five years or so of dynamic, acrobatic asana madness we may wish to look for something else in our practice, we don't have to wait until we are over 50 to do so.

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/p/ashtanga-for-three-stages-of-life.html

Advanced/proficient Asana practice

Before gained enlightenment I carried water from the well
After gaining enlightenment.... I carried water from the well

The most advanced asana practice may well be the very practice you began with, those first slow movements following the breath in the vinyasa krama 'on your feet' sequence, Your first Sun salutation or standing postures, Paschimattanasana, a straightforward shoulderstand and/or headstand, all practiced with steady breath and unwavering attention. longer stays with slower breathing may well be an area to explore at some point.

The Rishi approach

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/p/ashtanga-rishi-seriesapproach.html

Asana lists

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/p/asana-lists.html

Pranayama and Pratyahara

Pranayama is taught to children but there is a whole industry surrounding the topic.

The most proficient pranayama practice can be no more than

inhale through the left nostril

hold

exhale through the right nostril

inhale through the right nostil

hold

exhale through the left nostril

repeat.

In the beginning we might inhale to a count of four, hold for a count of two and exhale to a count of eight.

me might repeat, 3, 6 or 12 times

My own practice after several years (recommended by Ramaswami/Krishnamacharya) is merely the above but with a hold after the exhalation included.
I inhale for 5, hold for 20 while chanting a mantra, exhale for 10, hold for 5 while engaging bandhas and repeat for 12 times or 24 or 48.

Pranayama doesn't need to be a big drama or too intense, if the pranayama is steady and comfortable it is suitable, if it becomes uncomfortable then perhaps we are not ready for that long a hold or that slow an exhalation, reduce the ratio until it is comfortable again.

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/p/pranayama.html

MEDITATION

Concentration, a meditative aspect arises naturally in the practice as we slow the breath and fix our attention however we are still engaged in the intricacies of asana and the details of the breath in pranayama, a more formal seated 'meditation' practice strips everything else us away and leaves us with nothing but our attention to work with.

How to meditate

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/p/drishti-ashtanga-and-meditation.html

Appendix

Yoga Philosophy

Summary of the Yoga sutras - simplified into plain English

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2015/03/summery-of-yoga-sutras-in-plain-english.html

Yama and Niyama

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/p/ashtanga-practice-as-vehicle-for.html

Chanting the Yoga Sutras

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/p/chants.html

Ashtanga Vinyasa History

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/p/ashtanga-history.html