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| Im relatively new to yoga , but I have done other activities that involve body awareness for some time. In the past 6 months I've really been drawn to yoga and have been doing classes in both the Ashtanga and Iyengar style. At first, I preferred the Ashtanga, but I have to say the more Iyengar classes I take, the more I'm starting see the value in this more static practice. With a correction here, and a pull there, I'm really starting to see how amazing these poses are. So I have two questions-
1. Is it better to focus on one style at a time considering how different they seem to be at this point? (as in doing Iyengar exclusively for awhile before adding Ashtanga)
2. How do you practice Iyengar yoga at home? Ashtanga seems more simple in that regard, as there is an order in which the asanas are done, and each pose is held for a certain number of breaths. Beacuse the iyengar classes have a different focus each time I feel less confident trying to do it at home, not knowing what order and how long to hold the poses. Am I over-thinking it?
Anyway, thanks for any input!
Edited by jeremyjenks 2011-04-27 6:37 PM
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| You are probably over thinking it.
The attention to detail that you get from an Iyengar practice is helpful in every other kind of practice, just as the attention to breathing and movement in Astanga are helpful in other styles.
Personally, I think that the only yoga that is really worthwhile is the yoga that you find for yourself. (This is not static and is constantly growing and changing.) By practicing the styles of others you will with time find your own unique style, as long as you learn substance instead of external form. You might have to start with the external form in the beginning, but the goal needs to be an internal understanding of what you are doing. This is just like learning the steps of a dance so that you can dance the dance and not just repeat the steps.
Coming at yoga from a variety of directions will give you much greater depth of understanding than simply following some dogma.
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| jpg - 2011-04-27 7:25 PM
Coming at yoga from a variety of directions will give you much greater depth of understanding than simply following some dogma.
Very insightful. thank you. |
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| It is written that there are about 84000 asanas. Practically any movement can be yoga if executed properly. |
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Location: Bellevue, WA | Hello Jeremy,
There are two concepts I find valuable as reply to your first question. The first is the concept of variety, sampling other things, experiencing life, living with joy. Obviously this is one of the reasons the soul inhabits the physical form. So it is not only wonderful but imperative that we have diversity in our lives; diversity in the foods we eat, the challenges we face, the things we do, the people we surround ourselves with.
The second component is how effective teaching is when it becomes muddled. That muddling can occur when the teacher lacks integrity, is not doing their work, is not teaching what they practice nor practicing what they teach. It can also come from a lack of focus (the inability to see things with clarity) or lack of concentration (the inability to place the mind on only one things) on the part of the student. More to the point, muddled can come when there are too many cooks making the stew.
So the short answer is "both". Sample some other practice BUT consider finding one and spending some time learning it deeply. Of course this means finding one that resonates with you, just as finding a life partner depends on finding one that resonates with you in order to make and continue a commitment over time.
Gordon |
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| purnayoga - 2011-05-20 3:41 PM
Sample some other practice BUT consider finding one and spending some time learning it deeply.
Thanks purnayoga-
Interestingly, after posting this almost a month ago & trying a few different yoga styles, I've come up with this same conclusion. For where I am right NOW it seems I'm getting the most out of just studying Iyengar ( tweaking my lower back in an Ashtanga class also helped me make this choice) I may or may not move on to different styles after time, but I'm really enjoying having the chance to settle into the poses and study them while I'm in my beginning phase. |
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Applying Iyengar style yoga to home practice and Ashtanga
