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Kia Ora all
I'm wanting to find out if any of yous have ever been in a similar situation with a similar outcome. After my two weeks with John & Lucy Scott I started practising on my own as in all of Christchurch, NZ there are no Ashtanga teachers, let alone schools. I've been trying to keep up my home practice for the past five months and lately lost all of my motivation and joy in doing so.
The first few months went fine, although I have to admit that I only practised four to five times a week, not the recommended six as my body prefers it that way. Recently, after travelling and finishing up work, I don't know why, I just couldn't be bothered anymore. I remember how good I felt after the Primary Series but despite that, I just have no motivation left whatsoever to even do a short run of the Series. Nor did I really enjoy going through the practice the last few weeks.
I'm going to return back home to a good teacher in a few weeks' time so am still hopeful to get back into it again but I just really need somebody to tell me what to do now. I have all the time in the world to do a full practice in the morning before I run my errands for the day, however I just can't do it. As there hasn't been enjoyment, my body and my mind can't be convinced at the moment.
HELP, PLEASE!!! 
Om Shanti
Aotearoa
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| Read the biographies of successful yoga students and teachers.
I was in Wellington, and Rotorua in the past. |
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| I hit a down stretch after taking a weekend worth of yoga training (not as long nor as intense as you had); it lasted a while and I had to kick myself back into doing my home practice.
In running (and distance walking) this is sometimes called "post marathon blues". 
I've written about this some in the "teacher's section" of this board; I got unmotivated, snippy, and even started to dislike my teacher (who I was once friends with).
It is coming around; Neel's advice is probably pretty good.
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| Sometimes you have to forget about all the "shoulds" including which poses you "should" do, which in your case is a series. Go back to treating yourself as a beginner and use techniques and ideas we give to beginners to get them on the mat. Two I like are: do 3 poses you dislike or have challenges with then reward yourself with 3 you really love. Or start with some supine poses (I like a series of supta padangustasanas) which means you have to get out your mat and lie down on it. Once you are there and enjoying the great feelings you will (probably) get, it is easier to convince yourself to add another pose or two until you have yourself a nice little practice. Add savasana and voila!  |
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Veteran
Posts: 243
| Your post sounds just like I've been feeling lately. I find it so hard lately to take out my mat and do some yoga- even when I know it makes me feel good and I have the time.
That's good advice to try 3 ones you hate and then 3 that you love. I'd like a different way of warming up- sometimes just the thought of doing the sun salutations is enough to make me stop, but they are the only thing I know to use to warm up. The sameness of always doing sun salutations and then the primary series turns me off sometimes too.
I do find getting to a class re-motivates me to continue home practice. |
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| In my case, I am going to attempt to improve in a pose that has always given me trouble:
Ardha Chandrasana (half-moon). Two things that I do:
1) don't keep my supporting foot pointing straight ahead; I want to "cheat" by having my toes pointing slightly in
2) I don't get my upper shoulder all of the way up; my chest and shoulders aren't perpendicular with the ground.
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| YA - take a part of the SS's you do like and do that. I like to do down dog to plank transitions several times and when my shoulder wasn't a problem, add some up dog and chaturangas. Or do down dog to uttanasana to urdhva hastasana or ??? Or jog on the spot for a minute or do jumping jacks. It is YOUR practice - have fun, mix it up.
ollie - I love having a "project" pose! I spent one summer working on ardha chandrasana every day and it really improved a lot. Of course, my teacher still insists I have far to go, but I can demo in class and not fall over (most of the time  ) |
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Veteran
Posts: 243
| thanks tourist, I'll try some of your ideas... |
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| Ollie,
Practice Ardha Chandrasana against the wall (with both hips and both shoulders against the wall) and then move to the center of the room. Your body will remember the correct alignment. Also, putting a lot of enery out the ball of your raised foot helps. (Most everyone cheats with the front foot turned in at first.)
Hope this helps,
Jim |
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| Hey Tourist, no shame in falling over once in a while.
Jim: thanks for the tip; I have to avoid using the wall for support but rather use it for alignment (as you suggest). |
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| Try David Swenson's short programmes once in a while. I find that if I do more than 3 days in a row of as much as I can do in primary series I get very tired.
The "15 minute sequence" (takes me 20 with savasana) is: 5 times surya namaskara A, 3 times B, pascimmottasana B, Mari C, Navasana (times 2), Urdhva Dhanurasana, Paschimottanasana again, Padmasana and Savasana.
I also find that if I reach a plateau where I'm not really moving forward I need a lesson. Seems to give me a new direction/thing to work on every time.
Ian |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| ollie - when I do a project pose, I use props a lot. I used the wall for AC partly for the alignment, but primarily as backup so I could take my time and take the balance aspect out of the picture while I was working. I also used an open doorway (not always easy to find where you can use both sides of it) where I can line up my arms in the full pose. You can hang onto the door jamb and really lift up into the pose. After that, you measure the length of your leg from a wall and go into the pose with just your back foot on the wall, then of course, into the room for a final, glorious, fully evolved pose 
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| I've used my kitchen counter as a prop for this pose (though I think you need to be just short enough to have it work for you ). There's a tendency to let the lifted leg swing behind you too much, so I would put the inside edge of my lifted leg right onto the counter to keep it in line with my torso. Many times I wouldn't even bring the arms into the pose, and just work the alignment of the standing leg (inner thigh and hip crease work) so as not to be sitting in my hips. I'd hold onto the counter with the raised arm and feel my torso lean back into the pose, as if there was a wall behind me. Definitely taught me how to keep the standing foot straight and ventilate that standing hip crease (top of the thigh bones BACK!). I suppose if you're tall you can use the back of a sturdy chair that's high enough. But I've always liked lining myself up with the length of my long counter, visualizing my spine in line with that counter. It's one of my favorite poses (can you tell?).  |
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| Dear all
Thank you so much for sharing your feelings and advice. It's good to know that I'm not entirely alone with my problem.
I'm really looking forward to going back to classes from November. The few weeks will be tough what with starting from scratch, re-building strength and stamina and all but it'll be worth it.
Many thanks again and if any of yous intend to re-train as motivational speakers, let me know!
Namaste
Aotearoa
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| Orange Mat and Tourist: thanks for the tips. I'll use them during tomorrow's home practice. |
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| If you have computer access where you are, go to itunes and download some free podcasts by Chaz at Yogamazing. com - A really good way to stay motivated. He has podcasts of yoga sessions that address whatever ails you. |
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| Are you promoting Apple products?
I want to get one of those players.
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No motivation, no joy
