I think that one of the most important things that yoga can teach us is to live balanced lives, even in the midst of chaos, conflict, arguments, separation, egoism, distractions, etc., in a crazy world of turmoil, angst, greed, hostility, financial crisis and whatever. And if for a period of your life your days are too hectic and full of education, work, taking care of family and whatnot, maybe more and longer sessions of asana and pranayama practice is not at all what you need, but more good quality sleep and better food with time to enjoy the nutrition might be a lot more helpful in regaining balance in your life, at the moment. Meanwhile, take a deep breath, and take comfort in knowing that all kinds of yoga you could ever wish for will still be there when you find your way back to it, unless all of humanity somehow becomes extinct before that.

Here is what keeps me motivated, practicing yoga:

 • Practise together with other students, as often as you enjoy it, or as much as you can afford it and have time for it. Learning with friends and inspiring each other. And ask your teacher about any questions or problems that you might have.

 • Workshops and retreats are a great means to deepen your practice, learning new things or getting back to basics that need refinement, and to get your motivation back on track, for beginners and advanced students alike.

 • Develop your own (home) self practice, with all the routines you like to have in and around it. This is a great way to practice — for some even the best — i.e. without the distractions that any group setting usually has. During holidays or times when the shala is closed you can just keep on practicing.

 • Work towards (or maintain) a daily practice, even if some days that might mean maybe just half an hour of practice. A daily short practice (even 20-30 min) is more beneficial than practicing 2-3 hours once a week, and the more often you practice the more addictive the practice is; this also goes for any other physical practice, like running. If your body wants more practice, it will probably tell you to keep going. And if after doing a few sun salutations, you just don't want to go on, then do the yoga mudra, padmasana (or easier variation), utpluthi and shavasana — that's a full practice on that day — no matter if on other days you just want to go on through more than one series and beyond. It is better to do a short practice well, then a very long practice without good quality breathing, bandha, drishti and safe/proper alignment or adjustments. For most people the trick lies in the simple ability to actually come on to the mat every day, and to make an effort — and then also to realise the benefits of resting days; one day per week, learning detachment from practice. The physical practice of asana and pranayam should not be the most important thing in your life.

 • Read good books on yoga, as you mentioned, and keep practising yoga - practise all limbs of ashtanga, i.e. as much as you know them; of course starting with the infinite lessons on yama and niyama that life keeps throwing at you.

 • Watch documentaries , especially the (3 hour) "Yoga Unveiled" (2004) — www.yogaunveiled.com . Or watch videos of other people practising. I find it very inspiring, and it makes me want to do those asanas too... (like perfect samasthiti and sun salutations; breath initiating movement, with bandhas and drishti, flowing vinyasa... smiling, working on the inside).

Personally, I don't mind following (or ignoring) the tradition of not practicing on new and full moons. There are of course a few not totally stupid reasons for following the tradition about moon days, but I think the case for it is very weak compared to the difficulties it presents for most people in a modern Western society, when it comes to establishing a daily (or close to daily) practice; with extremely stupid working hours, complications of family life and other commitments.

Obviously, I am not very good at the 99 % practice and 1 % theory recommendation that Sri K. Pattabhi Jois is so very famous for. Although a rather slow reader, I would say that I am more of a 50-50 kind of practitioner of Ashtanga, but I think that those of us who are a bit slow to understand may need to consult theory a little more than the average person.

I stopped using tobacco a couple of years before picking up yoga, and once I started practicing yoga my alcohol consumption dropped to next to nothing, and I never cared much for sweets anyway. So even if you start out like a fast-food-eating, smoking, alcoholic, sweet-toothed candyman you might end up a radical health freak after a few years of yoga. However, giving up on sex is probably not gonna happen for a lot of people in this lifetime — maybe in next?

What the fourth yama (Brahmacharya) actually means, is not really celibacy, or total abstention from sex, or ... «by means of the mere retention of vital fluid. Becoming one with the supreme Brahman alone is brahmacharya.» (p. 7-, 2002 edition of Yoga Mala, by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, 1962 [first edition in English 1999]) Which is of course impossible for most people — what does that even mean (becoming one with God?) e.g. for an atheistic yogi — and especially for beginners and those who are greatly affected by all the romantic activities going on in so many places and minds in modern society, but... «a man [or woman, I presume] can achieve some degree of brahmacharya.» (Ibid., p. 8) -- «brahmacharya does not mean the holding of vitality, though there is still no room for its squandering.» (Ibid., p. 11)

   «The fourth yama is sexual restraint (brahmacharya). The Rishi Vasishta explains: "Sexual restraint for householders means to have intercourse only with their lawful partners."»...

   «When K. Pattabhi Jois was asked for the meaning of brahmacharya, he used to say it means to have one partner only. The yogic view of a relationship is not to consume another person like an object but to recognize divinity in one's partner.» -- (p. 214, Ashtanga Yoga: Practice & Philosophy, by Gregor Maehle, 2006)

   -- «II.38  When established in sexual restraint [brahmacharya], vitality is gained.

The Indian idea is that the energy usually wasted through sex is transformed and can be used for higher purposes. Sexual energy is seen as capital that can lift us into divine dominion if used properly. Sexual restraint is thought to increase intelligence and memory function.» --

   «The ability to transform and use is the key. If sexual energy is simply suppressed and bottled up, it can turn into hatred and become very dangerous.» -- «The mere suppression of sexuality does not lead anywhere if one does not know what to do with the energy.» (Ibid., p. 221)

So, there are degrees of brahmacharya, and (almost) nobody lives up to the highest degrees of brahmacharya. You should not waste (at least not all) your energy on meaningless things like endless masturbation (with or without pornography), day and night, or having sex with just about anyone without even being in love or caring for the other person. That is basic brahmacharya for me, when it comes to sex; "wise use of energy". And I find it really useful to contemplate all these moral guidelines and realise that «[A]ll of the yamas are intertwined in sequential order and loop back into one another»... «The common link in the chain of the yamas is meditating on karma and taking actions rooted in nonharming.» (p. 55, The Inner Tradition of Yoga, by Michael Stone, 2008)

   «Treated as dogmatic codes, the yamas become limiting and rigid. Being free of self-image through the honest practice of letting go and a deep commitment to others through following through on the yamas opens up room for spontaneity and responsiveness. Who knows what letting go will bring? The yamas are not codes or commandments but simply suggestions that honor the way a wise person lives. One does not get into trouble for breaking a code but rather studies their experience and the effects of their actions»...

   -- «Teaching about nonharming immediately sets students thinking about their practice as both internal and external, which early on cuts off the tendency to create distinction between formal and informal practice. Also, beginning with teaching about nonharming helps students relate to their experience without judgment or the negative superimposition of poor self-esteem. Instead of negatively judging our habitual patterns, we can get to know ourselves with an awareness free of limiting self-judgment.

   After a student is grounded in the principle of ahimsa, we move slowly through each limb, practicing every stage of every limb. Without the underpinning of ethics, practice is separate from the relational world. When the various egoic and inflexible conditions are seen for what they are and eventually transformed, one is capable of much greater intimacy and a fuller involvement with every aspect of experience. Otherwise one can practice great yoga postures while their inner psychological world goes untouched.» (Ibid., p. 53-54)

I don't have much of a specific purpose with my yoga practice, it's more about just living my life the best I can, and ideally yoga is potentially a perfect way of life, a lot of methods of living a better life, evolving and getting to know one's true self, empty of form and ego, which is however not very important to me compared to love and hopefully making a positive difference in society in general, little by little, day by day.

And for those about to practise and live a life of yoga, I salute you! Namasté

The yoga sutra has been the main guide and motivation to my yoga practice. If I bring a book into my grave this shall be it! I hope to immediately commence practice upon next birth.  BTW, are you referring to 1.1 or 1.2 please? Namaste