Led Primary Series vs. Mysore Classe

[Guest guest]

If you have a good teacher, do Mysore Classes.

Less is more. I.e. you will master the posture before

moving on which is the correct method. Dont' be

discouraged from going to India. Even beginners go there. You

will learn everything you need from the

guru.<br><br>Best of luck, <br><br>spw<br><br>ps. stay away from

books and videos but especially avoid those written by

berryl bender.

[Guest guest]

I would also like some advice on this subject from some others. Thanks

[Guest guest]

I think led classes are good for beginners,

especially modified classes that avoid the more challenging

asanas and put more focus on form.<br><br>After some

success, find a led class that offers the entire classical

1st series. While i mostly practice Mysore now, I

also attend a led class or two every week to challenge

my pace. Also, led classes offer the discipline of

following the teacher's directions. Sounds simple enough,

butto do as the teacher says when he/she says to do it

brings its own challenges and rewards to the

practice.<br><br>Don't try showing up at a Mysore class if you have no

or very little astanga yoga experience. If you get

the instructors permission, fine, but check first.

Some instructors aren't willing to give 50% of their

attention to you, showing you the basics, while sacrificing

the rest of the class's adjustments.<br><br>If you

are reasonably familiar with the 1st series, Mysore

is definitely a step up. Particularly so if the

shala offers good instructors who are competent at

adjusting you. Adjustments are important, they'll speed

your progress considerably! Don't listen to those who

say adjustments encourage unhealthy "co-dependency"

on the teacher -- adjustments make it possible for

you to accomplish what you cannot do alone.

<br><br>One final note: IMO, astanga yoga is not a practice

best done in isolation. Feedback, adjustments,

encouragment and the motivation that comes with practicing

with others is, in my case, absolutely essential.

[Guest guest]

This seems like good advice, thanks. I think it's

pretty much what I expected to hear.<br><br>My current

teacher actually recommended that I try a Mysore class,

so apparently she thinks I'm ready, but somehow I

feel that I'm not.<br><br>What I may end up doing is a

compromise: switching from a class that does a modified first

series to one that does the entire first series, and

then trying at least a couple of Mysore classes as

well. I guess I can just see what happens. I think that

there is a studio near me with a couple of good

teachers that offers both, so maybe if I take a led class

or two with one of them, they can tell me whether I

am ready for their Mysore class.<br><br>Hey SPW --

You have a perfect right to your opinion, and I

actually do respect your advice and understand (though I

don't share) your Ashtanga point of view. But I am

completely bewildered at the breadth and depth of your

anti-Birch vendetta. Did they run over your dog or

something?

[Guest guest]

Mark<br>I'm not sure in what way you feel you are

not ready for mysore style classes - it seems to me

that this is really only a state of mind. I began

Astanga in a Mysore style class as a complete beginner, a

year later I still attend the class and have learnt

the full primary series this way. Although I did have

a few difficulties at first accepting that this

very different style of learning could work, I never

questioned my readiness for this type of class because I

didn't realise there was an alternative method of

learning astanga - as they say ignorance is bliss!

<br><br>I have been to a few led classes but generally find

that the practice just isn't the same, its a little

hard to explain but I think you will find Mysore style

classes will change your practice and deepen it in ways

you never expected - this has nothing to do with

physical ability or memory - go for it! <br>I'd be

interested to hear what you think<br>Daisy

[Guest guest]

I think it is a huge misconception that you have

to be 'good' to be in a mysore class. I don't really

understand why you are concerned because from my experience

you really needn't be. In fact, mysore style is

wonderful for beginners, it just depends on how full the

class is and how many people there are learning new

poses so it really is about the instructors'

availability. Ashtanga is movement connected to breath. Some

people have smaller lungs and therefore shorter

practices. Led classes force you to breathe at what might

not be your own pace. Mysore lets you work at your

own breath's pace. Also, your yoga is your yoga -

everyone in a Mysore class is learning new poses, even if

they are doing the second series - then they might be

adding third series poses. You will just be adding

primary series poses. It doesn't matter.<br><br>The only

thing I have heard about practicing in India is that is

is good to know the sanskrit names of all asanas

because of language barriers.<br><br>Hey senor! Why, why,

why? Just why? WHat did Thom Birch do? Why do you say

he is violent? By the way, I agree that they do not

teach ashtanga. They teach POWER YOGA!!

[Guest guest]

By the way, who is your current teacher and why

does she think a person has to be 'ready' for a mysore

class? That seems odd to me. Led classes are actually

not typical for ashtanga. My feeling is 'am I ready

for a led class?' is more the approach. I find led

classes really test my patience and tolerance, unless of

course it is Pattabhi Jois teaching a led class which I

am about to participate in. In such a case I am

nothing but willing.

[Guest guest]

Hi, <br> Take a Mysore-style class!! Speaking as

one still struggling with the first half of the

primary series for 2 years now, there is no substitute

for a Mysore class. The practice was designed for

such a class and I gurantee it will deepen you're

practice. Forget about what you can and cannot do - that is

not the point. As someone already said, there will be

those in the class practicing the Advanced Series and

those who cannot touch their toes - it does not matter.

Everyone is working toward a similar goal. A huge part of

the Mysore class is the energy you derive from those

around you - both humbling and invigorating. Take the

plunge, without fear.<br>Humbly,<br>YW

[Guest guest]

I have been practicing for almost 4 years. I have

attended as many classes as I could (6 days a week for the

last couple of years). All of these have been led

classes with a top class teacher, some full primary and

some modified primary for beginners. We hold most

postures for 5 breaths. I have a lot more deep chronic

muscular tension than most people seem to and I make slow

progress. When I practice at home I just work on a few

postures and hold them much longer. In class, it sometimes

takes me 2 or 3 breaths just to get into a posture so

then I only get 2 or 3 breaths holding the posture. I

have started to really crave being able to stay in the

postures longer. I notice that in some videos of Pattabhi

Jois, he has students hold many of the postures for 8

breaths. Here is a quote from his book, Yoga Mala (p 58):

"Note: Throughout the descriptions of the asanas,

breathing instructions are given which direct aspirants to

do rechaka and puraka, or inhale and exhale, as much

as possible. It is sufficient, however, to breathe

in and out five to eight times in each posture. To

remedy a particular ailment, an aspirant may remain in

the curative postures specific to a complaint for 50

to 80 breaths". He doesn't say to hold postures

longer to master them, but that seems to be common sense

to me. I haven't had the experience of attending

Iyengar classes, but my impression is that postures are

held for much longer than in Ashtanga

practice.<br><br>Anyway, our teacher has been out of town and one day a

substitute teacher decided that we would have a Mysore

class. I had always wondered about this and thought that

I wouldn't do too well with it. I think I have

become dependent on hearing all the instructions called

out. We all stayed together during the salutations and

then went off on our own paces. I held many of the

postures for a long time (10 to 20 breaths) and felt like

I was really accomplishing something. I skipped a

bunch at the end to catch up and finish with everyone

else. You could make the practice longer, or do less

postures to keep it the same time. Some Mysore classes are

ongoing with students dropping in and out and some may be

in a fixed time period. We have had a couple of

other Mysore classes since then and this is definitely

my favorite kind of class now. I don't think you

need any particular level of accomplishment for a

Mysore class, in fact it can be very beneficial for a

beginner to spend the extra time with each posture.

Ideally students would at least know most of the sequence

so the teacher isn't tied up teaching beginners.

<br><br>So I would definitely recommend trying a Mysore

class if you have the opportunity. Don't feel like you

have to be really advanced. The teacher will be there

to help. If you just don't think you can remember

the order of the postures, you could take a "cheat

sheet". A Mysore class is where you can spend the time to

work on what you need to work on and also hopefully

get some attention from the teacher that there may

not be time for in a led class. And conversely, if

you have only been to Mysore type classes, try some

led classes, there are advantages to them also. It is

good to have the discipline of following the

instructions, staying in sync with everyone, and just flowing

right on through nonstop.<br><br>Just some opinions.

Would be interested in any comments.

[Guest guest]

Thanks to everyone for all of your input on this!

You've convinced me; I'll take the plunge and take a

Mysore class.<br><br>The point about going "at your own

breath's pace" is very convincing. I tend to practice more

slowly and deliberately than many people, I think,

because that allows me to better maintain the steadiness

of my breath and to get deeper into the poses.

Sometimes tapes or led classes just go too fast for me,

causing me to lose my focus.<br><br>To clarify, my

teacher didn't say that you have to be "ready" for a

Mysore class -- on the contrary, she just said

essentially what you did, that if I was curious about Mysore

classes then I should just take some. I don't know what

gave me the impression that you have to be "ready" for

a them -- other than that, when I first started

practicing outside of a led class, I had to have a book in

front of me all the time just to remember the order of

the asanas (I don't now, of course). So I guess at

that time a class where no one is reminding you what

the next pose should be seemed somehow more

"advanced."

[Guest guest]

<a href=http://www.chez.com/fourmiesyoga/

target=new>http://www.chez.com/fourmiesyoga/</a> is where you

can download one or two page cheat-sheet type

diagrams of first and second series. someone else in the

club found this. a lot of people use cheat sheets. no

big deal.