Guest guest Posted September 16, 2000 Report Share Posted September 16, 2000 Hi , I have one question please ,<br>I have started practicing Hatha Yoga since 1976 . I have read a lot and have had a teachers how was a student from Andre Van Lybetch . The last tow years I know about Ashtanga yoga. Al over I this years I have never had a regular practice . I do practice for a period of one or two months then I stop and start later again .<br>My question is can I practice Ashtanga Yoga or is it better to go bag to Hatha Yoga ?<br><br>I have also one theoretical question . If I have understand right Ashtanga Yoga is al about yoga al the eight limbs . One expert include in his asana practice elements of five limbs and practice later in the day the other tow limbs . <br>Is it impossible to ad in the practice of the asanas elements of seven limbs ? Has the life not much opposite sides ..<br><br>Philipp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 17, 2000 Report Share Posted September 17, 2000 question one: experts here would point out that daily practice is what you need. that would likely apply to both ashtanga and hatha. but, sure, you can practice ashtanga. like most of us who do our best to approximate the ideal, you practice when you can and where you can in the best tradition you can. over time, all is coming.<br>question two: this is probably better answered by experienced practioners. i'm not so good yet at incorporating even the first 3 limbs. however, at the reception in encinitas, i was talking to guruji's daughter about her classes and about sharath's practice. she mentioned that sharath gets up around 2:30 am and does his practice before starting the teaching in the shala (that's a pretty brutal day, so if you folks in mysore don't appreciate what he is offering you, you need to come back home). i asked if he does pranayama at different times of the day like guruji had mentioned he does. she said that he is not doing pranayama now, he is trying to get through all the series before doing that. others here have mentioned that guruji has deferred teaching pranayama to students who thought they might have been ready. perhaps SPW or godfreydev have more info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 18, 2000 Report Share Posted September 18, 2000 yoga practice has eight limbs. in describing them patanjali uses more words for yama&niyama than the other six combined. in effect the practice of yoga is based upon the application of yama&niyama to the shapes of the postures which become asana when joyful steadiness in the body free from tension manifests the infinite beyond duality. this requires the holographic presence.effect of the bandhas throughout the whole body. without yama&niyama, without the bandhas we are just posturing. within asana, pranayama occurs spontaneously as a result of having transcended the dualities of the body, which allows the mind to be taken by the breath that occurs spontaneoulsy as a result of the application of the bandhas, known as ujjayi. exhuastive penetration of ujjayi breath in all of its characteristics leads to its dualities being transcended, which in turn elicits pratyahara, which when sustained, transforms into dharana, which when refined and sustained through consistence transforms into dhyana, which matures naturally into samadhi. therefore only yama&niyama and asana are subject to the will, intent or volition. the other limbs cannot be activated directly by the will which is the major obstacle to yoga, requiring as it does total surrender. the other limbs, then, occur as a result of lenghty, consistent and judiciuos application of yama and niyama within the shapes of the postures which become asana thereby and not through flexibility, strength or any other superficial, somatic siddhi. patanjali makes no mention of alternate nostrils, holding the breath, or any other way of imposing the will on our breath. his is not the way of control and aggression, but of awareness and surrender. yoga is not hard to do, it is the notdoing that is so hard. just let what you can do, be done, and if you can see what else you are doing that does not need to be done, drop it and invite the possibility of surrender...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 18, 2000 Report Share Posted September 18, 2000 godfrey, do you really take yourself as seriously as you seem to? Your posts reflect some knowledge but are you o.k.?<br><br>espw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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