Primary vs. Secondary?

[Guest guest]

Okay, then.<br><br>I studied every videotape

David Swenson made yesterday (they all arrived early in

the A.M.). <br><br>It took me something like 8.5

hours to watch all five tapes.<br><br>I enjoyed the

videos very much (even his Hatha Yoga Meditation tape).

<br><br>However, my question from yesterday remains.<br><br>Once

you master the Primary series, do you then add the

Secondary series after the Primary series or do you delete

the Primary series from your routine and replace it

with the Secondary series?<br><br>And the Third series

(many years away!)... does that get added on or does it

replace the Secondary series at some point?

[Guest guest]

I'm no authoritative expert, but here is how I

think that generally goes:<br>When someone reaches the

point that they are working on intermediate series,

they will do primary one day, intermediate the next

day, alternating every other day. The same beginning

and finishing postures are done with each series. Or

to use the analogy from the Swenson book, the

filling of the sandwich is alternated every other day.

That's just what I've observed and heard about, I'm sure

some people do it differently.

[Guest guest]

Okay, that makes sense, thanks.<br><br>What page

in the Swenson book does he talk about alternating

the series? I'd like to find it and re-read it to get

my head around it.<br><br>I guess it's Swenson's

sandwich metaphor that throws me: You don't take things

out of a sandwich. You build a sandwich layer by

layer. A sandwich implies you add the Secondary series

on top of the Primary series. <br><br>I suppose if

you were making your Ashtanga sandwich new every day,

you could do what you suggest: Swap the "meat" and

leave the bread and dressings but that has to be made

very clear each time the sandwich topic is brought up

to explain the process.

[Guest guest]

I have heard the same things from my yoga

teachers here in Encinitas. Generally they do first series

several times a week and second as well and incorporate

anything else they are working on during the week. When P.

Jois was here it was incredible to watch Swenson,

Miller, Williams, Flynn all doing first series. It sure

looks easy when you watch them.

[Guest guest]

Oh, now that's interesting. You're saying your

yoga teachers do Primary and then ADD Secondary and

other bits once-in-a-while during the week, eh? That

seems to make a bit of sense since, to me anyhoo,

Secondary builds and expands on what your body was doing

during the Primary series.<br><br>I can understand a wee

might about what you mean watching them all do the

program together. <br><br>Swenson has a video (The

Advanced Ashtanga Series) where Lucy Martorella, David

Williams, Helena Berg, David Swenson and Robert Boustany

all "put on the record" the Advanced "A" & "B" levels

(or series 3-6). <br><br>The fascinating part of

watching the video is not only how beautiful they all are

together, but also how different! <br><br>They are doing

the same asanas, but the vigor, spirit and intent is

just a little different for each one as they rotate in

their own world and those little differences do pop

from the screen as quite telling and dramatic.

<br><br>It's a fascinating tape to watch and it made me cry

(just a little bit!) as they all paid tribute to Jois

with their bodies by making his advanced method part

of the record for all of eternity.<br><br>A really

marvelous asana was one done by David Swenson alone. He was

in a basic bridge position and he then ran his feet

and legs around his head in a cicle, twisting and

contorting his torso to make it happen: His feet never left

the mat! It was funny and awe-inspiring at the same

moment.

[Guest guest]

You misunderstood what I meant, so to clarify. My

teachers have told me for example Sunday they do first

series, Monday second etc. I think Jois only wants first

series done on Fridays so that is the norm, anyone know?

When I go to Tim's mysore classes the people who do

second series may do that one day and on another do

first series. There are also some students there

working on third series. I too have seen those videos and

they are amazing. Lucy's ex husband is one of my

teachers also and he has a beutiful practice.

[Guest guest]

1. Towandauk - the book you need to get is 'Yoga

Mala' by SKP Jois<br><br>2. It is called the second, or

'intermediate' series, not 'secondary'<br><br>3. B3 has never

studied with Jois in India. She MAY have gone to a

workshop with him many years ago in the US. She does not

teach his method and claims to do so. How could she if

she does not study with him or any other actual

Ashtanga teacher? Guruji is indifferent towards her. Says

she is 'only for money.'<br>She does a different kind

of yoga by a different name.<br><br>4. When you

learn the intermediate series, the new poses are added

on at the end of your primary series, so you have to

be able to do the primary series on your own all the

way through before moving on.

[Guest guest]

The Intermediate poses are usually added on at

the end of Primary when your teacher feels you are

ready, after Setu Bandhasana then you do backbends and

finishing poses as usual. When you reach a certain point

with this then you will start doing Intermediate by

itself starting with Pasasana after Parsvottanasana.

When are are proficient at the Intermediate series

your teacher will start adding in the asanas from

Advanced A after Supta Urdhva Pada Vajrasasna followed by

finishing poses, and so on.<br><br>So the order of days

would be Friday Primary Sat. off Sun. Intermediate Mon.

Advanced A Tues. Advanced B Wed. Advanced C Thurs.

Advanced D and Friday back to Primary. Since not so many

people practice all the series they usually do Primary

Friday and then what they are working on progressivly

through the week. People who do compete Primary and

complete Intermediate and are not in a process of adding

in sometimes alternate days but most will do Primary

Fridays regardless.

[Guest guest]

"When you reach a certain point with this then

you will start doing Intermediate by itself starting

with Pasasana after Parsvottanasana."<br><br>Thanks

for posting this info. So then you omit Utthita Hasta

Padangusthasana through Virbhadrasana from the standing sequence

when doing Intermidiate? I'm suprised, I thought the

standing poses were the same for each series.<br><br>Also,

when adding Intermidiate poses to Primary series, is

there a particular pose which everyone usually works up

to before doing Intermidiate by itself or does it

vary per student?<br><br>Thanks!

[Guest guest]

Omit em.<br><br>2nd q: as i understand it, the

tradional way was to add 2nd series asanas to the end of

1st series in order until all the 2nd series is

included. This calls for no little amount of endurance,

especially considering it's to be done 6 days a

week.<br><br>A more practical approach imo, and one that most

I've seen follow, is to add on maybe 1/3 of 2nd series

to the end of 1st. When you or your teacher feel

you're competent at that (or if you're like me, and feel

it's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is for

permission) just go and do the 2nd series as best you can 1

or 2 days a week.

[Guest guest]

screwgee --<br><br><br>There's some sage

advice!<br><br>I added Chakrasana today. I did it three times. The

first time was nearly perfect. The second time I felt

some discomfort in my neck. The third time I REALLY

felt some discomfort in my neck. I think I lost too

much arm strength each time I did the

asana.<br><br>Lesson Learned: Go slow. Be smart. Stop when you're

ahead!

[Guest guest]

Right, I think as far as when Intermediate is done by itself there are lots of

factors and it can vary at the teachers discretion somewhat.