progression from 1st to 2nd series

[Guest guest]

i was curious how students are advanced under the

'proper' method. i know in many shalas, students probably

just start going to 2nd series classes when they think

they are able, assuming the instructor approves. how

does guruji advance his students--does he tell them

one day, "ok, time for you to do something

different"? or does the student request it?

[Guest guest]

>From what I've heard, and I'm no expert, is that

with KPJ you start with the first series, and when you

can do all of it you start doing poses from the

second after the first, so after either Setu Bandasana

or Urdva Dhanurasana (I don't know which one) you do

Pasasana, etc. I think eventually you leave out the first

series altogether and go to Pasasana from

Parsvottanasana, but i don't know when that happens in the

progression. There were a couple of messages earlier about

this, but I forget how long ago.

[Guest guest]

hi dani, <br>i know that being able to do the

first series is a requisite before moving to the second

series. i guess i am trying to understand how it is

determined that a student is capable to progress. what level

of competance in the 1st series is enough? in

mysore, do the students just start doing the second

series postures when they personally feel ready? or do

guruji and sharath make that decision? i'm not asking

because i'm in any hurry myself--i'm still doing the

bunny hop in uttitha hasta padangusthasana--i'm just

curious how the decision is supposed to be made.

[Guest guest]

I believe guruji makes the decision- adding one

pose on at a time. Sarath will let him have the final

say. If you ask, he might make you wait a little

longer, just to check your ego (all part of yoga, ya

know). But, this is hearsay - I've never been to mysore.

When Sarath had a friend of mine start second series,

Jois BELLOWED from across the room (ok, 15 feet away

is across the room) NOOOOO! WHY DO? And he and

Sarath "conferenced" over this befuddeled student for a

few minutes, with Jois shaking his head in clear

disappointment, until he finally relented (I'm guessing) and let

the student start second series.

[Guest guest]

If they are in Mysore, Guruji will usually just

start adding in the poses as he sees the student is

ready. In some cases,not very often he will move someone

without adding poses.I saw him do this with a woman

during the tour before this last one. He moved her into

intermediate class and she went right through the entire

sequence with his help. Much more often the poses are

added one by one and many of his teachers also work

this way. People do ask for poses all the time but

they don't always get them! Personally I beleive the

whole level of practice is looked at and competence in

the asanas is only one part of that.

[Guest guest]

I'm curious as well. Does the student have to be

able to do the vinyasa in between postures free of

variations? Do you have to land with straight legs as opposed

to crossed? Do all the postures in 1st series have

to be done to perfection? What if you have a bum

leg? Do you keep doing primary series ad infinitum?