Bakasana cameos in Primary Series?

[Guest guest]

I read this in an article about a Lino Miele

workshop:

<a href=http://www.yogachicago.com/nov2000/linomiele.html

target=new>http://www.yogachicago.com/nov2000/linomiele.html</a><br><br>"Since

most of us could not float into handstand after

Utkatasana (which is the preferred method), Lino told us to

substitute Bakasana, pressing our knees into our shoulders

and lifting our feet on the inhale, and exhaling back

into Caturanga."<br><br>I've never heard of doing

handstand after Utkatasana, though I've been to classes

that did Bakasana. Does anyone here do this? Does KPJ

teach this or is it a Lino original?<br><br>Also, with

Bhujapidasana, do you start working on theTittibhasana/Bakasana

transition when you first start learning Bhuja or do you

learn Bhuja first and then add the transition

later?<br><br>Thanks!

[Guest guest]

Doing handstand after Utkatasana is not! a "Lino

original". <br><br>In his new book "Ashtanga Yoga" you can

see John Scott lifting up on his hands after

Utkatasana into what amounts in fact to a

handstand.<br><br>Lino Miele, just like John Scott (and unlike David

Swenson!) teaches Primary in its most original , classical

form.<br><br>If you've never heard about doing handstand after

Fierce Posture, this may be because most Ashtanga

classes today don't teach the sequence in its original

form (anymore?), but rather a shortened and simplified

version of it.<br><br>This split in Ashtanga Yoga between

"modernists" (Swenson chief among them) and "traditionalists"

(Lino Miele, John Scott) is most interesting.

[Guest guest]

For an "original" or "classis" sequence of poses

I suggest that you check the Yoga Mala, written by

Guruji himself in '58, published in Kannada (Guruji's

native language) in '62 and ultimately translated and

published in English many years later. I think that you

will see that Mr Swenson is much more in synch with

the Mala than Scott or Miele!

[Guest guest]

It has been argued that doing an excessive number

of handstands tightens up your back. Does anyone

have an opinion on this? (stupid question)<br><br>Also

can anyone explain the breath count when putting in a

handstand in surya namaskar a and b. <br><br>It appears to

me that Lino adds in bits to the series where he

thinks he can. He taught a friend of mine to come out of

virabhidrasana B by the following method.<br><br>Exhale ... push

the right (bent) leg into the back of the right upper

arm <br><br>Inhale ... move the balance forward and

rise up, like in bakasana, but with the left leg

straight, into a balance pose, <br><br>exhale jump back

into catvari.<br><br>I have never seen Guruji teaching

that to anybody. For one thing you only do the pose on

one side of your body, so it doesn't give balance to

your practice.

[Guest guest]

"this is how swamiji teaches this now" I have

heard this phrase from different people. It leads me to

believe that Pattabhi Jois changes his instructions from

time to time. So it's my bet that no-one is wrong.

[Guest guest]

These little linkages that you are talking about

UK friends called advanced Primary........Derek

Ireland used to sometimes do handstand between each of

the standing poses....... if you can pike up into a

handstand then why not..... same same with

navasana/lift/handstand or jumping into Tittibasana before Kurmasana and

so on......<br>All these things add spice to the

practice, I don't think it's anything to do with more

traditional......think more like Bradford Marselis jamming on a

riff.....if you are a virtuosi yogi then you put in

flourishes and improvisations...... if not don't worry as

the real meat of the practise is the static asanas

anyway that is where you work on your body.

[Guest guest]

Yeah, my only problem with that is who coined the

term advanced primary? <br><br>If, as so many people

on this site argue, the series must be kept as

guruji teaches them is there a place for this so called

advanced primary?<br><br>If the reason not to do is

because guruji doesn't teach it, is it just being done to

look good rather than adding to the practice? I've met

student of Derek Ireland and a lot of them seem very

concerned about the way their practice looks externally but

not to focused on what is happening inside ...

stilling the mind etc.<br><br>Guruji has altered the

series but he has years of experience. If people are

adding things without having that level of experience to

draw on do they know or understand the long-term

effects of the modifications?<br><br>Also, since lots of

beginners like the flashy stuff doesn't it distract them

from trying to get to grips with the basic primary

series.

[Guest guest]

Yes, nadi, this is it precisely. People are

trying to nail it down, but it is like trying to nail

jello to the wall. I was in a workshop and people were

getting frustrated because the advanced series has been

split up differently than they had initially learned.

And these folks are supposed to be flexible!

Physcially, maybe, but not metally. The series has evolved

over time, and will continue to do so.<br>On another

subject, I believe it was you talking about making music,

and having it available on line? Can you please tell

us where we can find it. I am interested.<br>B

[Guest guest]

That Virabhadrasana II exit is called Eka Pada

Bekhasana and is described in the text with no photo in

KPJ's Yoga Mala, page 77. It's a pretty advanced and

strenuous transition pose and is typically left out until

the students are strong and experienced (as is

Bekhasana just after Utkatanasana). Give it a try! It's a

difficult but fun pose. It will be the 11th vinyasa of this

sequence.<br><br>PS - You do not jump back into catuari. Catuari

means "four" but the name of the pose is caturanga

dandasana which means "four limbed stick pose." You jump

back into the fourth vinyasa of suryanamaskar A and B

where the count continues (panca=5, shat=6 etc) since

the 12th vinyasa here is the same as the 4th of the

sun salutations. It's a confusing but consistent

counting system, also used also by Navy drill instructors

and choreagraphers.

[Guest guest]

I'd like to help you on the music thing - but it wasn't me discussing it.