Story on straps please?

[Guest guest]

I've been practicing for about six months now,

and feel like I'm getting a lot out of it. As I am

kind of big and muscular from weight training in the

past, and not a kid (43 years old), I seem to have a

ways to go before I can do some of the binds. I would

appreciate any input on using the straps that are available

in order to allow me to approximate now and

hopefully someday soon achieve the binding without the

straps. Thanks.

[Guest guest]

Straps and other external assists aren't normally

used in this style of yoga - one is expected to just

work towards trying to bind, possibly helped by

adjustments from a teacher.<br><br>Having said that, if I

have a towel next to my mat I have sometimes used it

by grasping it in one hand and then trying to throw

the end towards the other hand. Not exactly conducive

to meditative continuity in the practice!<br><br>Do

not push too hard towards trying to "get" the half

lotus foot binds. This is very important. I have hurt

my knees, and so have many other people, by trying

too hard to get padmasana variations without

sufficiently open hips. Opinions vary on whether it is safe to

fold forward in half lotus before you can bind.

[Guest guest]

If you have practised astanga for just 6 months,

it's normal you aren't able to do the binds,

regardless of how much bulk you carry with you from previous

weight training or how old you are.<br><br>No, astanga

doesn't make use of straps or any other kind of props

designed to facilitate the entry into the postures.

Astanga teaches you not to be impatient with making fast

progress, because if you rush you will end up injuring

yourself. In fact, in the traditonal method of teaching,

you are supposed to stop continuing the series if you

are unable to do a posture. This anyway is how I

myself practise now: if I have problems with entering a

pose, I end my practice there and bed down on the mat

to rest in savasana. Next day, next try.<br><br>In

yoga there are no specific goals to be achieved in a

specific time. The practice should be done for its own

sake, regardless of success or failure. This way you

will gain equanimity; and if you don't rush, with time

you will be able to achieve postures you never

thought possible of doing before.

[Guest guest]

Yes I would definitely second this attitude. I

have practised(16 years) and taught basic Hatha Yoga(7

years) but I have made my most solid progress with the

traditional Astanga form of doing Yoga. Mainly my problems

specifically with the yoga have been niggling little injuries

which have occasionally hampered my progress when I

creatively made up my own sessions in the sivananda

style.<br><br>The ashtanga method stops this problem while allowing

you to work hard at the postures you can do if you

don't try postures you definitely cannot do. I can go

up to Navasana and the posture after which I have

heard is quite standard. I cannot bind in the

Matsyendrasana series but they are not dangerous to try. I

cannot bind behind the back in Lotus but can bend

forward without any danger.

[Guest guest]

Kwisatch2, Blessed Self<br><br>If you creatively made up your own sessions you

weren't doing the Sivananda style.

[Guest guest]

.. I cannot bind in the Matsyendrasana series

<br><br>Do you mean Marichyasana series? Matsyendrasana is a

little different. Don't you sit on the supporting leg in

that one? Hope you're not doing the wrong pose!

[Guest guest]

> If you creatively made up your own sessions

you weren't doing the Sivananda style. <<br><br>I

am sure that in the Sivananda style there is much

more room for creativity then in astanga, especially

if you do the more advanced postures.

[Guest guest]

The Sivananda approach to Yoga focuses on 12 postures. Intermediate/advanced

levels focus on variation of those 12

[Guest guest]

Your assertion that Ashtanga does not use straps

is false. My first time in Mysore, I had trouble

getting into Marichyasana D and Sharath told me to bring

in a strap which when I did, he had me hold between

my hands since I was not able to clasp my hands

together.