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Asha~

 

Glad you wrote, and I hope I can be of some help to you.

 

My first suggestion would be to get a book. The best Ashtanga book I

have found so far is by John Scott called Ashtanga Yoga, the

definitive step-by-step guide to dynamic yoga, ISBN: 0-609-80789-2.

 

People reccommend starting with the sun salutations to work on moving

in a fluuid way, and using tristana or the combination of

breath/movement synchronicity, bandhas (the energy locks), and

drishti (eye gaze). This book outlines those tools for practice

pretty well. Many beginner classes will teach the Sun Salutations to

introduce those ideas. Work toward this hierarchy of engagement:

1. Breath

2. Bandhas

3. Movement

4. Drishti

 

Never move without breath, move engaged working from the root lock or

the mulabandha. Move consciously. Use a focused gaze to help

eliminate wondering eyes, and to focus your practice. Are you

familiar with these practices?

 

I teach a "modified primary series" to my beginners which eliminates

a lot of the more difficult poses and offers a lot of modifications

to tailor the practice to any level. Would you be interested in a

list of that series?

 

You can have a powerful home practice, and benefit from

periodic "public" classes to offer some insight into poses, or other

ways you can modify or exprienment with your practice.

 

Always recognize your strengths and weaknesses. Never jepordize your

breath for a posture. Work to engage the bandhas throughout the

practice, keep your breath long and equally metered, recognize the

difference between pain and sensation... avoid pain. Take the

ambition out of it.

 

Let me know if there ways in which I can help deepen your practice.

Best wishes.

 

Tonya Makowski

Certified Yoga Instructor

415.336.2632

www.geocities.com/trmakowski

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  • 1 year later...

1. Feeling a headache after practicing could represent your body

releasing toxins that would have otherwise continued to contaminate

your body. On the other hand, this could also be a sign of

dehydration. Because astanga is an intense practice, your body must

remain hydrated. Continue to drink water about 30 minutes before

your practice and begin hydrating yourself approx. 10 minutes after

your practice. Do not drink during the practice.

 

2. If you cannot get into the full pose, work on a modification. For

example, if you cannot place yourself in full lotus, could you work

on half lotus? David Swenson's book offers modifications for all of

the poses. Don't skip it...just work towards getting there.

Struggling through a pose defeats the purpose of practicing. You

must be comfortable in a pose in order to benefit...

 

3. I had some flexibility before I began the practice, but I had

major breast surgery 6 weeks before my first class. So, it took some

time for me to condition my body. I do practice primary and I have

not mastered it. I'm not so sure we will ever fully master the

primary...this takes a few lifetimes...perhaps never...

 

Have patience...

OmShanti

 

 

ashtanga yoga, "kunal_nadir" <kunal_nadir>

wrote:

> hi....i just started with Ashtanga 2-3 DAYS back..before that i did

> some other form of yoga. Would like to have some tips about you

> people on how to approach Ashtanga:

>

> 1. After practicing, I feel some headache. Is this normal?...some

> kind of early purging effects?

>

> 2. What do u recommend somebody to do when they cant get into an

> Asana....skip it or struggle thru it even though it might disrupt

> vinayasa?

>

> 3. Did you people take some time to master the primary series or

were

> u already very flexible when u started?

>

> Regards

>

> Kunal

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I agree with everyone else. If you have headaches, make sure your

diet is good, your hydrated, and well rested.

 

If you are having trouble with an asana, consult your teacher for

help and modifications. You may also need to take more breathes to

get into a pose. You may also need to feel out a pose and break it

down to get it. One of my teachers says, if you never practice it,

you'll never learn how to do it. There have been poses I have

skipped, and then went back to them and discovered they weren't so

unattainable after all.

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