Guest guest Posted September 21, 2002 Report Share Posted September 21, 2002 Brianna, Judging by the website for your school http://www.eden-yoga.com/index.html It looks like the teachers there should be working on their own practices a bit more. Ashtanga is hard work and requires discipline and dedication. The "if it feels good do it" school of thought dooesn't really apply. Your definition of your ashtanga power yoga class "Ashtanga/Power Yoga: This vigorous, aerobic style of yoga is characterized by a specific sequence of flowing poses, with little or no rest in between. Class begins with several rounds of classical Sun Salutations, followed by the Ashtanga "primary series" of poses. Students should have knowledge of the basic yoga poses to participate." is a little bit narrow. The teacher, Amanda Kelso does not appear to be qualified. Why throw in the word "ashtanga" when you are really teaching a vinayas a flow class. I hope you take the opportunity to study with Guruji when he is in San Francisco next week. It should be a humbling and enlightening experience. Ole! ashtangayoga, Brianna Politzer Stevens <brianna@e...> wrote: > > Hello all, and namaste! > I just joined this group and am amazed at the discussion . . . I own a small yoga studio where we teach many styles, including "Ashtanga/Vinyasa Flow Yoga" which is, what I believe you are all discussing when you say "Ashtanga" yoga . . (but as folks have said here, "Ashtanga" is really a misnomer, being the name for the entire eight-limbed path of yoga . . . seven limbs of which have nothing to do with asana, the primary series, or P. Jois). > I just wanted to remind you all of something . .. It's not really about the asanas . . . The asanas are a tool to bring you to a higher level . . . . nothing more. And, in fact, hatha yoga (any yoga involving movement) was developed with the specific goal of preparing and training the body and the mind for meditation. I was taught that the goal of yoga was to go inward, allow the spirit to emerge, and become one's own teacher. The poses you do and the order you do them in, I believe, is practically irrelevant. As long as your students are tuning into their breath and slowly opening their minds to a new way of thinking, they are doing yoga, and you have done your job as a teacher. > I know that yoga has changed dramatically since its creation over 5,000 years ago . . . would you say that the yoga done by the ancients was not proper or correct? Of course not. Also, there have been many yogis (Gandhi, for example) who have never practiced asana. > Do what feels good to you and your students, and you're doing the right thing . . . whether it's "pure" or not . . . once you open the door, the light starts to come pouring in! > > > "First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do." > > --Epictetus, Greek philosopher > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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