To You, the Yoga Student,We are all students of this practice so my letter here is to remind myself of some basic principles of yoga which can help guide the arrangement between teacher and student. Ashtanga yoga is a practice meant to heal your body and bring vibrancy to your physical well-being as the foundation for continued mindfulness throughout your day. It is important to understand that strength and flexibility are not the goals of yoga but rather by-products of a regular practice in yoga. If then, we are to bring yoga into our daily lives, it is important that we create positive experiences on the mat today so that we are more likely to roll out the mat tomorrow. It is my belief that anyone can practice Ashtanga yoga in a way that is both pleasant and deeply beneficial.
A few things I would like you to remember as you come to class:
Follow Your Breath
Ashtanga is a breathing practice. Your breath, not the teacher's count is the guide which you need to follow most. Use a steady and smooth Ujjayi breath and smile softly throughout your practice, monitoring closely whether the breath becomes strained or forced. This is the greatest barometer of your practice. If you are moving too fast or pushing too hard, your breath will tell you. Try to maintain a steady quality to the breath throughout the practice even in the most demanding of postures.
Slow and Steady
In the early days, this practice was first taught to young Brahmin boys with very different bodies than our Western ones. Sitting in cars and behind desks has had a drastic impact on our physiology making the practice of yoga not only that much more necessary but that much more challenging. Go slow. Do what you can do safely on that day. You will move deeper into the practice by taking the time to allow the body to adapt and grow into the flexibility often required of the challenging postures found in Ashtanga. Forcing your body into a posture - or worse yet - allowing a teacher to force you into a posture, only results in injury, needing time away from yoga to recover. Injuries are not openings, they are injuries. If the goal of yoga is to leave the mat feeling better than when you came to it, then the idea of pushing too far is counter to that of the aims of yoga. Listen to your body, listen to your breath to make the practice deeply satisfying from beginning to end.
Quality, not Quantity
There are a great many postures in the Ashtanga sequences, some are common while others might seem more acrobatic or exotic. Do what you know, do what you can do that day. Practice with grace, ease, integrity and honesty with yourself about what is possible. Let your practice unfold over time. Give yourself new challenges, listen to your teacher for guidance but move at the pace that is right for you. There is not a requirement that one come to class to complete all of a particular series - an award is not given if you do. Come to class to see what is, to see where you are on that given day. Move slowly or more quickly depending on the feedback your body gives you. Develop a steadiness of breath and mind throughout. Explore the deep, inner workings of the posture on an energetic level using the breath and bandhas rather than trying to "achieve" the outward appearance of certain postures. With daily practice, the postures will come - or not. It doesn't really matter, nor is it the point. What is the point is that you bring commitment to your practice - the commitment to practice often and with quality.
Most of all, find enjoyment in your practice. Peace begins within. Let yoga be your both your journey and your traveling companion. Come to the mat each day with an open heart and open mind to what is. Mostly, don't forget to breathe.
Yours,
Michael Rich
