My morning started with Google Reader (sometimes I don’t have enough time to go through interesting posts, “star” them and leave for tomorrow) and found an interesting post by InsideOwl about people dedicated to Ashtanga Yoga.

Let’s see in Wikipedia what Ashtanga Yoga actually is (so everyone understands it in the same way).

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga in its current form was developed Mysore, India by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois by way of his teacher, Krishnamacharya. Ashtanga Vinyasa follows 8 limbs outlined by Patanjali. This style of yoga bases on Vinyasa, - dynamic chain that connects separate classic postures. Much attention is paid to breath as a force keeping your senses “inside”. The breath is linked to the movements in Vinyasas and makes the practice self-contained. Vinyasas are same important as postures, and your attention and awareness starts with your first posture and continues every moment next to it.

To my vision and experience, Ashtanga Vinyasa is one of most powerful spiritual practices people can follow today. It really makes your awareness stronger, bringing clarity and light.

InsideOwl says:

I do not know which way the causal arrow runs:

(1) ashtanga strips down the dissimulative parts of you and reveals your more inveterate quirks or

(2) ashtanga attracts intense people with uncompromising ways-of-being.

I have seen people come to Ashtanga classes, and I have seen people go. Many get washed away by a need to turn off your egocentric mind, to open yourself to deepest aspect of physical and mental practice (otherwise, you may harm your body). Physical hardness is the first factor most people cannot overcome although this judgment about hardness comes from mind, - everyone can do own rhyme, own level and own dynamics.

With practice, class by class, if you are attentive you start understanding that transformation Ashtanga brings to mind and body is very deep. There’s no need to disperse your attention to new postures when you have learned the sequence. All your senses are inside, mind is off and inner fire keeps coming from somewhere generating force you can hardly experience with calm scratching alone. Repeating Vinyasas can bring you to the new level of “being inside”, “being here and how” and experiencing inner silence.

And I think person needs to have descent level of self-discipline and a strong wish to bring transformation to start Ashtanga Vinyasa, otherwise one would chose simpler and calmer style of practice.

Anyone practicing Ashtanga with same thoughts?

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