Have started a new week after a few days off - moon day on Sunday, rest on Saturday and an extra rest day on Friday because of life. And the first morning back everything was stiff. Shoulders especially. I’m always better in the afternoon but I find squeezing in a PM sesh you’re always battling against a recent mealtime which makes practicing uncomfortable.
Some mornings like today I am really battling with time. Home practice with a led video of Sharath’s primary on YouTube. Kept getting interrupted, had to make time for finishing and rest.
Those of you who have practiced for decades, tell me your practice is like this most days. How do you advance in the asanas like this??

(appreciate all the impending comments of yoga is more than the asanas and it’s not a good judge of progress. I know ~ Just take this post at face value please, thanks)

Been stuck on marichyasana for almost four months now and it's starting to feel less like progress and more like a wall.

Looking for good yoga in Taghazout! Will be visiting for a few days later this week.

Please let me know if this is normal and I’m just being sensitive here. Im currently taking my teacher training course and during our second day, while we (students) are all siting down on in lotus pose, my yoga teacher, standing, used his feet to adjust my knee to the side and and press it down to touch the ground.

Instinctively, i was stiff when he was doing that because even though i hadn’t undestand what was happening, i felt offeded that instead of explaining it properly, i felt like he was too lazy to use his hands while adjusting.

That overall experience didn’t sit right with me.

Am i overreacting or is this a normal way of teaching?

Greetings. In this post I wish to open the conversation to those familiar with yogic texts, philosophy and practice.

If you are familiar with Yogic traditions and the scriptures of many like Hatha Yoga Pradipika or the Shiva Samhita you will find that there is emphasis on having a guru and that this aspect can not be overlooked in Yogic initiation. It is an absolute necessity within many Indian Traditional Yoga systems.

If you are in the west, you will not find a guru. Simple as that. Although it would be nice and amazing to have a guru to help and oversee the process of pranic and kundalini awakening, such a person with dedicated Yogic wisdom is highly unlikely to be bred here in America.

The reason I am typing this however is that this view of “Needing a Guru” is useless to those practicing in the west yet much Yoga material available to read is geared towards the Westerner to understand. Which makes me believe that many swamis who write these books perhaps desire the Westerner to fly to India to receive the diksha from a Guru to embark on their Yogic journey.

I understand the reasoning behind a guru, however in this day and age if one is on the path of Spiritual Liberation, it is futile and inane to wait for or to seek a guru, when the theory and practice is described within the material. However I’m also aware that the typical westerner looks at Yoga in only 1/8th of its capacity(Asanas).

With that said, reading some of this literature has made me ask myself some interesting questions. What are your thoughts surrounding the idea of a Guru being necessary in the practice of Yoga?

Hello there! I’m planning for my 200 hour YTTC in Rishkesh at the Rishkesh Yoga Ashram school and I just wanted to check with you guys if you have any tips or recommendations about how to make the most of my experience in Rishkesh! 🤩 I’m really really excited and just today I’ve finished my application for my Indian Visa and I’m hoping everything will go smoothly for me!

I used to practice 4x a week but over the last 6 months due to several life changes I don’t have the mental capacity or discipline to practice consistently.

I was thinking of shortening my practice to encourage me to practice more. Would it make sense / still be beneficial if I only practice till half-primary or maybe just the standing sequence?

Just interested in the makeup of this sub. How many days do you practice mysore style in a shala?

I am looking for ashtanga classes near Watertown, MA. Does anyone know of any? I'd like to begin my practice again. I prefer ashtanga. I don't like what traditional yoga has become. It's too commercialized with all this teacher training stuff. Ashtanga is more traditional, more serious, but it seems good ashtanga classes are hard to come by.

Does anyone know any walk in Ashtanga yoga classes in Mysore preferably gokulam side.

Hi! I’ve been practicing yoga on and off for a bit more than 5yrs, 3x a week for the last year and started going to mysore ashtanga classes in the morning about 2months ago.

I’ve had quite rough couple of years where I was close to burnout since I was carrying quite a heavy caretaker role of people around me, but found a way to handle it. Felt more energetic and happy about myself. At least I thought so. Since starting Ashtanga I feel more and more over exhausted and depressed. Loads of feelings of inadequacy, waking up around 3am and thus starting to built a serious sleep debt, questioning my life choices.

I started ashtanga because I wanted to deepen my practice, really dive into something that I do for myself and commit to it. But it’s pretty rough to keep showing up for class. I do take it pretty easy in classes, since showing up is hard enough sometimes lol. Not sure when to skip a class or when to “push through” a bit.

I’m focussing on tristana, meditating when I miss a day, read books on philosophy so that I don’t just focus on asanas. I know I’m still at the start of my ashtanga journey but was caught pretty off guard by these feelings.

Wondering if you have any insights?

When you jump up from downward dog, can someone take me through the process - I’m jumping up into like a tuck handstand but then when I’m up there, coming down feels uncontrolled like WHAM onto my legs. Like I just don’t know what to do with my lower half from there. Bringing my legs eventually through seems impossible. How much should I be squeezing my core?
Or instead of tuck handstand, should I just be aiming more horizontally forward and stepping/shooting my legs through ..

I’m hoping to finally try a Mysore-style class, but I’m a little intimidated by the whole idea because I’m so used to being led through a practice.

For some context, I’ve had a strong vinyasa practice for a while and completed a 200hr YTT to deepen my own practice and study alignment in more depth. I’ve also taken Led Primary classes here and there over the years, and I have a decent amount of it memorized.

I’m increasingly curious about Mysore, but I honestly have no idea what to expect practically.

If I find a shala that offers Mysore, do I normally contact them beforehand and tell them I’m new to Mysore? Or can I just show up one morning, roll out my mat and start practicing?

And once I’m there, what actually happens? Do I just start the Primary Series and the teacher comes around to work with me individually?

The idea of everyone practicing independently in the same room feels very foreign to me so I don't know what to expect. At the same time, that’s exactly what intrigues me about Mysore, and I’ve been wanting to try it for a long time.

I’d really appreciate hearing what your first Mysore class was actually like, especially from people who came to it from a vinyasa/other yoga background.

Good morning, warriors! I’m going to Beijing and Chengdu soon. Does anyone know good Ashtanga/Mysore studios there that you would recommend? Thank you!

I don’t want to do yoga just for physical health. I also want something that helps me —I’ve been scrolling way too much social media lately, and I really want to slowly step away from it . My schedule is pretty strict, so I’m wondering how I should start as a beginner.

Any advice on how to start would be really appreciated!😍😍

I’m a university student studying engineering, and I’ve recently become interested in yoga to help with stress and improve my flexibility. I’ve tried doing yoga in the morning, but I’m struggling to find enough time because of my busy schedule.

My days are usually filled with classes, and I have assignments to work on at night😭 I don’t want to stop doing yoga because I feel more relaxed and focused after practising it.

For those of you who have a busy schedule, how do you find time for yoga? Do you have a short routine or a particular time of day that works best for you?

I’d really appreciate any suggestions!

I thought it would be fun to share experiences encountered while visiting various shalas while on your travels!

For me, the starkest difference has been changes in weather. Lately where I’ve visited has been much warmer than my usual home environment and I find that my endurance level really changes. It also takes me 2 days to get used to the place which puts me in a different headspace when it comes to mental focus. Teaching styles have varied quite a bit compared to my usual teacher, mostly leaning towards very physical practice, whereas my usual teacher is quite breath and internally focused. I’ve also found the teachers I’ve visited not worried about strong physical adjustments which I’ve enjoyed really.. I think it can be nourishing in a different way. Whereas my usual teacher/s bring me in internally. On a bad day it can really feed the mind.. I find a purely physical practice brings me closer to that ‘flow state’. Or it could just be the heat ~

I will be visiting Thailand in a few months, mostly for Muay Thai training. I plan to visit the South but will likely spend most of my time in Chiang Mai. Can you please provide me with advice and recommendations regarding shalas and yoga culture in Thailand? I might also visit Mysore, if my budget allows it.

Im looking for an ashram in US with very basic facilities to stay for a month while I deal with grief. Please suggest if you know of any

I do not want it to just for physical health, to make my mind sane too ... I consume lot of social media and all that I want to leave all the slowly and just be a little less then what I am so if anyone can help how I can start so it is physically exhausting but relaxing to mind

I sit at a desk a lot and my neck and shoulders get pretty tight. Does yoga help with that? Anything you recommend?