tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13149662.post115275057733268084..comments2023-05-25T04:48:19.856-04:00Comments on Yoga Chickie: 12 year old boys, my assYoga Chickiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01370141306007721604noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13149662.post-1152887755729941842006-07-14T10:35:00.000-04:002006-07-14T10:35:00.000-04:00Lauren,That's a great point to make about the obst...Lauren,<BR/><BR/>That's a great point to make about the obstacles and how we are to work with them to rid them. I suppose they wouldn't be called obstacles if we weren't trying to get over them!<BR/><BR/>You also bring up a question I always thought I knew the answer to. From what I gathered by reading Richard Freeman articles, Richard traces his practice back to Krishamacharya through Krish's major students. But now I don't know whether Krish taught everyone the same thing, or he worked with the students to develop their own yoga. Maybe someone else in this forum could offer some info?<BR/><BR/>As for people telling you what you can't do...try this line of conversation:<BR/><BR/>"Lauren, you can't do that"<BR/>"If you can do it, I can do it"<BR/>"But I can't do it either!"<BR/>"Yes, you can do it too!"<BR/><BR/>I was teaching this morning at a gym with a few ladies in their 50's. I was working with Bakasana preps and was showing them the core energies needed for Eka Pada Bakasana (one leg extended back). I was saying things like "So you need this mula bandha lift in the butt for whenever you get to Eka Pada." They were really inspired by me not saying "this is hard" or "you won't do it today". Just showing them what energies they have was enough to get some in Bakasana for the first time!<BR/><BR/>So I half-retract the statement about 12-year olds :) I give that as an caveat of sorts to let people know they have to dig deep and find something that works for them, and to not let any "prescription" of sorts be an obstacle to realizing their true nature.<BR/><BR/>Peace all!<BR/><BR/>-Richard_Richard_https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916468262302048044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13149662.post-1152838110127952742006-07-13T20:48:00.000-04:002006-07-13T20:48:00.000-04:00Richard,I did not mean to dis you in any way. I w...Richard,<BR/><BR/>I did not mean to dis you in any way. I was addressing the statement, and not the person!! I hope you realize that. <BR/><BR/>I have heard this statement about 12 year old boys many times from many different people, and always in the context of telling me why Ashtanga should not be practiced by me. I am one of those people that does not like to be told what I can't do. So, you can imagine that the 12-year old boy argument is not going to go over well with me.<BR/><BR/>I believe that the led Primary Series can make people go screaming for the door - or inspire people to take it one step at a time, as it did for me. One of my first yoga experiences was a led Primary class. It kicked my marathon-runner ass, and it made me decide that I needed to go back to the beginning, read some books, take some classes that were more at my level and build up my stamina. Eventually, I came back to Ashtanga. But if I had known about the Mysore style back then, I might have nevere left!<BR/><BR/>As for the three branches from the Krishnamacharya lineage, I do not know whether K taught I, PJ and D differently. I believe, actually, that he taught all of them the same thing in the same way and that only as teachers did they go their separate ways. I am quite certain that Iyengar was taught a vinyasa style, just as PJ was.<BR/><BR/>As for the obstacles to yoga, they are merely "obstacles" to yoga - the entire practice of yoga, all eight limbs of it. They are NOT identified in the Yoga Sutras as reasons not to practice asana. Instead, they are seen as the difficulties that we ALL face in our practices, difficulties that are part of the journey for all of us and that we overcome on our journey toward stilling the chatter.<BR/><BR/>I welcome further dialogue!<BR/><BR/>Best to you,<BR/><BR/>LaurenYoga Chickiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01370141306007721604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13149662.post-1152814157728395932006-07-13T14:09:00.000-04:002006-07-13T14:09:00.000-04:00Yoga Chickie,Wow, I almost feel sorry for posting ...Yoga Chickie,<BR/><BR/>Wow, I almost feel sorry for posting a comment. I wasn't saying the Ashtanga system is horrible or anything. I try the primary series a few times per month myself, and I LOVE it.<BR/><BR/>Here's what I was trying to say: you're absolutely right about the Mysore practice being very individualized. I was referring to many Ashtanga Level I classes where they go through the entire primary series. THAT's not for everyone - I hope you agree. <BR/><BR/>I also want to raise this question: If the ashtanga system is for everyone, why wasn't Iyengar taught it? Or Desikachar? Many "margas" or paths, that's why.<BR/><BR/>I hope I didn't offend you, but it was a rather brash comeback to what I'm assuming you want to be an open forum.<BR/><BR/>Also, to set another record straight, the yoga sutras actually list 13 impediments to yoga:<BR/><BR/>Disease<BR/>Laziness<BR/>Doubt<BR/>Carelessness<BR/>Idleness<BR/>Incontinence<BR/>Living under illusion<BR/>Disappointment<BR/>Unsettled state<BR/>Sorrow<BR/>Despair<BR/>Unsteady body<BR/>Irregular breath<BR/><BR/>Many everyone find their own path.<BR/><BR/>Peace Yoga Chickie,<BR/><BR/>-Richard_Richard_https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916468262302048044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13149662.post-1152789137230922252006-07-13T07:12:00.000-04:002006-07-13T07:12:00.000-04:00Yes, Richard from Colorado, I am sorry for the con...Yes, Richard from Colorado, I am sorry for the confusion!!! It was Richard from Pittsburgh...many mea culpas for freaking you out!!!<BR/><BR/>LaurenYoga Chickiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01370141306007721604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13149662.post-1152779645866353882006-07-13T04:34:00.000-04:002006-07-13T04:34:00.000-04:00Great post. Even if you didn't expect it, you've p...Great post. Even if you didn't expect it, you've put into words what's been going on in my mind lately. It's been thoughts like these that have made me start practising again after the break. I've remembered that nobody said it would be easy and, if it's never been easy so far, why give it up now? Challenge is exciting, interesting. The opposite isn't. And practice remains challenging even if there are no breakthroughs. I've been a little coward but I'm glad I'm slowly getting back again the faith that I had lost.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13149662.post-1152771089232653432006-07-13T02:11:00.000-04:002006-07-13T02:11:00.000-04:00I think that a lot of peoples first foray into ash...I think that a lot of peoples first foray into ashtanga is usually a led class. Full primary. I think that this either lights a fire under their ass(like mine and yours), or crushes their egos and kills their spirt. I have seen it in my own studio. You can tell who is coming back and who isn't. And you know, it's not always the person who can do all the poses. It's the people for who this practice resonates some kind of authenticity, truth if you will. They aren't usually 12 years old, or particularly bendy for that matter.<BR/><BR/>"Only lazy people, lazy people cannot do ashtanga."<BR/><BR/>And there are a lot of different kinds of laziness......Lees Lamarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03405350119148566356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13149662.post-1152765377121016162006-07-13T00:36:00.000-04:002006-07-13T00:36:00.000-04:00Whew...when you said "richard" I thought, "when di...Whew...when you said "richard" I thought, "when did I say that?" Am I getting that forgetful in my old age? So I read the post and discovered that you weren't referring to me. so it isn't all about me. darn.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com