With the imminent (er, slightly delayed, Amazon!) UK release of Guruji by Guy Donahaye and Eddie Stern it seems fitting to write a post on essential Ashtangi reading. There are loads of books about Ashtanga yoga. For example you may want to know: ‘The correct vinyasa count for Surya Namaskar B’ or ‘who or what is Kurmasana?’ to ‘What does the opening Mantra mean?’. Here is my definitive list (so far). If I’ve left any out I’d love to hear from you.

In my opinion there are only two short books that I regard as essential reading for Ashtangis (These were first suggested to me by Shari Berman and after reading both books I wholeheartedly agree).

• Yoga Mala – By Shri K Pattabhi Jois
• Astanga Yoga – By Lino Miele

For students and teachers

Yoga Mala is Guruji’s book on Ashtanga Yoga originally published in the Kannada language in India back in 1962. It’s written from the source of Ashtanga Yoga and includes essential information on Patanjali’s Ashtanga yoga (8 limbed path). It details the correct vinyasa count and health benefits of each posture in the primary series. It’s interesting to note that there is no sign of Urdhva Dhanurasana at the end of primary series. This must have been included in the practice later.

Yoga Mala is not naturally pallatable to the modern Western reader – for example sexual intercourse for yogis should only be engaged in when the air is moving through chandra nadi. So when one feels air travelling more clearly through the left nostril. There is however a yogic framework for living that the book adheres to and that the Ashtanga practice is very much a part of. This is one of the reasons I think it makes for essential reading. There is more going on than what happens on the mat!

Yoga Mala only covers the primary series which is partly why Lino Miele’s book is such a useful addition. It covers both primary and intermediate series. The great feature of Lino’s hardback is the format of how the vinyasa count and dristi are all so clearly laid out for each asana. It’s super clear – including inhalation, exhalation, sanskrit count for each vinyasa, drsti and number of breaths held in the asana. There is also a really good section on the 5 vayus, pranayama and the chakras. It also includes the closing mangala mantra with translation. (John Scott’s book also includes both opening and closing mantras.)

Recent books on Ashtanga Yoga

Gregor Maehle has also written two great books on Ashtanga Yoga. They’re packed with lots of detail – both anatomical and philosophical. The first book also includes a modern commentary on the Yoga Sutras. Mr Maehle keeps the practice firmly rooted in it’s philosophical tradition and context which I really appreciate.

• Ashtanga Yoga – Practice & Philosophy
• Ashtanga Yoga – The Intermediate Series – Mythology Anatomy and Practice

Ashtanga Practice Manuals

This is an interesting category and although most books on Ashtanga Yoga contain pictures on Asana and instructions on drsti, bandhas, they aren’t designed to have open while you practice. (I’ve never done this myself but I understand that home practitioners would do this while learning the sequence.)

• Ashtanga Yoga – The practice manual – By David Swenson
• Astanga yoga as it is – Matthew Sweeney

Both books are ring bound so you can open them up and have them on the mat next to you. Matthew Sweeney’s book is definitely far more in depth and comprehensive than David’s. The only downside is that in order to incorporate 4 Ashtanga series the pictures are much smaller than in David’s book. But it’s a small trade off to make. You really get a sense of the scale of the practice from Mr Sweeney’s book. He also has an engagingly direct writing style that I enjoyed.

Books for beginners

• Ashtanga Yoga – John Scott
• Ashtanga Yoga – Practice Manual – David Swenson
• Astanga yoga for you – Tara Fraser

I still think that every Ashtanga practitioner should read Yoga Mala. But it’s not entirely accessible to practitioners who are new to yogic concepts and language. In this category I’d included David Swenson’s practice manual (it has good modifications – I’ll write a post on this topic too one day!

John Scott’s book was my first purchase with his primary series DVD and it’s a great introductory guide, with lots of colour photography, it’s also well laid out and very useful. There’s a great section on advanced back bending (or assisted drop backs). His DVD is positively inspiring or depressing depending on your mood.

Finally I’ve included Tara Fraser’s book because while she’s not an Ashtangi she explores the Ashtanga practice in a very approachable clear way. Again the layout is good with lots of tips and variations for beginners.

If you’ve made it this far then you deserve a cup of tea before you hit Amazon and start expanding your library!

This post was sparked by something I’ve been mulling over for some time now: the addictive aspect of asana practice. Last week on the Twitter shala the topic generated some interest so I decided to get some of my thoughts down.

It’s worth making a note about context here. I practice traditional early morning Mysore style Ashtanga yoga and aim to practice 6 days a week with the exception of moon days. This post is an exploration of my own change processes and observing the changes in other practitioners in our group over a period of years.

While I don’t believe yogasana are addictitive, I do think that the traditional Ashtanga method can cause problems for certain personality types. The motivation/effort required to practice two hours of Yoga 6 days a week can and does highlight a certain disposition which could lead to a certain rigidity to the practice and life in general.

While Ashtanga yoga is often described as a physically intense form of asana practice. It seems to me that while the physical changes can be various and impressive these changes should and are accompanied by internal, mental, emotional and spiritual changes. Integrating these changes in one’s life can be challenging.

My own journey has led me to study and explore Patanjalim’s Yoga Sutras, Buddhism, Zen, Advaita, Ayurveda, Tantra and yogic philosophy in a desire to deepen and nourish my own Ashtanga practice. I’m not however an authority on any of these topics.

I’ve structured this post around certain questions that I have that seem to keep recurring:

Who is drawn to yoga practice and why?

Yoga is a process of change. Desikachar describes yoga as the process by which that which was impossible becomes possible. People are drawn to yoga because they want to change something. It could be for physical reasons: perhaps cosmetic changes like losing weight and staying in shape, or theraputic reasons: recovering from injuries or accidents, or performance reasons: to improve flexibility, develop strength and build stamina. Or it could be mental or psychological: to help unwind, relax, help to manage stress or mild depression.

Now wanting to change for the better is a good thing, but this can be problematic if this desire is rooted in low self esteem or a lack of self acceptance. For instance issues around body image, eating disorders or competitiveness could be aggravated by an intense yoga practice.

I was drawn to yoga initially for it’s relaxation benefits and the philosophical aspect. It’s interesting to note that there are parallels between Patanjalim’s 8 limbs of yoga and the Buddha’s noble 8 fold path. But I suspect that’s a topic for another blog post!

What is the purpose of asana practice?

The purification and strengthening of the body in order assist the practitioner to gain direct experience of unconditional reality or truth. I’m avoiding using the word enlightenment here as I don’t find it a very useful term. This may sound a bit complicated but what it essentially means is that the purpose of asana practice is not physical.

However the process of learning and practicing primary and intermediate series is experienced very strongly in the physical body. The primary series is called yoga chikitsa or yoga therapy and this cleansing purifying therapy is achieved largely by sweating it out on the mat. This purification process is never completed (for example we never become pure!) although with years of practice it does become more refined. The generation of heat and therefore sweating is essential for this cleansing process.

What is Ashtanga Yoga?

I’ve been fortunate enough to have had two opportunities to interview Manju Jois in Brighton over the last 2 years and I put the question to him: “How would you describe Ashtanga yoga to someone who has never done yoga before?” He described it very simply as: “The practice of Ashtanga yoga is a discipline”. I found this rather interesting as I was probably expecting something more of a description of the intense nature of the asana practice for which Ashtanga yoga is renowned.

Does Ashtanga yoga attract a certain type of personality?

I’d say that would be a definite yes! Sustaining an Ashtanga practice requires commitment, dedication, patience, kindness, perseverance, self discipline, emotional flexibility, acceptance and most importantly surrender. Now unfortunately none of us have all of these all the time and cultivating these qualities can be challenging. Because there’s a fine line between commitment and obsession and self-discipline and rigidity. Is it kindness to practice 6 days in a row when I feel run down and exhausted? The thing that comes to mind when I’m writing this is that there is no right or wrong answer and that we have to trust our intuition or our inner guru in any given situation. We each have to take personal responsibility and accept the consequences of our actions.

Personality type, diet and Ashtanga yoga

Anyone interested in diet? Ok ok, we can all put our hands down. Ayurveda is fascinating particularly for Ashtanga practitioners as you’re able to identify your constitution and then tailor your diet to support your practice and enhance emotional well being. It’s definitely out of the scope of this blog post but I’d recommend checking out the references at the end of this article if you’re interested. Prem Carlisi’s “The only way out is in” is a good primer on Ashtanga, Ayurveda and Tantra and how the three can support each other. AG Mohan’s Yoga Therapy offers in depth insight by one of Krishnamacharya’s own students. I mention diet because it’s absolutely essential to sustaining long term well being and plays a critical role in Ashtanga yoga. Remember to listen to your body, it knows what it needs! The rules for diet are very different for yogis and the average person and it’s really worth exploring this area. I’ll leave you with 3 words on this: coffee, ghee and milk! (I suspect there’ll be at least 1 blog post on this topic soon.)

Is asana practice addictive?

This came up in my interview with Manju too, he said that after a while the body craved asana practice. So after some time practicing the body gets used to feeling a certain way. The repetition of the practice has that affect on the body. For instance if the practitioner has a history of drug or alcohol abuse and part of their recovery involves the practice of yoga they are likely to have a tendency towards obsessive Yoga practice. Addiction is characterized by repetitive compulsive behaviour accompanied with obsessive thinking. Obsession and compulsion consumes the life of the addict. I’m not saying that asana practice is addictive but it’s our relationship with ourselves and how we approach life that can be highlighted here.

For this reason I believe that it’s healthy to take breaks from practice when the opportunity arises. It can be very interesting too! I was recently ill with a cold for a week and didn’t practice for 6 whole days. That’s the longest break I’ve had in over a year. I have to say I found it rather difficult! My body definitely went through a withdrawal from the practice. Most challenging however were my emotional states. I felt restless, frustrated and irritable. Understandably I was ill with a lethal dose of man flu. But it seems clear to me that my physical asana practice has a powerful stabilizing effect on my emotional state.

After all if there’s nothing to achieve or be gained then why not take a break? It’s not like there is a finish line. The structure and progressive nature of the Ashtanga practice does seem to present a rather compelling illusion that we’re working towards something, our next posture. When you can drop back from standing or put your legs behind your head then what? It won’t make your life any better. The first time I heard this I was struck by it’s truth. It also made me question why I was trying so hard.

This brings us rather neatly to tapas. Tapas is one of the 5 niyamas and literally means “to heat” and it is the fire generated by our spiritual practice. By practicing daily we generate great heat and energy. Learning to channel this energy without being controlling or becoming obsessive can be a real challenge.

Mathew Sweeney sums it up so eloquently: “This is one of the most troubling truths that yoga practitioners have to deal with. No amount of asana or pranayama or meditation practice will make you a better person or hasten your development. Nothing will. For there is nothing better than being what you are, right now.”

Conclusion

Finally, I hope you’ve enjoyed this reading this post. Did anything resonate with you? Is there anything that you don’t agree with? Let’s hear it. I’d love to hear about your own experiences on this topic. My motivation for writing is to provoke healthy discussion amongst Ashtanga practitioners. Namaste!

References

Here are some of the books that I consulted while writing my post:

Yoga Mala

Shri K Pattabhi Jois
ISBN-10: 0865476624

The heart of Yoga

TKV Deskichar 
ISBN-10: 089281764X

The only way out is in

Prem Carlisi 
ISBN-10: 0979869803

Yoga Therapy

A guide to the theraputic use of Yoga and Ayurveda for health and fitness
AG Mohan
ISBN-10: 1590301315

This was Dylan Bernstein’s comment after Shari’s led primary practice on Sunday morning. You see I have rather tight shoulders and I was having a bit of a whinge about it. I guess it was just one of those mornings.

The led practice was great until we got to Urdhva Dhanurasana and I could hardly get up into the posture and found it extremely hard work due to the lack of rotation in my shoulders. What errupted was a wave of impatience, frustration and anger.

Normally when I practice Mysore style in the morning I do 3 Setu Bandhasana’s (bridge) and then 3 Urdhva Dhanurasana’s with blocks and then 3 of the full posture without blocks holding for 5 breaths – by which time my shoulders and upper back have opened enough to get the stretch into my back.

But in the flow of the led practice I rather foolishly attempted to go straight into the full posture. At the post practice coffee there were some useful suggestions made about how I could work on various exercises to try and open my shoulders but I realised that I just need to love my shoulders and forget about trying to achieve anything. Excellent advise for myself but seems hard to follow right now

Dylan’s comment was a well-timed reminder for me.

After all Yoga is not about achieving proficiency in any one posture is it?

I found this on Hamish’s website:

Sharath Rangaswamy, Assistant Director of the Astanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, will be teaching in London this summer as part of his European Tour.

There will be 2 classes each day:

Led primary series and Led Intermediate Series
Dates: 23rd – 28th August, 2009
Venue: Camden Centre, Bidborough Street, Kings Cross WC1H 9AU
Cost: £170 for full week (6 days)
£32 drop in

Over the last 6 months everything has changed. I’ve injured my back, ended a relationship, moved office and finally moved home. So I’ve not done much posting on the website for a while.

2 weeks ago I committed to practicing 5 days a week. Fortunately there was a moon day on the first week ; )

I’ll be writing regularly (now that things are a bit more settled) about how I find the Mysore practice over the coming months.

Today I’m off to Chris Swain’s workshop on the spine which I’m looking forward to. I’ll be taking some pictures so check out the gallery later in the week – You might even see yourself!

It’s good to be back!