It’s a moving story about Ashtanga Yoga and the origins of the Stillpoint space – founded by Scott and Ozge in 2008. The video had over a thousand views on Youtube within 24 hours of being posted. Here it is for your viewing pleasure:

I count through my practice in Sanskrit every day and can recite the Sanskrit names of all the asanas in primary and some of second series. I know the opening and closing prayers off by heart and have even chanted the yoga sutras a couple of times. But I’m ashamed to say I haven’t really studied much in the way of philosophy.

The other day in the shala, I heard my teacher talking to a beginner about the eight limbs of Ashtanga and the five yamas and I suddenly realised I don’t know what they are! What a bad Ashtangi I am! I raced home that evening after work, grabbed my copy of Yoga Mala (the seminal teachings of our guru Sri K Pattabhi Jois) and feverishly read and re-repeated the eight limbs, the yamas and the niyamas, vowing I’d never forget them again.

And then a strange thing happened. I began to read the yamas in a way I’d never done before. And I began to understand them. I think up until now yoga philosophy for me has mostly been this intangible, distant subject from some forgotten age which I never thought I could relate to. But, as it turns out, the five yamas – a set of principles by which yogis should live their lives – is actually very relevant to all of us, right now. Not only that, I believe they can be applied to many different situations and aspects of life. And I could instantly see how similar they are to my own set of principles for healthy eating:

Ahimsa

The first yama is to do with non-violence. Or more specifically not causing harm to anyone, including animals, in any form, at any time, for any reason – in word, thought or deed.

In relation to diet, I guess the most obvious link here is vegetarianism. But it also has to do with not harming oneself, i.e. not overeating, not starving yourself, not consuming processed or nutritionally devoid foods and not eating foods that don’t agree with you.

Satya

Satya means truth, so we should always tell the truth in thought, word and deed. However, the truth must be pleasant to others so an unpleasant truth should not be told.

I connect this yama with really listening to your body and being truthful with yourself about what your body needs. Are you being honest with yourself about your relationship with food? When do you turn to food for comfort and why?

Asteya

This yama says we should not steal and extends to not being envious of others, not cheating others with sweet words and avoiding gaining selfish ends under the guise of truthfulness.

It came at a time when I was making changes – I was planning to take time out from working as a lawyer and to move back home from Sydney

I immediately knew that I loved the practice and I worked diligently with my teacher. It gave me a focus, grounding and a structure at a time when a lot was happening. My progress was fast and within a few months I had applied for and has been accepted for my teacher training during my sabbatical from work.

I loved my teacher training. It was physically the hardest thing I had ever done. I felt a great sense of achievement. I felt a deep sense of connection with myself and the world around me. I felt very free.

I had no aspirations to teach, just to continue to learn. Through a coincidental series of events, I returned to Sydney after some travels and started teaching at a dedicated ashtanga studio. Again, I loved it. I was challenged in a very different way to the law and I had to learn quickly to find my feet.

I decided not to return to the law, at least not for a while. I moved back to the UK and to Lewes. I continued to teach a few classes. My classes evolved into non traditional ashtanga classes with music and candles, as it just felt right for the students and for me.

My own practice continued to be ashtanga. But my enthusiasm for the practice was not there. Somewhere along the line I had started to question what I had taken as read.

I had started to see and hear things in the ashtanga world that didn’t feel right. For me, yoga in its true sense was free from agendas and all the things that were in my world before. It was free from human shortcomings.

And it made me think. I felt let down and disillusioned. For what was the point of all the hard work and dedication if it was not for something different. For a different way of doing things. Not for the same all over again dressed up in the name of yoga.

My practice started to slip away. I prioritised teaching over my own practice since I had made up my mind that I couldn’t do everything. And why would I work so very hard for something that was not all it was cracked up to be.

At the end of last year I had pretty much decided that I was done with ashtanga. It had been an interesting journey. But it was no longer making me feel good. In fact all I ever seemed to feel was guilty for not having a daily practice and often inadequate for not being able to do it. It was time, I felt, for a change as it was clearly something for others but not for me.

But there was still a glimmer of something I couldn’t shake. I decided to give it one more go, just to satisfy myself. A new space in Brighton had caught my eye.

I made a New Years resolution to practice there for a month. Just a month, to see what happened.
So I turned up early one day. And then the next day and the one after…and I just got my mat out and practiced how I knew how to. And I saw someone quite different on the mat. Someone who was enjoying the practice for whatever it was.

I found much support and guidance from the teacher. I felt very grateful for not having to do it on my own any more. Thank you Jess!

And I came to realise that maybe it had always been that simple. Just showing up, rolling out my mat and seeing what happened. And the rest really did not matter. And so I continue to turn up, roll out my mat and to see what happens…

Sumiya x

It felt important to start my practice in London rather than Brighton where I live. I’m not quite sure why, anonymity perhaps. I set myself up for failure; not remembering the postures and not being able to commit to the practice.

During my first practice I was blown over by the energy in the room, it was perfect – so peaceful. It felt like it was just me and mat. I didn’t care what posture I got up to or whether I remembered the sequence. Practice became a habit after day one, and leaping out of bed at 5 am was a surprize pleasure.

It was exciting to be getting a super early train from Brighton into London to experience the pure joy of being a student, and entering the room with an attitude of surrender; I don’t know everything, I am not perfect, I am a work in progress. This was no hippie naval gazing and after a fair amount of spiritual shopping, I’d found something where the rewards were so tangible. No mud, intellectualising, nudity or tea were involved. Just practice, me and my breath.

My practice was deep, it was meditation right from the start, but with accompanying bruises, aches and pains. Springing out of bed while its still dark with ease all added to feeling like I was part of some secret yoga cult. It was exciting, but as the days, weeks, months passed there was a fair amount of mental struggle, each posture bringing its own particular angst.

Some days I just didn’t want to have a man standing on my thighs for Baddha Konasana. And then there was Garba Pindasana- it hurt and I felt ridiculous in the posture. I had to practice letting go and those thoughts and hang ups would dissipate, or sometimes manifest into something else but one thing is for sure nothing ever stayed the same.

I’d arrive at work after practice inspired and excited. I have to share the intimate details of my practice with my colleagues whether they are interested or not.

After an intense few months of balancing practice, professional life (and a man on my thighs) I’d found a beautiful harmony between the two; the ‘leaving my ego at the door’ would spill info my professional life and bare fruit.

A week after finishing my documentary in London and six months after starting the practice to the day, I’m in India and about to begin a month of practice with Sharath, grandson of the late Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore the home of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. I’d actually registered at the Shala just a couple of weeks after starting, which I’m slightly embarrassed about but I was so inspired by the practice.

I wait for that ‘one more’ before I enter the Shala with an attitude of surrender to practice under the gaze of Sharath. I soak up that powerful healing energy. My body is strong and my practice is enjoyable. I get dripped on by my neighbouring Ashtangi, he mops up his pool of sweat from my mat, I’m touched by his thoughtfulness. After practice I drink coconut water, I eat masala dosa. I indulge in the non-stop yoga talk. I am now in the Mysore groove.

A couple of weeks later, my body feels heavy, my practice is clunky, my mind is monkey. I’m bruised, achy and a million miles away from peace. I’m dreaming of back home, plotting and planning my first week back. Sitting with the now is hard. I’m craving and grasping something else. This adventure has now taken me to challenging places and I want to run away. I’m now a full time yogi and internally there is a whole load of work going on. There is a mirror in front of me, and nowhere to hide. As the layers peel back, my wounds lay bare.

I realise back home it’s too easy to hide. There’s very little to distract yourself with in Mysore, life is yoga, yoga, yoga. I have no job; I start to feel identity-less, l’m just another yogi floating in the sea of consciousness. I fill my time with my Ayurvedic massage course, practice, hanging out with yogis and sitting with the now. I give some attention to my wounds and feel gratitude; I recognise this is the ‘gold’ and I begin untying those knots of fear and frustration.

Seven months later, I’m still down the Ashtanga rabbit hole. My last week in Mysore, I do back bending with Sharath – grabbing my ankles for the first time, there is a moment of excitement, my ego feels nourished briefly. Then, the reality kicks in – I’m right at the beginning of this potent path of Ashtanga yoga.

As Sharath said in one of the conferences ‘Are you practicing yoga or are you just bending your body?’ In the west he referred to ‘yoga factories’ and went on to say you won’t get enlightened there, if you want to break through barriers, you need real sadhana practice and you must practice with purity. If you practice for the right reason, then transformation is possible.

I’d leave the conference each week moved, inspired and reassured; I can see the treasure down the bottom of this rabbit hole. Practice in the Shala is an act of devotion – it’s a temple, not a school. I didn’t come to Mysore to learn yoga, I came because I want to practice yoga; I want liberation, and I want sangha.

I will miss you Mysore: that ‘one more’, motorcycle ménage a trios, constant yogi chat about asanas and injuries, coconuts, chanting the primary series in Sanskrit, Sri Durga’s coconut chutney, Sharath’s led primary bad jokes; which never fail to make me smile and the friends I made – all present and on the same trail.

I still think maybe tomorrow I’ll wake up and my Ashtanga party will be over. It was all a big fat yogi om shanti dream but as they say ‘one breath at a time..’

I stumbled across this blog post written by Carlos Fernandez de Castor in March 2012 about practicing in Mysore. It’s poetic, whimsical and deeply devotional – I don’t have much to add except that dedicated practice is not just exercise! I’m reminded of the Buddhist saying, Before enlightenment: chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment: chop wood and carry water.

Have faith and keep up your practice. There is much wood to chop and a lot of water to carry! Happy reading

Carlos has also taken some lovely travel photos.

Here’s what we did at Joey’s last workshop in September 2012.

You can also read a review from his previous workshop in Brighton here.

You can book early bird tickets now.

2012: the highlights

Here are some of the highlights from the Ashtanga Blog in 2012:

• Dylan Bernstein Brighton workshop review
• Joey Miles Brighton weekend workshop – Saturday workshop review, Sunday workshop review.
• Coming up to standing
• Teaching at Exmoor Yogafest
• Jess and Laura get authorised

2013: the year ahead

• We’re going to Mysore in March – Yay!
• Joey is returning to Brighton for a weekend workshop in April (keep an eye on the blog)

Get inspired to practice

If you’d like some encouragement to make that commitment to daily practice then check out my blog post: an invitation to daily practice.

Wishing you a great new year on and off the mat!

Last year in August while practicing with Sharath for a week in London I discovered the most delicious coconut water branded as Vita Coco. As is well documented around the web in various blog posts there is a tradition for Ashtangis to take coconut water after practice in Mysore at the now world famous coconut stand (if you do a Google image search for coconut stand mysore you’ll see pics of your friends hugging each other while sucking on a straw sticking out of a coconut).

No coffee, no prana!

So I have to say I was rather pleased to find coconut water available in London and despite the extortionate price of over £4/litre, I’ve become a very good customer! One of Guruji’s catch phrases was “No coffee, no prana!”. Now, anyone that knows me, knows that one of my great loves in life is coffee (rare for an Ashtangi I know!). I find the best beans I can and hand grind them every morning and have an espresso before practice. If you’re still reading this I’d like to thank you for your persistance – I do actually have an exciting point to make but I’m just having trouble making it! So, on with the story.

coffee and coconut water? No way!

A few weeks ago Leia came home with a gift, it was a small brown carton with an anchor and palm leaves on it. It’s Coco Cafe! “What?!!” I hear you exclaim. “Yes!” I shout. It’s espresso, coconut water and milk! Who would have thought of combining these elements! The maddest thing of all is that it actually tastes really good too!

Madonna says yes!

I did a bit of research about Coco Cafe and discovered that it’s made by New York based All Market Inc. who are the very same producers of Coco Vita. I also discovered that fellow Ashtangi Madonna invested in the company and has also been a brand advocate. How amazing is all of that?!

How much?!

While I love the product (as you may have noticed) I’m not keen to pay full retail price so it’s possible to order a case of 12 from Amazon.co.uk – mine is in the post as you’ll see from the Ashtanga Brighton twitter feed. This is probably the best free marketing of their product this year! Er, besides Madonna of course!

Wishing you all happy holidays!

Footnotes:

1. Apologies for all the exclamations in the headings of this blog post – it’s down to caffeine fueled coconut love.
2. Unfortunately Coco Vita are not paying me to endorse their product. If they would like to send me a case of Coco Cafe I wouldn’t turn them down!

This article was originally posted on the Brighton Ashtanga Shala blog …

New to ashtanga yoga? Never heard of “mysore style” classes? The best way to find out is to come along and watch a class, but we have written a bit here about what you can expect …

Mysore style classes are very different from the majority of yoga classes. We don’t lead the class as a group with continuous talking; instead students gradually learn a set sequence of postures and breaths and do their practice at their own pace. We help students by giving them physical adjustments or verbal instructions when it is necessary. In Mysore classes students spend their practice listening to the sound of their own breath, focusing their eyes to specific points, and paying attention to being in the posture.

Classes run six days a week, Sunday to Friday with Saturdays as rest. We recommend daily practice as over time it becomes easier to practice everyday than only once or twice a week. You can never be late for a class as students turn up at any time within the opening hours of the shala, so it can be pretty convenient to fit into your life and become part of your daily routine. Beginners, intermediate and advanced students practice side-by-side, which creates a hot, sweaty and powerful atmosphere in the room!

Learning Mysore style is ideal as ashtanga is a strong practice that requires discipline and care. By learning the correct sequence of postures and breaths in a gradual way, we are not biting off more than we can chew, finding it too difficult physically or mentally, risking injury, or even giving up all together.

Learning in this way helps students to really understand a posture before moving on to the next and helps us discover our own physical and mental strengths and weakness. It gives students the opportunity to experiment with the postures that are difficult to get grips with in a led class when you are practicing at a group pace. This method can give students confidence in a daily practice, which becomes steady and more consistent over time.

Mysore style classes shouldn’t be confused with “self-practice”, even though students are practicing at their own pace and to their own ability. The sequence of postures and breathing, for most students, should be followed in a very specific way. The sequence is taught to you individually and postures are added slowly to allow you to develop greater flexibility, strength, and concentration, while sweating helps detoxify your body. Each posture builds on the ones that follow and if each posture is steady before moving on, the sequence unfolds in a way that is right for your own body and mind, making the whole process easier in the long run even though it might not feel like it at the time!

“Mysore style” refers to the traditional way ashtanga yoga was taught in Mysore, in India, by the late Sri K Pattabhi Jois and is continued by his grandson Sharath and daughter Saraswati at the KPJAYI, and many other teachers around the world. At the Brighton Ashtanga Shala we teach morning Mysore style classes from 6am – 9am Sunday to Friday at Yoga Haven.