Back in January 07 I stumbled upon an Ashtanga Yoga studio about 30 minutes from my home. Intrigued I began practicing at this studio (small studio with one teacher) and soon was up to 3 classes a week. The teacher not only taught, but inspired me and allowed me to learn more about the 8 limbs of Ashtanga Yoga. About 2 months ago things started to change at this studio in that the teacher began canceling classes at last minute notice and then started to reduce the amount of classes available to her students. Whatever her reasons, I found it very difficult to continue on here as it was very disruptive to me to travel to a class only to find out once I arrived that it was canceled.
I have managed to find another studio (not Ashtanga based) closer to home, but find that I am no longer inspired to practice with such enthusiasm or excitement. Although the teachers here (and there are many) are good at what they do, I find that they do not compare to the teachings of my old studio. They simply feel like a stretching class, with no flow to them.
My question perhaps to anyone out there with more experience than I is : Do I try to practice at home, and try to find something within myself that inspires my practice or do I continue to go to a studio, where teachers can guide me and hope for a glimse now and then of the spiritual teachings I have so become accustomed to?
Hi,
It is always sad when things like that happen. When my own teacher due to her old age moved to another city to be closer to her children, I felt lost, but soon realised the blessing in the situation. Sometimes Spirit forces us to stand on our own legs and not to become too attached and too dependent on one teacher and her teachings no matter how inspiring.
One of the great lessons of yoga for me personally is that in due time and as you immerse yourself deeper into the teachings it becomes a liberation, liberation from attachments, from desires and from suffering. My advise find inspiration within, inside you is the same Divine spark which was inside your teacher, learn to connect deeper within to your own Truth and be the inspiration to others now. Pass the inspiration and the awe you felt with your teacher on to others now.
About your practice, why not do something at home, it sounds to me that you have been long enough with her to be sensible about your practice at home and perhaps start to read up and add things to your own practice, you might be surprised at what would happen. Although I now teach yoga, I still go to a yoga class once a week, it is not the same as that of my old teacher, it is still a wonderful experience everytime, because I will it to be a wonderful experience and I learn something new everytime with this new teacher as well.
There is this forum with wonderful information and connection to wonderful people with loads of insight on it, use it to inspire yourself.
Good luck. 
Not much for me to say because pandara said it well. Look at it as an opportunity to grow and experience for yourself. For me, My most profound experiences have all happened on my own at home, but had I not gone to instructors I may not have gained the insight to be able to facilitate those experiences Take what you learned and apply it. try to make a routine that incorporates as many of the limbs as possible and enjoy the search.
Believe in yourself
seeker
Pandra and Tubeseeker,
My deepest thanks for your insight. I will take your encouragement and use it towards a home practice as suggested. My confidence levels have always held me back from a home practice, but I will now take what has happened as a sign that I was meant to explore my practice on my own for now.
I will continue to read this forum for there is great wisdom here! (Pandra, have you every considered turning your wisdom into a book?)
With Thanks,
I’ve written something on this topic here.
Yes it would be more than disruptive. It sounds disrespectful and slightly out of alignment with integrity, though we do not know what was going on with the teacher’s life. There may have been an ill family member so we must not leap to conclusion.
You use the words “flow” and “spiritual teachings” in nearly a synonymous way. There was no flow at this new place. If that is a reference to pace then it must be pointed out that pace has no correlation to the availability of yoga. I personally find faster classes to be inherently less mindful but it may not be the case each and every time.
And the old place had spiritual teaching and yet with that it was somehow okay to cancel classes without letting students know and I presume this was occurring frequently.
There are of course preferences for students, which is why not all yoga and not all teachers are for every student. But we really must watch how attached we get and for what reasons and how we react to that attachment. If we do NOT watch, we are simply slipping into our behavioral patterns of the outer world (non yogic realm) and feeding our reactive nature.
There are also good teachers and not so good teachers. Once again we must evaluate with the heart center (not the mental or vital) whether it is our own taste, our own block, our own obstacle, or if there is no yoga present or unsafe yoga being practiced.
Obviously if the teachings are not ethical, if the teacher is advising a non-alcohol diet then going for cosmopolitans after class, then it might be time to look elsewhere for the light of yoga.
InnerAthlete,
Thanks you for your thoughts.
I do not presume to know what was going on in the life of my teacher. I only know that I had to make a conscious decision to move on to something new as yes her behaviour was disrespectful, but more importantly I found that it was distracting me from the greater purpose of my practice. I have nothing but gratitude for what I have learned from her classes.
As far as the new studio is concerned, perhaps I have become too attached to the Ashtanga series, in that it is familiar to me. With this familiarity I no longer have to think of my body but can concentrate on my breath and being present in every pose. This is comforting to me. This new location practises Anasura style yoga, but every teacher has the liberty to translate it in whatever way they choose (of course the basic principles of anasura must be present). Perhaps I need to keep an open mind and give this style of teaching and opportunity? I also see this as a chance to practice on my own.
Could you find out who this teachers teacher was? I wouldn’t necessarily assume that it was the teacher you were attached to, it might have been the “teachings” that resonated. Anusara is a far cry from ashtanga.
I’m no longer a fan of recommending that people do a personal practice at home based on their own whim. The best personal practices come from working with a teacher in a one to one relationship. This would also allow you to explore beyond asana.
Open mind - this is a tough one? If I understand the anusara website correctly - it is taught as non-dualistic. I assume ashtanga being an off-shoot of the Krishnamacharya lineage would be taught as the dualistic model. I think these are strong differences. Whether or not they are apparent in a class focused on asana I couldn’t say.
Vic
vic,
I think the issue at hand is that I have not been able to find a studio that practices Ashtanga during the times I am available to practice. This is why I have come to the conclusion I will try my best to practice at home. I will still be going to a studio twice a week as the postures are the same as Ashtanga, it is simply the order in which they are presented are different.
My previous teacher had a gift that is not present with the teachers of my new studio. But when asking who her teacher was, I believe she had several including: Richard Freeman, Pattabhi Jois, Chuck and Maty, David Swenson, Mira Metha, Sharon Gannon and David Life, and many, many others.
I am inclined to move on from this subject right now as discussing the differences only makes me feel sad that I can no longer be her student!