Ashtanga class

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

So, I did my first ashtanga class yesturday.

The teacher had lots of experience and many years of training. She started with a talk about yoga and how its become a bit commersialised in the west. Her points were:

  1. On a positive note yoga has spread, has become more popular bringing world piece and comfort to many peoples lifes.
  2. On the not so positive note, yoga has been dramaticly watered down. Basically stating any tom, Dick or harry can be a yoga teacher.

She went on to talk about the discipline involved, the need to practice evryday and study the scriptures ect. The mat is for asana but yoga is a life time practice, perhaps many life times.

So the class was different to any class I have been to, no music and you do not copy the teachers asana, you memorise the practise, then go at your own pace. Evryone in the class is at different stages, the teacher adds an asana when she feels the individual is ready.
very different from my sivananda class.

Imho, its great to try different styles of asasna class. :-b

#2

She went on to talk about the discipline involved, the need to practice evryday and study the scriptures ect. The mat is for asana but yoga is a life time practice, perhaps many life times.

Yes, the mat is for asana practice, but “yoga” can be practiced on the mat with intention to do so. Our aim is to live our yoga whether on the mat or elsewhere.

On the not so positive note, yoga has been dramaticly watered down. Basically stating any tom, Dick or harry can be a yoga teacher.

Not necessary to bring this up in class and in fact inappropriate. There is nothing wrong with beginning a practice with a short talk on a specific topic. This is often times how I begin class. But as framed above, it serves no purpose in furthering the students practice. As a teacher, furthering their practice (teaching/guiding) should be our intention.

But it is great and educational to try different styles as you have stated.

#3

I have to admit, I felt the same as you have stated above about the nessesity to point out about the fact anyone can teach, i just let my feelings pass during the class and thought maybe it was my ego that didn’t like her words on that small part of her talk.
I have come across a few yoga teachers who talk badly about 1 month yoga teacher training courses. (The teacher mentioned this to)

I geuss if they have spent many years in training, now students get qualified in a month and some of them don’t understand how a person can learn so much in a short space of time.

I believe some of the course’s are a great introduction to this way of living and if the individual feels confident to teach, there certified so why not. They will continue to learn whilst teaching, like evry other student and teacher.
Does this really mean there yoga teachings are watered down?

I am aware my other teacher has had only a months training, she is someone who has inspired me very much. her yoga asana class, I find amazingly authenic.

Thanks for your reply

#4

Not necessary to bring this up in class and in fact inappropriate. There is nothing wrong with beginning a practice with a short talk on a specific topic. This is often times how I begin class. But as framed above, it serves no purpose in furthering the students practice. As a teacher, furthering their practice (teaching/guiding) should be our intention.
We, as teachers, often are challenged with the concept of economy of language in teaching. After all, instruction does come from verbal communication - though not exclusively. And this challenge is exacerbated when we, as teachers, are too invested in being popular, liked, or magnetizing students by way of “ego on parade”.

However, I don’t find this particular tidbit to be “inappropriate”. But I certainly respect your right to find it so. It may be superfluous or unnecessary. However the student should absolutely be empowered toward the cultivation of discernment. And while I’d likely not say that particular thing, I don’t see anything as extreme as “inappropriate” in a mention that yoga teachers can be so knighted in as little as 20 hours. That, to me, seems important for students to understand as they are sampling, evaluating, and selecting the practice that is “just right” for them.

If I were 20-hour trained I might vehemently disagree with myself. But I’m not so I don’t:-)

#5

Lol, 20 hours? I think the one months course is 200 hours. :o

You start 5.20am and finish 10.30pm -6 days a week. 4 weeks.
I dont know if I’d feel safe being tought by someone who got qualified over the weekend:p

#6

Also, just to mention my whole body is aching incredibly after this class. I feel like ive had a weights work out in the gym!
Will defo be going back for more!
Is ashtanga the toughest style on the body?

#7

I personally think ashtanga yoga is the most physically demanding. There’s also a huge risk for injury. One primary series alone has about 70 chaturanga dandasanas, done quickly, without the luxury of time to help students with their alignment. Not to mention that the shoulders get tired after a while; therefore, form tends to get sloppy. I also find that ashtanga yoga moves in and out of deep hip openers quickly without having much time to move slowly into the pose to let the joints adjust. I don’t dislike ashtanga, and I do practice it from time to time, but I do it sparingly for these reasons.