How do I know if I am ready for immediate level in yoga?
Intermediate?
Seems everyone has a different definition of beginning, intermediate, and advanced students. I can only give you mine.
When you, as a beginning student are able to move teh breath without prompting from the teacher, when you begin to develop alignment in the basic poses and are understanding the actions in those and developing alignment in poses beyond those, when you are able to focus your attention AND follow directions, then you may consider moving up to an intermediate class.
Honestly though, there’s no reason to go to intermediate classes for quite some time in the beginning of your practice. A year is a good foundation in level one classes. Some do more.
well I have to tell you I am doing home yoga with programs like nasmaste yoga, rodney yee, paticia w. wai lana dvd, just what I have. So are you saying that when I do one of these sets that if I know exactly how to do each pose just by listening and maybe have memoried then I am ready for immediate level? oh does a yoga block work for sitting upon while mediating? I think you are correct about staying in starter level based on any subject in hthe world takes alot of years to master whatever subject you are in. Hey I thank you for taking the time and understand of my writing and gaving me help.
Uh no my dear. That is not what I am saying.
You could not possibly know if you are a) doing the pose with proper alignment or b) listening. Those two things require a dyadic communication, feedback, a give and take between student and teacher. That you do not get from a DVD.
I think the next step for a student that has begun a home practice in the way you have is to go to a basics class. Intro, Open, or Level I would be appropriate. Then you will have a barometer, a measure of where your practice is.
Otherwise it’s just guessing and conjecture.
Those DVD’s, which I must tell you I’m not a huge fan of but do understand their role in the process, are not always well done, even when the intructor is famous AND the student “feels good” after the session.
Now to the meditation question. Why are you wanting to sit on a yoga block to meditate?
[QUOTE=Makena;3790]…are you saying that when I do one of these sets (DVDS) that if I know exactly how to do each pose just by listening and maybe have memorized then I am ready for intermediate level? [/QUOTE]
so I sould enroll myself in a intro yoga class at a studio and then I know exactly where I am by the feedback I ask my teacher. for the yoga block I was thinkig it might be a way to save money. Would it be proper to just use a couch pillow or your bed pillow instead of paying like 50 bucks for a boster? is there a better dvd I could use that would be brought a barnes and nobles or boarders, walen bookstores or online/
My opinion only of course…sure taking a coupld of yoga classes would be great for you and your practice. The teacher, if qualified, may need to see your practice over time. Consider that. I would not expect an analysis in the first few classes:-)
I believe the only way to save money is to spend less than you earn <wink>.
You do not need a bolster in order to meditate. Yikes. Sit in a comfortable position in a chair, on the floor, or with your back against a wall. I would not advise sitting in something cushy as it tend to evoke sloth and torpor in the body and disrupts the meditation with the obstacle called “sleepy”.
I think you are correct on not sitting on block or pillow because I sense the pillow under me and It is very distactful. Okay, I guess I have spare yoga blocks. So any pose like easy, half lotus, ful lotus are all correct for meditating in the first part of your yoga set? Thank you for you time in answering all my threads.