Going deeper

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

I went to a workshop with Noah Maze this past weekend. We worked on hip openers and forward folds for 2 1/2 hours. The final pose was placing your ankle behind your head in a supine position. I was able to do the final pose, though I have tried it before to no avail in other classes and on my own.

My question for those that have been practicing for over 10 years. Have you found that duration of practice is as important as consistency of practice? So for example, I practice quite often, but usually for 90 minutes or less. Would I find that I can go deeper by practicing longer, say 2 hours or longer? What has been your experience?

#2

I have found that duration and consistency frequently pale in comparison to the nature of the work and the intention brought to it.

However I would not forsake consistency and duration (in that order).

#3

Can I ask why is placing you ankle behind your head so important? Does it really matter in the scheme of things? Or maybe ‘going deeper’ for me has a very different meaning.

#4

Can I ask why anything we do is so important? Does anything really matter in the scheme of things?

#5

[QUOTE=fernmanus;66878]I went to a workshop with Noah Maze this past weekend. We worked on hip openers and forward folds for 2 1/2 hours. The final pose was placing your ankle behind your head in a supine position. I was able to do the final pose, though I have tried it before to no avail in other classes and on my own.

My question for those that have been practicing for over 10 years. Have you found that duration of practice is as important as consistency of practice? So for example, I practice quite often, but usually for 90 minutes or less. Would I find that I can go deeper by practicing longer, say 2 hours or longer? What has been your experience?[/QUOTE]

In my experience.
Longer duration allows you to go deeper, physically, yes.
More frequent practice provides better muscle conditioning. (and less soreness).

There was a 12 hour Anusara practice that many of my colleagues were raving about a few months back. The entire 12 hours were utilized to work up to the fullest expression of king pigeon pose. Even the newer students in the class were able to touch the back of their head with their foot by the end of the day.

What does this really contribute to? Depends on the context of your practice.
For some who aspire to teach, it is important to develop a integral series. Would you take classes from a teacher that could only teach you Warrior 1 and 2?

#6

[QUOTE=JSK;66951]Can I ask why anything we do is so important? Does anything really matter in the scheme of things?[/QUOTE]

Yes, there are many things (in my opinion) that do matter a lot in the scheme of things…

#7

“Remember that the longer you practice meditation with intensity, the nearer you will be to joyous contact with the silent God. Intensity consists in making every today’s meditation deeper than yesterday’s and every tomorrow’s meditation deeper than today’s.” Paramahansa Yogananda, SRF Lessons

Classical Astanga-Yoga in Munich
Hatha-Yoga courses

#8

Putting my ankle behind my head is not important. I was just making the point that after working for several hours, I was able to go deeper than before.

I guess I should rephrase my question. Do you notice longer lasting openess by going deeper. Or do the muscles tend to retract back in short order?

I typically practice for 60 - 90 minutes, 5-6 times per week. My flexibility has increased over time, but it has been a very gradual process. If I practiced 2 - 3 hours at a time, would I see more dramatic results?

I am not anxious or troubled by my current level of inflexibility. However, if I could move more rapidly on the continum towards flexibility by increasing the duration of my sessions, I would do so.

#9

[QUOTE=omamana;66943]Can I ask why is placing you ankle behind your head so important? Does it really matter in the scheme of things? Or maybe ‘going deeper’ for me has a very different meaning.[/QUOTE]

I don’t believe it is. What is important is the process you take to get there, what you learn about yourself on the way there. That’s the real goal.

if you don’t push yourself or practice regularly you’ll never get there, if you try too hard you could injure yourself. It’s about finding that line to balance on and self discovery.

Even if you get your foot to your head the pose isn’t finished or perfected. It’s not like you don’t ever have to do it again and can cross it off the list.

#10

[QUOTE=Chitta Control;66964]I don’t believe it is. What is important is the process you take to get there, what you learn about yourself on the way there. That’s the real goal.

if you don’t push yourself or practice regularly you’ll never get there, if you try too hard you could injure yourself. It’s about finding that line to balance on and self discovery.

Even if you get your foot to your head the pose isn’t finished or perfected. It’s not like you don’t ever have to do it again and can cross it off the list.[/QUOTE]

Yes, I agree which is what I was referring to when I said ‘going deeper for me has a different meaning’…i.e. the process not my foot behind my head.