Why do people especially ashtangis like to practice first thing in the morning? I am so weak and muscles so tight at that time.
What is the science behind this? Will first thing in morning practice really benefit me in the long run? Or should I stay with my regular early evening practice where it is convenient?
The second question you pose only you can discover the answer to. No one could possible tell you what YOU should do or what will benefit YOU in the long run.
A morning practice wakes the body from its break, its slumber, its fall into the past and brings it forward into the moment. A morning practice is “different” than an evening practice. And you cite one of the more obvious reasons. In the morning the body is sluggish and the mind alert. In the evening the the body has been warmed from the day and the mind is sluggish. The practice(s) suit the context.
Frankly it doesn’t matter what others do. Find what suits you. When you find what is resonating with you then the need for extrinsic validation will no longer have a fruitful environment in which to grow.
Wow thanks again for taking the time to answer IA. I never thought of the mind being alert in the morning and sluggish later on in the day. I will try and work on noticing that.
So IA what are your thoughts on people who practice early morning with empty stomach?
Frankly, I don’t give such things much thought.
What do YOU think of it?