Hi There
I am relatively new on the yoga path. I attend classes at our gym and try and go regularly to certain classes. I have read the posts on finding a guru.
My question is basic: I feel presently that my development is rather random. Do I need to map a path? Is there a curiculum or program of study I should follow?
Many thanks
Namaste
Stay away from the gyms they won’t provide you with what you are seeking and try to find one of the many excellent teachers in Cape Town who can lead you on your spiritual path. You don’t need a guru right now, just a good teacher.
If you are near Rondebosch East I can recommend the Ananda Kutir Ashrama where they present Sivananda Integral Yoga. If you can indicate more precisely where you are situated in Cape Town I can make other recommendations.
I agree with Pandara, the first thing is to ease yorurself into a regular sustained practice (which evolves probably). I have been practicing a number of years now, and although I would benefit from a guru, I feel I have much work I can do without one. Having said that, learning to teach yoga in an ashram environment (residentual weekends etc) is greatly helping to improve my personal practice and understanding. And teaching is a whole new ball game. I have a full time yoga, so im busy, but my yoga understanding is always increasing. Good luck on your journey.
[QUOTE=yoga rocks;29561]…I feel presently that my development is rather random. Do I need to map a path? Is there a curiculum or program of study I should follow?..[/QUOTE]
Rocks,
This would depend on what sort of development you are referring to and, at this point, what intention you have for the practice to serve in your life. And I cannot determine either from your text.
I suppose there are some students who come to Yoga and are immediately seeking a spiritual path. However I believe far more students come to the practice for a more superficial reason (and by that I mean “on the surface” not “less significant”). My hope for beginners is that they develop an alignment-based practice so they can champion their own safety in asana over their lifetime (read: not get hurt, either in the moment or over time), are given the appropriate experience relative to their level of experience and readiness, and instructed with compassion and integrity.
Guru? There are many false gurus and one should be careful on a guru-seeking mission. For beginners it’s not critical AND they likely do not have much within them to discern a good-ru from a bad-ru.
Dear Pandara
Many thanks for your advice and recommendation. I live in Wynberg, close to Victoria Hospital.
Namaste
Dear YogaBija
Thanks so much for the advice and sharing your experience.
Namaste
Dear InnerAthlete
Many thanks for your response to my question. I am looking to yoga as a means to help consolidate my spiritual development. I realise that for this to happen to need to have a holistic body-mind-spirit development. And compassion and integrity are universal truths that I want to guide my life by.
Namaste
That being the case, Rocks, then Pandara’s feedback is right on. I’d not place my practice in a gym or fitness center when my expectation was consolidating my spiritual practice. While the teacher may be very sound, the surrounding environment, both pragmatically and energetically, may not effectively support such an intention.
gordon
Thanks Gordon.
Super weekend.
Namaste
[quote=yoga rocks;29583]Dear Pandara
Many thanks for your advice and recommendation. I live in Wynberg, close to Victoria Hospital.
Namaste[/quote]
Sorry, can’t really recommend someone from that area, but check out www.yogaweb.co.za they are an online resource website for Cape Town yoga specifically, perhaps you might find something there. You may also want to visit the Yoga Teacher’s Fellowship website at www.ytf.co.za they also offer list of approved and registered teachers in South Africa.
It’s always better to get reference from Yoga students for better teacher instead of directly contacting Yoga Studio or Yoga Guru.
You should work with a yoga teacher for sometime before defining schedule. As it will help you to get a sense of all the postures, so that you do not do any of them incorrectly and injure yourself.
[QUOTE=Pandara;29566]Stay away from the gyms they won’t provide you with what you are seeking [/QUOTE]
I do not like gym approach as well…most of gyms do just yoga gymnastics (which is good too),
but I the gym, I randomly go to, we have great teacher coming on Saturday mornings. She teaches in different places.
So I wont be so against yoga in the gym… but sure, one need to try many many different places and see what is suitable right now, today, and maybe it will became outdated tomorrow… well tomorrow you will find out if you need to progress on your journey in to yoga or you need to stay on the same place to discover more…
CM,
In principle I am not against gyms, I do belief they provide a valuable gap filler, which small private teachers like myself cannot do or are not interested to do.
However, in South Africa it is a contractual no-no for the teachers at gyms not to touch on the deep philosophical side of yoga and to focus on the physical side of it. I just had a feeling that Yoga Rocks was searching for more than the average gym like yoga and responded to that feeling I had within.
[QUOTE=yoga rocks;29561]Hi There
I am relatively new on the yoga path. I attend classes at our gym and try and go regularly to certain classes. I have read the posts on finding a guru.
My question is basic: I feel presently that my development is rather random. Do I need to map a path? Is there a curiculum or program of study I should follow?
Many thanks
Namaste[/QUOTE]
Yoga is a personal journey and the path one takes depends on what the individual wants. First there is a physical aspect, the asanas and everything else. This should be on a regular basis until the routine is no longer a routine but a part of everyday life. A hour of yoga will be good for the body and soul. Then there is the spiritual development which is very important to the path you are taking. Meditation is one way to connect and develop your mind and soul. Doing readings on the Hindu scriptures which is the foundation of yoga should be part of the process. The path is not going to be easy for some but the rewards will be more than you can imagine. Namaste!