once upon a time, i was a yoga hussie.

i was one of those students who dated various studios (until i got bored), shopped classes and teachers based on a mood or a whim.  sometimes i wanted hot and hard to get my work out, while other days it was only crazy sequencing and hip music that could satisfied my wilder side.

yoga was fun and exciting and interesting ... if not completely satisfying.  there was always something missing.  so eventually the time came to settle down.  find something i really loved and a practice i could grow old with. 

and i chose ashtanga.   

illustration by Boonchu Tanti

why ashtanga?  how could this one practice entice a free spirit like myself to finally take the plunge and get serious?  read on and i'll tell ya.

ashtanga is all about ME:  i’ve always been a bit wary of shirts that say “one size fits all.”  maybe you'll live with it being a little long or a tad loose ... maybe the convenience will compensate for the approximation of what might fit. 

but not me. 

in ashtanga, there's no keeping time.  i begin my practice when i arrive.  i don't have to speed up to keep pace with an arbitrary count or slow myself down so others can catch up.  just me and my own drummer ... me and my own breath.

plus my practice is different than the person next to me.  i’m not working on any “peak pose” of a pre-packaged class - i’m working on my own individualized plan.  and you're working on yours.  and our teacher is there to help both of us on our own personalized journeys. 

image by drew xeron

that being said ...

ashtanga grows with me:  people sometimes ask if i get bored waking up with the same practice morning after morning.  but just like any good relationship, my yoga isn't stagnant – it grows and shifts right along with me.

i first began the primary series to heal an ailing hamstring tear.  and yes, torn trying some crazy peak posture my body was not ready for … *lesson noted*

the first series, yoga chikitsa is as it’s sanskrit name states - therapeutic.  consisting of the primary postures including forward bends and hip openers.  this series grounded me and continues to keep me rooted.

i have since healed that old injury and matured in my practice.  so while still practicing yoga chikitsa (the primary series) , i am ready now to move into nadi shodhana (the intermediate series), which will eventually offer me, in its entirety,  a more vigorous series complete with backbends, twists, and strengthening postures all meant to cleanse and purify the nervous system. 

wanna know if i’m bored yet?   yea - not even close! 

(there is even a third series ... along with a fourth, fifth and sixth. for other lifetimes, perhaps).

ashtanga can be practiced anywhere:  ((and when i say anywhere, check out david garrigues unfortunate place.)) 

because though each person's individual practice varies in length, series, and postures - the sequence/s are the same.  there is nothing more you need to practice.  no music, no teacher to lead you, no blocks or props.  the only thing necessary is the discipline to begin. 

my daughter practices in her dorm room ... my friend practices in a small, quiet corner of her gym ... and i spend my summers practicing on the deck of our montana home. 

ashtanga is a lifestyle:  because you can’t simply date ashtanga.  it’s not one of those practices you can drop in for a quickie.  she’s simply not that kind and deserves more respect. 

commitment and dedication are sort of a deal breaker.

we have our routine.  most mornings, i wake up early, have my coffee (optional), and leave for either AYC in dc or half moon in va.  there, i will unroll my mat whenever i get there and begin MY practice.  for however long it takes me.  surrounded by the breath and energy of likewise committed members of my tribe.

i’ve made some sacrifices in this marriage - make no mistake.

a late night is a rarity.  heavy meals, binge drinking (ok, i never did this anyway), and jelly beans just get in the way.  and it’s not very exciting - yet neither is brushing my teeth, and i’m really happy i do that every day too.

image my drew xeron

bottom line, if devoting yourself to a daily practice … if making an honest commitment to yourself and to your yoga … and if working through the usual trials and tribulations is not your cup of tea - understandable.

but you might just want to lay your mat somewhere else.

Practice from tarakfoto on Vimeo.

i am biased.  (and you aren’t?)  i practice ashtanga vinyasa yoga 4-5 mornings a week and rocket ashtanga twice a week.  furthermore, i am a teacher at the ashtanga yoga center in dc . so yea, i'm pretty wed to this practice.

but if you are still touring yoga styles, i’m thrilled!  the only way you will ever find the one you love is to date around a bit.

and if you’ve settled down with one you love and its not the same one i love, i’m still delighted.  because any practice done with commitment and devotion … and anytime yoga has become not just a workout, but a lifestyle … you will likely enjoy the same results i have found with ashtanga.

therefore, p.s.  - don’t be hatin’! 

****************************************************************

if you are interested in the photos in this blog, please don't borrow without permission.  that would be ignoring the yama asteya (not stealing) - and that's a part of everyone's yoga.  please contact drew xeron (drew@faithhunter.com) for yoga photos and boonchu tanti for illustrations.