Ashtanga Yoga Practice Tips
Practice consistently, and without judgement. Ashtanga Yoga is an incredible tool that seeks to balance our strength with flexibility and to bring about a sense of well being on an emotional and mental level. A steady and regulated practice over a long period of time is the catalyst to these changes. Create the time to practice. It is up to you to make it a priority in your day – just like brushing your teeth. Create a pattern to your weekly practices as well. To get real and constant benefits, at least half an hour’s daily practice is recommended, followed by relaxation. It’s better to practice three days a week for a year than to practice six days a week for one month and then nothing for another month.
Come to class with a CLEAN body. Feel free to bring your own towel, and wear clean clothes that do not restrict your movement. Ashtanga can get really hot. We heat the room to approximately 80-85 degrees, and you create your own internal heat as well. You are going to sweat, perhaps a lot. Starting class with a clean body ensures that both you and your fellow practitioners can enjoy a better yoga environment.
Always come to class fully hydrated. Please try to drink enough fluid to sustain you through practice before you begin practice. It’s recommended not to drink during an Ashtanga class, simply because water cools the system down, dampening the internal heat you have built up - and the heat is what cleanses the body and opens it as well. There is also the problem of mental distraction, because whenever one feels uncomfortable, instead of simply observing that feeling, one tends to want to get rid of it. Same goes for using the bathroom - try to do this before class, as leaving mid-class disrupts your practice and can disturb your fellow practitioners, too.
Plan your eating. The conventional advice is not to eat for 2 hours before class. If you must eat because of health issues, try to eat something very light at least an hour before class. Don’t eat anything that requires significant digestion, since you want your stomach to be ready to move.
Come early if you can. Life gets in the way sometimes, and we have all experienced being rushed. Don’t speed getting to class – and don’t vex yourself if you occasionally show up for class late. Still, it’s a good idea to try to arrive at least 5-15 minutes before the start of class. If you do arrive late, there is an etiquette to follow. First, if the class is in the midst of chanting “Ohm” or the Ashtanga mantra when you arrive, please enter and wait quietly by the door until the mantra has ended, and then seek a spot to roll out your mat. If the class has already begun doing sun salutes, however, you may roll out your mat. If it is crowded, the teacher will help you find a spot.
Breathing. In Ashtanga, we breath Ujayi, or Victorious Sounding Breath. Ujayi breath brings sound to the practice - softening the back of the throat and breathing in and out through the nose - and audibly gives the mind something to focus on. Ujayi creates heat in the body - and this heat or fire helps to detoxify the body. Ujayi helps to control the breath so that your lungs gain greater endurance and capacity over time. Remember that the breath is your refuge. It is the point of focus while in an asana, and it is the guide into and out of each asana. Do not hold your breath during postures. Lengthen and deepen it. The deeper and more complete the breath, the deeper and more complete will be the practice.
A safe practice. Every Ashtanga practitioner has experienced moments during a class when s/he feels less than wonderful. Discomfort sometimes arises in practice and that is something that can be explored mindfully. Pain, however, is a warning sign from the body and should be listened to. Back off when you feel sharp pain. Let go of self-judgement and take care of yourself!
Keep a sense of humor! Take pleasure in your practice. Find joy in it. The practice is meant to flow, so don’t get bogged down trying to make the “perfect” asana. There is no hurry to get "anywhere" in the practice. There is no perfect asana – but you can make a perfect attempt to stay present and focused while you practice. Remember - the real depth of yoga is determined by the focus and intent of the practitioner and not the particular asana or series that is being done. Nourish yourself with your yoga practice, stay focused in a joyful way, and make your Ashtanga habit something to look forward to each day.
(Some of this information has been adapted from David Swenson's Ashtanga Yoga workbook and Beryl Bender Birch's Power Yoga and Beyond Power Yoga.)
Come to class with a CLEAN body. Feel free to bring your own towel, and wear clean clothes that do not restrict your movement. Ashtanga can get really hot. We heat the room to approximately 80-85 degrees, and you create your own internal heat as well. You are going to sweat, perhaps a lot. Starting class with a clean body ensures that both you and your fellow practitioners can enjoy a better yoga environment.
Always come to class fully hydrated. Please try to drink enough fluid to sustain you through practice before you begin practice. It’s recommended not to drink during an Ashtanga class, simply because water cools the system down, dampening the internal heat you have built up - and the heat is what cleanses the body and opens it as well. There is also the problem of mental distraction, because whenever one feels uncomfortable, instead of simply observing that feeling, one tends to want to get rid of it. Same goes for using the bathroom - try to do this before class, as leaving mid-class disrupts your practice and can disturb your fellow practitioners, too.
Plan your eating. The conventional advice is not to eat for 2 hours before class. If you must eat because of health issues, try to eat something very light at least an hour before class. Don’t eat anything that requires significant digestion, since you want your stomach to be ready to move.
Come early if you can. Life gets in the way sometimes, and we have all experienced being rushed. Don’t speed getting to class – and don’t vex yourself if you occasionally show up for class late. Still, it’s a good idea to try to arrive at least 5-15 minutes before the start of class. If you do arrive late, there is an etiquette to follow. First, if the class is in the midst of chanting “Ohm” or the Ashtanga mantra when you arrive, please enter and wait quietly by the door until the mantra has ended, and then seek a spot to roll out your mat. If the class has already begun doing sun salutes, however, you may roll out your mat. If it is crowded, the teacher will help you find a spot.
Breathing. In Ashtanga, we breath Ujayi, or Victorious Sounding Breath. Ujayi breath brings sound to the practice - softening the back of the throat and breathing in and out through the nose - and audibly gives the mind something to focus on. Ujayi creates heat in the body - and this heat or fire helps to detoxify the body. Ujayi helps to control the breath so that your lungs gain greater endurance and capacity over time. Remember that the breath is your refuge. It is the point of focus while in an asana, and it is the guide into and out of each asana. Do not hold your breath during postures. Lengthen and deepen it. The deeper and more complete the breath, the deeper and more complete will be the practice.
A safe practice. Every Ashtanga practitioner has experienced moments during a class when s/he feels less than wonderful. Discomfort sometimes arises in practice and that is something that can be explored mindfully. Pain, however, is a warning sign from the body and should be listened to. Back off when you feel sharp pain. Let go of self-judgement and take care of yourself!
Keep a sense of humor! Take pleasure in your practice. Find joy in it. The practice is meant to flow, so don’t get bogged down trying to make the “perfect” asana. There is no hurry to get "anywhere" in the practice. There is no perfect asana – but you can make a perfect attempt to stay present and focused while you practice. Remember - the real depth of yoga is determined by the focus and intent of the practitioner and not the particular asana or series that is being done. Nourish yourself with your yoga practice, stay focused in a joyful way, and make your Ashtanga habit something to look forward to each day.
(Some of this information has been adapted from David Swenson's Ashtanga Yoga workbook and Beryl Bender Birch's Power Yoga and Beyond Power Yoga.)
