Summary

The article discusses the transformative power of Ashtanga Yoga, emphasizing its mental and life lessons beyond the physical practice.

Abstract

The author shares their personal journey from a nervous beginner to a dedicated Ashtanga Yoga practitioner, illustrating how the practice extends far beyond the mat. The article highlights three key lessons learned through Ashtanga: the importance of doing one's best, the mental aspect of yoga being as crucial as the physical, and the parallels between the yoga sequence and the sequence of life. It underscores the mental discipline, commitment, and self-reflection that Ashtanga fosters, suggesting that the practice can serve as a guide for personal growth and navigating life's challenges.

Opinions

Ashtanga Yoga is initially intimidating but becomes deeply rewarding and hard to give up once committed to.
The practice teaches students to attempt challenging poses with their best effort, mirroring life's demand for our best at all times.
Yoga, particularly Ashtanga, is fundamentally a mental practice, with each pose and breath corresponding to sacred intentions, akin to prayer beads.
The sequence of poses in Ashtanga reflects the ups and downs of life, teaching resilience and patience both on and off the mat.
The author believes that yoga, especially Ashtanga, is not just about physical fitness but a comprehensive mind and body workout that can shape one's approach to life.
The article suggests that the dedication to Ashtanga Yoga can lead to significant personal development and self-awareness over time.

3 Ashtanga Yoga Lessons That Are Useful For Everyday Life

Your mat could just be the life teacher you’ve always needed.

I entered the yoga studio looking bewildered while watching the students twist like pretzels. I tried not to feel nervous. After all, my friend Anna was going to be there. She’s a yoga teacher and she will guide me throughout the entire class.

Little did I know that this class — Mysore style — is one that gives independence to students to practice by themselves, with the watchful eye of the Ashtanga teacher.

This was January 2019.

Fast forward to 6 months, I have established a pretty stable practice at home. Once a week, I visit the shala (or the studio) to be taught by my teacher. I’ve made a few friends and we support each other in our practice. I found my tribe.

Practicing any ritual, skill or habit consistently is a teacher in itself. It takes courage to commit to one, and a strong will to keep going.

While Ashtanga might seem intimidating at first, this practice will be hard to leave behind once you commit.

More than the poses, studying Ashtanga will teach you these lessons that you can take with you on or off the mat.

1. Ashtanga teaches every student to do their best at all times.

When a student is not yet able to do the full expression of a pose, the teacher asks the student to try her best 3 times. If the teacher sees you’re not ready, that’s when he’ll come over for help and adjust you.

Ashtanga will teach you to commit to the pose. To get past the fear every time you come across a pose that’s way difficult for your level.

Life demands us to do our best at all times.

2. Yoga was never just a physical practice. It’s all in the mind.

Yes, most of what we know about yoga involves poses. Yes, attending a yoga class can make you sweat and even help you lose weight if you do it consistently. But the mental effect of yoga to you will trump the physical benefits that you’ll get out of it.

Ashtanga was made popular by a man named Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois, born in a small village of Kowshika, in Karnataka State, South India. After many years of studying and teaching in India, the practice became popular in Europe, America, then the rest of Asia.

Ashtanga yoga, from the time it was conceived in India, was meant to be seen as a prayer. Every pose and breath corresponds to a sacred bead strung on a thread called japamala.

You enter the state of yoga when the fluctuations of the mind are still. You do not do yoga.

Yoga was never just a physical practice. It’s all in the mind.

3. The sequence that you will learn in Ashtanga is the sequence of life.

There are easy poses. There are great days. There are poses that make you want to run out of the room. There are troubled days that you beg to escape. Perfecting ‘sirsasana’ or the headstand takes time to learn. Fixing a bad relationship takes enormous amount of energy and time as well.

Most practitioners say ‘yoga is life.’ I say yoga is very much like life.

Nobody said that yoga’s easy nor fun. It will challenge you, whether you do it on a daily basis or not. It can teach you about life more than it can trim your waistline. If you have not tried it, yoga is the mind and body workout that you might want to try.

I left that Mysore room with a resolve that I’ll commit to this practice, Ashtanga, my whole life. I will get up and drag myself to the mat if I have to. I will practice yoga until my physical body can no longer do it.

The yoga practice is tough but extremely rewarding. There’s no competition but you’ll have a lot of self-reflection. As you do it, you will watch yourself grow and improve day by day.

Slowly but surely.

The author is a writer, yoga practitioner, and a remote worker. Follow her tweets here. She also sends weekly letters to those who are interested to hear her thoughts on Ashtanga yoga, shifting from the office desk to remote work, writing (of course) plus bits and pieces of her personal life.