One of the great many things that Ashtanga, or any dedicated yoga practice, teaches is consistency without attachment. Just do the work and don't think too much about it in terms of achievements. Let go and surrender to the work. Coming to the mat can be a challenge, especially with all the obstacles in our way (Ganesha). Placing yourself in a position where you are held accountable is one of the many tools we can use to make our practice happen. It’s especially important because much of what this practice does takes years of patience. As we wander deeper down this path we start to understand our potential. The path of action has a predictable outcome, and if we can live through action and l
Hi yogis, Back pain is hands down the most common problem I come across among people who first come to yoga. Many new students embark on the practice solely in hopes that it will relieve their physical pain and struggle. And it absolutely can. Yoga is wonderful for healing the body from the inside out, and there are so many more poses and sequences besides this single article that can help. It’s important to note that everyone’s physical pain is individual to them, and may be caused by something different than the person on the next mat. It also may be at a different level of pain on any given day. Basically, there is no “One Size Fits All” back-healing sequence. Therefore, as yoga students,
Inversions are not my friend. I am not naturally a strong person, especially when it comes to my arms and shoulders. It was well into my second year of yoga that my feet ever came off the ground in a headstand. Forearm stand took four years. And I’m still waiting on those dang handstands. So believe me when I say I know just how challenging inversions are! They have not come easily to me by any means. But! I’ve learned a lot through trial and error and have grown so much. I’m proud to say my headstand has improved leaps and bounds. It's still not "perfect" (I'll show you), but the more I practice, the better I become. So if you, too, struggle with inversions, know that there is a light at th
