Getting Real with Ashtanga
Cows on the streets in Mysore, India. <3
I started practicing yoga when I was 19 and I found Ashtanga at 22. I knew right after my first led primary class that it was what I’d been searching for. I needed that deeper level of challenge and authenticity. Ashtanga cuts through the bullsh*t and forces you to face every side of yourself. It's not easy and it's not always fun. If I’m being honest sometimes I hate it! But the thing is... it WORKS. I’m such a better person for it. I’ve gained immense amounts of strength, integrity, discipline, compassion, awareness, connection, patience, discernment, confidence, and peace because of Ashtanga. And I’m only 26, so I’ve only just skimmed the surface of this whole practice! It’s not like any other yoga I’ve ever come across. Its the real deal, guys. Ashtanga gets a bad rep in the yoga world. I think part of that is because it can be hard and it actually makes you work for deep transformation, and many of us think yoga should always feel good, be easy and indulgently sweet like a spa day or something. I think that view of yoga needs to be corrected. We need out of our comfort zone! There’s also a lot of weird beliefs about Ashtanga. Here's a popular example: Ashtanga Yoga was created for little gymnast boys. That’s not true. You don’t have to be a little gymnast boy to practice Ashtanga, and that was never the motivation behind the series. Regardless of your age, gender, experience with yoga, you can practice Ashtanga and you will benefit from the practice. It is for everyone! Another popular belief is that Ashtanga is bad for your body because you’re practicing the same poses every day. That is also not true. Ashtanga takes the entire body through it's current full range of motion, which, when practiced mindfully everyday continues to deepen and open the body more and more, making it healthier, stronger, and more limber.
Ashtanga is a minimalistic practice. If you take a traditional led Ashtanga class there won’t be music or lots of anatomical cues. It’s just you, your body, and your breath. There’s no room for distraction— only space for the practitioner to truly show up within themselves and heal what needs to be healed so that they can live a healthier, happier, more peaceful life. Ashtanga is deep, spiritual work. It will change your entire life if you let it. Just something to think about. So anyway. If you’ve been on the fence about trying Ashtanga because of all the off putting things you’ve heard... I encourage you to find a qualified teacher and try it yourself. We have Sean Shelton in studio teaching the Ashtanga Primary Series Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:30pm and an Intro to Ashtanga class Wednesdays at 6:15pm. Go make your own opinion. 🙏 Love you!
-E
