Contemplation

I feel like I'm at a critical point in my ashtanga practice as my one year anniversary approaches. I'm dealing with my second injury within a six month period, my favorite assistant/teacher has left, my teacher teacher hasn't been around consistently since June and there is a possibility that he will move out of state come next fall.

Given all of that I'm left questioning a lot of things about the practice as a whole. Do I want to continue my commitment to said teacher even though his commitments may lie elsewhere in the not so distant future? Do I want to continue my commitment to the practice even though it's left me injured and my muscles in a state of constant soreness? My new hypothesis regarding my intercostal injury is that they are a result of the extreme tension and tightness throughout my back and when I do back bending my front intercostals overcompensate somehow thus leading to strain and injury. It's just a theory but I don't even know what kind of doctor/body worker I should schedule an appointment with to shed some light on the situation. The doctor I saw last time only diagnosed me and told me to rest. Had he explained how the injury occurred in the first place I might not be in the situation for a second time but I digress.

When practice is good, it leaves me feeling really good for the better part of the day and I look forward to getting back on my mat the next morning. Nothing else can really compare to that feeling. But truth be told I haven't felt like that since early August. And while I'm very fortunate to be able to practice with one of the best teachers in the city I should value any amount of the time that I DO get to practice with him because I know there are folks out there that leave in remote regions of the country that don't have the type of access that I do.

I don't think I'm going to pack it up and call it quits any time soon but with all of this extra time on my hands it's no wonder that I've started to contemplate these things. And if there's one thing that I've learned from my yoga studies is the concept of impermanence and how everything is constantly changing. The less accepting one is of this universal axiom the more suffering one is bound to endure in this lifetime. As a concept it totally resonates with me but being able to fully accept that as reality is what is so challenging.


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Quantity vs. Quality of Practices

I know that there is much to be said about having a consistent 6-day a week Mysore practice. This is something that resonates with me, the I benefit from and something that I committed to as soon as my body would allow after I started my Mysore practice. However, ten months into this practice (I can’t believe it’s been that long) I find that the quality of my practices aren’t consistent from day to day.  They seemed a lot more consistent early on actually.

For example, during Sunday practices fresh off of my oil bath, I feel invincible on my mat. I’m flexible and strong, touching my chin to knee/shin/<insert body part here> left right and center. Jump backs, jump throughs, vinyasa between sides ; check. Hang backs; unlimited. Monday practices are similar to Sunday but I notice just a little less flexibility and strength in my practice. By Wednesday I can only usually muster jumping back when switching between poses and I seriously start to consider whether all of those vinyasas are truly necessary.  Hang backs? What hang back. Come Friday, I can only get through the led class by the force of sheer will and wanting to be a good student for JB.

So I’m wondering what’s more important quantity of practice or quality of practice. For me I know the answer isn’t to cut back the number of days that I practice because as much as I don’t want to admit it I’m a little attached to it. I get all twitchy and antsy when I can’t practice. Perhaps I should focus on a consistent practice at 60-70% of my ability as opposed to 100% all the time. Maybe I can keep Sundays as my go all out and challenge myself practice  and focus on a more consistent practice throughout the rest of the week. This may be a good project for me because as much as I’m ashamed to admit (and I’m currently working on) I tend to take a somewhat competitive approach to my practice. Not necessarily with others in the room but mostly with myself. 

Ashtanga Love and Random Thoughts

I’m having such a whirlwind crazy love affair with Mysore style ashtanga yoga. And it’s been like this almost since the first day that I started practicing. I’m a little surprised that I’m still so much in love with the practice after 10 months. I would have thought that my love for it would have waned slightly by now but it hasn’t. The other thing that gets me is that if someone would have told me a year ago that I would be waking up at the crack of dawn to practice yoga for 1.5 to 2 hours I would have called them bat shit crazy.

Even though I know that my body needs the rest day, I hate Saturdays because I don’t get to practice. And being the traditionalist that I am I rarely entertain the idea of yoga tourism. The other crazy thing about my practice is that as soon as it’s over I’m already thinking about when I can get on my mat next. I don’t think this is sustainable but I am enjoying it while it lasts.

In terms of some random practice related news JB was back for a few days this week and it was nice to have him back in the shala. Because he’s so tall he was able to effortlessly put me into pashasana yesterday and then hold me in place with his shins. It was all “look ma no hands”. Today’s practice was mediocre at best and is all the more motivation to look forward to tomorrow’s practice.

Yogis vs. Ashtangis

What a key difference between yogis and ashtangis?

Most people practice yoga to feel younger, more flexible and to relieve back pain. Ashtangis practice yoga and end up feeling like 80 year olds with arthritis.

 What gives?