Ashtanga Yoga - My Moving Meditation

My 2 Gurus: Alex Medin & Vijaya

I started practicing again last week and it really feels good to be back on my mat. Even the noise surrounding me just fueled my concentration even more. I was first introduced to Ashtanga in late 2007. I went to a mysore class with absolutely no knowledge of what goes on in that type of class and I expected that "Ashtanga" would be like the yoga classes that I attended in the gym. Boy was I wrong! It was a good thing that I was ignorant of what happens to a mysore class or else I never would have attended one!


I didn't realize that Ashtanga Yoga had a specific series that you had to have memorized because people practice at their own pace in a mysore class with the teacher quietly observing and adjusting instead of shouting the next steps to the class. I was so embarrassed not only because I had no idea what the poses and sequences were but also because I rolled over trying to do 'Prasarita Padottansana A' and I almost hit another girl, I thought I'd die of shame! 


I admit that I started practicing Ashtanga for all the wrong reasons but I continued to practice it because of the right ones. When I first started, the poses and vinyasas(jumping back & forward) weren't the only things that challenged me. I also had a hard time concentrating on myself. My mind and eyes would always wander around the room causing me to get off balanced. I couldn't even relax in the final pose(savasana), which was basically just to lie still. I was always Ms. Go go go. Resting and lying on my back was unheard of for me and my teachers noticed this. I had no finesse to my moves even if I could do the transitions and the moves properly. 

My 2008 Teacher Training Classmates

I believe that the turning point in my practice was when I did my teacher training to be able to deepen my practice and to be able to fight the injuries I had been facing. It was during this time that I had to endure enormous physical and mental pain but I tried my best to push the boundaries of my body & mind. I even had to shed some tears to get me thru the pain I felt from staying in one pose for over almost two hours! This was when I started to turn to my inner self and learned to chant in my head just to keep my focus from breaking. I came out a much stronger person after this.


Starting my mornings with Ashtanga helped me cope with the stresses of my days. It also kept me sane and grounded. Before I got pregnant, I was plagued by my lower back injury. I couldn't get past it, it just kept on coming back so when I got pregnant, I decided to rest my body. Now that I have been given the go signal to practice again, I don't want to rush and let my ego dictate my pace. I want to listen to my body for me to be able to conquer my injury. 


So far, I haven't felt any pinching in my back. I feel like somewhat a beginner and yet I seem different. I am more in-tune to my body. Ashtanga really is my moving meditation wherein my concentration is on me and not on the other people around me and my surroundings. I just hope that when it's time to do my drop backs, fear would not visit me. I know that I'll be able to conquer my injury one day and I'll be sure to let you know about it when I do.

Morning Mysore 

Getting into Supta Kurmasana