Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11a Part 11b Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15a Part 15b Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21a Part 21b Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26a Part 26b Part 27 Parts 28, 29 and 30 Part 32 Part 33 Part 34
As far as my practice was concerned, Summer 2007 was a kind of golden age for me. Nice warm mornings that helped with my flexibility. I was still quite new to the practice so still really excited by the newness and otherness of what I was doing. I 'd lost five or six Kilos and was feeling healthier, fitter, much more flexible. I was eating less, drinking less (though had never really a big drinker). I was feeling calm and relaxed, practice was good, life was good.
I'd settled into the Swenson short practices on work days, the 30 or 40 minute program. I didn't need to keep referring to the book now so could begin to focus on the practice more, on my breathing. On my days off I would work through the full practice with Swenson's book, employing his different variations.
I read about Ashtanga more. I'd never been to a Shala and so was still very much outside the whole tradition and didn't feel much connection to it. That was fine by me I was only interested in the practice anyway. I'd traveled for much of my twenties hitchhiking and living in different countries, although not India. The whole run off to India to study yoga thing didn't entice me as much as it might have done if I'd come to Ashtanga earlier. My background is Philosophy so I'd read and studied to lesser and greater degrees world philosophies and religions. I'd been interested in Buddhism in my youth and done some Zen, explored the Tao a little. Heidegger was my philosopher of choice and while I might have been interested in the past concerning comparisons between him and Sankara or Heidegger and Buddhism I wasn't in the market for a new philosophy or belief system. The practice was enough, still is.
I went to Paris in July 07 for 10 days and took my mat with me. I tried to find a little hotel that had enough room to practice. This was mainly a reading week for me. I liked to go to Paris with some Heidegger and sit in the Tuilleries with some wine and a sandwich and do some close reading all day. I did the full series every morning for the first time since I'd begun Ashtanga.
And in November I took my mat to Japan when I went home and practiced there every morning.
During that summer I became quite the Ashtanga consumer. I bought John Scott's DVD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKynnDT76VU and his book http://www.amazon.com/Ashtanga-Yoga-Definitive-Step-Step/dp/0609807862as well as the Richard Freeman collection on eBay. I didn't get on with the Richard freeman DVD's (although now I use his intermediate all the time ) and John Scott's was too advanced. That said I was blown away by John's practice, the strength and grace he brought to it. I couldn't practice along with it, but watching it again a few months later would bring me back to Ashtanga after I began to flirt with The ROCKET.
I also bought a new mat, the eCo mat http://www.ecoyoga.co.uk/ecomats.htm this became my main mat until I bought my Manduka last year. It's an excellent mat. The hemp weave makes your feet grip really well. It was quite light and relatively thin and very cool. I could fold it up and put in my backpack and took it with me to Paris and Osaka.
As far as my practice was concerned, Summer 2007 was a kind of golden age for me. Nice warm mornings that helped with my flexibility. I was still quite new to the practice so still really excited by the newness and otherness of what I was doing. I 'd lost five or six Kilos and was feeling healthier, fitter, much more flexible. I was eating less, drinking less (though had never really a big drinker). I was feeling calm and relaxed, practice was good, life was good.
I'd settled into the Swenson short practices on work days, the 30 or 40 minute program. I didn't need to keep referring to the book now so could begin to focus on the practice more, on my breathing. On my days off I would work through the full practice with Swenson's book, employing his different variations.
I read about Ashtanga more. I'd never been to a Shala and so was still very much outside the whole tradition and didn't feel much connection to it. That was fine by me I was only interested in the practice anyway. I'd traveled for much of my twenties hitchhiking and living in different countries, although not India. The whole run off to India to study yoga thing didn't entice me as much as it might have done if I'd come to Ashtanga earlier. My background is Philosophy so I'd read and studied to lesser and greater degrees world philosophies and religions. I'd been interested in Buddhism in my youth and done some Zen, explored the Tao a little. Heidegger was my philosopher of choice and while I might have been interested in the past concerning comparisons between him and Sankara or Heidegger and Buddhism I wasn't in the market for a new philosophy or belief system. The practice was enough, still is.
I went to Paris in July 07 for 10 days and took my mat with me. I tried to find a little hotel that had enough room to practice. This was mainly a reading week for me. I liked to go to Paris with some Heidegger and sit in the Tuilleries with some wine and a sandwich and do some close reading all day. I did the full series every morning for the first time since I'd begun Ashtanga.And in November I took my mat to Japan when I went home and practiced there every morning.
During that summer I became quite the Ashtanga consumer. I bought John Scott's DVD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKynnDT76VU and his book http://www.amazon.com/Ashtanga-Yoga-Definitive-Step-Step/dp/0609807862as well as the Richard Freeman collection on eBay. I didn't get on with the Richard freeman DVD's (although now I use his intermediate all the time ) and John Scott's was too advanced. That said I was blown away by John's practice, the strength and grace he brought to it. I couldn't practice along with it, but watching it again a few months later would bring me back to Ashtanga after I began to flirt with The ROCKET.
I also bought a new mat, the eCo mat http://www.ecoyoga.co.uk/ecomats.htm this became my main mat until I bought my Manduka last year. It's an excellent mat. The hemp weave makes your feet grip really well. It was quite light and relatively thin and very cool. I could fold it up and put in my backpack and took it with me to Paris and Osaka.
Next : Larry Shultz's The Rocket series and beginning of a Jump back obsession
10 comments:
I start to be addcited to your blog :-) - After reading your recent posts I would like to make an interview with all the well known teachers about their early ashtanga years with many details.
I think I'd like to sit down with some of those people who have been practicing Ashtanga quietly for the last ten years or so. Who've never blogged, or taught, but just maintained their practice day in day out over the years.
I love this series of posts! Only practicing since last October myself but right from the start I have been happiest and most motivated at home. I do take an Ashtanga based class once a week which I find is great for adjustments in the basics but the bread and butter is definitely what I do at home. For me it gives license to try things and fail without embarrassment and with plenty of cushions around to break a fall:) It's still early days for me but your blog gives me such encouragement and I read everything you post....but don't comment, sorry! Must try harder:)
Such an inspiration! doing it all by yourself, no teacher, no fellow ashtangis around...
Love reading your recent posts. It took me so many years to arrive at my present home practice, which is the best practice I have had. And I don't think I can look back anymore. Home practice is the real thing for me. It is with you wherever you are. I have the upmost respect for you. It is like you have arrived since the very biginning. Truely your own.
Lisa, Maya Ahu, Napper and of course Nemsissi thank you so much for these kind and encouraging comments, means a lot to me.
I am really surprised that you did not like Richard Freeman's Ashtanga DVDs .I know that Richrad Freeman's DVDs have lot of detailed instructions as he came from an Iyengar Yoga background and in fact I have his Intro Ashtanga DVD and wanted to go for his full primary series DVD . Can u elaborate more as to why you did not like Richard Freeman's Ashtanga DVD ?
Hello again Krishna. I didn't say I didn't like his DVD but rather I didn't get on with it at the time. Not sure what it was, recently I practiced with his intermediate DVD and got so much out of it (as you say he gives some great detail) that I wanted to try the primary again, sadly I'd put it on ebay. If you got on with his introduction I'm sure you'll get a lot out of his primary.
I have John's DVD and book. I'm very intimidated by John's grace. I also just got my hands on David's book. I LOVE that book to bits. Like you, I've just developed a home practice after my teacher gave up teaching Ashtanga in Singapore (he's Johns student, by the way). Thank you so much for sharing.
I remember trying to practice along with John's DVD , think i gave up before the end of standing, wonderful to watch though. good luck with the home practice Cory.
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