The Ashtanga Rishi approach. Second Day

Vashishta

A series of posts exploring the 'Ashtanga Rishi Series' mentioned at the end of Nancy Gilgoff's Article (see link below) and outlined in a reply by David Willams on his forum below ( the headings in block capitals are mine.

I'll be starting each of these posts with this same introduction/reminder of the context.

'Originally there were five series: Primary, Intermediate, Advanced A, Advanced B, and the fifth was the “rishi” series.

Nancy Gilgoff 'Yoga as it was'

Ashtanga Rishi Approach

'...Doing a practice of 10 postures for up to 50 breaths is a method of preparing for "advanced series" after one has learned 1st and 2nd. It can be done once or twice a week. One does the "salutations" and then starts going thru the series, holding each posture for as long as comfortably possible. Notice which postures could be held for 50 breaths. The next time you practice this way, the postures which you could hold for 50 are omitted and new ones are added at the end. One gradually works thru the series, dropping and adding asanas, still doing 10 asanas per session. I have gone all the way thru 1st and 2nd this way several times over the years and have found it beneficial.

Ashtanga Rishi Series

'Then, once one has mastered all of the asanas, one can practice "the rishi series", the most advanced practice. One does the 10 postures that one intuits will be the most beneficial and appropriate for that day, holding each posture for up to 50 comfortable breaths'.

http://tinyurl.com/7wq66bs

The Ashtanga Rishi approach, Second Day

I just got confirmation from Nancy (more on that later) that the breath was indeed taught then (1973) as now, equal inhalation and exhalation and no retention so I'll be sticking with that through the rest of this exploration of the Rishi approach.

The idea of the Rishi series then is to do your sun salutations and then work through the series, holding the asana for as long as comfortably possible with 50 breaths in mind. In my Vinyasa krama practice we are encouraged to practice Paschimottanasana, Sarvangasana and Sirsasana daily and for at least around ten minutes so I want to include those postures along with Padmasana in each practice. 

That gives me six postures to play with. One thing I'm wondering about is the question of sides, do we count the 50 breaths for each side of a posture or for both sides together, 25 each. Just joined David's foam so will be asking him how he approached it. 

Yesterday I got as far as Janu sirsasana A so today's morning practice (I'll be doing my regular 2nd series this evening).

DAY 2

Sury A x 3 / Sury B x 3

Janu Sirsasana B (25 breaths each side ).

Janu Sirsasana C (25 breaths each side). I was a little concerned about this one as I have an old injury on my right knee but it was actually ok, was very mindful of the setup and kept the muscles above and below my knee engaged, using the knee bandha (janu bandha) to protect the joint.

Marichiyasana A (25 breaths each side ). Blood circulation is a problem here, note to self study where the main arteries in the body run, I have a general idea but.... took a little shifting about in the posture to avoid cutting off the circulation, start to notice it ten breaths in, something i guess we don't pick up on in regular practice.

Marichiyasana B (25 breaths each side ). Again, was concerned about the knee's here careful placement and set up made it fine, something else to remember in regular practice, do we rush the placement sometimes.

Marichiyasana C (25 breaths each side ). As  Mari A

Marichiyasana D (25 breaths each side ). The big one of course, wasn't sure if it would be doable, made a really big deal of the setup, made sure I was in nice and tight creating as much space as possible. The circulation became an issue around twenty breaths but a little adjustment allowed me to continue. Hope 25 breaths a side is right, don't fancy fifty. Actually took a video but really is like watching paint dry.

Navasana (50 breaths ). Wasn't sure how to approach this, should I stay in the pose for fifty breaths go in and out as usual for a count of five or perhaps ten. in the end I stayed for 25 then had to lower before going up for another fifteen and then again for the last ten.

(The rest of the practice was pretty much the same for Day 1 )

Sarvangasana

Parsva Dhanurasana ( 25 breaths each side). Ramaswami always adds a back stretch after Sarvangasana so i tend to stick with that.

Sirsasana

Padmasana  (for regular pranayama )

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Again a nice practice, preferred yesterday with the long Vinyasa Krama breathing with retention but this was at least quicker, ran to two hours this morning.

Tomorrow will be Bhuja pindasana to badha Konasana

Practicing 2nd series later, want to give kapotasana a trial run and aim for 25 breaths.

UPDATE: Nice 2nd. Managed the 25 breaths OK, filmed it and was going to post it on youtube but then noticed I'd posted a 25 breath Kapo about a year ago in the context of a post on Iyengar who supposedly held Kapo for fifteen minutes.

Ashtanga Rishi Blog post series

Ashtanga Rishi series

Exploring the ashtanga Rishi series / approach

Ashtanga Rishi Approach, first day Paschimottanasana to Janu sirsasana A

Ashtanga Rishi Approach, second day  Janu Sirsasana B to Navasana

Ashtanga Rishi Approach, third day Bhuja pindasana to badha konasana

Ashtanga Rishi Approach, fourth day Upavishta konasana to Supta bandhasana

Ashtanga Rishi Approach, fifth day Pasasana to Kapotasana

Ashtanga Rishi Approach, sixth day Supta vajrasana to Ardha Matsyendrasana

Ashtanga Rishi Approach, Seventh Day  Eka pada sirsasana to Tittibhasana C

Ashtanga Rishi Approach, Eighth day to seven headstands

Rishi series made from asana named after Rishi An alternative take on the Rishi series

See also Srivatsa Ramaswami's December 2012 newsletter for more on the Rishis