NOTE: Blog address now begins grimmly1997. I've unpublished 80% of posts but retained, on request, the Krishnamacharya 'Research' posts.
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NOTE 2: If you have landed on the mobile page, you need to scroll down and click on web version to get all the stand alone pages on Krishnamacharya, Asana lists, Yogasanagalu, Proficient Primary etc.
My iMac is sick at the moment and needs a new HD but manages to work for a day or two after a clean install (this is my fourth), long enough to finally get this review up.
Hard for me to get excited about Yoga wear, for him or for her but I like this company and like that they focus on men. As long as they Wick, fit, seem long lasting, wash and dry easily and are comfortable through practice then I don't really care what I wear while practicing looks like. These shorts from Ohmme yoga were a bit of a revelation though, who knew practice shorts could be this comfortable.
I've been wearing them for a week or so now and like them a lot, the Scorpion leggings more than I expected to.
The shorts are incredibly light and comfortable and make my PRANA shorts feel like leather lederhosen, so far they are washing well, will see if they last as well as the lederhosen.
2 Dogs lined Yoga Shorts
Tapsaya grey shorts
One thing, although the grey shorts above are probably my favourites for home practice some may consider them a little TOO short for a public shala, Hot Yoga maybe.
Scorpion Yoga Leggings
The leggings are comfortable to practice in and sure to come into their own with the colder weather on it's way but how does anyone manage to practice garbha pindasana in Leggings?
You can find practitioners who do these shorts and leggings more justice than I do as well as their full range on OHMME YOGA's website Gallery and Store page
I've posted these videos before, Clifford Sweatte, an early student of Pattabhi Jois, posted them some time back on his website Prana Airways http://www.pranaairways.com/ his site is well worth a visit, some wonderful old photographs of Pattbhi Jois and his early students.
Recently I've watched the videos again and to be honest I'm not sure what to make of them. Most of the videos we have of Pattabhi Jois teaching are of demonstrations, the videos below though are of a regular advanced series Led class held in a garage. Clifford mentions that occasionally somebody would just turn up with a camera, so what we have here is the real deal, nothing put on for the cameras and rather than a chosen six we have around twenty practitioners struggling through advanced asana in a hot garage, it's quite insane.
"There was nothing scripted about these sessions or Guruji’s methods other than the asana sequence and vinyasas. There were cameras in class snapping photos from time to time but video shoots were rare and unexpected for most of us. I was lucky enough to be with Guruji and Manju in that very first group in Cardiff-by-the-Sea where we spent months together long before they were known. Over the years, he taught me that just as we were all different as students, his teaching technique and demands would vary according to the student’s prana level and general condition. Guruji’s ability to read one’s Bandha status is something he could do in an instant and would often announce to the class: “no mula bandha” or “weak mula bandha”!
No being held back at an asana until perfect, proficient or even getting close here.
The situation couldn't be more different now it seems. How many does Sharath allow to continue through to the end of an intermediate led. Is it still the case that the majority are tapped out at some point and left to sit until finishing. Most in the video below would probably have been tapped out at the first posture, different times.
I tend to be with Pattabhi Jois' son Manju regarding Marichiyasana D, do your best then move on to the next asana, keep working at it and eventually it'll come. And why not, Krishnamacharya had Marichi D in his middle group anyway, it's not as if it's going to help you with Navasana and if your barely touching your fingertips,... or not, practicing Navasana isn't going to make that much of a difference.
Marichiyasana D is one thing but the extreme twists and binds, the stretching and straining we see in the videos below strikes me personally as....irresponsible?
Sometimes we need to question teachers, drop the guru narative and question our idols, not in everything perhaps, not necessarily all of the time, but when our discernment strongly suggests it to us, if we deem something to be inappropriate, an instruction, an adjustment, anything, then certainly then. Questioning doesn't necessarily mean we are less devoted, that we love less (devotion can stand on its own, its unsightly collocate adjective is not implied by the noun, they are merely too often found together), only the Pope has infallible in his job description. YS101
But I wasn't there, perhaps no Ashtangis were harmed in the filming of this video..... or in the practices that weren't filmed.
It should be noted that as far as we can tell there were no Ashtanga Vinyasa series before Pattabhi Jois. Krishnamacharya had three groups of asana, Primary, Middle and Proficient. It seems likely that students would practice many of the Primary asana and as they became comfortable with certain postures, more advanced versions of the asana would be added. At some point Marichyasana D from the middle group would be added to A, B and C from the Primary group. And then perhaps, with growing proficiency, the young, flexible boys would be told to practice Marichyasana E, F and perhaps G, all from the proficient group of asana.
Pattabhi Jois supposedly formed the four series for a four year college course, his Primary is almost exactly the same as the asana are laid out in Krishnamacharya's Primary group. The Ashtanga Intermediate series closely follows Krishnamacharya's middle group but the two Advanced Ashtanga series are made up of asana thrown together in Krishnamacharya's Proficient group with a few other asana that Krishnamacharya taught ( as we can see his student BKS Iyengar practicing in the 1938 film ). Krishnamacharya clearly never intended advanced asana to be practiced as a series other than perhaps in a short demonstration by his most accomplished boys.
The fixed Ashtanga series came about as a pedagogic accident of circumstance and I wonder how many of Pattabhi Jois' 1940/50/60s students,outside of his family, progressed to the advanced series with any proficiency , some perhaps they were young college students after all, surely some.
We can't be even be certain that Pattabhi Jois practice Advanced asana as a series for a significant period of time, if at all.
Going by the Yoga for the Three Stages of Life theory, it probably doesn't matter what asana we practice on that first and second stage or how we go about practicing them for that matter as long as we still have our knees intact to sit in the third stage.
"For people over fifty, it is enough to practice some of the easier and more useful asanas, as well as some of the pranayamas.
Sri K. Pattabhi Jois - Yoga mala *
I just watched this video from David Garrigue on Flexibility within the Ashtanga Lineage and it reminded me of a post I thought I had put up a few months back. Turns out it was still sitting there in draft unposted. Thought I would just add David's video as well as another post I wrote on this topic a few years ago.
The video below was originally a Live Periscope...... thing (what do you call those, video, Live stream?).
"Many of us make our way through our daily practice, doing the best we can within our given set of circumstances. We each have to contend with our too long list of outer and inner obstacles, as well as physical and psychological limitations. And as if simply facing the challenges of daily practice were not enough, many of us faithfully do our daily version of practice and yet still we feel somehow unworthy, like fakes or a phony's, like somehow our efforts aren't good enough, our practices not deep, committed, strong, fluid enough....... These were some of thoughts that came up around the periscope talk on flexibility within the ashtanga system that I gave a few days ago. I answered the question of a 61 year old woman with some serious physical limitations who was feeling the way many of us feel as described above. Believing these feelings almost succeeded in causing her to quit practicing. She wrote me after tuning into the broadcast, and told me that she took 'copious notes'! Here's her summary of my message to us all who are part of the ashtanga lineage: 1. I can do Ashtanga with all my limitations. Everyone has something (the too long list! "we are all pregnant") I am not alone. 2. Do the best I can with what I have. 3. It doesn’t have to be exacting if it is sincere and serious.
Here's the post that's been sitting in draft. I was asked if practicing a reduced practice and departing somewhat from the Ashtanga sequence(s) constituted a departure from the Ashtanga tradition/lineage.
"For people over fifty, it is enough to practice some of the easier and more useful asanas, as well as some of the pranayamas. Those who have been practicing for many years, however, can do any asana or pranayama without a problem. Older people who want to start yoga, however, will find practicing the following ten asanas sufficient first, the Surya Namaskara (types 1 and 2); then Paschimattanasana; Sarvangasana; Halasana; Karnapidasana; Urdhva Padmasana; Pindasana;Matsyasana; Uttana Padasana; and Shirshasana. It is preferable to do these in concert with the vinyasas [breathing and movement systems], but if this is not possible, then practicing while focusing on rechaka and puraka will suffice. Shirshasana should be practiced for at least ten minutes, and the rest, for at least ten rechaka and puraka while in the state of the asana. By practicing in this way, the body and sense organs will become firm, the mind purified, longevity will be increased, and the body will be filled with fresh energy. For the middle-aged, it is best to do all the asanas. The more they are practiced, the stronger the body becomes, and obstacles such as disease cease to be a problem. Pranayama is easier, the mind becomes more harmonious as the quality of sattva [purity] comes to predominate, and intellectual power and longevity are augmented. For the very old, however, who find the practice of Sarvangasana, Halasana, Uttana Padasana, Shirshasana, and Padmasana too difficult, it is enough to practice mahabandha daily, as well as rechaka kumbhaka pranayama, puraka kumbhaka pranayama, samavritti vishamavritti pranayama, and sithali pranayama. These will help them live happier and longer lives, and will insulate them from disease. The weak and the sick, too, should gradually practice suitable asanas and pranayamas, and over time, as their strength increases, their practices should also increase. In this way, the diseases of the sick and the strength-lessness of the weak will be eliminated, leaving them healthy and vigorous".
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Dropping some asana to practice fewer, 'more useful' asana, more slowly, including longer stays and thus leaving enough time for an extended pranayama practice as well as a sit is, it would appear, very much in keeping with Pattabhi Jois Yoga Mala practice guidelines.
Which are the more useful asana?
Krishnamacharya recommended we practice paschmattanasana, maha mudra, sarvangasana, and sirsasana everyday (padmasana is a given). At other times he also recommended daily practice of mayurasana and baddha konasana.
Paschimottanasana would also imply it's counter
Ten minutes each in sarvangasana and sirsasana allow us to include several variations, many inverted versions of asana in the later half of Primary series.
If sun salutation is difficult or a problem ( I have a wrist issue at the moment then) this video from Simon Borg-Olivier might be appropriate.
Patanjali often gets quoted in Ashtanga circles to argue that one should never cease or interrupt our devotion to the Ashtanga vinyasa method.
Pattabhi Jois employs the sutra himself to argue that one shouldn't interrupt ones asana and pranayama practice....
"For many years you must practice asana and pranayama. The scriptures say: "Practicing a long time with respect and without interruption brings perfection." One year, two years, ten years... your entire life long, you practice". Interview with Pattabhi Jois
Pattabhi Jois is quoting Yoga sutra 1.14
1.14 When that practice is done for a long time, without a break, and with sincere devotion, then the practice becomes a firmly rooted, stable and solid foundation. (sah tu dirgha kala nairantaira satkara asevitah dridha bhumih). Swamiji.com
This sutra of course refers to yoga practice in general, a meditative practice in which asana, pranayama, pratyahara as well as the yamas and niyamas play a significant role......
Having a blog I occasionally receive mail asking advice, suggestions, this one I thought deserved a blog post all of it's own if only because I know I have many readers practising in their 40s and 50s (some with strong views on the subject) and perhaps some of you may like to share your own experience in the comments section.
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I did ask if it was OK to share the email on the blog but and the writer was more than happy but I forgot to ask if they wanted to remain anonymous, so lets just say the email is from T.
"First of all thanks for sharing so much about your practice in your blog. It really inspires me for my practise! I have topic, where I could not find answer or advice in any other place.
It is about ashtanga and age. I'm 47 yeas old now, I started regular practice 6 months ago. My progress is steady and I'm happy about it. However I'm aware that at some point I will have to adjust my practise to my physical abilities and limitations coming with the age. Maybe I worry to early? Maybe, but I can't see in shala in Warsaw (Poland) any older, I mean 50+ practitioners :-) I think 50+ is age when ageing effect starts and your body stops liking such an intensive practice like regular ashtanga. I was hoping that 2-3 years of ashtanga will give me solid foundation before I can make conscious choice regarding my future practice. More pranayama? More meditation? Selected routines from Vinyasa Krama? So the questions coming to my mind are like: - until which age ashtanga provides best benefits for your body? - when and how ashtanga yoga practise needs to be modified? - is Vinyasa Krama more suitable for 50+ yogis? I was hoping You can share your experiences about it".
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My own view on this is that I started Ashtanga at 43, unfit and overweight as many of you know. I worked hard at it, perhaps a little too hard given the condition I was in when I started but was lucky enough to avoid injury. I ended up practicing Primary, Intermediate, Advanced and Advanced B, although the latter not really regularly enough to lay claim to it. Still most of the postures became possible.
So yes, Ashtanga is doable in your late 40s. I'm 50 now, the same age as Krishnamacharya in the old Black and White movie.
That said while you can practice a hard, fast paced Ashtanga into our 50's and beyond we don't have to practice it that way.
I've tried to show on this blog that there are many ways to approach your Ashtanga, it doesn't have to be as fixed as it often seems or how it gets mischaracterised in the media or misrepresented in some of the 'look at me' or promotional videos.
We can add more preparatory postures, something in line with both Pattabhi Jois' and Krishnamacharya's teaching
We don't have to practice it at such a hard, faced pace as we often see it presented. We can slow down the breath, lengthen it, this too is very much in keeping with the 'original' teaching.
We don't have to practice the full sequence, just the sury's and the finishing sequence or the last three postures is fine, or up to navasana say, and then on to finishing. Yep, in line with original teaching.
Manju mentioned his practice is part of Primary, part of Intermediate and a couple of changing postures from Advanced series.
Many of the senior teachers who have been practicing for 40 years or so and are now in their 50s/even 60s do something similar I think,
We can cut out some of the transitions in between the postures, we did that anyway with the switch from full to half vinyasa, we can cut out the transitions between sides, or even between groups of postures.
We can make more time for a little pranayama and meditation again all in keeping with what appears to be the original presentation of the practice
Practiced like this the line between Vinyasa Krama and Ashtanga seems to blur.
And no, we don't have to fully bind Marichiyasana D say or have the full expression of every posture before we move on, we may never bind Mari D - as Manju Jois said, keep working on the posture, on deepening it, opening up in it so as to breathe more... we don't drop it necessarily but don't have to fully bind it with our hands either before moving on to the next posture.
So can we practice Ashtanga into our 50's and beyond, of course although we may wish to bring out other aspects of the practice.
Personally I don't think you need to wait until your 40's to modify your Ashtanga practice, actually I don't really like the word 'modify' here, I prefer 'focus on or bring out other aspects of the practice'.
It would be just as appropriate to take a slower approach ( a long, slow, full breath 'like the pouring of oil' ) to Ashtanga in your 20s as in your 40s or 50s
Like you I was very aware of my age thought I needed to get through the different series while still just about young enough, figured if I could reach Advanced by the time I was 50 I could then slow down a bit....there really was no rush. Primary is just as important as advanced series or Intermediate for that matter, it probably is all we ever need ( with the clarification that we may want to bring in other preparatory postures or do variations of some of those in the series).
My own practice as you have seen is a slower approach to Ashtanga, I really donut tend to see a distinction between my Vinyasa Krama and Ashtanga practice now. After a long time focussing on a Krishnamacharya approach to primary I'm currently working on the same with regard to intermediate series. Once I have my 2nd series back I'll probably practice along similar lines as Manju above, in the morning part primary, part 2nd series and a little of 3rd thrown in for luck followed by pranayama and chanting. In the evening a couple of changing vinyasa krama subroutines but with more focus on pranayama and meditation.
Hope that helps, I hope others have something to add on this.
UPDATE Adding this comment to the body of the text because of the links.
Both started with me about three years ago as brand new students. Leon tends towards my led classes, Kathleen started there, but now is a Mysore student. Both are very consistent practitioners, at least 3-4 times a week in the shala, and also at home. Both approach the practice with dedication and courage…and they are truly inspiring. I can attest to the fact that they have gotten stronger, more flexible and more vital in the past three years. You can see the physical differences with your eyes! But, more importantly, they both attest to the fact that they just feel better doing Ashtanga yoga. Is their practice intense? No - but Leon does Full Primary with me twice a week, and he rocks it. Kathleen, a cancer survivor, is coming back slowly and mindfully to her previous practice - and because of her increased awareness, I can see that she is a much more integrated, intelligent practitioner. She attests to the practice helping her become healthy once more.
Will either of these students do advanced practice, A or B? No, but it doesn't matter. Primary (and some of the intro postures from second) has helped them so much. Made them younger and more vital in their bodies and minds.
I have had the same experience, as I started at 30 feeling like crap, outta shape from having three babies, and two bad miscarriages. I'm 47, and feeling like I'm in my late 20's. It's been a long road, but I now am starting Advanced A, so, never say never! Just say, "Not yet!" I could add more, but I have to go teach now :)
About 25 years back this young man learnt a few asanas. He has been practising them regularly especially sarvangasana. I meet him almost every time I come to Madras/Chennai. I talked to him a few days back during my present visit. “I am still doing many of the asanas-- especially sarvangasana alone for 10 minutes everyday. I feel good about this sarvangasana. Can I continue to do that” he asked, “I have just turned 90” he said.
I seem to have a wrist problem again, this time quite stubborn and doesn't seem to want to go away using the trigger point therapy I used last time See this post
I could of course bring in the Ashtanga with one arm tied behind my back approach outlined in this post from back when I sliced my hand open but it all seems frankly ridiculous too me now.
A forearm Urdhva Dhanurasana is perhaps useful but the post also includes a one handed drop back video, not recommended.
Better to switch to a Vinyasa Krama option, no surynamaskara or jump through for me but Vinyasa Krama has this nice lead in to dandasana option which is perfect.
But what about counter postures between asana or groups of asana if there is no jump back and upward facing dog?
Again Vinyasa Krama can help, I bring in dvipadapitam, table posture, there are several options. you can choose a different one each time.
In a post earlier this week I talked about how the ashtanga asana can be found in Krishnamacharya's subroutines, I even circled them.
Forearm downward facing dog is an option for the Bow and meditative sequence
Afterwards, when I looked at the sheets with the red circles it seemed madness to just practice those few asana rather than all or at least many of the vinyasas
'Hey yogi don't practice without vinyasa' Yoga korunta (?)
Why did only ONE line survive? Hmmmm.
So I'm happy with some standing postures (ashtanga model fine here) the Vinyasa Krama lead in to dandasana and then work through both the Primary and Middle group Asymmetric asana Janusirsana to eka pada sirsasana and then move to finishing one day and the same but with the bow and meditative subroutines the next.
Ashtanga practices most of the Asymmetric Vinyasas, it's always made sense to add the Intermediate vinyasas on to the Primary just as Krishnamacharya most likely did in Mysore in the 30s. This is probably how Pattabhi Jois learned these asana.
Bad wrist or no this approach just seems to make more sense to me right now, oh well.
A personal interpretation of the yamas and niyamas
Stunning video, demonstration and monologue from Simon Borg-Olivier
I think what I like about this video (and the one below by Bob) is that it encourages us to reflect (ideally privately) on our practice in a broader context, that of the yamas and niyamas, the world, others...., to step lightly, hold lightly.
Turns out the video was Filmed and edited by our friend Alessandro Sigismondi
Not a big fan of advertising as you know but figured this company had allowed Simon to chat away about the Yama and Niyamas for ten minutes, least I could do was pop over and have a look at their website. Turns out it's a yoga clothing company.... for MEN http://www.ohmmeyoga.com
The company's name is OHMME and it turn out they have some other videos on their site.
Unfortunately a couple have background music (would have liked Simon's video even more if it were JUST the voiceover) and are asana demonstrations in public places, bit of a turn off for me that but the one below by a UK Ashtangi, Bob "Manoj" Bharij, who works in drug and alcohol abuse, has a voice over like Simon's. This makes all the difference for me, putting the asana in the context of what the practice means to them.
After putting up this post OHMME YOGA got in touch to ask me if I'd like to try out their shorts/leggings, they were kind enough to send me the three below and all the way to Japan.
I've been wearing them for a week or two now and like them a lot, the Scorpion leggings more than I expected to.
The shorts are incredibly light and comfortable and make my PRANA shorts feel like leather lederhosen, so far they are washing well, will see if they last as well as the lederhosen.
2 Dogs lined Yoga Shorts
Tapsaya grey shorts
One thing, although the grey shorts above are probably my favourites for home practice some may consider them a little TOO short for a public shala.
Scorpion Yoga Leggings
The leggings are comfortable to practice in and sure to come into their own with the colder weather on it's way.
Practitioners who do these shorts and leggings more justice than I do on OHMME YOGA's website
