FAQs
- What is Ashtanga Yoga?
- What is Mysore-style Ashtanga Yoga?
- What do I do to prepare for class?
- How often should I practice?
- Is yoga a form of physical exercise?
- I’m not flexible, can I still do yoga?
- What about pre-existing pain and old injuries?
- What if I feel sore or fatigued?
- What should I wear?
- Why do I need a teacher?
- Should I commit to one discipline?
- Why should I practice yoga?
- Is Ashtanga Monterey open on moon days?
What is Ashtanga Yoga?
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is the system of yoga taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, India. This method of yoga involves synchronizing the breath with a progressive series of set postures, a process producing internal heat and a purifying sweat that detoxifies the muscles and organs. The result is improved circulation, a light and strong body, and a calm mind. More info can be found at www.ashtanga.com.
What do I do to prepare for class?
- Please bring your own mat and towel.
- Refrain from eating 2-3 hours before class.
- Come to class well-hydrated. Drink plenty of water after your practice.
- Inform the instructor of any medical concern or injuries.
- Please turn off your cell phones.
- Personal hygiene is an integral part of practicing yoga. Please ensure that you and your gear are clean.
- Rest from Ashtanga is recommended for women in the first 2-3 days of their cycle.
- Honor and respect your limits. Acknowledge that your body and mind will feel different every day; listen to what your body tells you and practice following your breath.
How often should I practice?
Traditionally, Ashtanga yoga is practiced 6 days a week, leaving one day for rest. Women should take off 2-3 days during their cycle. Mysore-style Ashtanga yoga has a cumulative effect on the body and should be practiced a minimum of 3 days per week. As your schedule permits, more days should gradually be added. It is when we are practicing in the traditional manner that we receive the greatest benefit.
Is yoga a form of physical exercise?
Yoga is a comprehensive form of physical exercise, yet while fitness is an important aspect of yoga, it is only one benefit you gain from regular practice.
I’m not flexible, can I still do yoga?
We welcome all type of bodies. Yoga is a physical exercise that will help increase your flexibility over time. You do not need to be flexible when you start yoga, however, over time you will see your range of flexibility increase. Over time, the regular and consistent practice of yoga will instill a balance between both strength and flexibility.
What about pre-existing pain and old injuries?
While you might feel sore or tired after doing your yoga practice or sometimes even during your yoga practice, it is not necessary to push your body to point of creating an injury. Throughout our lives we primarily tell our body what to do. With time, the yoga practice becomes an opportunity to listen to and respect what your body wants to tell you and do with you. In the event of an injury, whether related to yoga or past outside experience, there are many special adjustments, modifications and considerations that one of our instructors can recommend. One of the main benefits of the yoga practice that you will experience over time is healing. By creating and inviting more balance in to your overall state of being, a regular yoga practitioner creates the space to allow healing into their body on multiple levels.
What if I feel sore or fatigued?
This is normal when starting any physical practice. It is recommended that you commit to practicing despite these conditions. It is better to do what you can than disrupt your practice routine. Gradually your body will become acclimated to the practice. Through experience we learn discernment and how to practice at the edge of our abilities, reaping the greatest benefit without overwhelming our body and mind.
What should I wear?
Clothing that is suitable for yoga is something comfortable that you would wear for any form of physical exercise. Please bear in mind that you will sweat and move in a dynamic way and that overly baggy clothing is not advisable.
Why do I need a teacher?
If you wanted to get from Monterey to San Diego and you set out on Highway 1 without a map, directions or a guide, you would probably find your way sooner or later. But if you wanted to make sure you knew the way, you might also choose to get directions from someone who has traveled the distance before. You might even ask a guide to take you all the way because it just might save you some time. In case there are many people who say they’ve been to San Diego before, you might have to trust the person that you connect mostly deeply with to lead you in the right direction.
Should I commit to one discipline?
There are many disciplines of yoga and for a period of time when one is starting out, it may be helpful to try different styles. However, after an appropriate period of testing, we leave the world of materialism and move more deeply into ourselves. Just as we choose a primary teacher, we also choose one discipline. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe answers this best of all, “Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness…The moment one definitely commits oneself, Providence moves too.”
Why should I practice yoga?
People come to yoga for many reasons. Whether you are interested in physical fitness, healing chronic injuries, or experiencing inner peace, yoga has something to offer you. It is a fully integrated mind-body technique that is proven in numerous scientific studies to lower your level of stress, while increasing your sense of health and happiness. If you are interested in working with the quality of your mind, a regular yoga practice is the perfect place to practice mental clarity. By synchronizing the breathe, body and mind, a dedicated practitioner begins to experience deep and lasting transformation.
Is Ashtanga Monterey open on moon days?
Yes, we are open on moon days. However, traditionally, no practice is done on the days of the new and full moon. To determine what is right for your practice, please visit Tim Miller’s website for a thoughtful consideration of the reasons for taking moon days off.
What is Mysore-style Ashtanga Yoga?
The first thing to strike you when you walk into a Mysore-style Ashtanga yoga class is that it seems like total chaos. Here’s one student doing a headstand in the corner, while another is coming into the triangle posture and a third is struggling to balance on her arms. What is going on here? If you stay a while and watch closely, you start to notice a pattern emerging. Everyone seems to be on a path, following a precise choreography. Also, compared to other yoga classes, the silence is striking. Occasionally the teacher will whisper something to a student, but the dominant sound is the collective breath. You’ll notice the teacher move swiftly from student to student, giving adjustments as appropriate. Here’s a poem describing Mysore-Style classes:
In Mysore-style Ashtanga yoga
Postures are given
One by one
By the teacher
In charge.
In Mysore-style Ashtanga Yoga
Mysore is a city in the south of India where Ashtanga yoga has been taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois since the 1930’s. This traditional style of Mysore has students learn postures in a fixed order using a special movement-breathing technique called vinyasa. The vinyasa links the postures together in the dance of the breath.
Postures are given
Each student is given their practice according to their ability. Since each posture is designed to prepare you for the rest of the series, beginners tend to have a much shorter practice than more experienced students. As they gain strength, stamina, flexibility and concentration, additional postures are given to the student. The sense of the word given in this context comes from how the practice is taught in India, where a yoga practice is something that a teacher gives to a student as a spiritual practice. In the West, people are accustomed to learning a lot of postures at once, such as in most led yoga classes. The downside is that some postures may be inappropriate for certain students, increasing the risk of injury. The advantage of the Mysore-style format is that it is for everyone because it teaches yoga according to one’s individual capacity.
One by one
Postures are given, one by one, but in a certain sequential order. The structure of the class depends on the teacher being able to keep track of what every student is doing with a quick glance. If you attempt something out of sequence, the teacher will have a harder time helping you in the appropriate way. If you have trouble with a particular posture, the teacher can offer you a modification that is consistent with the intention of the practice. One by one also means that once you are given a new posture, you practice the sequence through until you get to that posture, then wind down your practice with backbends (if appropriate) and the finishing sequence. The teacher will give you the next posture in the sequence when she feels it is appropriate for you.
By the teacher
When you practice yoga in the Mysore-style setting, it is important to wait for the teacher to give you each new posture. The act of waiting gives your teacher the opportunity to teach you the posture correctly or adjust you in it. Waiting also is an opportunity to express respect for your teacher and the practice. The longer you do this practice, the more you will realize that yoga knowledge is a gift from your teacher the way that yoga is a gift to humankind from the sage Patanjali.
In charge
In India, a student has only one teacher or guru, so there is no issue of which teacher is in charge. Here in the USA, visiting teachers are often invited for workshops which provide a glimpse of what’s ahead and often inspiration. A visiting teacher may allow you to progress farther in the series than you have in your daily practice. However, your regular teacher is usually the more accurate judge of the dedication and intention of your practice, so it is better to follow his/her instruction when you return to your daily practice . Likewise, when you travel and attend Mysore-style classes taught in other yoga studios, the protocol is to stop and wait for the teacher to give you postures beyond the Primary Series.
If you get confused about the correct sequence of postures or need help with a particular posture, you should let your teacher know at any point during the practice. We are happy to help, no matter how many times you ask. If you are new to Ashtanga or accustomed to led classes, the Mysore-style setting can seem strange at first. But with commitment and a little patience, you will be amazed at how quickly you can learn to do yoga as a self-practice!
About commitment to the practice
The practice room is open between 7:00 am and 9:00 am during the week and instruction starts at 7:00 am. The Ashtanga method is intended to be a daily practice and students are encouraged to make a commitment to practice at least 3 times a week for a month at a time. Traditionally, we practice every day except for Saturdays and Moon Days, which occur about twice monthly. It may be very difficult at first to commit to a daily practice, and it often takes one or two years to establish this. So don’t be discouraged if you’re “only” practicing twice a week at first. Regular attendance is encouraged, although in some cases 2-3x per week combined with a self-practice at home is sufficient. Drop-ins are fine for brand new beginners and out-of-town visitors with an established practice.
Cheat Sheets
If you have a diagram of the Ashtanga yoga postures, we encourage you to review and study the postures at home instead of bringing it to class. Over time, you will memorize the flow of postures by doing them regularly in class under the guidance of your teacher.
Description courtesy of Phillipe Alexis of YIY