Hard & Soft Yoga

Apr 3, 2012 | Community, Wisdom, Yoga practices, Yoga teaching  | 2 comments

 

- Hard & Soft Yoga

Up Dog


Today I visited and participated in a Satyananda style class led by the director of Yoga Directions in Taree, Peppa.  The dreads-coifed Peppa is something of a local household word – that is, if the conversations in your home run to yoga.
The 15 or so attendees in this morning’s session were all females, ranging in age from upper 20’s to upper 60’s. We did a variety of yoga practices: asanas, pranayama, and meditation, and the mood that Peppa instilled was “chill”.
When I was a strict Iyenar-ite, I snubbed my nose at what I deemed the soft yoga  styles – the sort of methods which set out few physical challenges for me.
Older and wiser now (or, at least I like to think I am), I see plenty of challenge in being able to stop, relax, and breathe. These three acts reflect the practices of meditation, pratyahara, and pranayama.
Instead of pushing myself to attain the quintessential poses, I’m paring back asanas, deconstructing them, if you will, to find the essence of them – the place where I am strong, stable, and, most importantly, comfortable in each posture.
My early days of yoga were in the No Pain, No Gain era, but now I’m trying to arrive at what Judith Lasater calls No Pain, No Pain.
Did I like the Satyananda class? Yes, I did. I enjoyed being in the hands of a veteran. I felt subtle energies moving within me as I practiced quietly and calmly. And, I made a valuable connection with a colleague who has kindly agreed to promote the sales of our Yoga Practice Cards.
 
 

2 Comments

  1. Hi Ev, great blog! I certainly can relate to the transformation that can happen in one’s personal approach to yoga: from being a ‘hard-core’ power yogi to becoming a lot more in tune what ‘yoga’ really means – in the sense that asana practice can offer so much more and as you said, is most valuable when it can include mindfulness, pranayama and meditation. keep those thoughts flowing… xxx namaste, Evelyn

    Reply
    • Isn’t it amazing that yoga can stretch enough to include everyone’s interest and abilities?
      Kindly,
      Eve

      Reply

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