Back To Basics – Ashtanga Yoga

I finally got the chance to go back to Ashtanga Led class. It has been 1 year since I went for an ashtanga class and it was refreshing “revise” the poses again. The ashtanga teacher, Celeste is an accomplished ashtanga teacher and she is known for her strict tough discipline. I heard that she wakes up everyday at 4am to practice Ashtanga, such discipline and dedication to yoga is truly admirable.

I realized that I have “deproved” in my mind when I am practicing nowadays… however being in Ashtanga class has brought the mind momentarily back in focus on the body. Celeste’s instructions in class is crisp and concise. She makes sure that you focus on the correct part of the body when you are in the pose. Like in Parvritta Trikonasana, she asked that we remember to “squeeze the genitals together”… hmmm… not the most gracious way to say… but hey, it gets you to focus on your pelvic and to engage your legs and to “hug” the legs towards each other. She also reminded us in the Seated series, to keep our hips level and both cheeks on the floor as possible. She also shared with us tips to help us get into each pose.

She also reminded us that during poses like Paschimattanasana, that to elongate our spine, we use our legs instead of using our upper body i.e. our hands and arms to pull ourselves forward. ( many teachers have reminded us of this fact – each putting it slightly differently but all meant the same thing at the end)

With all the vinyasas, it was pretty tiring at the end of the class. I definitely think Ashtanga is much more to my taste than Hot yoga… I went for a hot class last week, I found myself getting more irritated than feeling good and peaceful after the hot practice… Hot yoga is definitely not for me…

The sad thing is that the studio have more hot classes than Ashtanga…

OM~

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