In my iyengar days I had a little affair with the ashtanga style, for maybe 6 months but found it lacked the intellectual rigour that I liked so much in my iyengar classes.
In hindsight I’d be more inclined to say that iyengar appealed to me at the time because I was still learning the poses and the person that I am needed the analysis and mechanics that are among the main features of the iyengar method.
It was this feature I think that ultimately characterised my teaching – the detail in the pose, the mediation on alignment and geometry. I still love that.
Then the love affair with teaching kind of waned and I just didn’t want to think about those poses any more. End of story.
or maybe end of chapter….
It makes sense that in this period of re-engagement, it has been an ashtanga practice that has drawn me in. I now love all the things of which I was so suspicious in my formative yoga years – the repetition, the not thinking... now I love just doing.
It totally makes sense for me at this point in my life and I’m allowing different aspects of the pose come alive. I am very much enjoying making the breath more central to the pose. I think before I worked the meditative aspect by using the mechanical detail as sort of an introspective drsti on which I focussed as I assumed the pose. Now it is more about getting into the pose as efficiently as possible and taking five breaths.
That said, it is completely thanks to years of iyengar training and hours spent thinking about the mechanics of each pose that an ashtanga practice to works for me. Now i can slip into a respectable pose quickly and with confidence. I imagine it must all seem like a bit of a blur for those without an iyengar background.
I feel excited by yoga again. It's like I'm on a long trek and just when the road seems long and thankless you turn a corner and suddenly in front of you is a beautiful view.
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