Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga..... Yin or Yang?
During 19th-24th October, 2010 at Fine Yoga Beijing the workshop of “Special Intensive Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Practice with John Scott. Sherri, Bella and I worked as John’s assistants. Sherri and Rose did the translations. Besides assisting John for the adjustment, I also observed John how he taught, how he took care of the practitioners in such a big class and with different levels.
This year, there were about 45 practitioners who joined the workshop.
In morning at 6.30, John, Bella, Sherri and I practiced together before the big class. It’s an energetic class, John practice beside me; I could hear his ujjayi breathing….soft…..calm…..and powerful. I could feel his energy…..by feeling that energy I became more calm….relaxed and energetic! After finished practice, we did a short savasana and then John went directly to the big class with a smile and still lots of energy for the practitioners.
This year, there were about 45 practitioners who joined the workshop.
In morning at 6.30, John, Bella, Sherri and I practiced together before the big class. It’s an energetic class, John practice beside me; I could hear his ujjayi breathing….soft…..calm…..and powerful. I could feel his energy…..by feeling that energy I became more calm….relaxed and energetic! After finished practice, we did a short savasana and then John went directly to the big class with a smile and still lots of energy for the practitioners.
The morning classes for the practitioner were started at 8.30 am. John made the intensive led class for first 2 days and then let the practitioners do the self practice mysore class for 2 days and one more intensive led class for the last day. Everyone worked very hard and tried their best for their practice and I knew that John also did his best to reach the need of everyone. With a lot of energy, he ran from front to the back, right and left side of the class helping the practitioners to reach their limit for each asana and still speaking out the important instructions for the whole class. All of his movement were done with full awareness…..aware of the body of practitioners when he did adjustment them…..aware of the necessary instructions for the class….aware of the ability of each practitioner - who can do more and who need John’s help for reaching higher level of his/her own practice.
During the afternoon classes, John taught about technique and yoga philosophy. I remembered that when I studied with John in New Zealand on my last day in Nelson, John told me: “Duangta, don’t teach only asana, try to teach more philosophy, let your students know what is the Yoga.” Now I teach Yoga philosophy just only for the TTC class. I knew this time John tried to plant the seed of Yoga in the heart of practitioners.
There were many questions from the practitioners. One interesting question was: “Chinese philosophy believe in the harmony between Yin and Yang, so if we have too many Ashtanga practices will it then effect the harmony of Yin and Yang in a way that Ashtanga make us become more Yang and less of Yin?”
I’ve heard about this issue for many times from my students and some Yoga instructors who never practice Ashtanga or just practice Ashtanga for the way of exercise. Therefore they might not understand what is ASHTANGA VINYASA YOGA. And from such misunderstanding if they teach Ashtanga they will teach in the incorrect way and it makes the student misunderstand about this issue too.
There were many questions from the practitioners. One interesting question was: “Chinese philosophy believe in the harmony between Yin and Yang, so if we have too many Ashtanga practices will it then effect the harmony of Yin and Yang in a way that Ashtanga make us become more Yang and less of Yin?”
I’ve heard about this issue for many times from my students and some Yoga instructors who never practice Ashtanga or just practice Ashtanga for the way of exercise. Therefore they might not understand what is ASHTANGA VINYASA YOGA. And from such misunderstanding if they teach Ashtanga they will teach in the incorrect way and it makes the student misunderstand about this issue too.
John answered this question that “All style of Yoga is the combination of Yin and Yang, it’s the harmony between Yin and Yang. You can do your practice with less of Yin and too much of Yang or less of Yang and too much of Yin….all of that can happen depending on the method of which you do your practice. Many practitioners do Ashtanga without the real understanding of “what is Ashtanga”.
Ashtanga is the one style of Yoga which focus on the breath which we call Ujjayi. During doing a practice the practitioner have to concentrate on Ujjayi breathing, looking place and engaging of bandhas. During practice, my teacher always said “listen to your breath” and John also said that: Your Ujjayi is your own mantra so listen to your breath and move with your breath - let the breath lead your movement”. For me I feel very comfortable every time when I practice Ashtanga because “I listen to Ujjayi” and from my Ujjayi breathing I can manage my own practice….. relax, feel comfortable, stable, energetic - all is coming from Ujjayi breathing.
So do your practice by the way which focus on your Ujjayi breathing, concentrating on looking place and with full awareness. All of these things are the methods which prepare your body and mind for meditation. Then how could the practice change your mind and body to have too much of Yang and less of Yin? In this situation, the body and mind are synchronies. If you want to listen… listen to your breath, if you want to see…see the looking place, if you want to think…think about the counting vinyasa and with the full of awareness to observe your breath, your movement and your mind. Then your mind will slowly move inward. All of thinking will move inward, move into the center…that moment will be very calm and peaceful at the center of you…no more Yin or Yang just only the center of You.
Ashtanga is the one style of Yoga which focus on the breath which we call Ujjayi. During doing a practice the practitioner have to concentrate on Ujjayi breathing, looking place and engaging of bandhas. During practice, my teacher always said “listen to your breath” and John also said that: Your Ujjayi is your own mantra so listen to your breath and move with your breath - let the breath lead your movement”. For me I feel very comfortable every time when I practice Ashtanga because “I listen to Ujjayi” and from my Ujjayi breathing I can manage my own practice….. relax, feel comfortable, stable, energetic - all is coming from Ujjayi breathing.
So do your practice by the way which focus on your Ujjayi breathing, concentrating on looking place and with full awareness. All of these things are the methods which prepare your body and mind for meditation. Then how could the practice change your mind and body to have too much of Yang and less of Yin? In this situation, the body and mind are synchronies. If you want to listen… listen to your breath, if you want to see…see the looking place, if you want to think…think about the counting vinyasa and with the full of awareness to observe your breath, your movement and your mind. Then your mind will slowly move inward. All of thinking will move inward, move into the center…that moment will be very calm and peaceful at the center of you…no more Yin or Yang just only the center of You.
Yin or Yang…it depends on the way which you do your own practice. You can manage by your self what you’d like to be …. Yin or Yang… NamastheJ