I’m an anxious person by nature. Without discipline, my mind runs amuck creating stories about this, and that. It spins trivial situations into worst case scenarios, that send me spiraling into the depths of my monkey mind.
In this weeks blog we’re gibing you some tips on how to still the monkey mind!
Something I get asked all the time by practitioners is how to eat for this practice, and I think it’s so important. We work super hard in this practice, and fuelling our bodies with nutritious food is a necessity! So this week I’m sharing all about how to get proper nutrition for Ashtanga.
I’m not going to lie, for the first year or so of practice, I didn’t think much of the fundamental asanas.
To me, the standing sequence was just something I had to “get through” until the real practice started. I spent a lot of time rushing through it, and not really focusing on my alignment because, at the time, it seemed like just a warm-up.
Over time, I realized the importance of these postures, and the impact they can have on our practice. In this post I share the importance of the fundamental asanas, and how to improve!
Practicing through pain is something most Ashtangis have done at some point in time. But it isn’t necessary! You do not, and should not be fighting through pain to make it through your practice. This week we’re giving you 4 great ways to deal with pain when it comes up in your practice.
Dristi is important in our Asana practice. It is one of the three Tristhanas or, “points of focus” during our practice along with Asana and Pranayama.
Dristi, I’ve realized for me at least, is foundational, and instrumental to my level focus and concentration throughout my practice.
So this week, I thought I’d discuss why it’s so important to our practice.
I think the idea of having a “Guru” is quite polarizing. People seem to land on either side of the issue. They either love the idea of having one teacher/guru, or they stand firm in that Guru culture is BS, and rebel completely.
Now guru culture in the Ashtanga lineage is interesting because we have a living breathing Guru, Sharath. And while some people hang on his every word, others… don’t.
This weeks blog is all about Guru culture. Check it out to hear my thoughts on the issue, and what I think are some important things to consider before taking a Guru.
Maintaining a home practice can be really tough. I know that when I’m not amidst the buzzing energy of the studio, and with the accountability of my teachers, I really struggle. And I don’t think I’m alone in this. The reality is many practitioners don’t have the luxury of being close to an Ashtanga studio, so cultivating a home practice is important. This week I sought the expertise of two wicked home practitioners to find out just what gets them on their mat everyday.
Read more to here what Kat and Jeff had to say!
I think we can all relate to the struggles that ensue when coming up to standing after a drop-back or from Urdhva Dhanurasana. This week our very own Sarah Teitel has written about her experience with standing up, and it is nothing short of beautiful. Check out her story, and the wisdom she’s gained through this practice.
Have you ever wondered why we take rest on Moon days in the Ashtanga Lineage? Maybe up until now you’ve just LOVED having an extra rest day during the week, but did you know there is an energetic reason that we take rest? In this blog we’re sharing why we take rest on moon days. Check it out!
This week I had the opportunity to sit down with AYCT’s very own Vitamin Girl, Naturopath Dr. Tara Campbell, to chat all about IV therapy and the impact it can have on Ashtangi’s and their health. If you’ve never heard about IV Therapy, that’s ok! You can read all about it and it’s incredible health benefits in this weeks post!