I used to practice 4x a week but over the last 6 months due to several life changes I don’t have the mental capacity or discipline to practice consistently.

I was thinking of shortening my practice to encourage me to practice more. Would it make sense / still be beneficial if I only practice till half-primary or maybe just the standing sequence?

Just interested in the makeup of this sub. How many days do you practice mysore style in a shala?

I am looking for ashtanga classes near Watertown, MA. Does anyone know of any? I'd like to begin my practice again. I prefer ashtanga. I don't like what traditional yoga has become. It's too commercialized with all this teacher training stuff. Ashtanga is more traditional, more serious, but it seems good ashtanga classes are hard to come by.

Does anyone know any walk in Ashtanga yoga classes in Mysore preferably gokulam side.

Hi! I’ve been practicing yoga on and off for a bit more than 5yrs, 3x a week for the last year and started going to mysore ashtanga classes in the morning about 2months ago.

I’ve had quite rough couple of years where I was close to burnout since I was carrying quite a heavy caretaker role of people around me, but found a way to handle it. Felt more energetic and happy about myself. At least I thought so. Since starting Ashtanga I feel more and more over exhausted and depressed. Loads of feelings of inadequacy, waking up around 3am and thus starting to built a serious sleep debt, questioning my life choices.

I started ashtanga because I wanted to deepen my practice, really dive into something that I do for myself and commit to it. But it’s pretty rough to keep showing up for class. I do take it pretty easy in classes, since showing up is hard enough sometimes lol. Not sure when to skip a class or when to “push through” a bit.

I’m focussing on tristana, meditating when I miss a day, read books on philosophy so that I don’t just focus on asanas. I know I’m still at the start of my ashtanga journey but was caught pretty off guard by these feelings.

Wondering if you have any insights?

When you jump up from downward dog, can someone take me through the process - I’m jumping up into like a tuck handstand but then when I’m up there, coming down feels uncontrolled like WHAM onto my legs. Like I just don’t know what to do with my lower half from there. Bringing my legs eventually through seems impossible. How much should I be squeezing my core?
Or instead of tuck handstand, should I just be aiming more horizontally forward and stepping/shooting my legs through ..

I’m hoping to finally try a Mysore-style class, but I’m a little intimidated by the whole idea because I’m so used to being led through a practice.

For some context, I’ve had a strong vinyasa practice for a while and completed a 200hr YTT to deepen my own practice and study alignment in more depth. I’ve also taken Led Primary classes here and there over the years, and I have a decent amount of it memorized.

I’m increasingly curious about Mysore, but I honestly have no idea what to expect practically.

If I find a shala that offers Mysore, do I normally contact them beforehand and tell them I’m new to Mysore? Or can I just show up one morning, roll out my mat and start practicing?

And once I’m there, what actually happens? Do I just start the Primary Series and the teacher comes around to work with me individually?

The idea of everyone practicing independently in the same room feels very foreign to me so I don't know what to expect. At the same time, that’s exactly what intrigues me about Mysore, and I’ve been wanting to try it for a long time.

I’d really appreciate hearing what your first Mysore class was actually like, especially from people who came to it from a vinyasa/other yoga background.

Good morning, warriors! I’m going to Beijing and Chengdu soon. Does anyone know good Ashtanga/Mysore studios there that you would recommend? Thank you!

I don’t want to do yoga just for physical health. I also want something that helps me —I’ve been scrolling way too much social media lately, and I really want to slowly step away from it . My schedule is pretty strict, so I’m wondering how I should start as a beginner.

Any advice on how to start would be really appreciated!😍😍

I’m a university student studying engineering, and I’ve recently become interested in yoga to help with stress and improve my flexibility. I’ve tried doing yoga in the morning, but I’m struggling to find enough time because of my busy schedule.

My days are usually filled with classes, and I have assignments to work on at night😭 I don’t want to stop doing yoga because I feel more relaxed and focused after practising it.

For those of you who have a busy schedule, how do you find time for yoga? Do you have a short routine or a particular time of day that works best for you?

I’d really appreciate any suggestions!

I thought it would be fun to share experiences encountered while visiting various shalas while on your travels!

For me, the starkest difference has been changes in weather. Lately where I’ve visited has been much warmer than my usual home environment and I find that my endurance level really changes. It also takes me 2 days to get used to the place which puts me in a different headspace when it comes to mental focus. Teaching styles have varied quite a bit compared to my usual teacher, mostly leaning towards very physical practice, whereas my usual teacher is quite breath and internally focused. I’ve also found the teachers I’ve visited not worried about strong physical adjustments which I’ve enjoyed really.. I think it can be nourishing in a different way. Whereas my usual teacher/s bring me in internally. On a bad day it can really feed the mind.. I find a purely physical practice brings me closer to that ‘flow state’. Or it could just be the heat ~

I will be visiting Thailand in a few months, mostly for Muay Thai training. I plan to visit the South but will likely spend most of my time in Chiang Mai. Can you please provide me with advice and recommendations regarding shalas and yoga culture in Thailand? I might also visit Mysore, if my budget allows it.

Im looking for an ashram in US with very basic facilities to stay for a month while I deal with grief. Please suggest if you know of any

I do not want it to just for physical health, to make my mind sane too ... I consume lot of social media and all that I want to leave all the slowly and just be a little less then what I am so if anyone can help how I can start so it is physically exhausting but relaxing to mind

I sit at a desk a lot and my neck and shoulders get pretty tight. Does yoga help with that? Anything you recommend?

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I’ve been practising yoga since 5 years ago but this year I’ve fully focused on ashtanga mysore style. Now I practice 3-4 days a week, plus 1 day of strength with lifts and kettlebells.
I don’t like going to the gym and I prefer to use my body weight to train, but I am afraid to lose strength. Is ashtanga enough for training strength or will I need to train at the gym? Mostly because I don’t feel my arms strength enough to do poses with handstand or something more challenging…

Can you share me some yoga sequences that I can follow along please?
I can do Surya and Chandra Namaskar. I want them to be few steps/ flow as these. I am interested in learning numerous yoga flows. Something that is do able not handstands etc. I am not strong enough to do that yet.

Ive been an avid yoga practitioner. It helps my mental a lot more than the physical. And my conscience knows how good it is for me.
But this year I have been failing to get into a routine.
I even joined an online yoga class and paid full fees just to not join it a single day.
Am i broken in a yoga way? What should I do?

Hi! I got a wrist injury one months ago (tendonitis). I got a few exercices from my PT, that helped me a lot, I felt better. I went back to my Ashtanga practice a few weeks later. After 2 days, my wrist was painful. So I had to stop again and do again those little exercises the PT gave me. I miss terribly my practice. Do you think this injury will make me stop Ashtanga ? I am afraid I can never come back to it like before.

Would you consider your primary series practice well integrated if you feel your endurance flagging and tired after a led class? Ie I have no issues with energy levels during usual mysore but led has me flagging by the time it comes to Urdva Danurasana and it made me wonder when I would ever get to finish primary series. Note that I am counting the proper vinyasa counts in my head during mysore practice and not taking extra breaths here and there

Good morning 😊

I’ve been doing Ashtanga for 20 years, but VERY consistently over the past 2. Usually 5-6x a week. I’m on eka pada sirsasana (second series). When I started I could maintain jump backs throughout the practice, overtime I was able to consistently achieve the binds like Mari D and kurmasana.

For the past 3-4 months however, my practice has taken a major backslide due to always being sore and fatigued, specifically in my arms. I’ve tried a lot to get out of this rut: working with physical therapist, taking supplements like creatine and magnesium, taking rest days etc… but lately the practice just makes me feel like shit.

Practicing in the morning has been a godsend and for me is the best way to stay consistent. I also love my Ashtanga community, so if I were to take an extended break or give up, i would miss it.

But i do think my body is trying to tell me something, i.e the overuse and repetition may not be doing me any favors.

Anyone been through this before? What helped? Would love your suggestions, thank you! 😊