When I went to my first Ashtanga yoga class 4 years ago, I didn't really
know what to expect. The yoga studio was tiny - there were maybe 10 people
in the room - and they were all moving energetically and breathing loudly.
There was no teacher in front of them showing a sequence but rather
everyone knew the sequence and the teacher was helping them individually.
There were students putting their legs behind their head and others would
do deep backbends.
4 years later I am still fascinated by the practice, which is very
physically demanding. However, what I have learned on my journey so far is
that it is not just the physically strenuous postures that I like but
rather the calmness of my thoughts.
Patanjali, author of the yoga sutras, writes:
"Yogas chtta vritti nirodha" - Yoga is the stilling of the mind
Coded by Sandra Weber