Just began Help!!!!!

[Guest guest]

I just started an interest in yoga and through

research found Ashtanga to be the best place or branch to

begin. I have been searching for central paths for many

years and I am looking for the path to true

enlightenment, the trouble is I dont know how to get started

learning and practicing. Info I live in Kentucky with

practically no instructors. Please help me find information,

books, classes, videos, or anything I can find to get

started. I would really appreciate the help

john42240 Thanks.John

[Guest guest]

Hi John,<br><br>Astanga is the only yoga I've

tried, but I also think it's the best, because from

reading<br>it seems that most of the other don't use enough

heat while they're stretching.....<br><br>Although I

also believe that there is no 'right yoga' so I'll

ammend that to 'astanga is the<br>right yoga for me

now.'<br><br>Beryl Bender Birch's book 'power yoga' is excellent. It

really gave me a feel for what<br>this whole discipline

is about. Because in a book she can discuss other

things, as well<br>as just postures.<br><br>She also

sells audio tapes from her web site. Once I'd been

using her book for a couple of<br>months, I bought a

tape, to get more motivation, and to help with

'timing'. For me that's always<br>a hard question. How long

do I hold the pose? I know the answer is 5 breaths,

but how long<br>should each breath be? So an audio

tape was good for me.<br><br>The problem with video

tapes, is that while you're practising you can't be

staring at the<br>telly, plus I don't have a video ( or a

telly) so I haven't got one. But if you've never

seen<br>astanga yoga practicesed before I'm sure a video would

help.<br><br>Getting the postures 'right' isn't that hard. In that if

you're trying you're best, you are doing it<br>right.

This isn't a yoga where each posture has to be

perfect. What I'm trying to say is<br>that in all the

classes i've been to, I don't very often get adjusted by

the teacher. Not because<br>i'm good, but because

'I'm heading in the right direction'<br>So if you can

get to some classes, excellent. But don't worry if

you can't get to classes, or<br>can only go very

infrequently. Only you can tell if you're doing the posture

right anyway!<br><br>As for 'searching for true

enlightenment.' I'm not very sure on that one. I find that when i

do the physical yoga exercises, my mind and mental

attitude changes. It helps my mental state in lots of

different ways. Of course this is subtle at first, but over

time I really notice my mental diffence when I

practice and when I don't. <br>Maybe if you seriously do

yoga for a long time 'you will feel more enlightened'

But i think if<br>you make it 'your goal' it might

not come. i think it might have to sneak up on you.

Remembering of course that yoga is 'a goaless discipline.'

and that 'enlightenment' is practically

undefinable.<br><br>Hope this helps<br><br>Liz

[Guest guest]

I have a giant list of ashtanga links

and<br>lists of books and videos

here:<br><br><a href=http://www.ionet.net/~tslade/yoga.htm

target=new>http://www.ionet.net/~tslade/yoga.htm</a><br><br>I would probably

recommend David Swenson's

video.<br>Yogasite shows a teacher in Lexington at a place<br>called

Yoga East. It could be out of date, but<br>worth

checking - there is an email address and<br>phone number.

www.yogasite.com<br>It would probably be worth traveling to

the<br>closest place you can take a primary series<br>ashtanga

classs at least once before trying to<br>learn from a

video, but videos would probably be<br>better than books

for learning how to do it.<br><br>Good

Luck<br><br>Terry Slade

[Guest guest]

Ashtanga Yoga GuruSri Pattabhi Jois's book YOGA

MALA is available through Patanjali Yoga 212 982-0753.

And a video of the Guru teaching the series himself

is available from Yoga Works 310 393-5150. Get as

close to Guruji's teachings as you can - with his book

and his video and then save your money for a trip to

Mysore. All the Best - Shanti

[Guest guest]

Hello John. I teach at Yoga East in Louisville.

I've been teaching first series Ashtanga since 1995. I

went through David Swenson's teacher training in 1998,

and I will be in Mysore with Pattabhi Jois Aug-Oct.

David Swenson is coming to Louisville for a weekend

workshop Nov 12-14, 99. Visit us at www.yogaeast.org. --

Laura