second series!

[Guest guest]

I've been invited to start practicing second

series where I take yoga! I went for the first time

yesterday (Tuesday) and i had SO MUCH fun! I am so pumped

to keep going. (not that I wasn't pumped

before...but you know how when you're offered an "unreachable"

challenge you automatically want to work that much harder?)

Anyway, I'm not going to be over zealous with this (okay,

i will admit that I'm extremely...obses...I mean,

ENTHUSIASTIC about yoga)--I'm doing second series one day a

week and first series the rest of the days. Is that

okay to do? I mean, you're supposed to keep practicing

the first series too, right? Anyway, I just thought I

would share my good news with you guys! (I'm getting a

lot better at headstand, by the way...all of your

suggestions helped!)<br><br>Lauren

[Guest guest]

<< I'm getting a lot better at headstand,

by the way...>><br><br>I would suggest you

first to learn headstand thoroughly, before even

thinking of moving on to second series. If you move on to

a more advanced series too fast, you'll risk ending

up with injuring yourself sooner or

later.<br><br>Believe it or not, I was able to do headstand from the

very first day I started doing yoga, that's no joke. I

don't know why, because it seems to me that I am

otherwise not particularly talented for doing yoga. For

instance, it took me up to 2 years of regular practice to

master padmasana sufficiently, and I still don't feel

very comfortable in it. I don't think I will ever do

any astanga series in my life other than yoga

chikitsa. (I don't feel much hurry to move on to a more

advanced series anyway, as it seems to me that first

series, at least as presented in John Scott's book -

David Swenson's version looks easier to master -

provides lots of challenge enough to keep me busy for the

rest of my days.)<br><br>So then, enjoy your practice,

be careful, don't hurry, and keep that obsession of

yours under control.

[Guest guest]

That is just great! Do you mind sharing where you

pracice? Also, i'm interested in knowing how long you

spent inn first series before you progressed to second?

What is the average amount of time spent doing first

before you master it??

[Guest guest]

I don't think anybody really "masters" the first

series. I know that this is going to be the subject of

some new flaming now, because I'm moving on too

quickly or something like that, but I'll tell you anyway.

I took my first "intro to ashtanga" class in July,

and took another month of (one class a week) intro

classes between September and October. October 4th is

when I went to my first primary series class (I know

the date because I've taken dated notes after every

class I've gone to--and, by the way, this Sunday will

be my 200th class!). So, to answer your question,

I've been doing the primary series since October 4th.

I actually practice Ashtanga at 3 different places

(depending on the day of week). I'm in Kansas City... I

practice at the Yoga Gallery (WONDERFUL place--very

motivational--it's almost navy seal style yoga some days, but I like

that), Heartland Yoga Studio, and the Athletic Club of

Overland Park (we do short forms there because the class

is only an hour plus savasana). Heartland and ACOP

are the same teacher, and the Yoga Gallery is a

different teacher (actually where I met the other teacher I

take from. she is a student at the Gallery as well).

So, that's that. I don't necessarily AT ALL think I'm

ready for the whole second series yet. There are still

things in primary that I really need to work on (like

say, headstand, jumping through--no matter how hard I

try, my head takes over and says that I can't jump

through--binding in marichi B, C, and D...things like that). But

it's fun to challenge myself with new things

too.<br><br>In Love,<br><br>Lauren

[Guest guest]

This is in no way meant to "flame" you, but I

believe you should be very hesitant about heading into

second series at this stage. My understanding is that

second series should be undertaken only after you have

developed a solid proficiency in all of the asanas of the

primary series -- including the ability to drop back and

stand up (with feet flat on the floor - not the way

David Lee Roth looks on the back of Van Halen I with

his feet "ducked" out and his arches on the floor) in

urdhva danurasana. <br><br>The backbends in second

series can be very punishing. Ask anyone who has been

injured doing them before they were ready.<br><br>Also,

my experience has been that you don't simply

substitute second series for first series. Instead,

consistent with the "Mysore" style of learning, second

series postures are slowly added. So, for instance,

after urdhva mukha paschimottanasana, add pasasana.

After proficiency has been achieved in pasasana, add

krounchasana etc. etc. As you add more second series postures

you drop primary series postures until your second

series practice has SLOWLY supplanted primary series.

THEN, you practice primary on some days and second on

others.<br><br>Just be very cautious, serious injury is a terrible

way to be reminded that you are trying to go too far

too fast.

[Guest guest]

How is your self practise, or Mysore style?

[Guest guest]

How is your moola bandha ? and are you attentive of your breathing ?.<br>

Remember that this yoga isn`t about physical attainment. Its about getting one

closer to nirvitarka-samadhi-

[Guest guest]

Very true---- Also good if your teachers are themselves proficient in the series

they are teaching. Not a judgement just an observation.

[Guest guest]

The idea that 1st series has to be "mastered"

before moving on to the second series is a myth.

<br><br>The idea that moving on to 2nd series backbends is

risky business is also a myth, and a rare one at that.

In fact, I've never heard it before. <br><br>I guess

if someone tried to force themselves into

kapotasana, there's risk of injury there. But the same could

be said for forcing oneself into any asana of the

1st series.<br><br>Yes, it's is a good idea to do 1st

series for a good long time before moving to 2nd. Adding

on 1 new asana of 2nd series to the end of 1st as a

way of learning second, but I don't think this is

necessarily the only way, or even the best way to learn 2nd.

<br><br>Just my opinion.

[Guest guest]

I've been doing 1st series for about 5

years.<br>I've had a physical problem this winter that affected

my practice. I couldn't practice 6 days a week and

could only do a part of the series. I was an

interesting experience though and I feel my practice has

improved. My practice is such a meditative experience that

I'm embarassed to admit

[Guest guest]

Screwgee Wrote:<br>"The idea that 1st series has

to be "mastered" before moving on to the second

series is a myth."<br><br>And the idea that someone

should learn to crawl before learning to walk is also a

myth.<br><br>Or that someone should master basic biology before

performing heart surgery. Another absurd myth.<br><br>But

not a bad idea.<br><br>Cheers,<br>DAN

[Guest guest]

Actually, I recently read that pediatricians are

noticing than more and more babies are bypassing the

crawling stage, and going right into

walking!<br><br>Medical education should preceed the performance of

surgical proceedures, that's not a myth.<br><br>But

learning the "wrong" asanas doesn't translate into

physical or psychic trauma. If that were so, all the

Iyengarites would be pointing out how the Astangarites are

always getting injured.<br><br>Uh....come to think of

it...that's exactly what the Iyengarites DO say about the

Astangarites!

[Guest guest]

It's tricky enough for us to be giving each other

advice on asanas when we've never even seen each other,

let alone trying to decipher from someone's postings

whether or not she is fit for a new series.<br><br>There

has been plenty of previous discussion on this board

concerning litmus tests for second series readiness. ESPW

seems to be the board's source for the

drop-back/stand-up urdhva dhanurasana criterion, which I utterly

fail to meet as my backbends are lousy. We've also

heard that you are supposed to be able to get into

postures in the suggested number of breaths, e.g., twist

and bind in Marichyasana D in one exhale.<br><br>As

I've said here before, I myself was given no specific

criteria but was advised by a perfectly reputable teacher

(of whom even our arch-conservative members have

spoken highly) that I should start second series. So I

guess there are at least some ashtanga traditionalists

out there who look at a person's total practice and

make judgments on a case-by-case basis.<br><br>In my

own experience there is a lot to be said for sticking

with a giving sequence of postures long enough to feel

quite comfortable with them. Well after the muscular

aspects become easy there are little improvments to make

with bandhas, smooth breathing, steady gaze, and

overall mental focus. For example, From an onlookers

point of view it might appear that twists come easily

for me, but I'm still working on keeping a good mula

bandha throughout the entry to Marichyasana C and D.

Also my breathiing on left side in these postures is a

bit rougher than on the right. I think that if I had

never heard of second series I would still be happily

working on these things alone.<br><br>On the other hand

I'm pushing forty, and the personal importance of

such subtleties may vary with one's age and physical

prowess: when someone like Lauren reports having very open

hamstrings, and when one considers the power of youth ...,

well, who knows?<br><br>Perhaps no one better than

Lauren and her teacher. "Criminal" or not, at least

he/she can see Lauren

practice.<br><br>Enjoy!<br><br>Homer

[Guest guest]

hi<br><br>Being strong in headstand from the

getgo could mean that you're strong all the way up and

down your spine, which in my opinion is a great

blessing (although strong arms could compensate for neck

challenges ). I am curious if that is so, like for instance

no lower back pain?. In which case your backbends

and standing up from them probably go well- not

neccessarily in flexilility but you get my drift. And

beginning second series would be safe for and especially

improve back flexibility. Curious ? <br>As far as

padmasan is concerned that is a hip thing - getting those

SIDE HIP muscles L-o-O-o-NG.<br>If you ever fing a

good stretch for that let me know( and just by the way

i don't find that ekapadarajkapotasana helps for

that particular muscle - i see many do that

stretch).<br><br>sorry if my last post to you was too strong - i plead

insanity.

[Guest guest]

<< i plead insanity.>><br><br>be careful, betty lai vigilantly

enforces a strict "no insane people" policy on this message bored.<br><br>yomama