The demanding ashtangi

" An advanced yoga practitioner is not one who has tasted the most advanced poses,

rather one who has gain advancement in their attitude and character as a person

even in the simplest form of practice in their lifetime." 

At least to me. 

 

It was all about the pose when i started. 

And somehow overtime, it isn't all about the pose, but through the poses we learn many other values in life. 

 

In the primary series, a handful of student will hit their first hurdle in Marichiyana D ( a seated deep twisted that looks like a pretzel). 

Every time when i go to them to adjust or assist them, they would asked 

" When will i ever get to do this myself? I have been trying for 6 months already, its still not happening!"

 

Most times, i laughed it off and told them that i struggled for 3 years without a teacher before the magic happened to me. I'd been through that " feel bad" and frustration enough to empathize them. Still, the reality is, our bodies need time to condition. 

Don't be unreasonable!

 

Then what, the next hurdle at Supta Kumasana took me 6 years! 

Even now and then i still need help, should i sit down and cry?

 

It's funny how we love to allocate timeline on different stages in our lives and similarly how we allocate timeline for achieving each pose.

 

Who say so? Who set the timeline? Who frame that limitation?

 

Instead of being demanding towards those poses, why not demand for more patience, persistence and endurance in the practice?