Ashtanga Yoga and Innovation

What if your yoga and spiritual practice were not meant to stay the same?

Things have changed here. We have changed. The world has changed.

What hasn’t changed for us is that a sadhana — a dedicated, consistent practice — provides a container for growth, healing, and being in the world with wisdom.

Whatever class format you enjoy, it’s sustained practice over time that is so important. Our long-time Ashtanga teacher, Sharath Jois, knew this. He recognised that practising the six sequences of Ashtanga as a daily sadhana can be somewhat unrealistic. Most people won’t be able to finish the primary series in this lifetime.

And while Ashtanga has mixed messages about asana achievement, hopefully we all know that being more flexible doesn’t necessarily equate to spiritual insight.

With all this in mind, Sharath designed another sequence — still dynamic, but more steady and soothing.

In our view, this sequence also supports experienced Ashtanga teachers who move easily through the traditional sequences to learn how to modify and adapt the practice because normal bodies don’t fit the Instagram versions of the postures.

We’ve never been part of the physically gifted crew, nor the group who enjoy training like Olympic athletes. We began our Ashtanga journey with meditation. We have children. Work. We love asana, but we don’t attach spiritual importance to being able to perform particular postures.

It’s interesting how often people focus on the outward “fruits” of the practice, rather than how those fruits show up in relationships and daily life.

We spent years with Sharath. He was proud of our achievements — a stable marriage, beautiful children, and our PhDs. He supported us through it all, including not pushing us to meet the intense postural standards in Mysore.

To be clear, Ashtanga Yoga practice in Mysore can feel like elite-level gymnastics. I sometimes meet people who are keen to tell you they’ve “completed Third Series”. It can become a strange badge of honour. And realistically, if someone has learned in Mysore, India, it’s unlikely they would progress far into Intermediate without the gatekeeper postures being extremely refined. Learning outside of Mysore and in Mysore is very different, which is why the world has a handful of “Certified” Ashtanga teachers. These people are ATHLETES with the privilege, or priority, of going to Mysore a lot. Note: some of these people are deeply spiritual - but that’s not a prerequisite for completing this series. Hardcore “training” with, in some cases, “giftedness” comes into the mix.

All up, whether it is about postures, or relationship to food and drink exercise…Ashtanga practitioners can have a complicated relationship with their body.

So eventually, some people quit Ashtanga. Or they find it difficult to return after perimenopause, injury, or starting a family.

This is not the culture Sharath wanted.

So now there is a sequence that many more people can practise — or modify in a way that works for them.

It’s called “The Active Series”

I love this because it provides another “form” for people to settle into. To be honest, I don’t hold inherent value in set forms. As it says in the Heart Sutra:

“Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.”

But without form, a sadhana is incredibly hard to sustain.

In my opinion, Ashtanga now has a new form.

Some hardcore Ashtangis get super triggered by this? There is a view this is not an Ashtanga series? But if your precious “lineage” is tied to a person, and this person creates this sequence for his students, well, not sure exactly what the problem is. I find it curious that there has not been a wider uptake of this series amongst Ashtangis and Ashtanga teachers. What I have observed is that this series appeals to people across the stages of life. 

For us, we embrace this final gift. Is it the perfect sequence? No. Is what is written about core strength in the book correct? Physiotherapy researchers would question it. Could you design another sequence? Sure?!

But having a form designed by an experienced teacher, that you then practice in sangha (community) really helps. It helps you have a container, so to speak, to do the work.

This series can be practiced in our Mysore classes. Or you can attend Active Series Led (view timetable)

You’re welcome to try it for free — online or in person — this Saturday, 7 March at 9.30 am.

Book now

Warmly,
Jean