27 November 2015

Take What You Need

It has started. The incessant TV advertising - big companies trying to tell us (and sell us) what we "need" to have a good Christmas. I love that I have pause and fast forward buttons on my remote control so that I can skip these emotional manipulations. They are drip, drip, dripped into our psyche day after day, warning us that we don't have enough, - that we are not enough - unless we buy more stuff. If we buy more then we'll be happy and our Christmas will be fabulous.

What is the yogic take on this? Yoga teaches us to know the difference between what we want and what we need. It's one of the Yamas - guidelines for a life well-lived as set out in the 8 limbs of yoga by Patanjali (see my previous post here). There is nothing wrong with wanting and desiring nice things. Problems arise when we feel we need more things to make our life complete. In our yoga practice we notice how we are breathing and how we are placing our bodies. We notice our thoughts and our reactions to the poses and the sequences. When we cultivate that awareness off the mat too, we can make conscious choices and life becomes more intentional.




Leo Babauta from www.zenhabits.net reminds us in this article how practicising gratitude can help.

Gratitude to Cure the Impulse to Buy More Stuff

It’s funny that two days with such opposing spirits come back-to-back in our calendars here in the U.S. - Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday.

One is about being thankful for what you have, and the other is about getting more of what you don’t have. They aren’t aligned at all.

The good news is that we can use our thankfulness to overcome the urges to buy a lot of stuff — these urges being created in us by the corporations and purveyors of consumerism. We don’t have to listen to their messages of needing more things at discount (as if spending our money or getting into debt is “saving” money) or needing to buy things for our loved ones to show our love for them.

We can counter these messages with gratitude:

1. I’m grateful for what I already have, for the life I’m already living … and so I don’t need more. I can save much more by just not buying anything, and finding joy and contentedness in what I already have.

2. We can show our love for people not by buying them stuff, but by showing our gratitude for them being in our lives: sending them thoughtful letters or notes, giving hugs, spending time with them, playing games indoors and out with them.

We will get the impulse to buy more, but that doesn’t mean we need to follow the impulses. We can recognize the more rapid beating of our hearts when we begin to consider a shopping purchase, the excitement that comes from imagining a future with these purchases in our lives. Imagining a future happiness gets us excited!

Instead, we can calm these heart flutters by refocusing our attention on the present. Turn your attention to what’s in front of you, right now, and realize how amazing it is that you have all of this in your life. Turn your attention to the people in your life, near and far, and find gratitude for their presence in your heart. Turn to all the fortune you have, materially and monetarily and in spirit, and be grateful it’s there. Be grateful for the opportunity to live life, for the joy that you can find in every moment, for the good that’s inside of you right now.

These are what can bring us joy, not future purchases. This moment is all we need, and it is an opportunity for thunderous gratitude.




The following article reminds us how being aware can help us with our food choices during this time of excess and over-indulging: 

The Only 3 Words You Need To Survive The Holidays
by Brigitte Weil via Mindbodygreen.com   

I have a love/hate relationship with the holidays. I love the lights, the smell of cinnamon and pine, connecting with family and old friends, slowing down, taking the needed and well-deserved time away from the daily routine. 

I hate the explosion of holiday goodies that suddenly appear everywhere: the cookie platter at my hair salon, the chocolate towers that arrive at the door, the eggnog that tastes too good, the parties with tiny innocent-looking but dangerous cocktail franks, too much creamy artichoke dip, and of course, the extra glasses of champagne. 

It all looks so pretty, until I get on the scales the next day. 

Just because I am a food coach and work all day with others seeking my guidance about WHAT and HOW to eat to stay on their food plan, I am not immune to these same holiday struggles. It’s hard work to navigate the festivities and maintain, or even lose, weight, especially when food is served to us in someone else’s home or at a dinner party and we feel a lack of control over portion size and food choices. 

It also often seems that throughout this season of indulgence, even the most well-meaning friends and family want to make it easy for us to indulge. That is the double whammy: truly tempting food AND the tempters whose familiar pleas include: 

“C’mon … just one bite won’t kill you!” 

“But I made this especially for you!” 

“You don’t look like you need to lose weight!” 

Tough situations call for tough discipline, which sometimes feels a bit wimpy, especially after a couple of sips of that festive punch. To guarantee we all don't lose sight of our goals and that we come through the season with peace and ease, I came across these three little words that work like holiday magic: 

“NO, THANK YOU.” 

Easy enough? 

You might have murmured those three simple words in the past, but if you weren't convincing enough to stop that huge slice of pumpkin cheesecake that was placed in front of you, it's because you missed the MOST IMPORTANT aspect of the three little words: your tone. 

The trick is all in the delivery: You will need to use these three words firmly and decisively. 

The key component is to add a big smile as you say, “No, thank you.” 

Practice saying it again and again, and you will get better at it. Don’t forget the smile. 

Each opportunity you have to say “NO THANK YOU,” increases your comfort level with expressing those three little words. 

As you perfect your new skill, you will become a master at gracefully refusing food and walking away without guilt, regret, hard feelings, awkwardness, or discomfort. You'll get through the holidays with ease and confidence so you can truly enjoy a wonderful, joyful, and peaceful season.




Blueberry and Banana Overnight Oats

This is an easy, healthy breakfast you can prepare the night before and leave in the fridge overnight. It's ready to eat in the morning so it's perfect if you're in a hurry.

You will need:

half a cup oats
half a cup milk or almond milk
half a mashed banana
2 tablespoons of blueberries (fresh or frozen)
optional extras to add in the morning: crushed pecan nuts, dessert spoonful of almond butter, dessert spoonful of greek yoghurt, teaspoon of maple syrup

Put the oats in a jar or bowl, pour over the milk, stir in the bananas and blueberries. Cover and put in the fridge overnight. In the morning add the extra ingredients if required. If you want to heat your breakfast up you can add some extra milk and whizz it in the microwave for a minute or so. You can't get easier than that!





Take What You Need

Coby Persin, known for his YouTube channel focused on human behavioural experiments, is getting a lot of attention for his most recent video.

For his latest experiment Coby walked around New York City with $1 notes taped to his jacket, and a sign that said 'Take what you need' to see how people would react.

Unfortunately, the response revealed that most people who took handfuls of the money were seemingly wealthy, while a homeless man refused to take more than $2 that he needed to buy his lunch.

Interesting stuff...




Finally, my Facebook friend Kelly who runs Project Me for Busy Mothers posted the following on her page this week:

"I thought I'd share a little ritual I do every time I withdraw cash from the bank machine. (I just did it now, and it made me think of it.)

As the machine is counting out the cash and my hand is there, waiting for it to emerge, I say 'thank you, thank you, thank you' and I feel a genuine rush of gratitude as the money hits my hands.

I feel incredibly grateful to be in a position where, if I need money, I can walk up to a hole in the wall and instantly have some. How many people in the world would fantasise about that??? We have to appreciate the money we have and not focus on what we lack / wish we had more of.

True gratitude for whatever money we DO have will bring us even more abundance."

I love this and will be doing this next time I'm at the ATM! The attitude of gratitude is very powerful and can change your mindset in an instant - try it.







20 November 2015

Wild! And windy!

Wild! And windy!

It's been windy outside for nearly a week now! My sweet pea wigwams, which still have flowers on them, have fallen down and my beautiful, huge, ferny, pink cosmos plants are in disarray. Sigh! But it is the middle of November and it has been a wonderful autumn so I must accept the gentle decline of my garden and prepare it for it's winter slumber.

The wind can make us a little unsettled - it has certainly has made The Furry Guru a bit more skippety on his walks and the horses in the fields around where I live are more skittish in this weather. The wind can make it more difficult for us to focus and feel "grounded". Meditation can help with this - a few minutes sitting quietly with your eyes closed, feeling the weight of your feet on the earth, your sitting bones in contact with your chair, your hands resting on your thighs - can bring you out of your head with all its swirling thoughts and right back into your body, and this present moment.

If you're a member of Thrive Yoga you can practice the Mountain Meditation that was last week's new class to help ground, settle and relax you. This week's new class is a 45 minute all-round flow which also brings your attention into your foundation to encourage focus and steadiness.


Windy weather can have other effects on us too - my skin is feeling drier, especially my hands, and I don't go anywhere without my lipsyl. Ayurveda, the ancient Indian science of holistic medicine, uses yoga, meditation, diet, and herbs to promote optimum health and wellbeing. The Ayurvedic system seeks to rebalance the body using knowledge of the 3 doshas or constitutional "types". When the body is in harmony these doshas are in balance with each other but stressful lifestyles, poor diets and other factors can disrupt this balance. Here's the wikipedia definition of the doshas:

"three energies believed to circulate in the body and govern physiological activity, their differing proportions determining individual temperament and physical constitution and (when unbalanced) causing a disposition to particular physical and mental disorders."

The 3 doshas are Vata, Pitta and Kapha:

Vata governs all movement in the mind and body. It controls blood flow, elimination of wastes, breathing and the movement of thoughts across the mind. Since Pitta and Kapha cannot move without it, Vata is considered the leader of the three Ayurvedic Principles in the body.

Pitta governs all heat, metabolism and transformation in the mind and body. It controls how we digest foods, how we metabolize our sensory perceptions, and how we discriminate between right and wrong. Pitta governs the important digestive "agnis" or fires of the body.

Kapha governs all structure and lubrication in the mind and body. It controls weight, growth, lubrication for the joints and lungs, and formation of all the seven tissues — nutritive fluids, blood, fat, muscles, bones, marrow and reproductive tissues.

This article from Yoga Journal looks at how your Vata can become unbalanced at this time of year, and what you can do to become grounded again.




Gotta Lotta Vata? don't let the windy, cool and dehydrating effects of winter get under your skin.

by Niika Quistgard via Yoga Journal

As the cool chill of winter descends, do you find yourself more anxious, flighty, or forgetful than usual? It may be more than the holiday frenzy that’s got you feeling frantic—it could be that your vata dosha is out of balance. The most likely of the doshas to slip out of balance in any season, vata is especially prone to aggravation during late fall and early winter, when nature delivers an abundance of vatalike qualities in the form of blustery winds, cool temperatures, and dry air.

Composed of the elements air and space, vata is the subtlest of the three doshas (the others are pitta and kapha) and therefore the most vulnerable to life’s vicissitudes. Travel, weather changes, insufficient sleep, fragmented schedules, and excessive mental or sensory stimulation of any kind can all challenge vata’s stability.

Seated in the colon, vata governs all movement in the body and mind. (The Sanskrit translation of the word is “that which moves things.”) It enables our fluids to flow, our nerve impulses to fire, our thoughts to coalesce, and, well, our wastes to pass. In other words, vata keeps all of our systems going and contributes to great vitality.

Because of vata’s association with the nervous system, its state is often reflected in our mental health. When vata is in balance, we tend to be enthusiastic, imaginative, funny, quick to learn, and spiritually minded. But the excess vata of late autumn and early winter can leave us susceptible to feeling more fearful, scattered, or worried than usual. Physically, pain is the most obvious indication of excess vata; other common signs are variable appetite, insomnia, dry skin, constipation, flatulence, and irregular menstruation.

You don’t need to feel blown away by vata’s high season. These nurturing lifestyle choices can keep you grounded.

Stick to a daily routine, scheduling in more down time than usual. Aim for lights-out by 10 p.m. and get a full eight hours of sleep each night.

Prepare warm, moist foods and sit down to eat at regular times. Sweet, sour, and salty tastes calm vata. Cooked whole grains, root veggies, and savory soups are good dietary mainstays.

A few times a week, perform abhyanga, a full-body self-massage with warm oil, to nourish and protect the skin, a highly vata-sensitive organ.

Moderate, consistent exercise regulates vata’s mobile nature. In asana practice, include simple seated forward folds like Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend). You can also experiment with standing poses like Virabhadrasana II (Warrior Pose II) to build strength and stability. If you’re feeling overstimulated or fatigued, do restorative poses to encourage deep relaxation.

The ears are especially sensitive to vata; you can protect the ear canals by inserting a few drops of warm ghee (clarified butter) or sesame oil each morning—a traditional vata-calming Ayurvedic practice. When outdoors, use earmuffs, a hat, earplugs, or cotton balls for additional protection from the wind. 


And lastly, curb the tendency to talk unnecessarily, settling into rejuvenating silence whenever you can.



Yoga Anywhere, Anytime

When we start yoga, it is often to do a 90 minute class once a week - tick it off the to-do list and forget about it until next week. After practicing for a while, however, we might find it seeping out into daily life. This is the jackpot. The whole point. To have a healthy lifestyle with a healthy body, a healthy mind and a healthy attitude to life itself, this is yoga.

You might recognise in yourself the signs that your yoga is becoming part of your life - standing in the queue at the bank, rolling your shoulders back and drawing your chin in, pausing to breathe deeply and notice where you are holding tension in the body, and softening it before you face a challenging task, or recognising when you are talking to yourself in a harsh, overly critical way and making a conscious decision to replace the words with some kinder ones.

You might find yourself doing a few yoga poses in your kitchen while you are waiting for the carrots to cook, or finding time at work to sit for a few minutes in quiet contemplation. You are no longer someone who goes to yoga. You are a yogi.

Robert Sturman is a photographer and a yogi. He photographs people doing yoga, not just on the mat in yoga studios but practicing in the midst of in their daily life, and often in unusual places. Here are a few of his photos:


Trace Keasler on Wall Street



Tao Porchon-Lynch, yoga teacher and dancer age 95



Erik Milosevich - policeman



Prison inmates, Africa



Sarah Thompson on the Victoria Line, London



The photographer Robert Sturman


You can see more of Robert Sturman's inspiring work here http://robertsturmanstudio.com/work/ which might help to motivate you to practice your yoga anywhere, anytime too.


This Week's Healthy (And Easy) Recipe: Warm Red Cabbage Salad

This recipe was very quick to make and was delicious - I'm looking forward to making it for my friends in my Book Club when they come for lunch in a couple of weeks time.

You will need:

3⁄4 cup walnuts
2 teaspoons oil, walnut preferably
salt and pepper
1 head red cabbage, finely shredded or sliced
1 red apple, peeled,cored,and cut into thin julienne slices
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 1⁄2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled in large pieces
1 tablespoon chopped parsley




Here's how to make it:

In a 180 degree oven (350F or gas mark 4), toast the walnuts that have been tossed with the oil, salt and pepper.
Bake for about 5 minutes, being careful to not let them burn.
In a large saute pan or skillet over medium high heat, add the vinegar, garlic and oil.
As soon as they are hot, add the onions and cook for only a minute or so.
Next add the cabbage and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continually, until colour changes from bright purple to pink.
Season with salt, pepper and a dash more balsamic vinegar.
Remove the wilted cabbage to individual salad plates and top with the apples, walnuts, goat cheese, and herbs.



The Teachers Who Have Influenced Yoga As We Know It Today - this week Swami Sivananada

Swami Sivananda was born in India in 1887. He studied medicine and practiced as a physician before becoming a monk and founding the Divine Life Society and the Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh. He was a prolific author, writing 296 books on a variety of subjects. He died in 1963.

His teachings on yoga formed the Sivananda Yoga that we know today. The Sivananda Centre runs intensive teacher training courses in many different countries and has produced over 26,000 graduates over the past 40 years. Sivananda teachers can be recognised by their yellow tee-shirts and white trousers.

The Sivananda training system aims "to retain the vitality of the body and decrease chance of disease, by simply and naturally cultivating the body."

The Sivananda system has 5 principles:
Proper exercise: Asanas
Proper breathing: Pranayama
Proper relaxation: Savasana
Proper diet: Vegetarian
Positive thinking and meditation

A typical Sivananda yoga class starts with resting in Savasana, followed by Pranayama practice with Kapalabhati and Anuloma Viloma techniques. Warming up with Sun Salutations comes next and then the set series of 12 postures is practiced. Each of these sections of the class is separated by a brief Savasana and every class follows the same format, with very little variation.


The set sequence of poses in a Sivananda class

Swami Sivananda

And finally...

A photo to make you smile.....


Even wild cats are still just cats!


.... and a video that might make you want to connect with the wild woman in you:

14 November 2015

The World Needs Your Help!

“Never doubt that a small group of 
thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. 
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead




The World Needs Your Help!

Watch the short video below. Then notice your feelings (mine were initially of despair and then of renewed determination to do something). Then read the 8 Ways to Make a Positive Difference This Weekend below. And then, as the great Nike slogan reads: Just Do It! By the way, did you know that Nike was the Greek Goddess of Victory? She had wings :-)





8 Ways to Make a Positive Difference This Weekend

Although the widespread destruction of our planet can seem just too great to overcome, here are 8 simple ways you can make our world a better place. This action of selfless service is aligned with yogic thinking. Its called Seva in Sanskrit  -  work done for the benefit of the community without any thought of personal gain. The benefits will be received by everyone, including our children and grandchildren.

1. Help your fellow avian beings by hanging a bird feeder in your garden. As we move towards winter, food supplies become scarce for birds and a little extra food will be well received. It needs to be regular though, not just a one off, because they will start to rely on your offerings. Although Seva is meant to be selfless you do get a lovely return for your investment with this one - watching the birds' behaviour at your feeding station is a lovely, peaceful, almost meditative thing to do. Click here for the RSPB's guide to bird feeding.

2. Become and organ donor. This one needs no explanation really but it's something that's really easy to put off doing. It will have an enormous life-changing, life-enhancing impact on someone else at absolutely no cost to yourself! The NHS website here explains everything you need to know, answers lots of FAQs and offers a quick and easy way to register online.

3. Make a decision not to buy water in plastic bottles.  Plastic waste is a mammoth problem for our world. It does not degrade so either ends up in landfill or in the sea. According to the website recycling-guide.org,

"275,000 tonnes of plastic are used each year in the UK, that's about 15 million bottles per day. Most families throw away about 40kg of plastic per year, which could otherwise be recycled. The use of plastic in Western Europe is growing about 4% each year. Plastic can take up to 500 years to decompose."

Much of our plastic waste ends up in the sea, being gathered by currents (gyres) until they form big patches in the middle of the oceans. Here are some facts about gyres:

A Gyre is a naturally occurring vortex of wind and currents that rotate in a clockwise direction in the northern hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the southern hemisphere. These create a whirlpool effect, whose vortex moves more slowly at the center and that is where marine plastic debris collects.

There are 5 major Gyres in the oceans worldwide, all of which are believed to contain plastic and persistent organic pollutants (POPs). These consist of carbon-containing chemical compounds that, to a varying degree, resist photochemical, biological and chemical degradation.

The North Pacific Gyre, also known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, is estimated to be twice the size of Texas. Currently, an estimated 11 million tons (and growing) of floating plastic covers an area of nearly 5 million square miles in the Pacific Ocean, 700 miles northeast of the Hawaiian Island chain and 1,000 miles from the coast of California.



Big steps were made in the UK last month with the introduction of the 5p charge for plastic bags. By taking your reusable bag to the shops you already are making a difference. Here are some words from gov.uk about why this charge was introduced:

"In 2014 over 7.6 billion single-use plastic bags were given to customers by major supermarkets in England. That’s something like 140 bags per person, the equivalent of about 61,000 tonnes in total. They take longer than other bags to degrade in the environment, can damage wildlife, and are extremely visible when littered in our towns, parks and the countryside. Despite research showing that the average household already has 40 plastic bags around the home, the number of plastic bags taken from supermarkets increased for the fifth year running in 2014."

4. Give something to someone - a batch of cookies you've just made, a paperback book you've just finished and enjoyed, a compliment on the work they've done, or send someone a handwritten letter.  Expect nothing in return.

5. Use the local shops. Support the independent traders.

6. Watch Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's new TV programme on I-player here. He wants to find out why the UK wastes so much food. He challenges supermarkets to drastically reduce the amount of food they throw away. 

7. Get outside and go for a walk in the countryside. Even if it's raining. Look for the magic that can be found there, such as kicking through the autumn leaves, noticing raindrops dripping off leaves, pausing to take in the view of the cloudy skies. You'll love your planet just a little bit more (how could you not when you see that beauty all around you?) and you will then be inspired to take care of it a little bit more. 


View along the Polesden Valley, Polesden Lacey, Surrey

8. Do some yoga. Meditate.  You'll feel more relaxed, kinder and more compassionate. Can't get started on your own? Join my new website www.thriveyoga.co.uk and do the online classes there with me as your guide. 

I'm sure you can think of many more ways you can make a difference to our amazing planet. It doesn't really matter what you do, just do something. It feels good to be an activist.


Headstand in Nature - and wellies!!
Yorkshire, UK


Gatwick Airport's New Yoga Lounge Hopes To Help Nervous Fliers Relax And Unwind
The Huffington Post UK  By Brogan Driscoll


Whether you're a nervous flier or dreading being cramped on a long-haul flight, airport yoga may be just the ticket. That's why Gatwick Airport have launched 'floga' (a fusion of the words flight and yoga, geddit?) in a bid to help passengers de-stress before take-off.





The 20-minute class, which has been created by yoga instructor and Instagram star Shona Vertue, will be shown via video in a brand-spanking yoga room in the airport's South Terminal.

"Long flights can be uncomfortable and besides stretching in your seat and walking up and down the aisle, there's actually not a lot you can do," Vertue says.

The class, which lasts 20 minutes, is free to use and is stocked with yoga mats. Gatwick’s Head of Terminals and Passenger Services Nikki Barton said: "We’re thrilled to be opening a ‘Floga’ lounge here at Gatwick. It’s important to us that passengers have the best airport experience possible and this will be a great way to help individuals de-stress and unwind before a flight.

"The lounge is built for all to enjoy and we’re so excited to see members of the public use this fantastic facility”.

Travel Medicine expert at the Fleet Street Clinic Dr Richard Dawood said: "Modern air travel can be a stressful process, both mentally and physically. Passengers often feel tense when trying to make their flight on time and checking they have everything they need. "With more and more people travelling with heavy hand-luggage, the physical strain can also be considerable. We have also seen an increase in long-haul flights from airports like Gatwick, so a higher volume of passengers are likely to have their movement restricted for hours on end.  "A yoga work-out before boarding a flight will help passengers relax their minds and their bodies, turning what can be a stressful experience into a more enjoyable and relaxing one."

Gatwick isn't the first airport to introduce a yoga lounge. San Francisco Airport also features one and, according to The Evening Standard, was the inspiration for Gatwick's new opening.


Spicy Sweet Potato Hummus
via cookieandkate.com

Vegan hummus that's bursting with flavour, both sweet and spicy. Enjoy it as a snack with pita wedges and veggies or as a spread!

Prep time:  15 mins
Cook time:  55 mins

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups cooked chickpeas (or one can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained)
3 tablespoons tahini
3 cloves garlic, peeled
juice of 1 lemon
zest of ½ lemon
ground sea salt, to taste
1½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (start with less, season to taste)
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon cumin

Note: I did half of these measurements and ended up with a decent sized portion that will last me a few days.




Instructions:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees c, (gas mark 6 or 400 degrees F). Bake the sweet potatoes on the middle oven rack or in a baking dish for 45 minutes to an hour. They should yield to a gentle squeeze when they’re done baking.

While the sweet potatoes are cooling, toss all of the other ingredients into a food processor and whizz them up (if you’re sensitive to spice, you may want to save the spices for last and add them to taste). Once the sweet potatoes have cooled enough to handle, use a knife or your fingers to peel the skin off. Add the sweet potatoes to the food processor.

Blend well, and serve! You could garnish with a light sprinkle of cayenne pepper and some sesame seeds.


This was yummy - when I started to take the 
photos there were more carrots on that plate!

The Teachers Who Have Influenced Yoga As We Know It Today - this week Sri K Pattabhi Jois

Sri K Pattabhi Jois was born in Karnataka, India in 1915 and started practicing yoga at the age of 12. His teacher was Krishnamacharya (read about him in my blog post from September here) and he studied with him until 1953. In 1948 he set up the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, India.

Pattabhi Jois is known for developing the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga system which today we call Ashtanga Yoga. It consists of 6 increasingly physically challenging series of postures which should be practiced 6 days a week and always in the same order. The practice is dynamic, hot and sweaty, with lots of Sun Salutations and strengthens and purifies the body.  A class begins with 5 rounds of Surya Namaskar A (Sun Salutations), followed by 5 Surya Namaskar B, followed by a series of standing postures and then seated postures. Props are not used in Ashtanga and there are few ways to adapt the postures, making it appealing to those who are already fit and strong. Those who are less fit might find this practice challenging and need to be careful not to injure themselves. 

Ashtanga yoga can also be practiced "Mysore" style, following the set sequence of postures in one's own time, only being guided by the teacher as they walk around the room offering assistance where needed. 

In the early 1960's the first Westerners discovered Ashtanga yoga and Pattabhi Jois began training them to become his teachers. The method spread worldwide and is now taught at most yoga studios. He continued to teach until passed away in May 2009, aged 93.



Possibly Sri K Pattabhi Jois' most famous quote




Finally, an empowering quote for you:- Helen Keller said, "I am only one, but still I am one; I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and just because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."