Ashtanga Yoga for Every BODY

By Millennium Life Center on Mar 14, 2012 in Blog | 0 comments

When most people think about Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, they imagine young, flexible yogis effortlessly wrapping their legs behind their heads or balancing upside down in handstand. While many people can move their bodies in this way (some of them even teach and practice at our studio), it’s important to keep in mind that Ashtanga is not just for the young and the flexible – it truly is a yoga practice for every BODY. Whether you are young or old, thin or overweight, weak or strong, stiff or flexible, the practice of Ashtanga Yoga is accessible to YOU. It does not matter what your body is capable of. What matters is the inner fire that burns within you — that desire to challenge yourself both mentally and physically in order to peel away the layers of your personality and discover who you really are.

When I first began the practice of Ashtanga yoga, I was inflexible and weak. I was frustrated with myself because I could not touch my toes. I felt inadequate and insecure because I could barely hold myself up in downward facing dog, let alone shift my weight forward into high plank or chaturanga. Every time I showed up to class, I was in awe of the students who were able to move through the sequence of postures with strength and grace. Each class was both a lesson in humility and of releasing the desire to perform every posture perfectly — because yoga practice is not about being perfect. It’s about meeting yourself just as you are on the mat each day. And it’s about learning to be okay with who you are in the present moment.

If you’ve talked yourself out of trying Ashtanga yoga in the past, maybe now’s the time to reconsider. Students in our classes come in all ages, shapes, and sizes. Due to physical limitations, some students may never touch their toes, put their legs in lotus posture, or balance upside down in a headstand. And you know what? That’s perfectly alright! We feel very blessed at the studio to have a community of teachers and students who support each other and recognize that yoga is not just about the physical postures.

Join us for one of our Ashtanga classes or group practice sessions at Millennium Life Center. We offer classes for beginners as well as experienced practitioners. Come as you are.

♥ Kathryn Baker Parks