Ashtanga 101: Welcome to Ashtanga

Here’s the truth: Starting an Ashtanga practice is hard.

Yoga is often misrepresented as being all happy feelings and pretty asanas, or my personal favorite “relaxing.”  But the fact is that getting serious about your practice is a challenging endeavor. The thing is, though, that that’s the case with starting anything new. It makes us feel awkward and frustrated and challenged. Starting something new is a struggle.

A big part of an Ashtanga practice is learning to honor the struggle.

Unfortunately, the struggle is a hard sell. Yoga is sold as a feel-good, relaxing experience, when the truth is that a daily Ashtanga practice will make you work. There will be a lot of difficult steps along the way and there will probably be days that you don’t want to practice.

The benefits of an Ashtanga practice, though, far outweigh the struggles that they grow from. If you engage wholeheartedly, your practice will change you – first it will change your body, then it will change your mind, and then it will change your behavior. And that’s when it starts to change your life.

Strictly speaking, an Ashtanga asana practice is six asana sequences that are practiced with prescribed drishti, breath, and duration, and a pranayama sequence that is equally well defined.

When you start an Ashtanga practice in the Mysore setting, you start small. You don’t need to have all of primary memorized, in face you don’t have to have any yoga experience at all. You don’t have to be flexible or strong — your body will change with practice. Trust that you’ll get there.

When I first introduce a new student to the Ashtanga practice I explain it to them the “bookends”. Each day, you start with sun salutations and the end with the last three seated postures. These are the bookends. They’ll always be how you start and finish your practice, but what will change over time is what happens in between them.

Your teacher will show you the postures one by one. When you come to practice, repeat the practice that you have been taught; when you get to the last pose you know, go to your finishing postures. It might seem tedious sometimes, and it might look like you are doing the same practice every day, but it’s never quite the same. If you go through all you know every single day, you’ll get to know it that much better in both your body and your mind. The body changes with every single practice as well as with every day, and week, and month. In fact, this is one of the most important philosophical concepts we learn — that nothing in this material world is permanent. Don’t expect it to be the same every day, but rather observe the change without attachment or negativity. Part of the practice is being ready each day to work with the changing nature of your body.

The repetition that is built into the practice lends itself to transformation. You will quickly begin to feel more comfortable and proficient in the postures. You will begin to notice how the body changes from day to day. Importantly, the repetition of postures also provides us with the opportunity to not only recognize our habits, but also to change them. And then as soon as you begin to get more comfortable, a new pose will be introduced.

Initially, your practice will be short. It’s a steep learning curve and things change quickly at first. Plan on 45 minutes to an hour for your first practice. In the Mysore room, it's an open format, so arrive based on when you want to leave. If you have to be on your way to work at 8:00 and your practice takes 45 minutes, plan to start no later than 7:15. Regardless of how much time you have, though, the absolute most important thing is that you make it to your mat. This can be for five minutes or forty-five. But if you have a jam-packed day, a shorter yoga practice is always better than none.

Don’t worry about what you can’t do. If you can’t do a pose or if you forget a sequence, it’s all part of the growing process. Begin the practice of listening to your body, rest when you need to rest, and keep going.

The most important thing to do in your practice is breathe. Movement always follows the breath, and finding breath consistently throughout the practice will help you cultivate a greater ease in your practice. Try to worry less about what your pose looks like — instead, continually check in with your breath. Breath is the foundation for everything — it’s a constant in our lives from beginning to end. Over the years postures will come and go, but the breath will be something we do until we die.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t remember what pose is next or when sensations come up in your body — a good teacher (or teachers) will support your practice and encourage you to ask questions. Communication with your teachers will become paramount to your development, so start practicing now. And remember that the teachers are here to support you.

If you don’t have a teacher available to you, there are lots of good resources online. You should follow the same guidelines: Show up consistently five or six days a week, gradually add poses of the primary series, try to achieve a level of ease in the pose, and continually check in with your breath. You don’t have to do all your poses for it to be considered a practice, and you’ll learn to recognize when less is more. Your practice should leave you feeling energized, not drained.

If you’re like most people, you will be sore from practice. The best thing to do, even though it might feel unnatural, is to keep practicing. A common early mistake is to rest every time you’re sore, but this tends to perpetuate the cycle of soreness. If you show up more frequently but do less, this will allow your body to adapt to experience less soreness in the future and will give you the opportunity to better understand your discomfort.

Try to be consistent with a practice time and set a routine to help you make it to your mat. Showing up is the hardest part — it’s much easier to keep going than it is to get started.

And remember, always be compassionate to yourself. Practice loving kindness on you. No one said this would be easy. But I promise that with the right attitude and guidance, this practice is for everyone. You don’t have to be flexible or strong or fit or young or skinny. You just have to be open to change.

Check out Jen Rene’s blog for more ashtanga everything!

And if this post has gotten you Ashtanga /Mysore curious…guess what? We are offering an Intro course in a few weeks led by Cory! If you can’t make the workshop - did you know you can try Mysore out at Flow - we have an awesome special! for you to try out.

A three day workshop: 

Saturday, September 29 8:30-10 AM
Sunday, September 30 8:30-10 AM
Monday, October 1 6:30-8:30 AM

Curious about our Mysore morning practice at Flow? We invite you to join Cory in this special workshop offered in a small group format for the perfect introduction to the Mysore style of practice. The workshop is limited to 12 people for personalized attention.

In the first three days of this workshop (Sat, Sun & Mon) you will be introduced to the essentials of the Mysore Asthanga system, practice the elements of the primary sequence with an emphasis on the foundational postures of Ashtanga and get a lot of personalized attention. After our three day introduction you will join our daily Mysore practice group (your choice, morning or evening) for the rest of the week where you will continue developing your practice under the guidance of experienced teachers. The week of Mysore following the workshop is included in the cost!

This workshop is appropriate for beginners and all students wishing to deepen their Ashtanga practice and who are curious about our Mysore program. You do not need to know Primary Series to attend!

Teacher Spotlight: Susan Kihurani Skinner

Flowgis! Many of you already know our beloved Teacher of the Month, Susan Kihurani Skinner, as her classes are some of the most well-attended! Learn more about her below :)

What inspires you to practice at Flow?

The amazing humans that come to Flow (whether it be to work or to practice) and the strong sense of community. I work a full-time job during the day, which can be really exhausting, and sometimes, in my often frantic hustle to leave my office and navigate the city to get to my class on time, I question whether this crazy dash is worth it. However, without fail, once I make it to Flow, I am instantly reminded of how much I LOVE being a part of this community. Whether it be the wonderful Karma Yogis, Managers, Teachers and other Flow staff, or the amazing students that come to practice, I am always inspired by the people and the amazing, uplifting energy. I always end up leaving my classes on a "yoga high," thanks to these wonderful humans! And am reminded that yes, it is more than worth it :) Much love and appreciation for the Flow community! And thank you Jen Beach and Kathleen A. Kern for making my Mondays extra special :)

What is a typical day like for you and how does practice fit into your daily routine?

I typically wake up around 5:45am and then walk my dog, Ella, before heading morning Mysore (I just started Mysore a few weeks ago and it's been a really challenging, grounding, and humbling experience, but I'm really loving it!). After Mysore, I walk to my full-time job, where I work as the Director of Contracts for a research firm. After work, if I'm not teaching an evening yoga class, then I'll try to catch a spin class, take a run with Ella (but only if the weather is just right, lol), or just hang out with my husband.

What was your first yoga experience like?

When I was in undergrad at GW, I needed to take a 1-credit class, and all my friends were taking this "really cool" step aerobics class (clearly showing how dated I am), but I wasn't able to get into the class. The only class that I could get into that fit in my schedule was a Yoga/Pilates 101. I signed up and have been hooked ever since!

Who are some of your most influential teachers?

Mimi Rieger has had the biggest influence on me. Mimi was the first yoga teacher that inspired me to start practicing regularly. Before I met Mimi, I would practice here and there, but not consistently. After taking one of Mimi's classes, I was instantly hooked and couldn't stop coming back for more. Mimi has shown me the importance of persistence and intention in practice. She has helped me grow in so many ways, both on and off the mat, and is such an amazing, selfless mentor and friend. Joan Wadopian has also had a big influence on me through her thoughtfully sequenced, precise, alignment focused classes, as well as her no-nonsense attitude. Other teachers that have influenced me include Cory Bryant, Sam Breschi, and Angela Meyer.

What is something the Flow community may not know about you?

I am half Kenyan (my father was born in Kenya) and half Pennsylvania Dutch (my mother's family used to be Amish and Mennonite), which might be one of the oddest combinations, but definitely has made life interesting and full of character :)

Come check out why Susan's classes are so popular on Monday and Wednesday evenings at 14th St! Not only is she an awesome teacher, she's a truly wonderful person to be around.

We love you, Susan!

Stand as tall on the inside as you are on the outside…

Meet Mimi Rieger

This noble piece of advice or I call it my “mantra” was spiritually gifted
to me by my grandfather on my father’s side. Although he himself was
short in stature his wisdom rose high as did his progressive aims in
business and creating community. Standing at 5’8, I inherited my height
from my maternal grandmother who taught me to be diligent, hard
working and to always be kind. It was only until I found my true path
did these treasured bits of guidance begin to take shape and I was able
to recognize the strength, resilience, awareness and growth I was
cultivating.

Yoga found me in Washington, DC in 1998 as I worked to make roots in
a brand new city. My southern upbringing provided me with robust
social skills but I lacked the personal moxie and evolution to know what
my true calling could be. Enter my very first yoga teacher, David. He
knew nothing about me, we did not speak for the first month I took class
at his studio, I kept my head down and did my work on the mat. Under
his watchful eye the magic of Yoga began to sink into my muscles and
immersed more compassionately into my soul. Things began to shift and
a glimmer of that taller version of myself began to take a stand. As I
grew stronger and more agile on the outside, I grew kinder, more
confident and softer on the inside.

As a martial artist, prolific mover of all types of fitness and dance I felt
very at home in powering through circumstances both physically and
emotionally, a dead end destination. As yoga began to open my eyes I
no longer saw this new city as a one-track highway but a grid with
infinite possibilities. I learned to navigate my life on my own terms, take
risks both professionally and personally and chose to spend time with a
new community; one that challenged me and my less, cultivated
perspectives on “real life” and learned to become a person of service.
After a steady practice for 3 years I became a yoga teacher, that’s when
the above mantra began to take real shape. As a guide, I could no longer
hide behind the movement, the postures and the breath, I had to take a
tall stand and trust that I actually knew what I was talking about; my
diligence and hard work at the forefront of my new journey.
Coming from an OCD, often thin skinned, tenderhearted individual like me,
this was quite the RISK. BIG TIME!

Fast-forward 17 years. That risk has awarded me with incredible
experiences and life moments. Gaining insight into who I am and who I
continue to become has presented opportunities beyond my
imagination. Today, as a small business owner and teacher I have been
honored to teach on International teaching platforms, film videos, teach
First Lady, Michelle Obama in the White House for her “Let’s Move”
initiative and other amazingly fortunate experiences that as a budding
yogi I could have never fathomed.   I continue to be inspired to seek, to
reach, to serve, to explore, to love, to risk, to think waaaay outside of the
box and to be still and let things happen (very hard!!).   

This is a brief glimpse of how my valued family, the practice of yoga, and
the willingness to diverge on a different path has contoured my soul.
Keeping myself healthy with practice, time with my family, laughter,
travelling to my bucket list destinations, cultivating my design business,
and taking time to just “be” has created a cornerstone for me in DC. As
my story continues to unfold and my insides continue to rise taller I am
excited to see where the next path leads me…

You can practice & get inspired by Mimi throughout the week at Flow.

Instructor Spotlight: Alicia Moyer

Alicia Moyer has been teaching yoga at Flow since 2015. Join Alicia on the mat on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1230 for a creative vinyasa flow! 

Get to know Alicia! 

How did you come to your yoga practice?  

I started yoga in 1998 in Austin, TX at a local community center. The class cost $7 and the teacher had taught himself the poses from Iyengar's Light on Yoga. He was incredible and I will be forever indebted to him for opening the door to this path for my life. At the time I was very stiff from running and riding my bike a lot and I try to remember the feeling of not being able to touch the floor in a forward bend when I work with newer students. The world opened up for me when I discovered vinyasa flow after years of hatha and Bikram and now I find creative flow sequencing to be one of the most nourishing ways to awaken and liberate the body and mind. 

What are your favorite asanas? 

Two of my favorite poses have always been Utthita Parsvakonasana and Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana. They were poses I could do from the start but I find them endlessly refinable and love all of the variations you can play with when teaching a group class.

What is your favorite music to listen to while you practice?

Lately at home I have just been practicing to a recording of Nina Rao chanting the Hanuman Chalisa. It's really lovely and repetitive and therefore quite meditative. In my group classes I play music mainly to keep myself on track with the time since we usually only have 60 or 75 minutes together! There was a time when I used to spend hours creating playlists but now I kind of like the music to be more in the background just keeping a little beat to keep the energy lifted or to signal that it's time to ground down. 

Anything else you'd like to share with the Flow community? 

I am so honored and grateful to be a part of the 300-hour Advanced Teacher Training at Flow beginning this fall. Working with teachers is one of my greatest joys and I am so excited about the unique program we have put together for the participants. Flow has some of the most dedicated yoga practitioners in the city and I am humbled to pass down the teachings to such amazing students. 

Learn more about Flow's 300 Hour Teacher Training here.  

Instructor Highlight: Lisa Marie Thalhammer

Yoga has transformed my life in so many ways. The practice has given me the skills to heal my concussion, beat depression and let go of unhealthy relationships. Currently, I feel more expressive with my movements and more comfortable in my body than ever before. I’m now capable of objectively observing negative thoughts and processing them using the tools of meditation, mindfulness and asana. I feel my spirit uplifted through the practice of yoga and when I’m on my mat I use that time to give gratitude. 

As a visual artist who is most known for painting rainbow color networks and portraits of empowered humans, recently I received a 2017 D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities Fellowship. My drawings can be seen at Flow’s neighboring art gallery, Transformer, located at 1404 P Street. Additionally, my murals can be seen in multiple locations around the district including Local 16 roof bar and 926 N St rear NW (Blagden Alley). You can check out my art online at lisamariestudio.com

As an artist, I like to bring creativity and interesting uplifting music to my yoga classes. We touch upon the fundamentals of meditation and yoga theory, in addition to moving through a well rounded physical asana practice. In my classes you’ll always have a moment to set an intention for your practice and give thanks for the day while also moving through a dynamic physical practice. 

Lisa Marie Thalhammer at the 2017 Capital Pride Parade standing in Star Pose in front of her LOVE artwork on a vintage VW truck.