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markern
Norway
171 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 18 2008 : 2:14:55 PM
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I am very, very strongly drawn to alterante nostril breathing but uncertain wether it is safe for me to start the practice.
My style of yoga is more or less Iyengar and I`ve deceided to broadly following his advice on how to structure my yoga practice and aproximately his advice on when to start pranayama. That way I feel certain not to have bad experiences with prana and that my practice takes me in a direction which gives spiritual results while at the same time is likely to make me very functional as a housholder. I`ve encountered techniques before that I think do not work well for people leading normal lives and I`ve had a couple of bad experiences with prana. I`ve also tried a couple of mild pranyama techniques and found them imensly powerfull after just a minute or two of practice.
The problem is that alternate nostril breathing seems to be a practice that Iyengar dosen`t introduce before arround two years of Pranayama and it is a year or two before I would be fit for any Pranayama by Iyengars standards. Since alternate nostril breathing feels like a miracle cure for me, adressing almost all my bodymind issues at the same time in just a few minutes, the temptation to start it now is huge. It just makes everything fall into place.
I presume that if I start the technique no and experience problems, I could just back of and after a while I would be back to normal. But since Iyengar structures his pranayama so meticously I am afraid that having gained some depth in alternate nostril breathing from the start could mess with the way he attempts to structure you energeticaly.
It seems to me that alternate nostril breathing although powerfull, seems fairly harmless since it is taught very, very widely. I can`t realy imagine that it would be taught in beginners yoga courses all over the place if it created problems for a lot of practioners.
Thanks in advance for any input you might have:) |
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anthony574
USA
549 Posts |
Posted - Jul 18 2008 : 10:18:40 PM
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In AYP we believe in the idea of self-pacing. The emphasis is on the word SELF - meaning that no one can tell you when to pace but your Self. Yogani provides basic guidelines as to the ideal order of practices beginning with meditation and then onto pranayama, asanas, ect.
I am not very familiar with Iyengar and have only ever practiced AYP. I believe teachers provide the guidelines that they believe are the most ideal and effective, however, I think Yogani's approach is superior in that it acknowledges the differences in every practioner and his/her unique psychological, physical, and spiritual profile. I find it progressive that teachings are effective in that they allow for someone to move at their own pace that works for them. One person may need to move slower than another as everyone has a different matrix of obstructions.
So, from an AYP perspective, I would say that if you have a steady enough meditation practice and thus are able to observe yourself from a stable place then I would see little danger in taking on the practice and simply pacing as you see fit. Reading some of Yogani's teachings on self-pacing may help you as well. |
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yogibear
409 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2008 : 08:39:18 AM
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Hi markern,
Sounds like you have to decide between your inner and outer gurus.
I agree with you that ANB is benign when practiced in moderation and there is no reason to wait 2 years to practice it.
Iyengar is not the last word on everything hatha altho he does have a lot of street cred. My style of hatha has a lot of Iyengar in it but it has other elements from other authorities as well.
I think you should feel free to explore what works for you rather than adapt yourself to some rigid system that probably doesn't apply to you, personally.
It reminds me of the evolution of ergonomics. It used to be that a worker had to adapt themselves to the work place. If the work bench was 3 feet high, but they needed one that was 4 feet high to work comfortably without strain, avoid injury and be optimally productive.....Well, tough, stop whining and get to work.
But now some companies, in response to the high cost of work injuries as a result of that policy, got smart and started adapting the work place to the employee and started using adjustable height work benches that would accommadate the real world needs of the employee.
Best, yb.
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alternate nostril breathing
