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  • Shanna Small
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    • Living Yoga
    • My Daily Yoga Practice
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  • Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized,  Yoga Philosophy,  Yoga Sutras

    Yoga Sutras For Modern Day Life: Yoga in Action

    June 13, 2016 /

    Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 2:1-Kriya Yoga, aka the Yoga of Action, aka a Yoga Practice has three parts: 1) training and purifying the senses (tapas), 2) Studying the Scriptures and ancient wisdom  (svadhyaya), and 3) devotion and letting go into the creative source from which we emerged (ishvara pranidhana).   Defining the Sutra: For those of you who were waiting patiently to dive into book two, here we go. The second book of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is Sadhana Pada or the Portion on Practice. This is the book that gets quoted the most often because it is the most practical and the easiest to understand.  Most commentators see the first and…

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    Shanna Small

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    Random Ashtanga Stuff That Has Been Driving Me Up The Wall

    December 7, 2018

    Pose of the Week: Tips on Marichyasana A

    May 24, 2015

    “You Stop” are these words dreaded or welcome?

    February 10, 2014
  • Adventures in Mysore India,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized,  Yoga Philosophy,  Yoga Sutras

    Ashtanga: The Power of Community

    January 18, 2016 /

    Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement shows how people working together can change the world. Blacks had individually yearned for these freedoms for years, it took people working together as a group, in peace, to get them. In order for an Ashtanga community to grow, a peaceful and powerful group needs to gather. Over the years, in two different cities, I have witnessed Ashtanga communities shattering over differences that really have nothing to do with the core of the practice. Maybe you are a part of one of these communities. Many people think that I am pretty radical. I am a big proponent of sticking as close to the method…

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    Shanna Small

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    Ashtanga Yoga Project Went To Mysore: How was it?

    December 1, 2016

    For Those Who Say There is No Positive Reinforcement in Mysore

    January 13, 2014

    This Teacher Started Ashtanga In Her Fifties and Is Now Authorized

    April 10, 2014
  • Alignment and Injuries,  Ashtanga Adaptability,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Yoga Philosophy,  Yoga Sutras

    Tales Of An Ex Ashtanga Whiner

    December 7, 2015 /

    The joy of whining Before starting, a question: Will it help?   Like holding a grudge, or like panicking, whining rarely helps. If anything, any of the three make it far less likely that you’ll make progress solving the problem that has presented itself.   And, like knuckle cracking, it’s best enjoyed alone- Seth Godin     I used to be a huge Ashtanga whiner. Everyone had to know about my every ache and pain, all my perceived short comings and the list of reasons for why I couldn’t do the pose. Whining also includes nervous giggles, weird sounds, bizarre body movements,  and crazy breathing all aimed at demonstrating a certain level of…

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    Shanna Small

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    Yoga: A Love Story

    February 11, 2016

    Can Rolfing Help Your Ashtanga Practice?

    February 17, 2014

    The Reo Speedwagon of Ashtanga Practices

    July 10, 2015
  • Alignment and Injuries,  Ashtanga Adaptability,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized,  Yoga Philosophy,  Yoga Sutras

    Yoga Sutras for Modern Day Life: A Firm Foundation

    December 5, 2015 /

    Yoga Sutras of Pantajali 1:30-Obstacles on the path of yoga are disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, sensuality, false perception, failure to reach firm ground…   Defining the Sutra: For commentary on the previous obstacles, go here. Failing to reach firm ground occurs when there is not a solid foundation for the yoga practice to build on. Modern Day Application The previous obstacles are all the reasons why people fail to maintain a firm ground Disease- It is hard to focus on yoga when you are sick Dullness-When we live a life that robs us of vitality and brightness, our mind grows dull Doubt- you doubt the practice,your teacher, or the method…

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    Shanna Small

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    Pose of the Week: Kapotasana

    January 24, 2016

    Ask the APP: Why Take A Guided/Led Ashtanga Class?

    August 5, 2016

    Confessions of an Ex-Yoga Assist Whore

    July 3, 2017
  • Alignment and Injuries,  Ashtanga Adaptability,  Ashtanga Quotes,  Ask The APP,  Interviews,  Reblogs,  Social Media,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized,  Yoga Philosophy,  Yoga Sutras

    A Deeper Conversation on Pain In Yoga with Gregor Maehle and Satinder Khalsa

    December 3, 2015 /

    I received a comment on my article, Yogi’s Attitude Towards Pain, that made me realize that I deeper conversation  on pain and suffering needed to take place. The comment centered around the difference between suffering and pain and the meaning of the word “duhkha” from the Yoga Sutras. Reader, Satinder Khalsa,wrote  “It doesn’t say pain, it says suffering, duhkha, which has not come can be avoided.” I though this was interesting because the verse is always translated as “pain”. I decided to have a chat with Satinder, my Sanskrit teacher Kokila Kaul, and renowned Ashtanga teacher and Author of, Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy,  Gregor Maehle about Duhkha.    …

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    Pose of the Week: Shalabhasana

    December 22, 2015

    Yoga Sutras for Modern Day Life: 4 SOS Signals In Your Yoga Practice

    January 2, 2016

    Pose of the Week: Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana

    February 21, 2016
  • Ashtanga Adaptability,  Uncategorized,  Yoga Philosophy,  Yoga Sutras

    Yoga Sutras For Modern Day Life: Disrespecting the Practice

    October 28, 2015 /

    Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 1:30- The obstacles to yoga, which are distractions of the mind, are sickness, rigidity, doubt, negligence(carelessness, apathy),   Defining the Sutra Today’s post is about apathy/negligence. For previous commentary, go here.  Carelessness is a lack of respect for the practice of yoga. When we don’t respect the practice, we can’t get the full benefit. Modern Day Application When we don’t respect a person, we ignore them; we belittle their efforts; we don’t listen to them; we do what we want regardless of what they are saying; and we don’t trust them or value them. This is the same thing we do when we are careless (pramada)…

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    Shanna Small

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    Yoga Sutras For Modern Life: Yoga 24/7

    June 29, 2016

    Pose of the Week: Dropping Back/Standing Up During Urdhva Dhanurasana

    November 9, 2015

    Yoga Sutras for Modern Day Life: Is Yoga Religious?

    August 8, 2015
  • Alignment and Injuries,  Ashtanga Adaptability,  Ashtanga Quotes,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized,  Yoga Philosophy,  Yoga Polls,  Yoga Sutras

    Yoga Sutras For Modern Day Life: When You Have Doubts About Your Yoga Practice

    October 19, 2015 /

    Yoga Sutras of Patanjali  1:30: Obstacles on the path of yoga are sickness, dullness, doubt   Defining the Sutra We will continue to look at the sutra on obstacles and move on to doubt. For previous sutras, please go here. There is nothing wrong with not knowing. There is nothing wrong with researching. There is nothing wrong with trying and experiencing many different options.  However, to make any gains, you eventually have to settle on something.  For example, if you doubt your career choice  and you go back to school and study business a little while, law a little while, and then education a little while, you will have interesting experiences…

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    Pose of the Week: Ubhaya Padangusthasana

    June 9, 2015

    Pose of the Week: Paschimottanasana

    July 20, 2015

    APP Responds to “Why I Stopped Practicing Ashtanga Yoga”

    November 17, 2014
  • Adventures in Mysore India,  Ashtanga Adaptability,  Ashtanga Quotes,  Gita,  History,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized,  Yoga Philosophy,  Yoga Sutras

    Highlights From Yoga Philosophy Study with Greg Nardi

    October 12, 2015 /

    I had the privilege  of studying yoga philosophy this weekend with Greg Nardi. Here is his bio from his website, Ashtanga Yoga World Wide.   Greg Nardi, founder of Ashtanga Yoga Worldwide, has spent years of dedicated practice under the guidance of Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India.  In 2003, he was given authorization to teach from Pattabhi Jois, and in 2009, he completed a level 2 authorization course from Sharath Jois.  He is currently learning the advanced series under Sharath’s guidance at the KPJAYI. Greg perpetually studies and practices Yoga, Eastern Philosophy and Sanskrit mantra chanting.  He participates in Georg Feuerstein’s Traditional Yoga Studies course and has studied…

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    The Good Old Days of Ashtanga Yoga

    December 8, 2017

    Good Guru, Bad Guru, A Guru, No Guru

    July 29, 2015

    Is Sharath getting up at 12:45AM?

    February 17, 2014
  • Alignment and Injuries,  Ashtanga Adaptability,  Reblogs,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized

    Is Ashtanga Yoga a Balanced Practice?

    September 29, 2015 /

    Below are the 2 common reasons people feel Ashtanga is not balanced . This article is not geared towards people who have unique circumstances within their body that need special attention. Of course, the practice needs to change for them. This is about the healthy individuals who feel that the practice is imbalanced.   Ashtanga is Just Forward Folds There are 50 + backbends in Ashtanga’s Primary Series!  You do them in the Sun Salutes. You do them between almost every pose during floor work and than you finish with them! Upward Facing Dog is a back bend!  Second Series has so many backbends that is is called “the nervous system”…

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    Pose of the Week: Ubhaya Padangusthasana

    June 9, 2015

    Ask the APP: Ashtanga For All Bodies

    July 5, 2015

    Why Is It Important to Follow The Ashtanga Sequence?

    March 8, 2015
  • Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized,  Yoga Philosophy,  Yoga Sutras

    Yoga Sutras For Modern Day Life: Sick, Dull and Nowhere Near Happiness

    September 24, 2015 /

    Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 1:30: The obstacles, which are distractions of the mind, are sickness…. Defining the Sutra This begins a list of obstacles that we will break down one by one. These distractions make it hard to stay on the path to yoga/ samadhi/freedom from suffering. One of the obstacles is sickness. Why It Is Important? Sickness is an obstacle when the illness causes the mind to be dull. In order to see truth, the mind needs to be clear.  Sometimes sickness and injury can be a blessing because it slows us down and helps us to prioritize what is really important in our lives. Many people are bought to…

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    Get Up and Practice Yoga or Sleep In?

    July 20, 2017

    Pose of the Week: Parivrtta Trikonasana

    June 2, 2015

    Ashtanga Vinyasa VS Ashtanga Yoga

    May 25, 2016
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