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  • Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized

    The Choice To Thrive

    June 2, 2021 /

    The Choice to Thrive “Do you teach at a yoga studio?” “I really loved it when you taught at XYZ Yoga Studio.” “Are you planning on teaching again at XYZ yoga studio?” Dear Yoga Student,  I know these questions  come from a well intentioned place. I know that the studio was convenient for you. I know that you don’t understand that sometimes, I taught 2 hours of Mysore style Ashtanga for under $10. I know that you don’t understand that most of your monthly membership went to pay for the overhead of the yoga studio and not to me. I know you don’t understand that the average yoga teacher in…

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    Shanna Small

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    Can You Be Your Own Guru?

    September 2, 2015

    Help For Wrist Pain In Your Yoga Practice

    April 9, 2014

    Ask the AYP: What is an Established Yoga Practice?

    February 1, 2018
  • Adventures in Mysore India,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized

    What do Kapotasana and Swimming Have in Common?

    October 16, 2018 /

    Bear with me. Like your yoga practice, this story is going some where. When I was in college, I took a beginner swim class. At the end, my teacher told me I could swim, passed me and gave me an “A”. Summer came around and I was at the pool with my husband, an ex marine and expert swimmer. I was ecstatic about showing him my new skills. I get in the water. Show him what I can do and he says, Husband: Sweetie, you can’t swim. Me: Yes, I can. My teacher said I could. I passed the class. He moved me on. Husband: Sweetie, if I pushed you…

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    Shanna Small

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    New Sharath Conference Notes

    March 11, 2014

    Paining

    May 12, 2014

    A.P. P Goes to Mysore: Everything is Energy. Energy is God

    November 2, 2016
  • Guru,  History,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized,  Yoga Philosophy,  Yoga Sutras

    Happy Guru Purnima

    July 27, 2018 /

    Today is a day for giving thinks to the gurus of your life. What is a Guru? Interesting enough, there are a lot of different etymologies.   As a noun the word means the imparter of knowledge (jñāna; also Pali: ñāna). As an adjective, it means ‘heavy,’ or ‘weighty,’ in the sense of “heavy with knowledge,”[Note 1] heavy with spiritual wisdom,[16] “heavy with spiritual weight,”[17] “heavy with the good qualities of scriptures and realization,”[18] or “heavy with a wealth of knowledge.”[19] The word has its roots in the Sanskrit gri (to invoke, or to praise), and may have a connection to the word gur, meaning ‘to raise, lift up, or to make an effort’.[20] Sanskrit guru is cognate with Latin gravis ‘heavy; grave, weighty, serious’[21] and Greek…

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    Shanna Small

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    Taking Away Attention, Taking Away Power

    November 30, 2019

    Random Ashtanga Stuff That Has Been Driving Me Up The Wall

    December 7, 2018
  • Adventures in Mysore India,  Social Media,  Teaching Ashtanga

    Dear Physically Gifted People

    July 26, 2018 /

    Dear Physically Gifted People, Please stop using words like “easy”  or “simple” when doing a demo, teaching a student or posting a video or picture.   Why? It is too subjective. Just because something is easy for you does not mean it is easy for someone else.  Using the words “simple” or easy, with a student who finds the movement to be difficult, can make them feel like there is something wrong with them, that their efforts will never be good enough, and that they are inadequate. It can make them feel shame and question whether or not yoga is for them. I understand that this is not happening on purpose. …

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    Shanna Small

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    Just an Average Girl: The Gift of Ashtanga, Authorization and Illness

    September 12, 2016

    Tips For Ashtangis Without Regular Teachers

    February 20, 2014

    The Body Doesn’t Lie

    March 1, 2017
  • Alignment and Injuries,  Ashtanga Adaptability,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized,  Yoga Philosophy,  Yoga Sutras

    Teach What You Want, Just Don’t Call It Ashtanga

    December 9, 2015 /

    At a workshop, when asked about teaching a modified version of Ashtanga, David Swenson said, “Teach what you want, just don’t call it Ashtanga” The beauty of Ashtanga is that it was laid out count by count, pose by pose by Pattabhi Jois, via what he learned from his teacher Krishnamacharya so that there would be no confusion about the method and to maximize effectiveness. Theoretically, you should be able to go anywhere in the world and seamlessly join any Ashtanga class without missing a beat. There have been some changes made over the years but they have been relatively small. The wheel of Ashtanga has not been reinvented. David…

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    Shanna Small

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    Pose of the Week: Ardha Matsyendrasana

    March 18, 2015

    Ask the APP: Overweight Ashtangis?

    May 22, 2014

    Insanity Rampant in the Yoga Community

    March 6, 2014
  • Alignment and Injuries,  Ashtanga Adaptability,  Ashtanga Quotes,  History,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized,  Yoga Philosophy,  Yoga Sutras

    Yoga Sutras for Modern Day Life: How To Get the Quickest Results in Yoga

    July 28, 2015 /

    Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 1:22-The time necessary for success depends on whether the practice is mild, medium or intense.   Defining the Sutra Everyone can have success in yoga but the more intense the practice the faster the results. It is important to reiterate that Patanjali is referring to yoga as the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind .  He is not merely talking about yoga as a physical practice. Many commentaries on the Sutras, allude to 9 levels of practice that are  not mentioned in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali but are mentioned in other texts and supposedly directly relate to this verse. I don’t think these 9 levels are…

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    Shanna Small

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    The “Next Big” Yoga Trap

    January 14, 2016

    The Big Bang…on the head or the face…when dropping back

    May 19, 2014

    Slow and Steady Yoga Injury Recovery

    March 20, 2017
  • Alignment and Injuries,  Ashtanga Adaptability,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Videos

    Pose of the Week: Paschimottanasana

    July 20, 2015 /

          How To Do Paschimottanasana  

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    Shanna Small

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    Pose of the Week: Baddha Konasana

    January 1, 2016

    Yoga Sutras for Modern Day Life: Insidious

    August 1, 2016

    The Body Doesn’t Lie

    March 1, 2017
  • Ashtanga Adaptability,  Ashtanga Quotes,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Uncategorized,  Yoga Philosophy,  Yoga Sutras

    Yoga Sutras for Modern Day Life: Quantum Physics Meets Yoga?

    July 9, 2015 /

    Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 1:19 Among the bodiless ones and the ones absorbed in prakrti, there is intention of coming ind being.   Defining the Sutra   This post may require a suspension of your disbelief. But then again, so does yoga. The thought that there are bodiless beings sounds just as crazy as the idea of Samadhi or getting rid of non essential thought. To help us to fully understand this verse, I have brought in Greg Nardi, authorized level 2 Ashtanga teacher and avid student of the sutras and Gregor Maehle, author of many popular books on Ashtanga and Yoga, such as, “Ashtanga Yoga Practice and Philosophy and “Pranayama, the…

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    Shanna Small

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    Pose of the Week: Ubhaya Padangusthasana

    June 9, 2015

    Highlights From Yoga Philosophy Study with Greg Nardi

    October 12, 2015

    Pose of the Week: Sirsasana

    February 16, 2015
  • Alignment and Injuries,  Ashtanga Adaptability,  Ashtanga Quotes,  Reblogs,  Teaching Ashtanga

    Words of Wisdom For those on the Ashtanga Yoga Path

    July 2, 2015 /

    A friend posted this and I wanted to share it. Great advice for the Ashtanga journey from David Swenson   * I want you to understand, the Ashtanga Yoga can be practiced for the rest of your life. You can enjoy this practice.   About Yoga * This mat should be the place we come to free ourselves from all the stresses of the world. Don’t make it another place to be stress to you. * The mat is like a loving mother; The practice is a loving place. * If you enjoy your practice today, you will want to practice tomorrow. No one has to tell you. * Keep…

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    Shanna Small

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    Pose of the Week: Vrschikasana B

    November 1, 2015

    How To Prevent Ashtanga Crazy Making

    September 28, 2015

    Yoga Pose of the Week: Vatayanasana

    May 17, 2015
  • Alignment and Injuries,  Ashtanga Adaptability,  Teaching Ashtanga,  Videos

    Pose of the Week: Garbha Pindasana to Kukutasana

    June 22, 2015 /

              How To Do Garba Pindasana & Kukkutasana    

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    Shanna Small

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    Reasons Your Ashtanga Teacher May Not Be Giving You More Poses

    February 12, 2014

    The Body Doesn’t Lie

    March 1, 2017

    Yogi’s Attitude Towards Pain

    November 26, 2015
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  • The Choice To Thrive June 2, 2021
  • Treat Me Like Your Headliner November 30, 2020
  • Deconstructing Ashtanga, Reconstructing Me September 7, 2020
  • Performative Love July 6, 2020

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