"Practice and all is coming" - Shri K. Pattabhi Jois

Last week there was one thing after another and I didn't fit in as much asana (physical practice/yoga postures) in as I would have liked. Fortunately, I was able to squeeze in a minimal amount of meditation and pranayama (breath control). But still, this week as I started to do my full practice (and at least complete my full "minimum" series), I could see why persistence is simply the biggest factor in all kinds of success.

We all know the story of the tortoise and the hare, but it can be so easy at times to think that just because this time all is going great it will always be that way going forward. I believe that with age we begin to realize that this type of thinking - the notion that we can "skip steps" - will lead to a bigger fall or setback quite soon. And this is why I believe the yogis also greatly emphasize "non-attachment" or in the words of Dharma Mittra, "Renounce the fruit of your actions." This way we can simply offer whatever happens up to a higher power, and we won't feel affected by the rise and fall of life as it takes place around us.

Can beginners do yoga?

A conception many people have of yoga is that it is only for the young and flexible. During my teacher training this past weekend, the teacher remarked that a popular yoga magazine was having difficulty finding cover models, apparently because they want to promote the very challenging poses as eye-catchers on the magazine. This also reminded me of a saying from Pattabhi Jois (passed down by his students) on the various series of Ashtanga Yoga: "First series - great benefit; second series - some benefit; advanced series - for demonstration only."

I believe that a qualified yoga teacher should be able to explain to students that yoga can and should be adapted to suit the needs of any student, regardless of their age or ability. Not only does yoga include practices such as pranayama (breathing) and meditation, that do not require a much physical prowess, but there are specific styles and types of classes (e.g. Restorative, Gentle, Chair Yoga) that apply the appropriate practices for a specific group or student.

Of course, it's still all yoga, and as they say, there are as many paths of yoga as there are people. So I say, find what works for you, seek the advice of someone you respect, and go with it. Some types of yoga may not be for everyone, but as David Swenson says, "it's for anyone!"