2008: A Year Of Yoga
December 23, 2007 @ 06:47 AM Filed in: News I Year of Yoga
I have an ambitious plan that I hope you’ll
join in with me. I’m going to organize the bulk
of the practice posts for 2008 into a year-long
practice cycle, building on some of the long-term
sequencing ideas I outlined in “Sequencing Over
a Period of Time.”
This cycle will consist of 3 trimesters: two of approximately four months, one of two months. Each of these trimesters will include an “easing-in” preparatory phase, a consolidation phase where we will cycle through all the various poses that are standard for the intermediate practitioner and a progression phase where we will get to play with some of the more complicated poses. This will then be followed by a recovery phase where the practices will shift into a quieter mode to give you a chance to rest and integrate for a couple of weeks. July and August will be a super-long recovery phase, encouraging you to get out and enjoy the weather and to do other things with your body so that the practice does not become stale.
The practices will be aimed at the intermediate/advanced level, but will include modifications and omissions for more basic students. Regardless of your level, remember not to be reckless in your practice. Do not attempt poses that you have not been taught in class by a competent instructor. The practices will also include restorative and quiet, meditative work for a fully balanced expression of the yogic path.
The week’s sequences will be posted in advance of each week, giving you a chance to look them over and rearrange them according to your schedule. Thursday and Sunday will be softer, often shorter, practices. You should feel free to rearrange the order of the days, and even the practices themselves, according to your energy levels and your schedule. Take these sequences as suggestions and modify them as you will.
The practices will begin January 1st, 2008, but will feel free to begin at any time. Either start from the beginning with the January 1st practice at any time of the year, or just drop into the cycle and begin to follow along at any point.
I addition to and separate from the daily practices, I hope to be posting a regular “Weekend Intensive,” with five practices to be done over a three-day period. Each Intensive will cycle you through all of the major categories of poses and will feature a particular focus, either anatomical or energetic, that you will be able to practice in depth. I hope to post one of these either monthly or bi-monthly.
And, of course, there will be all the usual ongoing bits and pieces of information. Look forward to various new series on the use of props, yoga and the mind, more on the theories behind sequencing, as well as some deep theory on Patañjali and progression on the yogic path.
2008 looks to be an exciting year here at the site and I hope you will join me for it. I will be very interested in hearing how you do with the new information. Either email me at witold@wyoga.com or leave word in the comments with your experiences and your questions.
Practice well,
Witold
This cycle will consist of 3 trimesters: two of approximately four months, one of two months. Each of these trimesters will include an “easing-in” preparatory phase, a consolidation phase where we will cycle through all the various poses that are standard for the intermediate practitioner and a progression phase where we will get to play with some of the more complicated poses. This will then be followed by a recovery phase where the practices will shift into a quieter mode to give you a chance to rest and integrate for a couple of weeks. July and August will be a super-long recovery phase, encouraging you to get out and enjoy the weather and to do other things with your body so that the practice does not become stale.
The practices will be aimed at the intermediate/advanced level, but will include modifications and omissions for more basic students. Regardless of your level, remember not to be reckless in your practice. Do not attempt poses that you have not been taught in class by a competent instructor. The practices will also include restorative and quiet, meditative work for a fully balanced expression of the yogic path.
The week’s sequences will be posted in advance of each week, giving you a chance to look them over and rearrange them according to your schedule. Thursday and Sunday will be softer, often shorter, practices. You should feel free to rearrange the order of the days, and even the practices themselves, according to your energy levels and your schedule. Take these sequences as suggestions and modify them as you will.
The practices will begin January 1st, 2008, but will feel free to begin at any time. Either start from the beginning with the January 1st practice at any time of the year, or just drop into the cycle and begin to follow along at any point.
I addition to and separate from the daily practices, I hope to be posting a regular “Weekend Intensive,” with five practices to be done over a three-day period. Each Intensive will cycle you through all of the major categories of poses and will feature a particular focus, either anatomical or energetic, that you will be able to practice in depth. I hope to post one of these either monthly or bi-monthly.
And, of course, there will be all the usual ongoing bits and pieces of information. Look forward to various new series on the use of props, yoga and the mind, more on the theories behind sequencing, as well as some deep theory on Patañjali and progression on the yogic path.
2008 looks to be an exciting year here at the site and I hope you will join me for it. I will be very interested in hearing how you do with the new information. Either email me at witold@wyoga.com or leave word in the comments with your experiences and your questions.
Practice well,
Witold