A Note to Beginners

Like I said in a previous blog, there are many beginners who come to the Shala to learn the practice.  It can be an intimidating and humbling experience. I've seen a handful of friends (Westerners and Indians) pay for one or two months at the Shala and end up staying for a week. I've heard one say that the practice is too hard while another feels intimidated by the seriousness of the Shala environment. Another woman left because she felt the instruction methods were "unsupportive."

If you come to the Shala as a beginner, you'll learn the practice in the traditional method. Postures will be given to you by Saraswathi or Sharath. You are to practice these postures over and over until they give you another one. It's not uncommon for Saraswathi to assist one student in the Intermediate Series while calling out Surya Namaskar to a beginner across the room. The teaching methods are not meant to embarrass anyone. It's meant to get your attention in a room full of people. Internally, it will be a testament to whether you're a serious student who is willing to learn. 

If you're coming to the Shala as a brand new student, here are some tips that may make the learning experience a little more comfortable:

Don'ts:

1. Don't come into the Shala and do a random vinyasa practice. If you don't know the series at all, stand at the front of your mat until Saraswathi comes to you. She will ask if you're a beginner and then guide you through Surya Namaskar A. If you know some of the postures, do what you know and then wait. She will come to you in time, I promise.

2. Don't bring notes or those Ashtanga series cheat sheets into the Shala...Just don't do it. In fact, leave them at home.

3. Don't wander over to one of the posters on the Shala walls and try to see what pose comes next...Saraswathi will give you the next pose when she determines you are ready.

4. Don't request another pose, even if you know how to do the pose...Saraswathi will give you the next pose (or beginning of the next series) when she determines you are ready. 

Do's:

1. Keep count of how many times you've practiced a posture or gone through a Surya Namaskar. Saraswathi may ask you how many you did a pose and if you don't remember, she'll assume you're not a serious student.  

2. Take your time and have some faith. Some of these poses seem impossible, but over time your body will be able to do them. 

3. Adjustments. When you're receiving adjustments, go with the flow. When you resist and become rigid you risk injury.

4. Laugh at yourself when you fall out of a pose. Better yet, laugh at your friend who passes gas in Mari D. 

5. Practicing on the stage. I've seen another blog saying that you shouldn't practice on the stage. There were few days that were really crowded and a few of us were on the stage. Everyone was so immersed in there own practice they didn't even notice. It wasn't a big deal (at least in Saraswathi's class).