Why is the Ashtanga form of yoga considered tough to sustain? Sonakshi Dhamija lists out its benefits and suggests a few asanas
As one of the oldest and most traditional forms of yoga, Ashtanga is considered to be the hardest form of physical asana (posture practice) in the world because it demands your full participation with full effort. In a modern world like ours, which is also highly competitive, people are introducing innovative and engaging forms of yoga to be practised by different followers. It is thrilling to create new forms of practice, however, it is much more fun to retain the traditional systems of yoga in the newer styles. You know how they say the secret to happiness is being simple but it’s being simple that’s difficult.
While tradition is rooted deep in our history, and centuries of tradition spans ahead of us to simplify and guide our practice, the real difficulty lies in the very first premise of any yoga practice — which is discipline.
Discipline means the onset of a set of changes in different aspects of our daily lives, therefore bringing about a cumulative and wholesome effect. Changes in dietary habits, thought processes, mindsets, and other big or small lifestyle changes, collectively bring about the transformation.
Moreover, it is not merely asana but something deeper as was intended about 5,000 years ago. Asana is just a way of getting there. It is the tip of the iceberg. Once we immerse ourselves into asanas, we start feeling the change and effect on the mind and simultaneously notice the effortlessness in imbibing the yogic discipline. Dietary practices, waking up early, retiring early, and so on — all of these become easy. The best part of this entire process is that the result acts as the fuel for bigger results; it is completely a reward-based system. You see and feel the difference and you work for it and towards it. It only gets easier along the way. The growth line is not as linear as it might sound, it is natural and organic, with a fair share of difficult days and otherwise. The ultimate aim is to strike a balance, and once that is done you stop getting bothered by occasional hiccups here and there. Discipline brings an awareness of the bigger picture, where temporary events do not cause much deviation.
