This morning I went to a Mysore style class at my teacher’s shala in London. As you can imagine, due to the recent weather, the room was hot! The heat of many bodies practicing this dynamic style creates a heat, which combined with my own inner heat and our recent heatwave created a steamy practice. When people are new to Ashtanga Yoga they sometimes think the sweat is a problem but actually you are meant to sweat in Ashtanga Yoga, this internal heat is part of its cleansing benefits. Personally I love practicing in summer as my body begins to unravel after the winters practice.
How hot people get depends on many factors but some people just sweat more than others. I have never been much of a sweater but I can imagine it can be a little distracting. You may find you slide on your mat a bit. If this happens a Mysore rug
or a yoga towel would help you a great deal. My preference is Manduka eQua® Mat Towel
It was lovely to practice with a group today. I love the energy and focus of a Mysore style room. For those of you unfamiliar with this way of teaching, Mysore style is the traditional way to learn Ashtanga Yoga as it is taught in Mysore India. It is self practice in a group environment with teacher’s assistance. Individuals practice as much of the sequence/ sequences as appropriate for them. Physically it allows each body to work at its own pace and get very individualized assistance. So a complete beginner can practice next to someone who has been practicing for decades. What I love most about it though is that it develops an inner focus because you don’t have to externalise your awareness to follow the teachers instructions like you do in a led class. The focus of others in the room also helps me to pinpoint my own awareness and take me deeper into the practice. I love it!
How have you found practicing in this warmer weather?
