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Showing posts from August, 2015

Is Ashtanga Yoga Addictive?

Whilst reading Gurji Portrait of Sri K. Patthabi Jois I came across an item written by Ashtanga teacher John Scott in which he was asked: Do you think ashtanga yoga attracts a particular kind of person? "I think it definitely attracts people who have an obsessive nature or an addictive nature. I think the practice itself can be addictive, which is so clever. So anyone who has had a drug habit, for example, is perfect because you can swap one addiction for the yoga practice addiction. Now when you start working with the addiction of yoga, the not doing the yoga is a yoga in itself". John goes on to say that for 5 years he practised every day and didn't want to miss a day. He says he was addicted and scared to "not do it for fear of letting it go". He also goes onto say how he feels Patthabi Jois understood this and put in full and dark moon days/rest days to give us an opportunity not to practise, "so people with obsessive natures are also