2 books on Ashtanga yoga ""Ashtanga Yoga"" and ""Nadi Shodhana"" by Petri Räisänen
Alexander Smirkin
Ashtanga Yoga Teacher
Today we recommend books on Ashtanga yoga translated by Alexander Smirkin, a student, assistant and translator of Petri Räisänen.
Ashtanga Yoga has its roots in ancient times. Passed down through a chain of disciples, it became known throughout the world thanks to Sri Pattabhi Jois, a yoga master from South India. Petri Räisänen studied with Sri Pattabhi Jois for many years. With the blessing of his guru, Petri presented Ashtanga Yoga in his book not only as a holistic system of psychophysical healing, but also as a path of spiritual development leading to the knowledge of one’s true inner nature.
Ashtanga Yoga, or Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, is one of the popular styles of Hatha Yoga, widespread in the West. It is an intense, dynamic practice. However, it is not limited to the development of strength and flexibility, but includes psychophysical techniques that have a profound effect on the body and mind: a special type of breathing - ujjayi , fixing the gaze on certain points - drishti , holding energy locks bandhas .
YS: How did you first get introduced to yoga?
N: Now I continue to do orienteering, but about 8 years ago I met my current running coach and began to pay more attention to it. You always need a coach. Both a yoga teacher and a running teacher, even if you have been running since childhood. My coach does 24-hour runs, covers huge distances that are mentally difficult to endure. This strongly correlates with yoga, and he himself says that to cover a long distance you need to fall into a meditative state. There is no other way. It was he who introduced me to yoga, which he did himself and still does.
At that time, it was not as popular as it is now, it was quite difficult to find a teacher. We practiced in a small hall at school, the first time we went with friends and then we laughed madly. The practices lasted 2 hours, after them our back muscles constantly ached, although it would seem that with such physical training nothing should hurt. This amazed me, and over time I got into it, started going regularly, although sometimes there were breaks. Then yoga studios started appearing, and at some point a friend brought me to YOGA SPOT, and I've been here ever since.
Sometimes I even force myself to go to the studio for a class, because I know that right now I need 2 hours without my phone and without thinking.
YS: Do you do yoga at home?
N: When I run by myself, I do a small flexibility routine and some balances at home. It depends on my mood and my local goals, but mostly I do my own routine.
YS: Do you run at any time of the year?
N: Yes, I think there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear. Running in winter is not a problem, you just have more layers of clothes. My closet is 50% sportswear for any weather. I don’t like running in the arena, there are usually a lot of people there, not only runners, but also other athletes. However, several times a week we run in the arena, where we also do stretching after running. In stretching, we use a lot of what we learned in yoga classes.
YS: Why do you think we still don't have many people running and practicing yoga, even though it's becoming more popular?
N: I think it's a matter of habit and family traditions. My brother and I were instilled with the need for physical activity, and we still continue to do orienteering, yoga, and skiing. In Sweden, for example, physical activity is a significant part of the culture, and the vast majority of people include sports in their daily routine. Our situation is not quite the same yet, there is no developed culture. At the same time, I see many people who start running with the wrong technique, which makes this process uncomfortable and dangerous for them. No one taught them how to run correctly. But now the situation is changing for the better, because schools like BeRunner are appearing .
YS: Tell me more about Berunner. Why a running club, when you can just go for a run yourself?
N: 3.5 years ago, my friends and I created a running school. Yes, anyone can buy sneakers and go to the park in the summer to run 5 kilometers, but the question is how to do it right and not harm your health. Or if a person has some goals, for example, to lose weight, run a half marathon or just become more enduring, we will help him achieve them. Our training takes place in two places, we are always based near the arenas - there is a shower and changing rooms, a place for stretching. I am glad that more running schools are appearing in Minsk, now everyone can find something for themselves. Any beginner can come to us to improve technique and get into running. If a person has a sore side or is out of breath while running, we will help fix it in a short time.
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When I'm in a bad mood, I always know that to feel better, I need to go for a run. I also love to travel and take my running shoes with me on every trip, whether it's the city or the mountains. Thanks to running, you can explore the area around you, get a completely different connection with the city.
YS: What do you love most about running?
N: When I'm in a bad mood, I always know that to feel better, I need to go for a run. I also love to travel and take my running shoes with me on every trip, whether it's a city or the mountains. Running allows you to explore the area around you, get a completely different connection with the city. You can easily do this absolutely anywhere and get a lot of impressions.
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