Blog post for Oct 8th

This week I didn't have much time for yoga, so I used 30 minutes practice of Iyengar Yoga for beginners to intermediates by Yogadotin. I really enjoyed the thorough workout that Iyengar provides in such a short period of time because of it's constant movement. It made me feel like I was still challenging myself even despite my time shortage. My favorite pose was when I had my back on the ground and my legs up the wall in a 90 degree angle. I've actually been told to use this pose before for my back if I ever have back pain, and it really helped stretch out my back muscles.

Specifically for Iyengar yoga, I can understand how it could be seen as a ritual. In Iyengar, it is a set amount of poses that are repeated every class. Although there are variations in poses, this constant repetition is what rituals are. A repeated cycle of movements that are practiced nearly every day. It's this ritualistic repetition that does intensify the practice experience. I feel as if now that I know the movements much better in Iyengar that I can enjoy it more, and also focus on my breathing much more without having to struggle with figuring out what the next pose may be.

Out of all the yoga we've done so far, I really do enjoy Iyengar. As much as I dislike how much it has become a business, I do like the poses that they practice. Especially compared to Ashtanga, which I found to be way too intensive for me. Iyengar is a nice middle ground, although I can't successfully do every pose with confidence, it feels like it's something that's genuinely achievable. 

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