Are you looking for an alternative to Primary Series?

As an Ashtanga Yoga practitioner and teacher of the mysore style method I have often come across practitioners who unfortunately have become disillusioned with the system for various reasons.

If you are a practitioner who has never tried the Mysore Style way of learning Ashtanga Yoga and attend Led Style classes, this can also lead to feelings of stagnation within the practice.

For the yoga practitioners who I have spoken to about this over the years I’ll list below why I believe this occurs, and an alternative for those of you that love many aspects about Ashtanga Yoga but feel it isn’t quite right for you.

Often criticisms I have heard are:

It is too strict and rigid.
There isn’t enough variation in Primary Series and too many forward folds.
There aren’t enough back bends in Primary Series.
Some postures in Primay Series are too advanced.
I have bad knees and can’t practice Primary Series.
I don’t like the dogmatic teaching style where I can’t use props of have alternative postures for my body type.
A lack of accountability of abuse within the community.

A change is needed

Now as a teacher of this system I felt it necessary to address the feedback and concerns from practitioners above along with many more, to adapt the system to various body types. These students left Ashtanga and found practices in other styles, but often missed Primary Series and the intention of Ashtanga.

I have written about this previously which you can find here:

Many students need an alternative

As so many students over time have become disillusioned with Ashtanga yoga for many reasons I saw a need for an alternative. Something that had the essence of Primary Series but was more balanced in nature, especially for students who were unable to undertake the commitment to the Mysore Style Method.

So many students would tell me that they loved the flow of Primary Series, how it had been intelligently created, it was progressvie and had a very focused intention that brought about strength and openess that they loved. But really they felt their body needed something else. And for many students this is the case.

Primary Series is excellent, but it isn’t perfect, and as teachers it is important to reflect on this and adapt, rather than pushing some kind of dogmatism.

The Element Series

The Element Series is my alternative to Primary Series. One could say Element, comes before Primary. I have been modifying this series and tweaking it for many years, adding postures and testing it within different class formasts before I was ready to share it to the public.

It’s intention is balance

Sequences are designed for many reasons and my intention with The Element Series was to balance the body as best as it can be done without the need of progressing through Primary and Intermediate Series. It is also an excellent alternative sequence for Ashtnaga practitioners for days when they feel they need something else. Safer options are given for those who have knee issue’s, and there are some variations and time allowances so students have a progressive structure to follow.

My teaching style is not dogmatic. It is to find the most efficient way to open people’s bodies and minds to the concept of Bandha and to bring about healing and balance to the body.

The Element Series is an holistic alternative to Primary Series for Vinyasa practitioners of yoga.

Lastly I will touch on some negative cultural group dynamics that have occurred within Ashtnaga Yoga. A strong move towards materialism and social media, abuse, bad adjustments and authortarian power dynamics that can occur in any group or community and unfortunatly this has occured within Ashtanga Yoga. This is a sad thing as there are so many excellent teachers and spaces out there, but this is another reason why some practitioners have become disillusioned with the pracitce.

It’s also why I persoanlly have ‘pulled away’ from said community for some time and have been fairly outspoken about these things over the years on my podcast because of the lack of acountability and honesty on these matters.

Trust and Intention is everything

Having a deep level of trust and good feelings from the practice you are putting your energy into is huge. Students need to have that positive energy towards what they are doing and have a loving vibration to the sequence and person teaching them. I understsnd why this may have been lost for many students in Ashtanga yoga.

Accountability is important, and change from this is necessary. When this doesn’t happen students will be lost unfortunatly.

An alternative to Ashtanga Yoga