Chad Herst on Tradition: http://www.herstwellness.com/
It seems the most fundamental question of the practice is: Does It Work*? And it seems that this question isn't discussed that often.
* exercise left to the reader: define 'work'.
1.) Ashtanga is healing to the body? I call B.S. Yes, some people find their practice to fix stuff that's wrong with them. And yes, my lower back no longer aches. My tight painful hunched back is fixed by sarvangasana. But I can't shake the idea that the further you get the less therapeutic Ashtanga becomes. My perspective, of course, coming from a young, healthy-to-begin-with man.
I see some dedicated Ashtangis who need to eat a damn sandwich. There is nothing healing about anorexia.
2.) Ashtanga is healing to the mind? This feels a little more honest. Practice makes my mind shut up, for one, and it makes me happier. I'm a grumpy little ass on moon days.
3.) Ashtanga as personal transformation. Transforming from what into what? Are we better people for practicing? Are we nicer, kinder, gentler? Maybe, I think results may vary.
4.) Ashtanga as cultivation. As Tim noted at the Confluence, "Self discipline breeds self confidence". I like this one a whole lot. Learning what you can do, whether it's getting up at 4:30am every day, or sticking your feet behind your head, can do wonders to a person's outlook on life. You learn that committing reaps rewards. I can't say that this has wrought massive changes in my life, but it does in others'.
5.) Ashtanga as social group. This one's potent. People like belonging to things. Ashtanga breeds cliques that tend to be at least reasonably accepting as long as you're there every day.
I feel like I never hear people talking about WHY they practice, what they get out of it. I really liked hearing each of the Confluence teachers summing up in so many words: "I practice because I love it".
This supposed to be fun on some level. Beautiful, powerful, deeply satisfying? I'm ok with those.
