Accessible Ashtanga? Absolutely!
Practitioner, teacher, explorer, Mana Takai talks openly about how Yoga is by its very nature accessible. And yet it takes conscious effort to create the openness that makes Ashtanga Yoga accessible to all.
The world has changed a lot since our last chat about six months ago. What has changed for you in your own Mysore-style practice?
I have fortunately been able to maintain my practice six days a week. But I have been adding chanting, pranayama, and kriya as well.
What has changed about the practices you lead?
Since we are in virtual classes, I have to trust the students more. I am not able to feel their energy or see their faces like I can when we are together physically. I try to offer students more space to feel, to rest, to find their own version of their practice.
Do you feel there is a future for Mysore practice with the present state of things? What do you imagine it might be?
Yes, naturally. Mysore is a self-led practice by definition. So, it is a great way to maintain practice whether or not you can practice together with others in person. I imagine the future of Mysore-style practice is that it will become more customized to individuals as more unique individuals come to experience this practice.
You mentioned that when you first began your personal yoga practice in Tokyo, you were encouraged that you could do this work by the warm welcoming energy of yoga itself. What was it that inspired you to practice yoga in the first place?
Yoga allows me to be myself. It helps me to not pretend to be better than I am. Yoga accepted me as I was then. Yoga accepts me as I am now.
Did you ever have any doubts or fears about whether yoga was something you could do?
No. I was hooked right away!
What did your first teachers or fellow practitioners do or say that made it feel possible for you?
Not really anything they said. They held space without judgement or comparing. That was what helped me.
You have been practicing Ashtanga Yoga for four years and teaching for three years now. Do you ever feel stuck, like you can't get to the next things? If so, what is most helpful in moving through the stuckness?
In physical poses, I have been practicing exactly the same for three and a half years. But it never gets old. Every day I feel different. I am not interested in completing fancy poses any more. I like what I have. When the next pose comes along, I will be grateful. I am sure.
Who are some of the teachers who have made Ashtanga Yoga accessible for you and what have they done or said that most helped?
It is embarrassing. I didn’t see this for a long time. But slowly I started to notice the reality of who was in my classes. And I asked myself why. The truth was that I did not know how to teach to bigger bodies, older folks, and people with injuries. I feared that if I stopped to help a small group or one student, I would displease the majority. So, I started to explore.
I read books like Accessible Yoga by Jivana Heyman. I followed teachers like Dianne Bondy and Amber Karnes. I joined a workshop with Shanna Small on making Ashtanga accessible. It was amazing. Other influences are Susanna Barkataki, and the podcast Yoga Is Dead. In sum, I understand that the energy I create in class is so important to welcoming every size, color, age, and gender. And I am working on it, always.
What do you do to make Ashtanga Yoga accessible to anyone beginning this practice?
Physically, there are so many optional poses. And there are lots options for using props. With all this, you can still practice traditional Ashtanga. On a more subtle level, I am conscious of the words I choose. I am careful to use words that create openness to possibilities in the mind and the body.
What do you do to continue to make Ashtanga Yoga accessible in a deeper way to practitioners who have moved beyond the basics?
I will say an advanced practitioner has deeper awareness, not necessarily more skill in advanced poses. I support each individual exploration of the practice.
If there is one single thing you could say to anyone who feels stuck with any aspect of their practice, be it a pose, a lack of lift, or simply a struggle to get to or prioritize the practice, what would it be?
I would say openness is the key. Whatever you feel that day, it is okay. If you feel heavy, that is what it is. That is okay. Practice without judgement and expectation. Be responsible with your practice. Then you come back to the mat or cushion the next day. Showing up is the hard part, but also the most important part of your practice.
Connect with Mana at Mana Takai Yoga for live-streaming Mysore and other classes, upcoming workshops in Laos, and more!