Manju jois Led Primary plus Manju presenting pranayama and peace chants.

A nice Led Primary series video from  Manju Pattabhi Jois and Natasa Cvetkovic's Ashtanga Yoga Vienna.  Manju runs through Primary here in an hour, a little fast for my taste (although I'm just about to practice along with it for old times sake) but a nice thing about Manju's led classes is that he doesn't count while you're in a posture, you can count five quick breaths  or, as I tended to do, take two long slow ones. And besides it just a Led, a guide, framework for practice, on your own mat you can take it as slow as you like and modify as much as common sense suggests.

I haven't seen a full Led primary from Manju on Youtube before, bit of a treat so worth popping out of blog retirement for

Note the different levels in the class, Manju tends to encourage students to continue through the practice/series rather than be stopped (at Marichiyasana D for example), there are arguments for and against this of course, in my own case I kept working through the series modifying as I went. Modifications can often be given allowing one to continue working on a posture while continuing with the series.

Manju teaches an integrated practice, Asana followed by pranayama followed by chanting.

Ramswami mentions that Krishnamacharya encouraged an integrated practice Asana, pranayama followed by a meditative activity, that could be a regular Sit, chanting or perhaps even study of worthy text. Asana and pranyama are said to put one in an ideal (satvic) state for such an activity.

Thank you to Natasa Cvetkovic (whom I had the pleasure to meet and work with on Manju's TT at Kristina's wonderful Rethymno shala on Crete) for making and posting this and to Manju for allowing it to be shared.

Manju has an excellent Book and DVD. On the DVD he presents a call and response class, the class repeating every name, vinyasa count and drishti, recommended.

Here's a Link to my Manju jois resource including four posts on my TT with Manju in Rethymno Crete and a review of Manju's book and DVD.

I will be adding these videos to the resource.

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/p/fykjfjyfyj-in-this-series-of-posts.html


NOTE:

It's unfortunate that this post follows one in which I question Sharath's new honorary Paramaguru title. It's a coincidence, I've been posting less. This shouldn't be read as a my teacher is better than your teacher thing or pitting Manju against Sharath. I practiced with Sharath's DVD for several months early on in my practice and I credit him with moving me from a David Swenson short form to the full series. Later I came back to Sharath's DVD and due to an appreciation of the efficiency, the economy of his practice I dumped my half handstand Kino inspired jump throughs and went with a gentle Sharath (almost) hop through. Sharath's lack of (obsessive) focus on alignment, anatomy, energy explanations and general simplicity of practice has as much, perhaps more, influence on my current practice than Manju who I credit with restoring an enjoyment of practice, taking it somewhat less seriously, and an awareness of how gentle an assist/adjustment can be, more of a support than a crank.

I credit Ramaswami with getting me over my asana madness while providing more context to the asana I practice and the options for modification and extension, slowing my practice right down via the breath and encouraging a fully integrated practice along with close study of Krishnamacharya's primary texts and his focus on longer stays, the employment of Kumbhaka as well as a better understanding of Yama/niyama and Yoga philosophy in general.

I respect all of the above but personally see no need to refer to any as guru or even as 'my' teacher, teacher is in itself a respectful term and feels quite sufficient and appropriate.

It's said you can't learn Yoga from a book or DVD, I would argue that it makes little difference (depending on your temperament) whether the input /inspiration for this practice comes from a book, DVD.... or teacher (1%), whether you practice in a shala, studio or at home, we learn from practicing, we learn what is most important from years of practicing (99%).

This turned into a blog post after all

NOTE 2

A quick note on the new blog header photo. I reluctantly took down the old ankle grab Kapo in my living room 'shala' photo. I've been thinking about it for a while. Sseeing as I only practice the first half of Ashtanga second series once or twice a week now my kapo has suffered and is a toe grab at best. The old Kapo photo no longer reflected my practice.  I do want to stress the integrated nature of practice, asana (proficient primary), pranayama, pratyahara and a decent Sit thus the new photo(s)