Developing a Home practice Part 10

I want to try and remember why I originally started this blog as the motivations have changed over time. I'd become fixated on the Jump back and jump through and had made some progress, I'd started to believe I would be able to achieve it. I was annoyed that, so often, the response to asking about the Jump back seemed to be 'Work on your bandhas'. There was information out there, but it was scattered all over the place. I wanted to try and bring it all together, all the articles, Videos, forum comments and my own experience so far. I wanted to write about and video my progress and catch the first real jump back as and when I finally achieved it. I saw it as a resource. I also hoped that others would send me videos, comments, advice so that anyone wanting information about the jump back had somewhere they could go, with constructive advice and ideas to work on, as well as finding encouragement and motivation to stick with it.

I'd actually started putting some videos on YouTube and even made a lame attempt at bringing together some of the things I'd picked up on the Jump through for a video on overcoming the fear of landing. Makes me cringe a little now to watch it, but Owl just asked me about why I never speak to camera when I make my videos, well here's why, Once was enough.


Back to the blog

This was my first post back in July 08

I've heard it said, and been told that the Jump back is not so important and not something to get hung up on, that it will come with time etc etc. And I agree with this. I know and accept that it's just one aspect of the practice and there are many ways/variations of the jump back that allow you to string the asana together. And I'm aware that Nancy Gilgoff, supposedly, never employed the jump back.

BUT

I like the the jump back!

I want to jump back!

I WILL jump back!

I like how it links the asana. I like how the asana flow together when you can jump back out of one asana and jump through into the next. Ashtanga is a flowing practice so what's wrong with focusing on the flowing aspect.We shouldn't have to defend our keenness to master it.

That said, there have been times when I've stopped my practice midway through my practice frustrated at not being able to lift up and this is where the "don't get hung up on it" comments are important. I've found that the best way to go about it is find a comfortable jump back variation that fits within your practice and then start developing your jump back outside your practice.

I've just checked and I'm now on post 212. The Blog quickly became addictive and started to take over my practice. Once I'd caught up with the things I had already planned on posting I would find myself in the middle of a Jump back thinking 'Oh this is interesting must post this' or 'That was better, must video it for the blog'. This was both good and bad, distracting but motivating. I became very critical of my practice by looking at the videos, which began to distance me from it, but I also gained inspiration from finding some small improvement. It forced me to think about what I was doing more, about different elements of my practice, mostly just my jump back and jump through, for the first six months or so at least.

Everyone seems to say that maintaining a strong home practice is difficult and that without the support and encouragement of a teacher as well as other students it's so easy to start practicing less and ultimately give up altogether. I wonder, if I hadn't started this blog, if I'd still be practicing now or if I would have become frustrated and given up. If your practicing alone, I highly recommend it.


Next : I originally planned on ten posts for this, stroll down memory lane. I'm having fun it with it though and think I'll carry on with it through this last year of practice to cover moving on to intermediate. Probably mix it up with more of the old style video posts though. So next up is a regular post on Navasana to handstand.