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DIFFICULTIES IN YOGA PRACTICE
Below you will find several of the difficulties you may encounter during your
study of yoga practices and techniques. All of these problems may seriously
impact your yoga program, so follow our advice carefully. You may be suffering
from either one or several of these difficulties.
The Nine Obstacles to Proper Yoga Practice
1) Alabdha-bhumikatva
This is when you’re having trouble attaining
the next stage of yoga practice, or are otherwise having trouble with a
technique. You’re getting “bogged down,” and have problems furthering your yoga
studies. This is due to faulty techniques or “sloppy” practices.
The solution to this is to “fall back” a stage
or two, and keep up your practice until you’re able to move forward to the
technique you couldn’t accomplish before. Keep trying until you can perform the
“difficult” practice; don’t get discouraged if it takes awhile to master it.
2) Alasya
This is usually due to the tamas, or sloth
element taking over. Yoga requires the dominance of tapas, or will power, in
order to be practiced correctly. Your practice will suffer if it becomes
“sloppy,” or you fail to pay proper attention to the details of your yoga
practice.
The solution to this problem is discipline.
You must practice your yoga correctly and in the order of the proper range of
practices, every day or on your regular schedule. Never grow lax or “lazy” in
studying the details of your techniques, always practicing with discipline.
3) Anawasthitatwa
This is when your yoga practice has become
unstable, and you’re incapable of maintaining your current stage of practice.
This comes from sporadic, loose, or problem-ridden yoga practice. You “lose”
your current stage, and have to “fall back” a stage or two.
The solution here is to continue your practice
on a regular schedule, mastering completely one stage of yoga, before moving on
to the next stage. Go back to before you “lost” the stage, and then proceed
forward, until you reattain your earlier stage of practice.actice.
4) Avirati
This occurs when you become too “attached”
with worldly matters and objects; it involves overeating, bad habits, too much
sexual longing, or other yearnings for the pleasurable things in life. You’re
full of desire, which interferes with your normal practice of yoga.
The solution here is to “let go” of such
attachments, concentrating through yoga practices of concentration upon your
inner self, and detaching yourself from the objects of your lusts, cravings, and
other such worldly desires, so that you may practice your yoga.ur yoga.
5) Bhrantidarshan
This is the result of overconfidence. You
begin to think you “know it all,” and are telling people you’re a yoga “expert.”
You mustn’t think you fully understand a technique in yoga that you’ve barely
learned, or that you’ve mastered it - when you’ve barely begun to practice it.
The solution to this problem is to never
become overconfident, and to slowly but surely work your way “up” in the
practice of yoga, taking it one step at a time and one day at a time. Perform
all the stages of a practice before you begin to master it, slowly and
carefully.
6) Pramada
This happens when you grow careless in your
yoga practice, not practicing the techniques in order, and delaying practice due
to a lack of persistence. You lack the skills to properly practice your yoga,
and you’re not practicing on a regular basis; so your practice suffers.
The solution here is to practice on a regular
basis, keeping to the same schedule for each practice session, and to exercise
both skill and caution while practicing. You must respect yoga properly, and
devote yourself to it - while practicing inner calmness.
7) Sanshaya
This has to do with when you’re
“doubt-ridden,” or otherwise are concerned that you’re not “good” at yoga.
You’ve been trying the upper levels of practice, and you’ve “faltered” at it.
You’re doubtful you will continue to practice yoga, and you feel like a failure
at it.
The solution is to practice as often as you
possibly can, perhaps consulting with a guru over the more difficult aspects of
your yoga practice, and to grow deeper faith in yourself. Practice a difficult
technique until you get it right; then proceed from there.
8) Styana
This primarily involves procrastination, or
“putting things off.” You might take a day or two away occasionally from yoga
practice; but styana is when you’ve been “skipping” several days, for no good
reason other than laziness and lack of performing your duty.
The solution to this is to stop making
excuses, going back to your normal schedule of yoga practice, making sure you
practice all your techniques. Even the hardest ones must be practiced, and
without “putting off” any aspects of your regular yoga practice.
9) Vyadhi
This is when you’re either physically or
mentally ill, or both. It becomes harder to practice yoga when you’re sick, so
you must do what you can to remain healthy while practicing yoga. Sickness will
probably make you postpone - or even end - your regular yoga schedule.
The solution is to lead a healthier lifestyle,
ending any bad habits such as smoking, drinking, drugs, or other practices that
may be impeding the “flowing” of your energies and basically sound body.
Remember, yoga promotes your good health; so practice it well.
Summary of Yoga’s Problem Areas
These problems may occur at any time during
your study and practice of yoga methods, techniques, and practices. If you don’t
handle them immediately, they may seriously interfere with your yoga practice;
so be sure and follow our advice, so that you may continue in yoga.
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