To this day, when mentioning Ashtanga Yoga I hear people say: oh, that's the difficult and intense form of yoga.
The physically demanding one.
The practice that was created for young boys.
The hard one.
And so on.
And as an ageing soft-bodied female practitioner it's easy for me to speak on behalf of a gentle and soft practice, which I love to do as well!
However, the challenging aspects and the intensity of practice aren't something to avoid.
Through the challenges, you can learn a lot about your self. The limitations, the fears, the thought patterns. And yes, through practice, it's possible to overcome the same by facing those challenges over and over again within the safe frames of your yoga mat.
Intensity is the door opener, a surface cleaner, a nut cracker, a carrier. Intensity is your friend because it helps you to transform. To move from the muddy surface waters of the mind to more clarity and freedom.
So, nothing to avoid there in this "hard practice"!
