8 Things Everyone Gets Wrong About The Most 'Intense' Yoga Style Out There

But I’d like to clarify a few points because Ashtanga often gets an undeserved bad rap. Here are eight of the biggest Ashtanga myths out there:

This idea has always baffled me. Do I need to already know how to hit a tennis ball before I take tennis lessons? Of course not. Isn’t the point of a practice to learn? I certainly think so. You start where you are, then grow and transform along the way. If you can breathe, you can do Ashtanga yoga.

Yes, the protocol set by Pattabhi Jois, who created Ashtanga, was to practice six days a week, minus moon days. But the fact is, things get in the way. Life happens, relationships happen, people travel and get sick, and frankly, sometimes your body just needs a break. If it’s not possible for you to practice six days per week, you practice when and how you can. Be kind to your body.

So the next time I saw him, I asked, "Why so much emphasis on the body? Why don’t we teach the other seven limbs of Ashtanga yoga?" He replied, "Asana is door to discovering other limbs of yoga, as outlined in the yoga sutras. In other words, the physical postures are the convenient entryway into the path of yoga."

While developing a healthy physical body can encourage this process, it is entirely possible to clear the subtle channels through other means. There are plenty of enlightened masters in India and Tibet who have never in their lives done a sun salutation. I’ve also seen fantastic feats performed at Cirque du Soleil. A beautiful body has nothing to do with spiritual enlightenment.

In Sanskrit, Ashtanga means "eight limbs," and asana is just one of those limbs. Asana, or "posture," at least from the yoga sutra point of view, means the posture of meditation. Popularization of yoga in the West has expanded this term to include all the physical poses found in yoga studios these days. But essentially, yoga is about learning to meditate by preparing the system and then guiding the mind to stillness.

Teaching is an art, and it is important to find a teacher who resonates with you. A great teacher is empathetic, compassionate, and looks out for a student’s best interest while conveying their understanding of the practice. Just because someone is able to perform difficult physical postures does not necessarily make them a wise or kind human being. Kindness trumps knowledge any day, in my book.

For the first few years, I practiced only in the evenings. I worked during the day, so evenings were when I could practice. Because I live in the mountains where mornings are cold, I still prefer practicing in the early evening. And that's just fine.

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