Through the years I’ve met many different kinds of Ashtanga Yoga practitioners.
There are the ones who are lucky enough to have a teacher in close proximity. And then the ones who drive 2 hours daily to make it to a Shala far away from home. Guidance and community are essential to them.
There are the ones who would love to make practice a priority but all they manage is squeeze a short home practice in between work and family responsibilities. Time never seems to be enough. Still, they keep showing up.
And then the ones who - not having access to a teacher anymore - struggle to find motivation. Some of them quit the practice then find their way back to it, others don’t.
Often students ask me: What’s better, practicing at a Shala or alone at home? The answer is not that obvious. There are pros and cons to both options. It depends a lot on the personality of the practitioner and whether they thrive more in community or in solitude.
Here’s an overview of the benefits each way of practicing has to offer, along with the downsides.
Benefits of practicing at a Shala
1. You acquire solid foundations fast and with safety
A teacher offers first and foremost knowledge and guidance. They take you in and get you familiar with the fundamentals. They teach you how to breathe and unpack the asanas for you, one by one. They help you build your own practice and make sure your particular needs are being met. They do their best to keep you safe, correcting your technique and teaching you intelligent movement. At the same time, they do a lot of problem solving for you. Because of that you progress faster than someone who practices alone at home.
They answer your questions, help you move past blockages, uncertainties and fears. They challenge you and help you reach your highest potential.
And sometimes - if you’re lucky enough to find that gem of a teacher - they believe in you more than you believe in yourself.
2. You are being held accountable
Knowledge is not they only thing a teacher has to offer. They are also there to hold you accountable. They impersonate motivation and inspiration, like a well that never dries. You look up to them and try your best to make them proud and show them respect. So you end up showing up.
Even when you don’t feel like practicing, if you really respect your teacher you will think twice before skipping. Maintaining a daily Ashtanga practice is tough, let’s face it. There are a myriad of reasons not to do it. A teacher is an external source of motivation that you can always count on to be there and check in on you.
3. You find community, connection and a sense of belonging
There is something really magical happening in a Mysore room. The ritualistic aspect of the practice, the silence, the unison in breath, sweat and movement is unparalleled. Even though everyone is practicing on their own, you can feel a sacred togetherness reigning in the room.
Being part of a Shala opens new horizons and allows you to connect and bond with like minded people. Some of them might even become your friends.
For many people out there, this practice offers much more than a daily Sadhana. It gives them a sense of belonging, of being accepted and appreciated for who they really are. It provides a safe space to form genuine relationships, exchange, lift each other up, evolve and grow together.
Downsides
Not everyone has access to a Shala. Despite the popularization and expansion of Ashtanga Yoga, there are still many places - even entire countries - with no experienced Ashtanga teachers. So for some people, practicing alone most of the year is the only option.
The other thing I’ve noticed is that some students (even long time practitioners) can become too dependent on the comfort provided by a Shala and a teacher. Then, if they happen to move places or lose access to their teacher, they feel overwhelmed and helpless and some might even consider quitting the practice.
Benefits of practicing alone at home
1. You learn to motivate yourself
In the life of a home practitioner there is no such thing as external source of motivation. No one is there to cheer you on, help and support you. You need to learn how to draw motivation from within you. It is not an easy process, especially for people who are not very disciplined by nature. But I can assure you it is not impossible.
I was the most undisciplined person in the world before I found Ashtanga Yoga. I would quit at the first difficulty, valuing my comfort more than anything else and always taking the easy route. But this practice changed me. Or maybe it connected me with a part of myself I didn’t know existed. Already in the first few months of practicing daily I saw how it was transforming me and I made the promise to myself to never quit.
If you learn how to stay committed to taking care of yourself, you will never need anyone else to do it for you.
This is what Sadhana is all about: An honest dialogue with yourself and an ongoing commitment to growth.
2. You get to research and explore
When practicing with a teacher - lets face it - they do some of the work for you. Be it tips, suggestions, sharing their own experience, they facilitate and accelerate the learning process. When you’re practicing on your own, you’re the one who does the troubleshooting. You need to train yourself to look for answers at places where you normally wouldn’t. There will be a lot of failing in the process but once you’ve found the answer, moved past the obstacle, the knowledge is consolidated - exactly because of all the struggle you had to go through to acquire it.
3. You gain confidence
I’ve been a home practitioner for the last 8 years. Every year I would make a 1 or 2 month trip to Mysore, India, to study with my teacher. Then, I would use the rest of the year to internalize all the knowledge and wisdom he transmitted me, let it grow and flourish within me.
The life of a home practitioner is often lonely but can also be extremely rewarding. You spend a lot of time with yourself every day, cracking the code of the practice, trying to make it work for you, learning to elevate and challenge yourself. At the same time, you learn to step back when needed, let go of unnecessary haste to get somewhere fast. With time, you find that elusive sweet spot between effort and ease, between striving and acceptance, that only YOU can find and define for yourself.
In other words, you get to know yourself better. The practice reflects back at you everything, especially the things you don’t want to see. And you learn to overcome - one by one - all the obstacles that once seemed unsurmountable.
Practicing on your own over a long period of time gives you the confidence that comes from being your own teacher.
Downsides
You need to be innately inclined towards solitude to thrive in home practice. It’s not for everyone, at least not for a long time. Many students struggle with the lack of guidance and community when they switch to home practice after practicing at a Shala.
What usually works for these people is seeing a teacher a few times per year (through workshops, retreats etc) and practicing on their own the rest of the time. Practicing with a teacher online is also a good option and has helped many people with no Shala nearby build and sustain a regular practice.
One more thing: I wouldn’t recommend home practice for complete beginners, at least not on an exclusive basis. During the first few years of practice, it is crucial to lay correct foundations and grant yourself the immense privilege of being a student.
Keep showing up for yourself
Finding a good teacher is a blessing. There’s a famous saying by Tao Te Ching that goes: “Whenever the student is ready, the teacher will appear”.
Now that my beloved teacher is sadly gone, I’m constantly being reminded of his teachings in the silence of my little home Shala. He is still there, inspiring me to go on, practice and share what I’ve learned. I am the student and teacher I am today because of him. But also, because of the endless hours spent alone on my mat, processing, researching, internalizing, embodying, overcoming.
All practice is legitimate. What’s important is to keep showing up in the way that best serves you at any given period of your life. You owe it to yourself.
If you have a teacher, make the most of being a student. Open yourself fully to the transformative journey of learning. Stay humble, ask questions, honour and respect them.
If you have been practicing for a while but don’t have a teacher anymore, remember that what you received is timeless. Let it continue to guide you while you’re embarking on a different journey: the one of becoming your own teacher.
