This is a recording of my actual personal practise. I am sharing this to show that what really happens when you are in your own practise and not being led by a teacher, which is much more truthful and honest and perhaps ‘uglier’ ! For the most part of 5 years I have practised Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga, but after lots of spiritual awakening and also complaints within my body from repeated movements I am learning to create a practise that does not sit in the confines of the traditional counted method but that still adheres to the practicality of the sequence and precision of movements and still remains strongly breath- bandha led. This is how I have adapted Primary and Secondary sequences to suit MY body and MY circumstances. By that I mean we all have different body types, proportions and patterns and varying degrees of mobility and flexibility too, not to mention injuries and postural habits. I have come to understand where I need to open, where I need to strengthen and where there are limitations, some are skeletal and some are not, this is important to remember as you design your own personal practise.... what are we trying to achieve? What is realistic ? What goals must we let go of? Which are worth working on? I really hope this video inspires newer yogis to self practise, discover and learn about their bodies and understand yoga is not supposed to ever be pretty, completed or polished... I hope it inspires existing practitioners to share the actual process instead of the finished product so that the world view of yoga being beautiful and pretty may change, the real work is confrontational, truth making and transformational! Note Ashtangis I have not rejected the traditional method, I still practise that regularly too, it was the vehicle that led me to understand the state of yoga and where i learnt the techniques to handle myself, my senses and my world. How I modify- I know which poses are my peak or struggle postures and I plan a strategy from the start to incorporate movements and variations to help with those by adapting warm up, surya namaskar and standing poses I don’t overdo it or push too hard so to keep a steady breath and mind I don’t get too creative or fancy I don’t attempt hard stuff more than 3 times I spend more time on hips and get intelligent with variations I use props if they help I skip vinyasa or use knees chest chin to not overwork shoulders , especially if I will be working KAPOTASANA I don’t get frustrated and keep going calmly I practise to music it seems to help quieten the mind I vary the things I do a lot ie surya namaskar, vinyasa, standing poses to avoid tightness or compression I always integrate counterposes as I go I give myself permission to try but also to fail, each day is different. Some days nothing you planned comes out and so you must be ok with having a simple practise if you are just not up to more! Feel free to get in touch and check out my Website www.Leannenatkaniecyoga.com and social media channels for blogs, musings, practise tips, philosophy and classes are available on Zoom as I write this! Happy practise!