Here’s a series of three recent videos of David Swenson that effectively can be all package together:
Not too many views, up just a few weeks.
Posted by Steve
David Swenson on starting yoga, overcoming resistance to practice
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Here’s a series of three recent videos of David Swenson that effectively can be all package together:
Not too many views, up just a few weeks.
Posted by Steve
Wow, I really get what he means when he says that it’s like there’s a force field around him after practicing. The filter that allows us to react to things more skillfully than we would if we didn’t have a practice. I don’t understand how it works, but it does. I am not a strong, flexible person at all, but I believe I’m a nicer, calmer person after I get off my mat.
Thanks for sharing these great clips of David Swenson. They sum up my experience of Yoga so well!
David Swenson was my first yoga teacher over a decade ago. His words during a workshop were so inspirational and yet so down to earth at the same time. I knew that yoga had to be a good thing to explore. It is many years later now, and I still think he is the best teacher ever. Thanks for posting these video’s!!
Really great ideas from David, thanks for sharing these videos. Hilarious that people used to call the police when they saw him practicing his “devil worship” – though not sure we’ve moved on THAT much when you consider the Encinitas situation. Whenever someone I know shows an interest in starting yoga, i give them David’s short forms Video’s, such a great intro to avoid scaring people off before they have a chance to wade in a bit deeper.
I still use David’s book and often use his video for my Friday lead class at home. There is a Patanjali quote in it I love:
“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bounds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction and you find yourself in a new, great wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a great person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.” ~ Patanjali from David Swenson’s Ashtanga Yoga The Practice Manual
Here is another poem I heard on a Yin Yoga video along the same lines:
By Bapuji
My beloved child
Break your heart no longer
Each time you judge yourself you break your own heart
You stop feeding on the love which is the wellspring of your vitality
The time has come
Your time
To live, to celebrate and to see the goodness that you are
Let no one, no thing, no idea or ideal obstruct you
If one comes even in the name of truth forgive it for it’s unknowing
Do not fight
Let go
And breathe into the goodness that you are