Ashtanga yoga is practiced 6 days a week. This is the tradition. Usually the students of Ashtanga yoga practice early in the morning before breakfast. it makes sense. The asanas are so advanced that 6 training days every week are necessary. It’s impossible to exercise asanas with a full stomach or gut. That’s why the mornings are the best time of the day. Moon days are rest days. In August 2022 the 12th and 27th are moon days. It is said that it’s more likely that injuries happen on these days. I’m not sure. A day off gives the body the opportunity to relax and to integrate the exercises. It’a also an exercise to detach from the asana practice. A day off gives the opportunity to work on other duties.

The picture shows my habit app. I obviously had downloaded it in April 2021. I thought that it could be a good idea to record the frequency of my practice. When I remember well I didn’t use this app very often. So the result is falsified. Yet, I realised how important it is to have a daily practice. To record the practice is a very useful tool to check the reality. Feelings often deceive. I’f the feeling that I practiced more often as shown in the statistics of my app. Creating dream goals makes no sense. Making progress towards a goal might be more realistic than trying to go form almost not practicing at all to the maximum.

Since I record my pracice whenever I practice Ashtanga yoga, I also practice more frequently. To observe oneself has the power to initiate change already. It’s like a reward to see the rose color on more and more days. To practice daily in August seems doable. The conditions are almost perfect. It’s summer time. The heat supports the practice. I feel more flexible when it’s warm and I can practice at home. I’ll probably travel once. This is the true challenge. It’s not impossible to keep practicing. Many yogis travel and practice. For me it’s always a challenge to find the right place and time when on the road.

The frequency of any practice is very important. It’s the first goal. No practice means nothing happens.

How often something should be practiced varies.

• Whatever I read about strength training is that one needs rest days. Three days of strength training every week is probably much better than practicing every day. The rest days help to avoid injuries.

• Stretching exercises can be done twice a day. This would be very effective, yet who has so much time?

• When learning a language It’s good to practice it every day for many hours if time allows it. This will show the best results. Living in a country is the best language school.

• Julie Cameron suggests for creative people to have one Artist’s Date every week. For me this is enough to be inspired for one week, often longer.

It makes sense to plan the frequency of a practice.

My yoga week has begun today. There are still 5 more practices in the pipeline this week. I anticipate them.

What topic shall I focus on in August?

It will be back bending.