#2. Master the basics and master transitions.
So I have studied with a lot of teachers and masters, and it’s very consistent across the board. Whenever there’s an issue, whenever we’re confused about things, go back to the basics and master the basics. We’ve got to have a solid foundation, so that we can build the house. We are like a tree the deeper the roots, the more we can express. It’s really important in the beginning not to try to do everything at once, but to master the basics.
In asanas, it’s doing a vinyasa of five poses and doing that a hundred times. It’s doing this repetition over and over until you see what’s going on, so that you can start building off that. And then once you learn some sequences, it’s really about transitions and having awareness of transitions.
So for instance, in yoga when you’re stepping down on the mat, are you slapping the mat or you gracefully putting your foot down? This is kind of a metaphor for life. How are you going in and out of events and experiences in your life? Are you stressed? How much awareness do you have of coming in and coming out and creating that flow that we’re looking for.