I’m Kayla, and I’m a yoga nerd. I wanted steadier habits. Less yo-yo. More steady heat. My teacher kept saying “tapas” in class. It means steady effort, like a warm inner fire. I liked that. But I kept tripping over the words and the shapes. I wanted to get it right, not just wing it.
So I tried two things I could hold in my hands and stick with:
- The Ashtanga Yoga Practice Manual by David Swenson (the coil-bound one).
- Sanskrit 101 from Yogic Studies (the online course).
I used both for months. Coffee stains, dog-eared pages, messy notes—the whole bit.
Why Sanskrit Made Me Show Up
Here’s the thing. English cues felt loose for me. “Triangle pose” could be this or that. But “Utthita Trikoṇāsana” lands like a pin on a map. It tells me the shape and the mood. The long sounds slow my breath. The rhythm helps me count.
Words like “abhyāsa” (steady practice) and “vairāgya” (let go) became little anchors. I’d hear my brain say, “Abhyāsa. Just roll out the mat.” Simple. No drama. Ten minutes is still a win.
And “tapas”? That word got me up on dark winter mornings when I’d rather scroll. The meaning gave me a reason, not just a rule.
What I Used, For Real
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The Ashtanga Manual: It lays out the primary series with clear photos, simple notes, and breath counts. It lists the Sanskrit names under each shape. The coil lays flat on the floor, which I love. I stuck tabs on Surya Namaskara A and B. Page edges got wavy from sweat. Cute? Maybe not. Useful? Yes.
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Yogic Studies Sanskrit 101: Six weeks. Short videos. Quizzes. Office hours. I never thought I’d care about tiny dots and lines, but I learned why “ā” stays long and why “ṣ” hisses a bit. I used the Anki app to drill a deck on my phone while waiting for coffee. Not fancy, but it worked.
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Little helpers: A cheap notebook, a pack of sticky flags, and a phone voice memo. I’d say “Ādho Mukha Śvānāsana” three times, then play it back. I cringed, then fixed it. That’s learning.
Real Moments That Changed My Practice
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I said “Śavāsana” wrong for years. I used to say it quick, like “shah-VAH-snah.” The course slowed me down. Long “ā.” Soft “ś.” My teacher smiled the first time I got it right. Small thing. Felt big.
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I used the manual’s breath counts for Sun Salutes. Five breaths felt very long at first. By day four, it felt kind. My ankles stopped barking. My mind did too.
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In class, the teacher called “Pārśvottānāsana.” I used to freeze at that one. Now I knew the shape and how my back foot should turn. My body moved before my worry did.
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I made a “tapas” sticker and stuck it on my kettle. When I made tea, I read it. Then I did five minutes of standing poses. On busy days, those five minutes saved my mood.
The Good Stuff
- Clear photos and simple steps in the manual. No fluff. Just move, breathe, count.
- Coil binding. Lays flat on my mat. Seems small. Not small at all.
- The course teacher spoke slow and kind. No shame for mistakes. I felt safe to try.
- Structure. I didn’t guess. I followed counts. That helped me stay steady.
- The words shaped my mind. “Abhyāsa” felt like a hug. “Tapas” felt like a spark.
What Bugged Me (And How I Worked Around It)
- Diacritics are fussy to type. I used a phone keyboard with long-press letters. Still clunky.
- Some lessons went fast on sound rules. I watched twice. Took notes. It stuck on the second go.
- The manual is a bit heavy to carry around. I kept a photo of two key pages on my phone.
- If you want free-flow jam every day, this will feel strict. I like some structure, so it fit me.
How It Shifted My Discipline
I went from “I’ll practice… later” to “I’ll do five minutes right now.” The names gave me a map. The breath counts gave me pace. The meaning gave me a why. I still miss days. I’m human. But my misses don’t break my streak now. I just start again. That’s abhyāsa.
You know what? Saying the words out loud made me kinder to myself. I slowed down. I heard my breath. I felt okay not rushing to the next pose. Funny how words can do that.
Tiny Tips If You’re Curious
- Pick three pose names a week. Say them out loud, slow and clear.
- Stick a “tapas” note where you boil water or brush your teeth.
- Record your voice. Listen. Fix one sound at a time.
- Use the manual’s breath counts. Keep it gentle on tough days.
- Make a small rule: five minutes, most days. That’s still real yoga.
Want a bit of human accountability beyond the kettle-sticker trick? I’ve also experimented with the community-matching platform fucklocal.com to find nearby practice buddies; its quick zip-code search and no-frills chat make it painless to line up a sunrise flow in the park or swap progress notes.
For folks in Southern California who’d love a more grown-up twist on that same “find-someone-nearby” convenience, exploring One Night Affair’s Simi Valley adult-search hub can connect you with like-minded adults in your area, offering an easy way to set clear intentions, filter by preferences, and keep things discreet.
For more down-to-earth articles and practice guides, I keep a tab open to It's All About Yoga when I need a quick spark.
If you’d like even more detail on how decoding Sanskrit sharpened my daily routine, check out the full story in I Learned Sanskrit to Fix My Yoga Discipline—Here’s What Actually Helped. Curious about energy work? My candid field test lives in Yoga for the Sacral Chakra—My Honest, Sweaty, Slightly Messy Review. And if desk-slouch is your nemesis, see what finally worked for me in I Tried Yoga to Fix My Bad Posture—Here’s What Actually Helped.
Who This Helps Most
- New teachers who want clean cues and steady form.
- Home folks who like a plan and a count.
- Curious beginners who love clear pictures and short steps.
- People who enjoy language. If words light you up, you’ll have fun.
If you only want soft music and vibes, this may feel stiff. That’s fair. Different paths, same goal.
My Verdict
The Ashtanga Manual plus Sanskrit 101 helped my yoga discipline more than any fancy gadget. They gave me a map, a rhythm, and a reason. Not perfect—nothing is—but close. I’d call it 4.5 out of 5.
I paid for both myself. No one asked me to say nice things. I just like what helped.
If you’ve been stuck, maybe let one word guide you this week. Abhyāsa. Or tapas. Pick one. Say it. Then roll out your mat and breathe.