David,

I wanted to ask you about introducing people to the 3rd series. When I start students on 2nd series in a Mysore setting I usually have them add the first few poses after they complete the first series. Then when they know enough poses from the second, they might do first until navasana and then start 2nd, until they finally can just work on second. If someone wants to start on third, do I have them do the whole second (or first) and then add a couple of poses? And then when they are familiar with more poses what's the process? Do half first or half second and go from there?

Y

Y,

First Series is the springboard into the other series. When I first learned they would have us do all of first and then add second until you could do both. Once you were there you would then practice one or the other. The other approach that seems more popular and civilized is to do all of first and then add second onto that. Once the student is doing all first and second up to Supta Vajrasana the second series is then entered after the boat until all of second is completed then one or the other is practiced independently. Third can be taught in the same way as moving from first into second but instead of from first to second you would move from first to third having substituted third in the place of second. You could also use second as the springboard into third in the same way as first was used to enter second. I hope that you are not totally confused now. Let me know if you have further questions in this regard.

Thanks so much for your question,

David