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Ashtanga Yoga
Ashtanga Yoga is a system of Yoga recorded by the sage Vamana Rishi in an ancient
manuscript called the Yoga Korunta, Asthanga Yoga as we know it today was developed
and taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois of Mysore, India.
The core practice of Ashtanga yoga consists of six progressively difficult
series of linked postures, each requiring somewhere between 90 minutes to three
hours to complete. The goal of Ashtanga yoga is the synchronization of breath
an movement. Asthanga yoga also aims to produce inner heat, leading to purification
and detoxification of the body.
The structure of Ashtanga requires the participant to go through an entire
spectrum of postures of varying degrees of difficulty and, in some cases, discomfort.
If the mind and the body are like a pair of vaults, then the Ashtanga yoga series
work like a combination lock. If you do the right poses in the right order,
the mind and the body automatically unlock.
Each series unlocks a particular aspect of the body and mind:
· Yoga chikitsa (yoga therapy), the primary series, realign and detoxify
the physical body, especially the spine. Yoga chikitsa also builds a foundation
of considerable physical strength, especially important to balance out the varying
degrees of flexibility within the class.
· Nadi shodana (cleansing of the nadis or river or channels), the intermediate
series, purifies and strengthens the nervous system and the subtle energy channels
that link the seven chakras, or energy centers, of the body.
· Sthira bhaga (divine stability), is the collective name of the four
advanced series. These sequences take to new heights the strength, flexibility,
concentration, and energy flow fostered in the first two series.
A typical Ashtanga yoga class will begin with a Sanskrit prayer. When the chanting
dies away, your teacher will remind you of the three central techniques of Ashtanga
yoga:
· Ujjayi breathing (the
victorious breath), a technique in which the breath passes across the back of
the throat with a hiss. Used throughout the Astanga series, it keeps the breath
steady and controlled and draws the focus of the mind inward.
· Mula bandha (root lock) is a traditional hatha yoga energy-raising
practice, although most schools don’t employ it during asana practice. Mula
bandha draws the awareness to the core of the body, intensifying and drawing
upward the energy at the base of the spine.
· Uddiyana bandha (upward lock) is an almost automatic side effect of
a strong mula bandha. The lower belly below the navel sucks inward, firming
up the abdomen and drawing the breath up to expand the rib cage, chest, and
lungs. Over time, uddiyana bandha actually helps increase lung capacity.
All three of these techniques are to be practiced continually throughout the
Astanga series.
With the breathing established and the locks engaged, you’ll begin a series
of Sun Salutations, a sequence of 12 flowing poses, to warm up the body.
One of the central principles of Ashtanga yoga is tapas, or heat: the more
you sweat, the better. Studios are generally kept hot, and the nonstop flow
of demanding postures ensures constant, heavy perspiration. The heat loosens
the muscles, helping prevent injury and simplifying the process of “melting”
into the postures. The physical heat and purification is intended to intensify
an inner, spiritual fire that burns through ignorance, anger and all the negative
emotions that cloud our day-to-day lives.
Once the standing Sun Salutation poses are completed, you’ll be sufficiently
warmed up to commence the sequences that are unique to each series. Although
each series comprises a balanced workout, each has a particular focus: For example,
the postures of the first series concentrate predominantly on forward bends,
while the second series emphasizes deep backbends, foot-behind-the-head postures,
and seven variations of Headstand.
Every series ends with the same cool-down sequence of finishing poses:
· Shoulder stand—“stand” on your upper arms and shoulders and stretch your
legs up to the sky
· Headstand
· Bound Lotus—cross your legs in the opposite of the “normal” cross-legged
position, so that each foot rests upon the opposite hip or thigh
· Seated meditation
· A long rest in Savasana (also called Corpse Pose)—lie flat on your back,
relaxed, with your palms open and facing upward
These finishing poses balance out the body and return the metabolic rate to
normal, allowing the nervous system to absorb the benefits of the practice.
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