ohm

vande gurūṇāṁ caraṇāravinde

sandarśita svātma sukhāvabodhe

niḥśreyase jāṅgalikāyamāne

saṁsāra hālāhala mohaśāntyai

ābāhu puruṣākāraṁ

śaṅkhacakrāsi dhāriṇam

sahasra śirasaṁ śvetaṁ

praṇamāmi patañjalim

ohm

means:

I bow at the lotus feet of the supreme guru

That teaches the knowledge of him, awakening the great joy of the revealed Being

That he acts as a jungle doctor

Able to remove the poison of ignorance of this conditioned existence.

Before Patanjali, incarnation of Adisesa, who with his white color,

Thousand Radiant Heads (in his divine serpent form, Ananta)

and the human aspect of him from the shoulders of him wields the sword of discrimination

next to a wheel of fire that symbolizes infinite time and a shell that

represents for him the divine sound,

I prostrate.

The history of Asthanga Yoga

Ashtanga yoga, also known as ashtanga vinyasa yoga, military yoga, is a traditional practice with roots in India. Its origins can be traced back to the 5,000-year-old yogic text Yoga Korunta, written by Vamana Rishi. Patanjali compiled this ancient writing between AD 200 and 400 and created the Yoga Sutras.

Tirumalai Krishnamacharya studied these Sanskrit texts with guru Ramamohana Brahmacharya while living in a cave in the early 20th century. In 1931, Krishnamacharya began teaching at the Sanskrit College in Mysore, India. It was here that he ended up teaching Sri K Pattabhi Jois. During this time, he established the style of Ashtanga yoga that we know today.

Pattabhi Jois developed and popularized ashtanga yoga, opening the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore in 1948. He created the Yoga Mala, which outlines the method of ashtanga yoga. He brought the practice to the West when he taught his first workshop in California in 1975. Since then, it has continued to be taught and practiced in all Western societies.

What is Asthanga Yoga?

Ashtanga yoga was the first form of vinyasa yoga. The word "vinyasa" refers to techniques that link breath with movement, creating a rapid sequence of asanas. The difference is that, in the practice of ashtanga yoga, the series of poses remains the same each time. However, there are six sequences that you can progress through. Once you master the first level, your instructor will level you up. Each ashtanga series will include a variety of sitting poses, standing poses, and some pranayama.

The sir series of Asthanga Yoga

There are six series of ashtanga yoga. The first set is called the primary set or chikitsa yoga, and the second set is called the intermediate set. Below are four advanced series. Each of these sequences has a set of ordered postures that are always performed in the same way. They will begin with a series of postures called the Sun Salutation, also known as Surya Namaskar. This variation will be repeated five times, and the Sun Salutation B variation will be repeated three to five times. This will be followed by a standing sequence. This pattern will remain the same for all six series, and only the middle section of asanas will be different. All poses will be practiced Mysore style, which means that the teacher will provide students with new, more advanced poses when they seem ready.

The eight limbs of Yoga

Ashtanga yoga follows a specific teaching philosophy and wisdom. The literal translation of ashtanga is eight limbs. They are practices that guide how to make your life meaningful through moral and ethical lessons about being. The sequence goes from the external to the internal. The eight limbs consist of the following steps:

Read here.

THE BENEFITS OF ASHTANGA YOGA

Ashtanga vinyasa yoga has extensive benefits for the mind, body, and soul. Here are four of the many health improvements you can reap from your regular practice:

Increases psychological well-being: Ashtanga yoga reduces stress and anxiety by calming the nervous system. The practice promotes inner peace, mindfulness and awareness, improving overall psychological well-being.

Improves flexibility and strength : In many of the ashtanga postures, you have to support your body weight on your hands or balance on one leg. This strengthens the core and increases the overall strength of the body. Plus, it helps tone muscles and improves flexibility over time.

Weight loss : Ashtanga yoga helps to lose weight. This is an intense cardiovascular workout that effectively burns calories through strength training and muscle-strengthening poses. Also, relieving stress through asanas can help with weight loss. Frequent or daily practice will be most effective in helping you achieve your weight loss goals.

Lowers blood pressure : Several studies indicate that regular practice lowers blood pressure. He does this through the breathing technique known as Ujjayi pranayama, which is practiced during ashtanga. This causes you to constrict your throat and make a whispering sound as you breathe in through your nose. Many peer-reviewed studies suggest that this breathing technique lowers blood pressure. Additionally, Ashtanga yoga is an excellent cardiovascular exercise that helps stabilize blood pressure.

WHEN TO PRACTICE ASHTANGA YOGA?

Although you can practice ashtanga yoga at any time, some yoga traditions advocate doing asanas first thing in the morning, before the sun rises. Many Ashtanga practitioners who practice yoga at home stick to this routine. Also, most of the Mysore classes are offered at this time.

IS ASHTANGA YOGA DIFFICULT?

Yes, Ashtanga is a more physically demanding style of yoga. A full primary series lasts at least 90 minutes, longer than most yoga classes. However, if you have a background in vinyasa yoga and feel ready to advance your skills through ashtanga, it's worth it.