Ashtanga Yoga is the most popular style of Yoga as practice nowadays, often claimed as the “new type” of classic Indian yoga by K. Pattabhi Jois. He said he learnt the system from a teacher, Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, who had studied with the greatest Yoga sutras. The style is active, flowing, syncopated, and focused on achieving physical fitness as well as spiritual development.
Ashtanga yoga consists of eighty asanas or positions, eight limbs including the neck, shoulders, head, arms, legs, torso and back. It is practised in both a seated and an upright position. The name Patanjali comes from the Sanskrit term “pa” meaning “and” and “na” meaning “here”. Therefore Patanjali’s Yoga mantra is, “Here, Now and Always”.
The sands of ashtanga yoga are the sequence of poses. They are to be performed in a specific order, either clockwise or counter-clockwise, with pauses at various points to allow for deep breathing. A series of transitions between asanas or postures occurs to complete the sequence. These sequences are called asanas. The first arena is named Virodha or” Victory Walking”; it involves a forward bending movement and an arena called Trikonasana, or” Triangle Pose”.
The word Virodha means “the rising of breath”. Trikonasana is repeated in Ashtanga vinyasa yoga korunta and is a part of a sequence called Patanjali’s warrior series. After the last Asana in the warrior series, a breath of recovery is taken in through the nose and out through the mouth, in a continuous process. The breath is called pranayama or “breath meditation”. In ashtanga yoga korunta there is also a short pause at the end of each asana and this is called adho mukha svanasana or “meditative stand”.
It is important to note that Ashtanga yoga is not just a series of asanas. The sequence is taught in such a way as to emphasize inhalation and exhalation through controlled movement. Many other aspects of Ashtanga yoga have their own distinct classifying features. For instance, in the case of Ashtanga vinyasa yoga, a vigorous workout is imparted by stretching and flexing all the muscles of the body. In Bikram yoga, the very active and intense postures are followed by a period of rest or relaxation.
Ashtanga yoga has become immensely popular with westerners in the past few years, as people have come to realize that it really does fit well with other lifestyle choices they have made. Most people who have started going to ashtanga yoga studios or hire instructors have seen that it fits well with their work and personal commitments. Ashtanga is very fast-paced and challenging for the beginner. It is an excellent choice if you are looking to go on a strength-building program, particularly if you are over thirty years of age and haven’t exercised much in the past. Ashtanga yoga is taught in a Mysore style which consists of almost exclusively basic postures (arms and legs) combined with some simple breathing methods.
Ashtanga yoga is therefore ideally suited to those people who are fairly fit who also want to increase their flexibility. Ashtanga yoga can be practiced by beginners and experts alike, as long as they pay close attention to the sequences and follow all the instructions carefully. There are basically two types of ashtanga yoga: power yoga and ashtanga yoga. Power yoga focuses more on physical movements, while ashtanga yoga is more for the mental aspects. It is important that both be practiced together, to get the best results.
A yoga class instructor will usually begin with a bhastrika or asana (poses). These are held for a specified duration and are meant to stretch the various muscles and connective tissues that comprise the body. The asana also strengthen the limbs, enabling them to more effectively coordinate with the other parts. Once these poses are mastered, supplementary poses or asanas may be started, such as pranayama or kapalbhati. These help to build and tone the muscles of the limbs, as well as helping to align the nadis, or the energy centers along the spine.