Ashtanga
Vinyasa Yoga Ashtanga
Vinyasa Yoga is the style of yoga taught by Sri K. Pattabhi
Jois of Mysore, India, and originally established by Sri
Krishnamacharya at the Mysore Palace. The asana sequences
in Ashtanga Yoga' are largely based on Krishnamacharya's
book Yoga Makaranda. It is an energetic, aerobic style
and was originally intended for teenage boys, but is now
practiced by students of all ages.
The term
ashtanga, meaning eight limbs, refers to the eight limbs
of yoga. In Raja Yoga, a classical Indian system of Hindu
philosophy, these were expounded by Patanjali in the Yoga
Sutras.
Ashtanga
seeks to embody the traditional eight limbs of yoga (referred
to as ashtanga or Raja Yoga) as expounded by Patanjali
in his Yoga Sutras. Ashtanga Yoga is said to have its origin
in the ancient text Yoga Korunta by Vamana Rishi, which
Krishnamacharya received from his Guru Rama Mohan Brahmachari
at Mount Kailash, and later passed on to Pattabhi Jois.
Having taught many of the major yoga teachers of the 20th
century, such as B.K.S. Iyengar and Indra Devi, Krishnamacharya
has a huge influence on many of the modern forms of yoga
taught today and played a crucial part in their development.
Today, Ashtanga remains the most faithful to his original
teachings [citation needed] to teenage boys. Krishnamacharya
was well-known for tailoring his teachings to address specific
concerns of the person or group he was teaching, and Ashtanga
Vinyasa is a result of this. When working under the convalescing
Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnamacharya set up a shala, or
yoga school, in the palace grounds and adapted Ashtanga
practice for the young boys of about twelve years of age
who lived there. Ashtanga, therefore, is a very physically
demanding practice targeted at focusing the mind and body.
The asana
or practice (Hatha) aspects of this style of yoga is practiced
and popularized by Madonna and Sting.
Method
The main difference of this style of Yoga to other styles is the focus on vinyasa,
literally the intelligent putting together of things but taken in this style
of asana practice as a variant of suryanamaskara practised between asana. The
practice is a defined set of postures always done in the same order, which are
combined with specific breathing patterns (ujjayi breathing). The purpose of
vinyasa is to create heat in the body, which leads to purification of the body
through increased circulation and sweating. It also improves flexibility, which
allows the student to practice advanced asanas with reduced risk of injury.
Other components of
Ashtanga Yoga include bandhas (internal locks) and drishti (gaze).
There are six series
altogether. The sequence begins with Sun-Salutations and standing
poses, which is also called the "opening sequence," then
the student moves to either the Primary, Intermediate, Advanced
A, B, C, or D, depending on his or her skill level, and closes
with a set of inversions called the "finishing sequence." Ashtanga
Yoga is traditionally taught in Mysore style (supervised self
practice). Each student moves through the practice at his or
her own pace and level.
Bandhas
There are three bandhas, or internal body locks,
prescribed in the different postures. The banda is a sustained
contraction of a group of muscles that assists the practitioner
not only in retaining a pose but also in moving in and out
of it. The mula bandha, or root lock, is performed by tightening
the muscles around the pelvic and perineum area. The udiyana
bandha, often described as bringing the navel to the base of
the spine, is a contraction of the muscles of the lower abdominal
area. Jalandhara bandha, throat lock, is achieved by lowering
the chin slightly while raising the sternum and the palate
bringing the gaze to the tip of the nose.
Drishtis
There are nine drishtis that instruct the yoga student in directing his or
her gaze. Each pose is associated with a particular drishti. They are:
Angusta ma
dyai: to the thumb
Broomadhya: to the third eye, or between the eyebrows
Nasagrai: at a point six inches from the tip of the nose
Hastagrai: to the palm, usually the extended hand
Parsva: to the left side
Parsva: to the right side
Urdhva: to the sky, or inwards
Nabichakra: to the navel
Padayoragrai: to the toes
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