Ashtanga

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

Mantras

The Ashtanga practice is traditionally started with the following Sanskrit mantra:

    vande gurunam charanaravinde sandarshita svatma sukhava bodhe

    nih shreyase jangalikayamane samsara halahala mohasantyai

    abahu purusharakam sankhachakrasi dharinam

    sahasra shirsam svetam pranamami patanjalim

and closes with the mangala mantra:

    svasti prajabyah paripalayantam nyayena margena mahim mahishah

    gobrahmanebyah shubamashtu nityam lokasamasta sukhinobavantu

The mantra was made famous in Western culture by Madonna's use of it in her song

"Shanti/Ashtangi".