Ashtanga vinyasa yoga is a practice in which the practitioner experiences union, or yoking, with their divine true selves. Ashtanga means eight limbs, as if there were limbs of a tree, each limb building upon the other. Ashtanga philosophy by the sage Patanjali, outlines eight steps for attaining a union with the self. From Book 2 of the Sutras, 29 states: "Yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhaya" - The eight limbs of yoga are consideration of others, consideration of one's self, posture, breath control, sense control, concentration, meditation, and absorption.
Ashtanga vinyasa yoga is a unique practice because the practitioner experiences an ability to harness these limbs through his or her daily and devoted practice. We start with the physical body in order to move inward. Through Ashtanga vinyasa yoga, the first connection is experienced with the breath. Becoming conscious of how and when the practitioner breathes is a great place to start learning about ourselves. Here we always have an exhale and an inhale with each movement we do. The type of breathing is called 'ujjayi pranayama', which means victorious. By breathing specifically with each action we make, we link our movement with the breath; this is called 'vinyasa.' This guiding breath provides the backbone to the practice; how fast or slow we move through postures is dictated by the inhale and exhale with every movement we do. This victorious breathing strengthens our hearts and bodies; eventually it also brings enrichments to our lives off our yoga mats. By bringing an awareness to our breath, our bodies and minds become more mindful, and our actions become meaningful and purposefully divine.
The second interesting aspect to Ashtanga vinyasa yoga, is the specific awareness to the gazing point that a student watches during the entire practice. This 'drishti' calms, roots and guides the student through the practice. Establishing ourselves in a state of security and comfort provides ease while exploring postures. This also roots us to in the posture and helps keeps our wandering eyes from moving while in a focused and disciplined state. There are nine specific gazing points: the thumbs, the place between the eyes, the navel, the feet, the hands, right, left, up and down. These specific gazing points are forms of concentration (dharana), and meditation (dhyana), which are recommended by Patanjli.
The last focus of Ashtanga vinyasa yoga is integral to the practice: bandhas, or internal locks. Bandhas bring a heat and purification element to the practice, where we can internally cleanse. By adding an internal lock or gate to our actions during yoga practice, practitioners cleanse internal organs, sweat out impurities, and move breath easier through their bodies. S.K. Pattabhi Jois is coined as saying, " Without bandha, there can be no asana." This directly means that we need to start right away honing our internal locks or 'gates' that make prana or breath move quickly or slowly within. Think of 'bandhas' as an internal gate which opens and closes as we inhale and exhale. The bandhas are most commonly practiced in conjunction with the uijji pranayama breathing.
Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois, who was also called "Guruji", was a man of devout study and also a sanskrit scholar. He truly believed the practice is your best teacher. A man of few words, he was known for his kind nature and his ability to heal all people. His devoted teachings of Ashtanga vinyasa yoga for 75 years shows us that this practice can make us healthy and bring joy into our lives. He has said, "Ashtanga Yoga is Patanjali Yoga" and this affirms that if we practice Ashtanga vinyasa yoga, the limbs of the practice will start entering our lives reminding us to become aware of the world around us, more active in our beliefs, and gives us courage in our daily lives so that our dreams will be attainable. Guruji passed away this past May of 2009.
Practicing parts of the Primary Series at your level is your best teacher. Practice at your own pace and learn how to listen to your body; this is integral to learning your own opportunities that you have within you. This is in essence what we are doing while we practice yoga; we are learning how to harness our own truest and deepest energy, the energy from within.
Mysore style of Ashtanga vinyasa yoga is unique because the practitioner is able to receive one on one attention to every detail of the posture and the breath. This is great for people with injuries, special needs, or those lacking the courage to attend a rigorous yoga class. This style allows the practitioner to be him or herself, and open up into the practice slowly and with the ease of their own pace. It is quite often people attend a yoga class and have no idea what they are getting in to. And at times, postures and philosophy is taught that is too fast or rigorous for their bodies at the time. Mysore ashtanga allows the practitioner to move at their own abilities and with grace.
Ashtanga vinyasa yoga is like a sandwhich of postures. Yoga Chikitsa, or yoga therapy, is the primary series of Ashtanga vinyasa yoga. We start here and these poses are for all people, sick or healthy, teachers and masters alike. The beginning postures and the finishing postures are done each time you practice; these never change and are like the bread and the butter of the asana practice. It is the inside of the sandwhich which changes; the postures become more and more challenging as one masters each one. There are six series total of the Ashtanga Yoga. This provides a basis for an endless learning journey and a system which practically opens the body with the correct pace, and allows it to ease into the series.
Ashtanga Yoga Boise is committed to teaching the primary series of Ashtanga vinyasa yoga and doing so as it is taught in Mysore, India. We offer led classes exploring the primary series and guided Mysore classes. Through time and with devoted study, one is able to progress into the more challening series. This is also possible with devotion to the guru of our practice in which we are learning, and of course to ourselves and to the divine.