Ashtanga Yoga
- Ashtanga Yoga: ‘Ashtanga’ means eight; this ancient yoga focuses on the eight limbs of yoga. The first four limbs concentrate on external cleansing and the other four concentrate on internal cleansing. This yoga leads to the development of spiritual and mental health. Practising Ashtanga yoga helps the mind be in control through the combination of breathing exercises and poses. Resulting in the development of a fine balance between feelings and emotions, flexibility and strength as well as spiritual wellbeing and physical fitness.
Ashtanga Yoga, also called Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, is a dynamic yoga form. This yoga form is intended for everyone and is taught at Yoga Jiva according to the tradition of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (1915 - 2009).
Characteristic of Ashtanga Yoga is that your breathing forms the guideline for a fixed sequence of postures, also called asanas. With the help of the postures and you're breathing you learn how your mind and body are connected with each other. You get to know your limits and to respect them. You will experience that it is possible to truly respect you to relax and then grow inwardly. You start with the Primary Series. This cleans your body.
By performing the postures, your blood is heated, so that toxins leave the body through perspiration. You do not only cleanse your body but also your mind. With the control of the mind, the 6 toxins surrounding the spiritual heart are expelled. The six toxins are: Kama = Desire Krodha = Anger Moha = Deception Lobha = Greed Matsarya = Laziness Mada = Jealousy You also develop strength, flexibility and a better condition.
In Sanskrit the Primary series is also called 'Yoga Shikitsa' which means yoga therapy.
Ashta = eight, Anga = limb, Yoga = connection ⇒ The eight limbs of yoga. Patanjali, the writer of the yoga sutras, described the eight points of view or limbs of yoga as the branches of a tree.
His 195 sutras (short spells), describe the purpose of Yoga, the many exercises, the obstacles you can face walking and ways to get rid of them.
They help you step by step to get closer to yourself. Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois combined Patanjali's yoga sutras, classical hatha yoga postures and the philosophy of Bhagavad Gita in a system that leads to spiritual transformation.