Ashtanga Yoga Explained 

Once upon a time in… Mysore

It all started with Krishnamacharya, who can be seen as one of the most influential yoga teachers of the 20th century. He trained many famous yogis, such as Iyengar, Indra Devi, Desikachar and… Pattabhi Jois. Krishnamacharya introduced Jois to the Yoga Korunta method. This consisted of a whole system of practices like asanas, pranayama, bandhas, and vinyasas. Jois dedicated himself to these teachings and developed the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore.

Since then, many people from all over the world have found their way to train with Jois in Mysore. After his death, his children continued teaching, and to this day, many people travel to Mysore to learn all about Ashtanga Yoga.

Ok, but what is Ashtanga Yoga?

In Ashtanga yoga, each breath is linked to a movement. Each movement is a preparation for a posture to come, creating the strength and space in your body. The more you come into harmony with your body, the deeper you can go into your practice. The combination of breath, movement, and bandhas helps create internal heat. This improves circulation in the body and removes all toxins.

And yes… as every Ashtanga practice is the same, the repetition can sometimes be perceived as boring. But the more you practice and know better and better what the next step is, the less you have to think about it. At some point, your body naturally moves from one pose to the next. This gives you the opportunity to get completely into your body, clear your mind, and find that peace within yourself.

Breath

A few moments before the first series of movements begins, you hear the teacher say something like “Now apply your Ujjayi breath by breathing in and out through your nose while constricting the back of your throat. Like making the sound of the ocean. Although some like to refer to the Darth Vader-like breathing.

Breathing is probably one of the most important factors within Ashtanga. Every movement made within the practice is linked to an inhalation or exhalation. Inhaling prana, the life force energy, literally brings the energy into your body. The constriction of the throat helps you keep the prana in on the exhale while controlling your breathing. Because when you control your breathing, you control your mind.

The more you control your breathing during your practice, the easier it all becomes. You will then find that all your problems fade away, and so you slowly move into an oasis of peace.

But breathing goes beyond this. Ashtanga is not a static form of yoga where you sit still in each asana. It is a dynamic practice where, with each inhale you lengthen your body a little, create more space, and then, on the exhale, push yourself a little deeper. Doing this with each breath again.

Drishti

In Sanskrit, drishti means vision or point of view. The aim is to look with a gentle gaze at a specific point in the distance or a specific body part, such as the tip of your nose. This helps you improve your focus and concentration.

Vinyasa

That moment when you are living on the last bit of energy and your teacher enthusiastically says “vinyasa”. There you go again… thinking by yourself, “why so much?”. Vinyasas are a series of movements that include chaturanga, upward and downward facing dog. They connect each asana to the next, as we do with the sitting sequence, for example. It allows you to reset your breathing and purify your blood.

Why does the teacher always count? 

The counting in Ashtanga helps you to know where you are and to stay focused on your practice. Each count is also a breath, and so it creates the rhythm and pace for your breathing.

Mysore vs. Led

Mysore style is the traditional way Ashtanga Yoga is taught. The class is not “led” as a class, but everyone works at their own pace. You then follow the pace of your own breathing during the series. The teacher walks around to correct your posture or give an adjustment.

Officially, you learn Sun Salutation A first, which you practice until you have completely mastered it. This is how you prepare your body for the next posture in the series and build up your practice step by step.

In a led class, you practice the entire series together. The teacher guides you through each pose, and the loud counting ensures that everyone breathes at the same pace.

How many series you said?

Ashtanga yoga consists of six series. All series start with the standard sun salutations and the standing series. The difference is in the middle part. All series have their own benefits. For instance, the primary series helps you build strength and flexibility, while the intermediate (second in line) focuses on cleansing nerves. When you have done one of the series, you finish with the closing sequence, which starts with shoulderstand all the way up to savasana.

How do you know when you are ready for the next in line? Traditionally, it is your teacher who tells you that you are ready. Does this mean you can’t practice parts of other sequences? Of course not. Be free and try, on a safe way and with awareness, to experiment with what you can do with your body.

Are the rumors true? 

• Don’t you practice Ashtanga on Moon days? Officially, Ashtanga is not practiced on new moon and full moon. This is due to the influence of the moon on our bodies.
• Despite Pattabhi always teaching 7 days in the beginning, his wife decided he needed a day off to be there for his family. Ashtanga is now practiced 6 days a week. 
• And yes, it’s true, Pattabhi Jois came with the phrase “no coffee no prana”.  

Ashtanga in Goa

Ashtanga is a great form of yoga and helps people build a strong, solid foundation. It gives you the key elements of many poses, while building a strong and flexible body. With the focus on breathing, you bring your mind into great focus. And that’s what we teach you here in Goa. Several times a year, we offer a 200hr YTTC that gives you all the basic skills for your own yoga practice and the right skills to teach yoga to others.