What is Ashtanga yoga?
Ashtanga yoga is a style of yoga which purifies the body from the inside out, creating a healthy body and mind.
The foundation of Ashtanga yoga involves the union of three things..
Yoga postures (asanas) to build strength and flexibility
Ujjayi breathing which purifies the nervous system
A specific gaze point (drishti) in each posture to steady the mind
The postures of ashtanga yoga are arranged sequentially, each posture building on the next. The ashtanga yoga method is suitable for everyone, regardless of body type, age, background or experience. It is ideal for beginners, as the sequence is learnt gradually allowing you to memorize the sequence in order to build a yoga practice that will become your own.
There are three sequences, or series, of ashtanga yoga and everyone starts with the Primary Series. The Primary Series, or ‘Yoga Chikitsa’, is translated as yoga therapy. Through practicing the primary series, we build strength and flexibility whilst purifying our internal systems. To learn the full primary series can take many months or even years, and many people only ever practice the primary series.
The intermediate series works on purifying the nervous system, and this is learnt when the primary series is deeply understood and integrated into your life. The third series is the advanced series, which further develops deep levels of strength and flexibility.
All ashtanga yoga classes (unless stated otherwise) will focus on teaching the Primary series. The Primary series consists of five Sun Salutation A and five Sun Salutation B to warm up the body and prepare for asana practice. We then move into a sequence of standing postures which include standing balances, before moving to the floor for seated forward bends, twists and hip opening postures. The practice is always finished with back bending, before transitioning to the healing space of the finishing postures, which are practiced with very little force and held for twice as long, to allow the energy of your yoga practice to be sealed into your body and mind and restore balance.
The practice always ends with Savasana, a deep relaxation posture lying down on your mat, closing your eyes and breathing naturally and gently.
There are different ways to learn ashtanga yoga, but the traditional way to learn is in a Mysore class. Ashtanga yoga originated in Mysore, India and was, and still is taught one to one from teacher to student, in a group setting. In a Mysore ashtanga class, each student practices at their own pace up to wherever they have been taught, with the teacher quietly watching students and moving around the room teaching and adjusting students individually. Learning ashtanga yoga this way is the safest way to learn, as the teacher provides individual guidance, personalised to you according to your strength and flexibility level, any injuries or even if you are a pregnant woman or returning to yoga after having a baby. We are all different, at different stages in our lives and our yoga practice should reflect this.
Other ways to learn are through a beginner’s course or a ‘led’ ashtanga primary series class, where the teacher talks through the primary series, sometimes in the Sanskrit count. However, it is usually advisable that you have learnt a little of the primary series and understand the flow of the sequence, even if you don’t know all the postures.