Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ashtanga Yoga
FounderKrishnamacharya of Mysore,Satguru of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois
Establishedlate 20th century
Derivative formsVinyasa Yoga; Flow Yoga - Employs connecting asanas, without use of specific series'
Practice emphases
Employs Vinyasa, or connecting asanas.
Related schools
Ashtanga Yoga is a system of yoga popularized by K. Pattabhi Jois, and which is often promoted as a modern-day form of classical Indian yoga.[1] Pattabhi Jois began his yoga studies in 1927 at the age of 12, and by 1948 had established an institute for teaching the specific yoga practice known as Ashtanga (Sanskrit for "eight-limbed") Yoga.[2]
Power Yoga and vinyasa yoga are generic terms that may refer to any type of vigorous yoga exercise derived from Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga.[3]

[edit]

Principles

The term vinyāsa refers to the alignment of movement and breath, a method which turns static asanas into a dynamic flow. The length of one inhale or one exhale dictates the length of time spent transitioning between asanas. Asanas are then held for a predefined number of breaths. In effect, attention is placed on the breath and the journey between the asanas rather than solely on achieving perfect body alignment in an asana, as is emphasized in Hatha yoga.
The term vinyasa also refers to a specific series of movements that are frequently done between each asana in a series. This viṅyāsa 'flow' is a variant of Sūrya namaskāra, the Sun Salutation, and is used in other styles of yoga beside Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. A standard vinyāsa consists (for example) of the flow from caturaṅga, or plank, to caturaṅga daṇḍāsana, or low plank, to ūrdhva mukha śvānāsana or upward-facing dog, to Adho Mukha Svanasana, or downward-facing dog.
The breathing style used in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is Ujjayi which is a relaxed diaphragmatic style of breathing, characterized by an ocean sound which resonates in the practitioner's throat. Throughout a practice, this specific breathing style is maintained in alignment with movements. The steady cycle of inhales and exhales provides the practitioner with a calming, mental focal point. Additionally, viṅyāsa and Ujjayi together create internal heat, which leads to purification of the body through increased circulation and sweating.
Another major principle of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is the bandha, or muscle locking/contraction, which focuses energy in the body and is closely tied to the breath. There are a variety of bandhas (see below).
Ashtanga Yoga is different from many yoga classes in the west in that the order of asanas is completely predefined. A practice will comprise four main parts: an "opening sequence," one of the six main "series", a back-bending sequence, and a set of inverted asanas, referred to as the "happy ending" or "finishing sequence." Practice always ends with savasana.[4] The opening sequence begins with 10 Sun Salutations and then several standing asanas. Next, the practitioner will do one of the six main series, referred to as the Primary series (Yoga Chikitsa), Intermediate series (Nadi Shodhana) or Advanced A, B, C, or D (Sthira Bhaga) series level. Newcomers to Ashtanga Yoga practice the primary series, after learning the standing sequence. The Primary Series is the most important series as it forms the basis of the entire system. Practitioners may advance to more difficult series over a period of years or decades, but the goal of this style is not to learn the more difficult asanas but rather to learn to maintain internal focus throughout the practice.[5]
Daily or regular practice is highly emphasized in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Ashtanga Yoga is traditionally taught in Mysore style (supervised self practice, named after the city in India where Ashtanga originates), where each student moves through the practice at his or her own pace and level.[6] An individual with an established Ashtanga practice might take between an hour and two hours, depending on his or her own personal speed, but a beginner will likely have a shorter practice. Yoga studios which teach Mysore practice are hard to find and these classes are often only taught by those authorized to teach by the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute. It is more common to find classes devoted to a specific series, often at a standardized pace, and guided by an instructor. However, even traditional Mysore-style teachers offer "led" classes either weekly or monthly.[4]

[edit]History and legend

Ashtanga series is said to have its origin in an ancient text called the Yoga Korunta, compiled by Vamana Rishi, which Krishnamacharya received from his Guru Rama Mohan Brahmachari at Mount Kailash in the early 20th century.[7]The story of the Yoga Korunta though finds no evidence in any historical research on the subject. It seems that no text with this name has ever been written. In addition, there is evidence that the Ashtanga Vinyasa series incorporates exercises used by Indian wrestlers and British gymnastics.[7] Recent academic research details documentary evidence that physical journals in the early 20th century were full of the postural shapes that were very similar toKrishnamacharya's asana system.[8] In particular, the flowing surya namaskar which later became the basis of Krishnamacharya's Mysore style, was not yet considered part of yogasana.[8]
Krishnamacharya has had considerable influence on many of the modern forms of yoga taught today. Among his students were many notable teachers of the later 20th century, such as K. Pattabhi Jois, B.K.S. Iyengar, Indra Devi, and Krishnamacharya's son T.K.V. Desikachar. Krishnamacharya was well known for tailoring his teachings to address specific concerns of the person or group he was teaching, and a vinyasa series for adolescents is a result of this.[8]When working under the convalescing Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnamacharya set up a shala, or yoga school in the palace grounds and adapted the practice outlined in the Yoga Korunta for the young boys who lived there.[8] Vinyasa has since been thought of as a physically demanding practice, which can be successful at channeling the hyperactivity of young minds. This system can also be used as a vessel for helping calm ongoing chatter of the mind, reducing stress and teaching extroverted personalities to redirect their attention to their internal experience.

[edit]Eight Limbs of Ashtanga

The sage Patanjali outlined eight aspects—or "limbs"— of spiritual yogic practice in his Yoga Sutras:[9]
SanskritEnglish
Yamamoral codes
Niyamaself-purification and study
Asanaposture
Pranayamabreath control
Pratyaharawithdrawing of the mind from the senses
Dharanaconcentration
Dhyanadeep meditation
SamadhiUnion with the object of meditation
The first four limbs—yama, niyama, asana and pranayama—are considered external cleansing practices. According to Pattabhi Jois, defects in these external practices are correctable while defects in the internal cleansing practices—pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi—are not. Pattabhi Jois thought these internal defects to be potentially dangerous to the mind unless the correct Ashtanga Yoga method was followed.[10]

[edit]Higher level practices within Ashtanga

[edit]Bandhas

There are three bandhas which are considered our internal body locks, prescribed in the different asanas. The bandha is a sustained contraction of a group of muscles that assists the practitioner not only in retaining an asana but also in moving in and out of it. The Mūla Bandha, or root lock, is performed by tightening the muscles around the pelvic and perineum area. The Uḍḍīyāna Bandha, often described as bringing the navel to the base of the spine, is a contraction of the muscles of the lower abdominal area – this bandha is considered the most important bandha as it supports our breathing and encourages the development of strong core muscles. Jālaṅdhara 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.

[edit]Drishtis

Drishti (dṛṣṭi), or focused gaze, is a means for developing concentrated intention. The most common is Ūrdhva, or upward gazing, where the eyes are lifted, with the spine aligned from crown to tailbone. This technique is employed in a variety of asanas.
There are, in total, nine drishtis that instruct the yoga student in directing his or her gaze. Each asana is associated with a particular drishti. They include:
  • Aṅguṣṭha madhyai: to the thumb
  • Bhrūmadhya: to the third eye, or between the eyebrows
  • Nāsāgrai: at the tip of the nose (or a point six inches from the tip)
  • Hastagrai: to the palm, usually the extended hand
  • Pārśva: to the left/right side
  • Ūrdhva: to the sky, or upwards
  • Nābhicakra: to the navel
  • Pādayoragrai: to the toes

[edit]


[edit]Power Yoga

Power Yoga, taking from its Hatha Yoga roots, consists of both a standing and sitting sequences of movements linking the usage of physical movement, breath-work or pranayama (Sanskrit: प्राणायाम) and meditation. Power Yoga strikes a balance between the originating values of yoga (Sanskrit: योग) found in India and the North American societally driven demands for physical exercise.
Power Yoga is often practiced in a hot room held at a temperature approximate to 105°F or 40.6°C (László & Smith, 2009).
Power Yoga has been argued to be the fundamental style of Hatha yoga that allowed for cultural acceptance of yoga in North American. According to the North American Studio Alliance, 30 million people are practicing yoga in the United States of America[citation needed]. This includes practitioners not just of Power Yoga, but the entire practice of Hatha Yoga. Its popularity has led the sharing of sequences and movement across all of the following forms of Hatha Yoga.
Power yoga aligns with the Hindu Philosophy of Asana (Sanskrit: आसन). Asana is a portion of Aṣṭānga yoga or otherwise known as the Eightfold Path developed by the Buddha. The Buddha at the time was re-interpreting the written words of Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras (Maharishi Sodavashiva Isham, 1995).
Power Yoga sequences can vary dependent on the other Hatha Yoga knowledge held by the teacher, sometimes adhering to the Ashtanga Primary Series or working into variations thereof. Popular schools of Power Yoga were founded by the following people:
  • Anne-Marie Newland, based in Leicester, UK, creator of Sun Power Yoga, which is a blend of Ashtanga, Sivananda and Iyengar styles.
  • Baron Baptiste, founder of Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga
  • Beryl Bender Birch, author of the books Power Yoga, Beyond Power Yoga and Boomer Yoga, based in New York.[11][12]
  • Bryan Kest, based in Los Angeles.[13]
  • Larry Schultz, creator of Rocket Yoga.[14][15][16]
  • P90X YogaX: a part of the popular P90X exercise program.
Birch, Kest, and Schultz were all once students of K. Pattabhi Jois.

[edit]See also

[edit]References

  1. ^ "Ashtanga Yoga Background". Ashtanga.com. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-20.
  2. ^ Jois, Sri K. Pattabhi. Yoga Mala. New York: North Point Press, 2002.
  3. ^ Roberts, Sherry. "Yoga Styles". Yoga Movement. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  4. ^ a b Ashtanga Yoga - Good Health Is Only A Few Breaths Away
  5. ^ Ashtanga Yoga Background
  6. ^ Mysore Style
  7. ^ a b Cushman, Anne. "New Light on Yoga". Yoga Journal.
  8. ^ a b c d Singleton, Mark. "Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice". Oxford University Press.
  9. ^ Scott, John. Ashtanga Yoga: The Definitive Step-by-Step Guide to Dynamic Yoga. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2000. Pp. 14-17.
  10. ^ Stern, Eddie, and Deirdre Summerbell. Sri K. Pattabhi Jois: A Tribute. New York: Eddie Stern and Gwyneth Paltrow, 2002. P. 35.
  11. ^ "Yoga body: the origins of modern posture practice" by Oleh Mark Singleton,Page 176
  12. ^ Birch, Beryl Bender (1995-01-17). Power yoga: The total strength and flexibility workout. ISBN 978-0-02-058351-6.
  13. ^ "Power Yoga: A Brief History". The Ultimate Yogi. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  14. ^ "AsanaTM," Yoga Journal, Dec 2003, page 156
  15. ^ "Power Yoga," Yoga Journal, Feb 1995, Page 64
  16. ^ "Yoga body: the origins of modern posture practice" by Oleh Mark Singleton, Page 176, ISBN 978-0-19-539534-1, Oxford University Press, USA (February 10, 2010)

[edit]Further reading

[edit]External links