Ashtanga Yoga
Yoga is a catch-all term that actually encompasses many different types and flavors. Each type of yoga has a different process, different goals, and different movements. When first becoming acquainted with yoga, people should research the different types and disciplines in order to find the one that best fits their personal needs and goals. While all types of yoga are healthy and provide your body a good work out, all types are not created equal. One of the more popular flavors of yoga is the ashtanga yoga. Ashtanga yoga is based on the teachings of Sri K. Pattahbi Jois, and its focus is to synchronize the breathing with a progressive number of postures. The intent is to purify the body of toxins and create a calm mind while improving circulation.
Sri K. Pattahbi Jois is over ninety years old and has been practicing yoga for over seventy of those years. His developed method of yoga is not exactly new, but it is new to the western world, who only became acquainted with his work and his teachings in the past decade. Now people make pilgrimages to Pattahbi Jois’s home in order to learn directly from the master the proper ashtanga yoga techniques. Ashtanga means “eight-limbed” and it focuses on the eight spiritual practices that lead to enlightenment. The eight spiritual practices are moral codes, self-purification and study, posture, breath control, sense control, concentration, meditation, and contemplation. The first four are external, the latter four are internal. So defects in the first four are correctable, while defects in the latter four can lead to more dire consequences.
Related Information:
Ashtanga yoga emphasizes the eight spiritual practices that lead to enlightenment.
Ashtanga yoga is a method of yoga that is taught by Sri K. Pattahbi Jois.