Vinyasa Yoga
Vinyasa yoga is actually part of a system called the Ashtanga Vinyasa and it was allegedly discovered and developed from the ancient manuscript known as the Yoga Koruntu. The system was first taught and developed by Sri K. Pattahbi Jois. It has spread across the world now, becoming one of the more popular and common systems of yoga. The vinyasa yoga, or vinyasa method, is primarily characterized by the focus on the dynamic connecting posture. That’s obvious in the name, because vinyasa means linking. The system implies a linking of breath to movement, which means that both the breathing exercises and the asanas are tied together and both are vital to the system. What that means is that the breath dictates the movements and how long each posture is held. There is also an emphasis placed on the process of going from one posture to the next, so that means that the journey for each posture is just as important as the destination. There’s got to be flow between the postures—almost a narrative, if you will.
A standard journey in vinyasa yoga would consist of half dozen or so different asanas from the broader hatha yoga tradition. So you might go from a plank, to a low plank, to an upward facing dog, to a downward facing dog. The purpose is to generate heat within the body, which allows for better circulation, better flexibility, and increased perspiration, which is said to increase the number of released toxins. Though the human body doesn’t really harbor toxins in the sweat glands or anywhere else for that matter.
Related Information:
Vinyasa yoga is a system of yoga that emphasizes linkage.
Vinyasa yoga relies on postures that links the movements to breathing.