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What is Ashtanga Yoga Anyways?

January 5, 2015 By Monica Stone Leave a Comment

Let’s face it. There are a ton of misconceptions and fears based around Ashtanga Yoga.

Because it’s not easy, I often hear people say they are intimidated or scared, but yoga was never meant to be easy or hard. 

Because the same sequences are practiced each day, I hear people say they need variety, but it feels completely new and different every day – you can ask any Ashtangi!

I hear many people blame Ashtanga for injuries, but yoga heals. Rather than blaming a yoga practice, let’s find out why the injury occurred, and make necessary modifications. 

And, once a practitioner becomes seasoned, they usually start to research and study with other teachers to find small differences in the practice, and that causes controversy. This has to do with the fact that each person is taught differently, but the foundations stay the same. Find a teacher you resonate with, and let go. Let the practice do the work. 

Is it rigorous? Yes.

Will you sweat? Yes.

Does it get boring since you do the same postures every time? Never!

I decided to put together a little summary of the foundations of Ashtanga covering important terms and what they mean.

This should give you a little bit of insight as to why we practice, how we progress in this practice, and why you have no reason to be scared!

Make sure you read all the way to the end for the homework!

Enjoy…. 

Ashtanga Yoga

 

The Practice

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is a practice, which is a set series of postures that vary in difficulty and benefit, and the level of difficulty is different for everyone. A posture that might seem extremely difficult to me could be simple for you, and vice versa. The level of difficulty goes beyond the physical aspects, and has to do with what emotions are stored in the body and mind. Each posture prepares the body for the next, and the flow between each posture is an essential part of the practice. 

Tristana
Ashtanga Yoga utilizes a three-pronged approach called Tristana. The Tristana consists of:

  1. Breath: Deep breathing with sound
  2. Asana: Yoga postures (including correct use of the bandhas)
  3. Drishti: Precise focus

The Tristana is a method to help develop a deep awareness of inner sensations, emotions and workings of the mind. 

Asana (Postures)

There are six series in total, but let’s start from the beginning.

The Primary Series is the first series. It’s also called Yoga Chikitsa which means yoga therapy. The purpose is to cleanse and detox the body and mind. The Primary Series does this primarily on a physical level to prepare the mind and body for deeper meditation. However, as you practice consistently, no matter what series you’re working on, you’ll move into a deeper meditative state.

Whether you practice the Primary Series forever, or move into more advanced sequences, the practice deepens based on continued practice and devotion, not by how many postures you are doing, or if you can stick your leg behind your head and press into a handstand!

If the intention is to add more postures, then that’s just another form of materialism – like adding more clothes to your closet. Make sure you’re practicing with the right intention. 

Each series of postures must be accomplished before proceeding to the next, and should be given to you by a teacher. It is essential to follow the order of postures as each individual asana builds on the previous one and prepares the body for the next. Practicing this process allows you to develop the strength and flexibility needed to progress safely. 

There are five more series after completion of the primary series. 

Breath 
Breathing is the most important aspect in the Ashtanga yoga system. Breath is our life force, and our connection to our true consciousness. Concentrating and focusing on the breath during asana practice opens the door to meditation. As we focus on the sound of the breath, we develop a one pointed concentration, which helps us to observe our thoughts and emotions. Then, we learn to use this practice to calm our mind and become less reactive to other situations in life. The breath also creates energy and creates internal heat to detox the body. 

Bandha (locks):

  1. Moola bandha (root lock)
  2. Uddiyana bandha (flying upward lock)
  3. Jalandara bandha (throat lock)

The bandhas helps to move energy through the body that is created by the breath. I think to think of it as an ocean. The breath moves into the body like a body of water, and creates energy. The bandhas work together as locks so that the energy stays in the body, and circulates creating lightness, flow, and grace in your practice. It’s also another point of concentration for meditation.

Dristi (focus): This is the asana of the eyes. Each posture has a prescribed gaze point, and they work physically to help create correct form, but they also work internally as a form of meditation. As you continue to practice, the drishti becomes an internal focus moving the senses inward as the objects soften. 

Vinyasa
Postures are linked together through flowing movement. Vinyasa means breath synchronized with movement. In Ashtanga Yoga, the breath should always carry the movement. Each movement is the length of the breath, so that means you may have to work to slow the movement to last as long as the breath, or vice versa.

There is so much more to be said for the Ashtanga Yoga practice. As you continue to practice and learn, you might want to understand how this all ties into the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, or learn about Ayurveda and what kind of diet is best for your body type, or learn about the chakras, mantras, or even anatomy!

Oh there’s so much to learn, but just work on the above for now. That’s a good place to start. 

Here are your action items (adult homework)

1. Required Reading! If there aren’t any teachers close to you (very possible), there are a number of books you can get to help guide your home practice. Ashtanga Yoga & Philosophy is my absolute favorite since it discusses postures, anatomy, and has a copy of the sutras in the back. For more options: check out my post on Books for Ashtanga at Home

2. Commit to 30 days of your Ashtanga journey before you decide to give it up. Even if you aren’t feeling it, and consider yourself sure it’s not for you, I challenge you to 30 days! Here are a few of my video posts to help get your started:

* Correct Breath with Bandhas

* Sun Salutations To Start

Comment below to ask questions, tell me how it’s all going, complain, or tell me you love it! I want to hear it all!

Love,

Monica

 

Filed Under: Instruction Tagged With: ashtanga, yoga

Monica Stone

About Monica Stone

Monica is a lover of all things yoga, a vegetarian, an avid tea drinker, and never gets sick of soup and noodle dishes. She teaches yoga, practices daily, and runs a Spiritual Book Club in Orlando, FL. She likes to challenge the strict rules of yoga, and makes it accessible for everyone - especially people who suffer from daily life and work stress.

« January 2015 Instagram Challenge! #31DaysOfIntention
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Hi! I’m Monica

Monica StoneWell hello there! I'm Monica. I'm a yoga & meditation teacher (and junkie). I teach yoga practices that are quick and effective for the busy person who just needs a few minutes of quiet time in their day. Click around and you'll find quick meditation tips for calming the mind to simple stretches to relieve stress and tension. If you are sick of being intimidated by yoga or just confused by all of the different styles out there - then this page is for you. Yoga helps me daily & I know it will help you too! I'll show you how! Welcome to The Yogi Movement :)

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Testimonials

  • Jaime ShearerJaime ShearerYoga Student Since 2012

    Monica is dedicated to her own practice and the true path of yoga - the one of personal experience - which makes her an outstanding teacher. She is warm and easy to talk with, and she allows the student to have their own experience on the mat. She explains postures and breath in ways that are understandable so that the student "gets it." She makes yoga real and tangible in ways that truly serve the student. Work with Monica. You'll be glad you did.

  • Jacob AbercrombieJacob AbercrombieYoga Student Since 2011

    have always wanted to try yoga, but was always nervous. Monica took that fear away and made me feel like i was the only one in class with a room full of strangers. She is able to work with multiple students during the same move and still make it a personalized class for one.

  • Serena JonesSerena JonesYoga Student Since 2010

    Monica has been a highly influential teacher to me. She creates a safe environment for learning and practice. I have always felt grounded in her classes, and she pushes me beyond my own expectations. She inspires and motivates! I can't imagine my life without sharing a path with her!

  • Angela OrofinoAngela OrofinoYoga Student Since 2011

    Monica is a caring, wise, thoughtful, and talented yoga instructor. She has an in-depth knowledge of the philosophy and spirituality of Ashtanga yoga. My previous yoga experience had mostly just been at my local gym. Luckily, last year I found Monica. She has been guiding my practice at least once a week since then. As a newcomer to Ashtanga yoga, Monica made me feel comfortable and had the patience to teach me the basics. She also encouraged me to start an at home practice so that I was able to obtain a deeper understanding of Ashtanga. Monica is always encouraging and lets me know in subtle ways when she feels that I am ready to move deeper into my practice. I feel that the growth in my practice over the last year has been tremendous. Not only do I notice the change in me but others around me do as well. I am so grateful to have found Monica!

  • Sasha TamarSasha TamarYoga Student Since 2012

    I’ve come across many a yoga instructor over the years, but Monica stands out as genuinely amiable, as she glows with an infectious inner light, and highly devoted to and passionate about her practice. Her dedication to Ashtanga as a lifestyle is very clear, and creates for a contagious motivating force. Every time I’ve practiced with her, she eagerly transmits her devotion and passion of Ashtanga and meditation to everyone in class; she makes the most fledgling beginner feel at home, and simultaneously challenges the more advanced students. While I only practice Ashtanga with her, I know she provides therapeutic yoga sessions as well as meditation. And, if her methods of guiding students out of the Ashtanga vigor into the more meditative savasana are indicative of her meditational techniques, I’d recommend her to anyone

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