Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga: Encyclopedia II - Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga - Method

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga - Method

The main difference of this style of Yoga to other styles is the focus on vinyasa, which is the union of movement and breath. The student moves into and out of each asana in a well-defined set of movements, called Suryanamaskara or Sun-Salutation, which are combined with specific breathing patterns. The purpose of vinyasa is to create heat in the body, which leads to purification of the body through increased circulation and sweating. It also improves flexibility, which allows the student to practice advanced asanas without risk of injury.

Other components of Ashtanga Yoga include bandhas (internal locks), ujjayi breath (sound breath), and drishti (gaze).

There are six series altogether. Practice begins with a set number of Sun-Salutations and standing poses, then the student moves to either the Primary, Intermediate, Advanced A, B, C, or D, depending on his or her skill level, and closes his practice with a group of finishing poses. Ashtanga Yoga is traditionally taught in Mysore style (supervised self practice). Each student moves through their practice at their own pace and level. The teacher observes the students, and helps or adjusts individual students when the need arises. However, in order to be able to conduct larger classes in his world travels, Jois developed the Led style, where the teacher announces the poses as they arise and students follow as a group, one pose at a time. Many western Ashtanga classes are taught in this way.

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga - Bandhas

There are three bandhas, or internal body locks, prescribed in the different postures. The banda is a sustained contraction of a group of muscles that assists the practitioner not only in retaining a pose but also in moving in and out of it. The mula bandha, or root lock, is performed by tightening the muscles around the pelvic and perineum area. The udiyana bandha, often described as bringing the navel to the base of the spine, is a contraction of the muscles of the lower abdominal area. Jalandhara bandha, the chin lock, is achieved by bringing the chin to rest on the torso and bringing the gaze down.

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga - Drishtis

Like bandhas, there are nine drishtis that instruct the yoga student in directing his or her gaze. Each pose is associated with a particular drishti. They are:

• Angusta ma dyai: to the thumb
• Broomadhya: to the third eye, or between the eyebrows
• Nasagrai: at a point six inches from the tip of the nose
• Hastagrai: to the palm, usually the extended hand
• Parsva: to the left side
• Parsva: to the right side
• Urdhva: to the sky, or inwards
• Nabichakra: to the navel
• Padayoragrai: to the toes !

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga - Mantras

The Ashtanga practice is traditionally started with the following Sanskrit mantra:

and closes with the mangala mantra:

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Method", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki