Ashtanga Yoga
Ashtanga Yoga is a vaguer term when it comes to describing yoga practice. This is because the term ashtanga actually describes eight different types of yoga. These eight types are the Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. These eight types of Yoga are also known as the “eight limbs” of yoga but they all accomplish the same thing, which is to purify and detoxify the physical body and clarify the mind.
Furthermore these eight different types of yoga that comprise Ashtanga Yoga are also broken down into two different categories. Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, and Pratyahara comprise the first category. The second category, called Samyama is comprised of Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. Each of these categories and steps refers to a different type of posture that focuses mainly on contracting muscles and holding them still in a posture for a long length of time.
What is the purpose of the postures that are part of the eight limbs of Ashtanga yoga? First of all it is important to note that the goal of ashtanga yoga is unusual compared to other types of yoga. The purpose of it is purification. To achieve this through yoga postures the temperature of the body must be raised. This is done through a prescribed series of ritualistic postures that have been around for many thousands of years. In a sense it is a way of inducing a fever to kill of infections and induce relaxation in the human body.
The body temperature is raised so that the body can be purified through a defined set of body positions that are always done in the same order and that are always combined with specific breathing patterns. These cleansing breathing patterns are called ujjayi breathing. The heat that is created in the body through the practice of these physical disciplines leads to increased circulation and sweating which encourages the body to purify itself of toxins. Yet another added benefit is that the increased heat relaxes muscles and improves the overall flexibility of the body, which makes it less prone to accidents and injury in general.
Aside from raising the temperature of the body ashtanga yoga’s purpose is to help the practitioner focus on vinyasa which is translated to mean “the intelligent piecing together of things.” There are certain gazes that are held along in tandem with specific breathing instructions that help accomplish this sense of organization and clarity that is good for both the body and soul.
Ashtanga yoga is a very secret and ancient healing practice and is thought to have been originated by Vamana Risha (who wrote about it in a revered text called Yoga Korunta.) Knowledge of it was then passed down from various yogis who teach it today. One of the most famous of the yogis that taught ashtanga yoga was Krishnamacharya. B.K.S Iyengar also taught and wrote extensively about ashtanga yoga and his theories about its practice still have a great impact about how it is performed as an exercise to this day.
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