The yogi and sage Vamana Rishi is said to have recorded the system of Ashtanga yoga in his manuscript "Yoga Korunta." This ancient document found its way into the hands of Pattabhi Jois, who began teaching the Ashtanga tradition during the 1940s. Like many forms of yoga, Ashtanga includes physical postures to improve your physical self. It also includes mental and ethical practices to help improve your spiritual self.
Eight Limbs
"Ashtanga yoga" translates to "eight-limbed yoga," reflecting the eight different practices inherent in its teaching. These eight practices are named yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi. Translated to English, these mean moral codes, self-study, posture, breath control, sense control, concentration, meditation and absorption into the Universal.
External Cleansing
The first four limbs of Ashtanga yoga are considered external. They reflect your connection with the physical world and include practices to help make those connections more gentle and meaningful. Some benefits of practicing the four external cleansing limbs include stress relief and improved flexibility, balance, coordination, strength and endurance. Some practitioners also claim these practices can help treat chronic illnesses such as joint pain and digestive problems.
Internal Cleansing
The second four limbs of Ashtanga yoga are the internal cleansing practices, developed to help control your mind. They are intended to help you control the "Six Spiritual Poisons." These poisons, similar to Catholicism's Seven Deadly Sins, are desire, anger, delusion, greed, sloth and envy. After practicing these mental control techniques, these poisons are said to leave your mind completely, one by one.
Progress
As with any training program, progress towards the benefits of Ashtanga yoga is not a simple ascendance. According to Oregon-based yoga teacher Kerry Collette, it's more like a course of small hills making slow upward progress. You should expect to feel like you're taking one step back for every two steps forward. The key, says Collette, is to be as patient and forgiving of yourself as the Ashtanga practices tell you to be of others. Your progress will be slow and sometimes frustrating, but so long as you keep practicing mindfully and with dedication, you will continue moving forward.
Practice
Working with Ashtanga yoga is a cycle of training and rehearsal. Collette recommends attending a class twice per week, to receive instruction from a qualified instructor. If you can't find an Ashtanga yoga instructor in your area, you can find videos and Internet instruction online. Between sessions of class, practice for 10 to 20 minutes at minimum each day. This between-class practice is important, as it allows you to encode the principals of Ashtanaga and identify questions to pursue while attending your next class.
References
- Ashtanga.com: Background
- Kerry Collette; Yoga Instructor; Hillsboro, Oregon
- "Yoga For a New Age"; Bob Smith; 1986
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