Yoga in the heart of the city

"Some like it Hot"

It has been called "power yoga" and "hot yoga" in recent times as thousands of young, and some not so young devotees have discovered the body and life transformations the practice can bring. Regular practice of Ashtanga Yoga will result in improved cardio-vascular ability, physical strength, flexibility, breath control, muscle tone and loss of excess weight. It is an excellent tool for dealing with stress. Ashtanga Yoga is a movement/breathing system in which asanas are practised in a specific order and linked together in a flowing sequence, called "vinyasa." The breath and the flow of movements continue steadily throughout the practice. The system works for both those for whom flexibility comes more easily, but who lack strength (more common among women) and for those with good strength but a lack of flexibility (more common among men.) This is because it offers a balanced approach to the building of strength, endurance and flexibility. Strength and endurance are built because the practice is continuous and uses repeated movements.

Ashtanga Yoga is a movement/breathing system in which asanas are practised in a specific order and linked together in a flowing sequence, called "vinyasa." The breath and the flow of movements continue steadily throughout the practice. The system works for both those for whom flexibility comes more easily, but who lack strength (more common among women) and for those with good strength but a lack of flexibility (more common among men.) This is because it offers a balanced approach to the building of strength, endurance and flexibility. Strength and endurance are built because the practice is continuous and uses repeated movements.
Flexibility is enhanced because great heat is generated internally. This heat, generated internally, affects the whole inside of the body.
As the body warms up muscles soften, ligaments loosen, joints open and excess liquid is driven to the surface. We start to sweat. The sweat has two functions: elimination of toxins and insulation. In the warm environment of the practice space, ideally around 25 degrees, the sweat acts like a wet suit, coating the body with a thermal layer that helps contain the body heat inside, where it can be utilised and transformed by the bandhas. Too much physical heat, though, leads to depletion. If the sweat continually drips off the body, instead of gently bathing the skin in a warm bath of moisture, there is either an excess of liquid in the body, or over-exertion - or both - and the practice should be slowed down a little. The heat required in the Ashtanga Yoga practice is a subtle, transforming heat, not the gross, external, draining kind. The finishing sequence, which includes inverted postures, quiet forward bends and relaxation is also vitally important. It not only cools the body but settles the nervous system and the mind, so the fire of the practice is not taken into life outside, where it might be neither appropriate nor containable.

The Practice
One begins an Ashtanga practice by stepping onto the front of the mat and commencing the "ujjayi" breath, a strong and rhythmical breath that will continue for the hour and a half to two hour practice period.
The warm up movements consist of five Suryanamaskara (Sun Salute) A and five Suryanamaskarar B, and a sequence of nine standing postures. This takes 35 to 40 minutes to complete. Next comes the "series", a set of postures that will be repeated by the student at each practice, until all are mastered. The first series is called the primary series, followed by the intermediate, and three levels of advanced postures.
The primary series (Yoga Chikitsa) heals, reduces excess weight, detoxifies and aligns the body. The intermediate series (Nadi Sodhana) purifies and strengthens the nervous system. The advanced series (Sthira Bhaga) brings steadiness, strength, good fortune, dignity and beauty.

People beginning Ashtanga Yoga are first introduced to a modified version of the primary series, which makes the practice accessible for all, and carefully builds the strength and endurance required. The focus throughout the practice is the ujjayi breath, mula bandha and uddiyana bandha and the "drsti", or gaze points.

1. Uijjayi breathing involves a gentle constriction at the back of the throat, which creates a specific sound on both inhalation and exhalation. The technique focuses the mind and brings consciousness of the breath, which is important as every movement in the practice is performed on either an inhalation or exhalation. Postures are held for between five and eight breaths.

2. The word "bandha" means lock . "Core stability" is a modern term for these subtle muscular contractions, that not only provide support for the physical body by aligning the spine, strengthening the abdominal area and stabilising the lower back and hips, but also transform heat and energy and have a calming and clearing affect on the nervous system. "Mula" means root, firmly fixed or source, and refers to contraction of the pelvic floor muscles. "Uddiyana" means flying upwards and refers to a gentle firming of the lower abdominal muscles. Both these bandhas contain the energy created by the performance of asana, and start to lift that energy up through the spine. When the energy begins to rise up through the body, with regular practice, the practitioner may begin to experience changes in attitude and habits as less energy is focused on basic desires - coffee, rich food, acquiring material possessions, for example - and more on subtle, even spiritual, aspects of life.

3. Once the breathing is strong and the bandhas are activated, one moves the awareness to the "drsti" or gaze point. Each asana is allocated a specific point on which to softly focus the eyes. This is not a strong looking out, but a soft gazing, allowing energy to come in. Putting attention to the drsti creates great focus. The seven drstis used in the primary series, warm-up and cool-downs are nasagra (nose), angustagra (thumb), nabi chakra (navel), padhagra (foot or toes), nastagra (hand or fingers), parsua (the side), urdva (upwards) and broomadhya (eye centre). Throughout the practice of Ashtanga Yoga - vinyasa flowing to asana to vinyasa - one keeps bringing awareness back to the breath, the bandhas and drsti. When all five of these fundamentals come together in perfect harmony, one is free to experience the all-oneness of the universe.

History
Ashtanga Yoga has a long history. The home of Ashtanga Yoga is Mysore, in South India, and its master is Shri K Pattabhi Jois, now in his late eighties. Guruji, as his students call him, is assisted at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute by his grandson Sharat. Pattabhi Jois was a student of the great yoga master Krishnamacharya, who was taught the Ashtanga Yoga principles by his guru and then discovered an ancient text, the Yoga Karunta, in a Calcutta library, in the 1930s. Krishnamacharya translated the literal Sanskrit instructions into a physical form, and Pattabhi Jois then took those instructions as the basis for his practise and teaching and through his dedication has recreated the form into a living and thriving system. The name Ashtanga, comes from the classical yoga teaching of Patanjali, who describes yoga as having eight (ashtau) limbs (anga), which includes the practice of personal and social ethics, physical postures, breathing exercises, and three stages of meditation, providing a spiritual roadmap to samadhi, a bliss state which some describe as a union with God.

References: Richard Freeman "Yoga" video booklet, Ruth Kilgour in the Australasian Yoga Digest and "Dynamic Yoga" by Godfrey Devereux.