Ashtanga Yoga

By Shameka Fernander

Everyone who practices yoga has a story of yoga to tell. Whether that story is about the discovery of breath or the place of our longtime morning practice, whether it is about how yoga literally saved our life or about how it has subtly shaped it, we have stories of transformations and awakenings because yoga is that type of experience. It is an experience that moves us beyond our initial definition of who we are and puts us in touch with ourselves in a totally different way. It is an experience that stretches us beyond our limitations and invites our potential.[1]

Yoga is a science of self-development that has its roots in the ancient Vedic culture of India and can be traced to about 9000-year ago. The Sanskrit word yoga is interpreted in many different ways, the most fitting being to ‘yoke, join, or concentrate’. To truly understand yoga, one must look at what is at the heart of the practice, what distinguishes it from other kinds of exercise, and why such an ancient practice is relevant today. Gary Kraftsow notes in his newly released book, Yoga for Transformation, that "Although people today turn to yoga for different reasons, the underlying motivation for many is the hope that, through yoga practice, they can transform recurring, troubling emotions and find greater meaning in life, even lasting peace. This is the promise of the yoga tradition, and by following it, the potential to realize these goals are actually quite high."[2] As a system, yoga’s teaching deal with universal truths; the practice of yoga is a way of life, not a religion. Yoga and its techniques are practiced by Buddhist, Jews, Christians, Catholics, Muslims, Hindus, atheist and others.[3]

Yoga is simultaneously self-diagnosis, healing, prevention, and maintenance. Many people practice yoga for the physical, mental and spiritual benefits. It is also looked upon as a holistic healing of the mind, body and spirit. The journals I have chosen draws on peoples various experiences with yoga. Some people seek yoga for its physical benefits, such as creating a toned, flexible, and strong body. Some do it to help relax their minds and handle stressful situations more easily. Yoga teaches you how to quiet the mind so you can focus your energy where you want it to go and encourages positive thoughts and self-acceptance. And yoga also has its spiritual benefits such as building awareness of your body, your feelings, the world around you, the needs of others promoting interdependence between mind, body, and spirit.

Many forms of yoga have emerged through the years. The branch of yoga I will focus on is Ashtanga yoga. It is said that the father and founder of classical ashtanga yoga is Patanjali. Patanjali lived between 100 BC and 200AD around three centuries before Christ, and was a great philosopher and grammarian. He was also a physician and a medical work is attributed to him. Patanjali best known work is Patanjali Yoga Sutras of Aphorisms on Yoga written some 2000 years ago.[4] Patanjali said that "Yoga is the science of joining together the individual self with the higher self, the invisible spark of God that resides within everyone. The aim of Patanjali Yoga is to set man free from the cage of matter. Mind is the highest form of matter and man freed from this mind or ego becomes a pure being. This method of Yoga involves synchronizing the breath with progressive series of postures—a process producing intense internal heat and a profuse, purifying sweat that detoxifies muscles and organs. The result is improved circulation, a light and strong body, and a calm mind.[5]

Ashtanga Yoga literally means "eight-limbs". These eight spiritual practices are guidelines on how to live a meaningful live. They are:

• Yama means restraints and it focuses on moral codes and ethical standards
• Niyama means observances and it deals with self-purification, contentment, discipline and spiritual acknowledgement.
• Asana is posture and it focuses on your body’s posture and physical routines.
• Pranayama is breath control and this limb focuses on gaining control over the respiratory process while recognizing the connection between the breath, the mind, and the emotions.
• Pratyahara means withdrawal of the senses or sensory transcendence. Focus is on gaining control of our internal senses and the objective is to find the internal source of happiness.
• Dharana teaches the art of concentration and how to deal with mental distractions. The previous stages help to make this already hard task easier and help to prepare us for the next step.
• Dhyana is meditation, which is the uninterrupted flow of concentration. It removes all thoughts from the mind to keep the mind focused on nothing.
• Samadhi is contemplation. This final stage of ashtanga is a state of enlightment. This is the stage in which the mediator merges with his or her point of focus and transcends the Self altogether.

People in this age are obsessed with their bodies. Yoga provides a way of attaining your desired physique while offering a tranquil connection with your bodies, minds and souls that many people consciously or unconsciously yearn for. People come in search for a meaning and purpose of their lives. When asked the question on why they have chose the path of yoga, the responses vary from people wanting to find their true voice and self to people searching for a spiritual awakening.

Yoga is mostly associated with its many different postures and forms which is the most popular aspect of Yoga. Many consider Yoga to be a science, a philosophy, a religion or an art. As Yoga is dependent upon the perception of the individual, it is all of these or none of these. It is preferential that Yoga is thought of and accepted as a 'way of life' above anything else. It is a way of integrating and becoming one with the whole of nature, so that all aspects of life are united harmoniously[6].

To my surprise there is even a movie out called Ashtanga, NY starring Gwyneth Paltrow. This is the write up of the movie: A celebrated form of yoga, Ashtanga has gained a loyal following amongst disciples of the discipline. This release is one of the more unusual yoga titles on the market. Originally designed as a concert film to celebrate the style, the staging was interrupted by the events of September 11th 2001. Realigned to reflect the events of that fateful day, and to illustrate how yoga can form an effective coping mechanism for such events, this is a moving portrayal of Ashtanga yoga and the New York experience.[7]

As I continued in my research it astonished me that there are so many yoga centers or gurus out there. Yoga instructors teach believing that Yoga will help their students understand and develop their own paths to discovering their true self. One guru said that: “I’ve seen a lot of people that weren’t happy with themselves - be it their body or their energy or whatever it is - from doing the practice, they come to terms and become more accepting with themselves and the way they are.”[8] Ashtanga Yoga, practiced in its correct sequential order, gradually leads the practitioner to rediscovering his or her fullest potential on all levels of human consciousness—physical, psychological, and spiritual. Through this practice of correct breathing , postures, and gazing point, we gain control of the senses and a deep awareness of our selves. By maintaining this discipline with regularity and devotion, one acquires steadiness of body and mind.[9] Many people seek just the physical benefits of yoga but once they commit themselves to it, it will have a deeper meaning. Ashtanga yoga is a more challenging style of yoga. The primary series is a flowing series of poses incorporating warming sun salutations, forward bends, twists, balance, strength and flexibility postures. The series is done in coordination with the breath to cleanse the body, work the heart and lungs, and calm the mind.[10] At first yoga exercises will seem very difficult and many people will be unable to do the various stretches because of inflexibility. With time, as many yoga gurus stress, it will come to you. Some people take longer than others to ‘get the hang of it’. Each person will get it at their own pace, as it takes considerable effort.

There are three groups of sequences in the Ashtanga system. The Primary Series detoxifies and aligns the body. The Intermediate Series purifies the nervous system by opening and clearing the energy channels. The Advanced Series A, B, C, and D integrate the strength and grace of the practice, requiring higher levels of flexibility and humility. Each level is to be fully developed before proceeding to the next, and the sequential order of asanas is to be meticulously followed. Each posture is a preparation for the next, developing the strength and balance required to move further.[11]

In a letter to a friend this is what one person had to say about yoga:

Yoga first took hold of me in 1992, a first taste of that contentment—not achievement, just acceptance of how life was. I have a ceaselessly moving mind, housed in a sluggish old body. Yoga drew me in with offers of even a moment’s waking reprieve for that mind, and a few knock-on benefits of improved energy levels, posture, et al. It worked. I’m still doing it. It’s a hurdle to get the body to join in some days. But if it won’t, the mind won’t get there, either. [12]

Today there are perhaps 20 million practitioners of one or another system of yoga in the West alone. The movement has grown steadily over the past hundred years, and more rapidly since the late 1960s. But that’s no surprise to those who practice yoga. Like a pebble dropped in a pond, the ripple effects of a yoga practice spread outward and continue far beyond the initial point of contact. But don’t take someone else’s word for it. Explore yoga as it is offered near you or look into the many videos on the market now and experience the yoga for yourself.[13]

After conducting all of this research I find it impossible not to discover and experience yoga for myself. It’s nice to have an inner peace and so much people in the world is missing that today. If yoga offers the relaxation, self transcendence and inner peace along with the physical benefits then I can’t wait to get started!!!!

Notes:

[1] Jeremijenko, Valerie (Editor). How We Live Our Yoga. Boston, MA, USA: Beacon Press, 2001. p 1. http://site.ebrary.com/lib/unblib/Doc?id=5002278&page=7

[2] http://www.byregion.net/articles-healers/Everyday_Yoga.html

[3] http://www.healthcorral.com/reports/yoga.html

[4] http://www.hrih.net/patanjali/

[5] http://www.ashtanga.com/

[6] http://www.fizzilizzi.freeserve.co.uk/ashtanga%20yoga.htm

[7] http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&id=1808581687&cf=info&intl=us

[8] http://www.mankind.co.uk/yoga.asp

[9] http://www.ashtanga.com/html/AYarticle.html

[10] http://www.yogastudio.ns.ca/yogastyles.html

[11] http://www.ashtanga.com/html/ayarticle.html

[12] Jeremijenko, Valerie(Editor). How We Live Our Yoga. Boston, MA, USA: Beacon Press, 2001. p 80. http://site.ebrary.com/lib/unblib/Doc?id=5002278&page=86

[13] http://www.healthcorral.com/reports/yoga.html