Classical Ashtanga Yoga

 

 

 

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History & Lineage​​

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The practice as we know it today originates from the lineage of Sri T. Krishnamacharya, Vedic scholar, healer and teacher who revived yogic practices in the early twentieth century. Krishnamacharya's student, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, a Sanskrit scholar and teacher, synthesized the most distinguishable aspects of what we consider Ashtanga Yoga today. In the early 1970's, the first students who would eventually popularize this form of practice in the west, went to learn from Jois in Mysore, India. Learning this method follows the parampara, a Sanskrit word for the transmission of knowledge from teacher to student.

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At Atlantic Yoga Therapy, this practice is taught "as it was", following the teachings of David Williams, Manju Jois, Jody Manley, and the late Nancy Gilgoff that adhere to the therapeutic origins of the practice. This method emphasizes the importance of breath, upholding the integrity of the practice as energetic, rather than physical. The tradition is much more than moving the body through particular forms; it is shaped by particular cultural, political, and philosophical histories represented by texts like Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. The name itself, Ashtanga, refers to a particular set of philosophical assumptions about the nature of the mind, the self, consciousness, and the transcendent, assumptions that provide the basis for the eight limbed path toward spiritual growth (ashtau - eight; anga - limb) 

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Learning

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Anyone can learn the practice. We prioritize meeting students where they are and students learn in the traditional Mysore style, with individual instruction to suit each student's evolving needs. Group classes are often a mixture of beginner and long-time students and offer opportunities to learn the system from the ground-up and to receive help and guidance. Some classes are counted or "led", wherein the focus is on learning the vinyasa (how to move into and out of asana in alignment with the breath). Home-practice is an important element in the learning and integration of this system of Yoga, and though it may take a long time to develop, what emerges from consistency is well worth the effort.

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Learning begins with Surya Namskar (sun salutations) and the standing postures, which are the foundational asana. We begin with these to connect with grounding, balance, and stability through the feet and legs. With a foundation of stability, we can grow. The closing series, which is always incorporated into daily practice, as are the Surya Namskar, is integral to create balance in the practice: After generating heat in the body, the closing series supports the opportunity for cooling and focusing the internal awareness that has been cultivated during practice. The Primary Series or Yoga Chikitsa (yoga therapy) works with lateral movement, stretching both sides of the spine and the entire back of the body, through forward folds. The Primary Series also mobilizes and strengthens the hips, knees and shoulders, supporting the health of the joints. The Intermediate Series or Nadi Shodanah (nerve cleansing) builds on the first series to introduce deeper movement of the spine through backward bending, stimulating the nervous system. The Intermediate Series also builds on the development of the deep core muscles to support the health of the lower back. The Third Series or Advanced A & B again builds on the first two, combining shapes developed in the earlier series and working with more complex balance, strength and the energy of lifting upward.

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The system is designed intelligently in terms of the progression of development and growth. As my teacher says, this is a "lock and key system", each form and movement informs what comes next and what has come before. In this way, the practice invites the student into a cyclical exploration of growth, connecting the student to the natural rhythms of life. The system begins to reveal itself as we move through and learn the practice. Students are not held back until postures are "perfected" as is the method in some current transmissions of the Ashtanga system. Every body is different and there are no perfect postures. We make the shapes, breathe, and move on to prioritize the rhythmic, energetic nature of the practice.

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