History of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga
Modern yoga scholars discovered
an ancient text recorded by the sage Vamana Rishi,
called the Yoga Korunta possibly written
post-British invasion (1750 - 1950). The text of the Yoga
Korunta was imparted to Sri T. Krishnamacharya
in the early 1900’s by his Guru Rama Mohan Brahmachari
and was later passed down to Krishnamacharya’s student
Pattabhi Jois, during his studies which began in
1927. The Yoga Korunta is said to contain original teachings
on Vinyasa (different groupings of yoga
postures linked together through breath and movement),
drishti (gaze point during asana practice),
bandhas (energy locks), mudras
(gestures) and philosophy.
In 1948, Pattabhi Jois began
teaching this modern form of classical-hatha yoga which he
named Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga from his yoga
shala (yoga school), the Ashtanga Yoga Research
Institute in Mysore, India. Pattabhi Jois’ Ashtanga Yoga
incorporated all eight limbs of Patanjanli’s Classical
Ashtanga Yoga system. The first four limbs—yama,
niyama, asana, pranayama—are external cleansing
practices and the last four limbs - pratyahara,
dharana, dhyana and Samadhi are the internal
cleansing practices. According to Pattabhi Jois, a person
must practice ethical discipline, self observances, posture
and sense withdrawal to make the mind/body complex strong
and healthy in preparation for meditation. With the body and
sense organs stabilized, the mind can be steady and
controlled.
In the Ashtanga Vinyasa
Yoga system, to perform asana
correctly one must incorporate both vinyasa
(linking breath to movement) and tristhana
(union of three fundamental actions: asana
(posture), pranayama (breath practice) and
drishti (gazing place). These three fundamentals
are very important for Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga practice and
cover three levels of purification: the body, nervous system
and mind.
According to the Ashtanga
Vinyasa System, vinyasa and tristhana are always performed
in conjunction with each other. Synchronizing breathing and
movement of the asanas heats the blood, cleaning and
thinning it so that it may circulate more freely. Improved
blood circulation relieves joint pain and removes toxins and
disease from the internal organs. The sweat generated from
the heat of vinyasa carries the impurities out of the body.
Tristhana concentrates awareness on the union of the
physical body, nervous system and the mind. However, without
earnest effort and reverence towards the practice of yama
and niyama, the practice of tristhana is far less
beneficial.
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