Yoga For Beginners - Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga - An Introduction

The following article is from a series of articles and videos about benefits of Yoga …

Peaceful, serene, strong, relaxed, pure — this is how you will feel after experiencing Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. This ancient method centers around the concept of “flow” and connected movements. Like most methods of yoga, it’s not just a series of “stretches” or exercises — but rather, a combined methodology of philosophy, moral code, meditation and healthy habits. Muscle definition or flexibility may attract fitness enthusiasts to a yoga center, but for many people it’s that spirituality of yoga meditation that invites them — producing a quieter mind, improved circulation and increased energy.

Through active, fluid movements, six different positions and carefully timed inhaling and exhaling exercises, students of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga seek to reach a state of internal cleansing, clear-mindedness, strength in body and a feeling of connectedness with the universal soul. By following the “eight limbs” of yoga, outlined by Indian sage Patanjali Maharishi, adherents practice the following: moral codes, self-purification and study, posture, control of the breath, sense control, focused concentration, meditation and contemplation.

At the commencement of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, a yoga instructor will help students master “external cleansing practices.” They learn about morality and study, while practicing specific postures and breathing. Teachers help beginners find the correct positions and inspire participants to live a just and moral existence. Next, after days of mastering the proper poses and gaining strength, students will learn to control their minds. Through posture, breathing and concentration, the practice purifies the body, nervous system and mind over time.

In practice, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga encompasses six particular postures (otherwise referred to as “asanas”) that are always expressed in the same order. In the first asana, there are ten standing “Sun Salutations” or “The Primary Series,” which is intended to align and detoxify the body. The “Intermediate Series” works on the nervous system by opening and clearing internal energy pathways. “The Advanced Series A, B, C and D” helps people achieve maximum flexibility, strength, definition and humility. Teachers emphasize the mastering of each level before moving on, with particular focus and attention given to each progressive step.

The ujjayi (meaning “victorious breath”) method of exhaled and inhaled breathwork, combined with the fluid, dynamic asanas, heats the blood and generates a detoxifying sweat, or what is known as “internal cleansing.” Advanced forms of breathing techniques (bandhas) teach you how to “lock” or “seal” energy and redirect it to one of the 72,000 energy channels within the body. To obtain maximum benefit from the asanas, learning to lock in positive energy is crucial. 9 different focus points aim to purify and stabilize the mind, easing concentration.

Once perfect form is attained, a true understanding of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is found and the 6 spiritual poisons (desire, anger, delusion, greed, sloth and envy) will be eliminated. It is claimed that the mind will become unshackled and true happiness and understanding will pour inwards. With life moving so fast, the benefits of yoga meditation attracts roughly 16.5 million Americans each year.

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