What is Ashtanga yoga? Origin and meaning of ashtanga yoga

Ashtanga yoga is a type of yoga that will probably be quite familiar to many yoga practitioners. Let’s learn more about Ashtanga yoga with Bach Hoa Xanh. The Origin and Meaning of Ashtanga Yoga

Learn about Ashtanga Yoga

What is Ashtanga Yoga?

Ashtanga Yoga also known as Patanjali yoga or Raja yoga – is the most famous and oldest form of yoga in India . In Sanskrit, Ashtanga Yoga is understood as:

• Asht: Number 8
• Anga: Human body

From there we can understand simply Ashtanga Yoga includes 8 purposes that this type wants the human body to aim for.

What is Ashtanga Yoga?

The Origin of Ashtanga Yoga

According to many recorded records, Ashtanga yoga originated from Guru Rama Mohan Brahmachari – a man who lived in a cave in the Himalayas , Manasarovar (Tibet) in the 1900s . During this time, he devised nearly 700 yoga poses based on the ancient yoga method – Yoga Korunta.

Mr. Brahmachari had a student named Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, who went to Tibet and studied with him for 7 years, from there accumulating knowledge and teachings on yoga, after which Krishnamacharya returned to India. and teach his teacher’s yoga lessons to everyone here.

After that, Krishnamacharya also had a student Pattabhi Jois to study and contribute to spreading Ashtanga yoga to future generations , then gradually became popular and became one of the popular types of yoga in the West. West is studied by many people.

The Origin of Ashtanga Yoga

See more: 5 yoga exercises that are good for the lungs, effectively reduce stress

Meaning of Ashtanga yoga

As mentioned above, Ashtanga yoga includes 8 purposes, also known as 8 meanings of exercises, specifically:

Control (Yama)

The first purpose of Ashtanga yoga is to ask for moral qualities from within, including:

• Satya : Live honestly, sincerely.
• Asteya : Don’t be greedy and steal things that don’t belong to you.
• Brahmacharya : Living in moderation.
• Aparigraha : Do not speculate and hoard.

Control (Yama)

Code of Conduct (Niyama)

Ashtanga yoga’s code of conduct concerns one’s inner mind. When the mind calms down, you can perform and feel each breath of the yoga movement. Therefore, Ashtanga yoga requires practitioners to:

• Pure soul.
• The spirit is comfortable, relaxed, free from outside affairs.
• Live passionately and positively.
• Tapas: Disciplined attitude.
• Svadhyaya: Cultivate, self-study.
• Ishvara Pranidhana: Surrender to God.

Code of Conduct (Niyama)

Yoga Pose (Asana)

The correct and correct Ashtanga yoga posture when practicing gives the practitioner’s body:

• The body is supple, flexible, toned and healthy.
• Mental comfort, relaxation, no more pressure, fatigue and stress.

Yoga Pose (Asana)

Controlled Breathing (Pranayama)

Controlling your breathing rhythm is one of the important factors when practicing yoga. Regular and rhythmic breathing will help you practice longer and not be exhausted when practicing.

Controlled Breathing (Pranayama)

Control your emotions (Pratyahara)

When your emotions are not happy or negative, they will affect you when you practice yoga, so controlling your emotions is something that should be focused.

Control your emotions (Pratyahara)

Focus on practice (Dharana)

To practice Ashtanga yoga properly and bring good health benefits, you must always focus on practicing without being distracted by external things.

Focus on practice (Dharana)

Meditation (Dhyana)

Meditation is considered the highest stage of concentration. Ashtanga yoga will direct you to fully focus on your yoga practice without distractions.

Meditation (Dhyana)

The state of bliss (Samadhi)

The state of bliss is the peak state attained by the practice of Ashtanga yoga. When you reach this state, your body and senses will be lost in the unconscious, but your mind is still aware of things and awake.

The state of bliss (Samadhi)

What are the exercises in Ashtanga Yoga?

Ashtanga Vinyasa

Ashtanga Vinyasa will generate heat inside the body, helping the body to stretch and stabilize the heart by practicing deep breathing. Ashtanga Vinyasa exercises include:

• Chaturanga Dandasana : Inhale (Four-legged staff pose).
• Urdhva Mukha Svanasana : Inhale (Upward facing dog).
• Adho Mukha Svanasana : Exhale (Facing Down Dog Pose).

Ashtanga Vinyasa

Meditation Ujjayi Pranayama

“Prana” in Sanskrit means energy to create force and “Yama” means control, we can simply understand, control, focus energy to produce force (strength) for the lungs and diaphragm. . Ujjayi Pranayama is an exercise used in all the practices of Ashtanga yoga. How to practice Ujjayi Pranayama meditation includes:

• Close the back of your throat and inhale evenly through your nose to make a sound.
• Stop after you have inhaled enough.
• Keep your throat contracted and exhale evenly through your nose.
• Pause after exhaling fully. Repeat as many times as possible until the body and mind feel relaxed.

Meditation Ujjayi Pranayama

Basic set of exercises

Ashtanga yoga is basically referred to as therapeutic yoga. This exercise will eliminate physical problems . This exercise will primarily help build strength and help relax , and will serve as a starting point for more advanced exercises later.

• First, perform the poses in the sun salutation sequence.
• Next, do a set of standing poses. Ashtanga yoga consists of forward bends, turns, and balances.
• Next, do a series of multi-sitting poses such as sitting forward bends, hip openers, and twists.
• Then there are twists yoga poses.
• And finally, hip openers yoga poses such as low lunge, lizard pose, pigeon pose, etc.

Basic set of exercises

Level Workout Set

A set of advanced concentration exercises called Nadi Shodhana, this nadis will help the energy to flow throughout the body, help purify the body and improve the spirit , including exercises such as:

• Start with the basic poses.
• Next is the back bend.
• Next is the exercise to balance the body on the arms. These include the crow pose, the side crow pose, or the firefly pose.
• Then, continue to change to an inversion position, such as plow pose, wheel pose or scorpion pose, …
• The last is the same finishing as the basic one.

Level Workout Set

Advanced set of exercises

The advanced set of advanced exercises is called Sthira Bhaga. “Sthira” is stable and “bhaga” is radiant. When put together, we can understand that advanced Ashtanga yoga will help create inner strength as well as compassion to help keep the body healthy and awake.

Advanced Ashtanga yoga has over 100 yoga poses, here are some examples:

• Deep hip openers include: Crescent Lunge, Lizard Lunge Twist.
• Advanced arm balances, such as hurdles (Eka Pada Koundinyasana I), elephant trunk pose (Elephant’s Trunk Pose).
• Deep twists and binds.
• Deep backbends.

Advanced set of exercises

Effects of Ashtanga Yoga

Ashtanga yoga has great effects such as:

Increase endurance and flexibility of the body

• After a period of practicing yoga movements, the body will gradually get used to it and become more flexible and supple.
• Besides, daily exercise will also help improve body endurance.

Increase endurance and flexibility of the body

Improve your body shape

• Yoga has exercises to stretch, twist and squeeze the shaper , which will help muscle groups to be firmer, and at the same time will help blood circulation better.
• Besides, practicing yoga will help burn fat by releasing energy.
• Sweating during exercise will also help eliminate toxins in the body.

Improve your body shape

Relieve stress and anxiety

• Ashtanga yoga helps to relax the mind, ease and relieve stress.
• By keeping the mind relaxed, it will contribute to slowing down the aging process.

Relieve stress and anxiety

Above is the information about what is Ashtanga yoga? The origin and meaning of Ashtanga yoga that Bach Khoa GREEN sent to you. Hope the above article will be useful to you!

Source: Specialized healthline

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