ASHTANGA

A good teacher will start with the fundamentals, show you and teach you how to breathe. And little by little you will learn a sequence that you will memorize and integrate faster than you can imagine, because your body is very intelligent. You just have to let this intelligence be practiced so that progressively, with a continuous and constant practice, you develop a sensitivity and awareness that will not only serve you for a healthier and more successful asana practice, but for a more balanced and full life .

Going deeper into more technical details, let’s see what the first Ashtanga series is, what it means, and how the Mysore method works.

The first series is really called Yoga Chikitsa, which means, therapeutic Yoga. They are the pillars of the practice of asana, and no matter what series you practice, you always practice once a week. It is also the series to practice when you have certain injuries.

To visualize it better imagine three blocks. Block I “Warming up”, Block II “your personalized practice as far as your teacher has indicated you “, Block III “Endings and closing”.

Regardless of which series you practice, you always start with Block I and end with Block III.

The Ashtanga method begins with Greetings to the sun A and B. When you start practicing normally five of each are done, when you reach a certain asana / posture of the first series or after practice time you may reduce to three Suryanamaskar B.

After these, the series of standing – fundamental asanas begins, followed by the first asana of Yoga Chikitsa which is Uthitta Hasta Padangusthasana.

Many people believe that the series begins with Dandasana or Paschimotanansana because it is the first seated asana, but it is not.

In addition, Uthitta is such a powerful posture that executing it correctly requires years of practice, flexibility, strength and controlled breathing.

You will continue practicing until the asana your teacher has given you. To decide how far the student advances there are many criteria and agents or, at least, there should be in order to ensure the right decision for each practitioner.

Factors such as practice, time, age, physical condition, injuries, illness, emotional condition, etc. are taken into account.

When you get to your last asana in Block II, you go to Block III which involves extensions, inverted poses and sitting asanas. These are key in your practice, so if you do not have time, reduce block II but always try to complete Block III. The benefits are countless.

I hope I have helped you clarify some doubts, and that you will be inspired to try this practice.