About Ashtanga

Ashtanga yoga is a traditional vinyasa style practice with its modern roots in Mysore, India. This is a dynamic practice designed to purify the body and calm the mind by combining a set sequence of poses with breath and movement (vinyasa). Sri K Pattabhi Jois learned this practice from his teacher, T Krishnamacharya, in the 1920’s and 1930’s, as a young man. After many years of practicing and teaching yoga at the Sanskrit college in Mysore, India, Jois established the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in his home in Laxmipurum in 1948. In the mid-60’s and 70’s, westerners began coming to his school and learning the Ashtanga yoga method, and today this same method is practiced and taught all over the world.

The Ashtanga system of yoga assigns one movement or position to each breath throughout the practice in a specific order. This allows for several things – one being a consistent transmission of the practice over many generations. Also the student, once the sequence is committed to memory, can practice at their own pace, and deep focus can be achieved throughout the practice, so that over time, students develop better concentration (strong mind) along with a strong and flexible body.

Ashtanga is a practice designed to warm the body from within. Combining strong, steady breath and movements causes the body to sweat, and expel toxins residing in the muscles and organs. This purifies the body, and strengthens the immune system and nervous system.

There are six distinct sequences in the Ashtanga system of yoga: Primary Series (Yoga Chikitsa/Yoga Therapy), Intermediate Series (Nadi Shodana/Nerve Cleansing), and Advanced A series through Advanced D series. For most people, Primary Series is plenty. For those students that have mastered Primary Series, adding Intermediate Series to their practice offers a "balanced diet of yoga". Advanced A-D series are for advanced practitioners of yoga ready to hone their practice, physically and mentally.

From Eddie Stern’s forward for Yoga Mala, by Sri K Pattabhi Jois: “Mala is a Sanskrit term that means garland. In India there are many different kinds ofmalas…Jois here offers another kind of mala, which is ancient in tradition, as sacred as a prayer, and as beautiful as flowers. His mala is a garland of yoga, in which each vinyasa is like a sacred bead to be counted and focused on, and each asana is like a fragrant flower strung on the thread of the breath. Just as a japamala adorns the neck and a pushpamala adorns the gods, so too does this garland of yoga, when diligently practiced, adorn our entire being with peace, health, radiance, and, ultimately, self –knowledge.”

Workshops

1-2 days

Stacy can bring a variety of workshop modules together to form a weekend workshop for your community.  Options include, Mysore sessions, Guided Ashtanga classes, Asana workshop sessions, Intro to Ashtanga Pranayama, Vinyasa counting, Bandhas, and various discussion topics.  Workshops are a great opportunity to slow the practice down and break it into smaller chunks.  This way students can explore more deeply and understand more clearly the actions required to develop a more meaningful, meditative practice

mysore intensives

week-long

Designed as an opportunity for new students to be introduced to the Mysore style of practicing Ashtanga yoga.  Experienced students will enjoy the time to deepen their practice, and connect with their greater Ashtanga community. Typically includes a workshop session to discuss guidelines and expectations in the Mysore room, and begin learning/breaking down the Sun Salutations - the foundation of the practice.  This session is followed by several days of Mysore classes, and ends with one Led Primary Series session and a short discussion.  These Intensives could be combined with a weekend workshop, and may also include Pranayama Sessions and/or Discussion sessions.

private lessons

One on one instruction

For those wanting dedicated individual instruction, either to address specific concerns or to ease into an Ashtanga practice.  $50/hour.  Contact Stacy Ingham to schedule.