Ashtanga Yoga

Aṣṭāṅga Yoga Literally translated, Ashtanga Yoga means "The eight limbs of unity" (aṣṭan - eight, aṅga - limb; Yoga - unity). These eight limbs or levels were first compiled by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras (200-300 b.c.). His 185 aphorisms describe the philosophy and practise of the classical yoga.

The eight limbs are:

• Yama - ethics, moral codes
• Niyama - self - purification and study
• Asana - body postures
• Pranayama - control over Prana (life energy)
• Pratyahara - withdrawal of the senses
• Dharana - concentration
• Dhyana - meditation
• Samadhi - enlightenment and self-realization

From these 8 limbs, only the third limb (the asanas) is directly accessible in our physical, three-dimensional world. That's why different Yoga systems all use the body and the asanas as an instrument to reach all the other 7 levels.

e.g.:

• Control over the breath ~ control over Prana
• concentration in the asanas ~ dharana, pratyahara
• Sitting in meditation is also an asana (body posture)
• How do I treat my body during the asanas? ~ ethics, self- discipline

It's fascinating, how all of the 8 limbs merge and how each limb contains all the others. This unity and simplicity is the strength of Yoga.

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa ~ flow, synchronicity of breath and movement.
The result is a sequence of breath and movement, that leads through the asanas of the several Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga series in a certain order.
Legends say, that Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and his teacher Sri T. Krishnamacharya rediscovered the science of Vinyasa in an old scripture "Yoga Korunta" from Rishi Vamana. Rishi Vamanas famous words are:

"Oh Yogi! Do not practise Asana without Vinyasa."

The effect of the Vinyasa technique on the physical level becomes visible in all the other limbs of the eightfold path of classical Yoga.