Ashtanga Yoga Liverpool
Ashtanga
We offer this very traditional practice in Liverpool throughout the year. Ashtanga Yoga Liverpool is a huge part of our Yoga Teacher Trainings and Anatomy Courses. We use the fundamentals of this practice to correct and align the postures of Rocket Vinyasa and Vinyasa Flow. Sri K. Patthabi Jois developed the system in the 1950s and we still practice it internationally. Ashtanga Vinyasa is a set series of postures and transitions. The Yoga Academy presents The Primary and Intermediate Series to our students.
In our Ashtanga weeks, we adjust the postures to encourage a deeper practice, offering advice on how to take practice further. These weeks are a great way for us to connect with your practice.
The fundamentals of Ashtanga
There are 4 fundamentals of this style of yoga. These are also the fundamentals of Vinyasa Flow. They are Bandhas, Breath, Drishti and Vinyasa.
Bandhas
These are locks within the body that work with the movement of energy. Mula Bandha is the root lock and will provide an uplift of energy from the base of your spine. Uddiyana Bandha is your stomach lock and protects your lower back as well as allowing for deeper access into the postures.
Breath
Ashtanga Yoga is known for its Victorious Breath, Ujjai Breath. This is the hissing sound that is created as you exhale. If you become familiar to this rhythm, it will allow you to induce a meditative state. If your breath becomes forced or unsteady, you can use this as a benchmark to say that you have gone too deep into the posture. Therefore, we continue to breath in and out of the mouth in order to retain the heat in the body. This helps us to be more flexible and rid the body of toxins as we sweat.
Drishti
This is simply the focal point of each of the postures. There is a focal point for each and every posture. This will help to keep the focus on the mat and avoid checking out what is happening around you. It encourages sense withdrawal which is necessary for meditation.
Vinyasa
The vinyasas link the postures together allowing the sequence to flow fluidly. The Upward and Downward Dog help to reset the body like counter postures. The Chaturanga Dandasana, press up position, will help build strength and shoulder stability. Moreover, The vinyasa will undoubtedly help build the necessary heat that you need in your body to complete the backbending part of the series.
Ashtanga: A Moving Meditation
The practice should be considered as a Movement Meditation. This means that there is a point of focus throughout your time on your mat. This will vary depending on how familiar you are with the sequence. If you are new to the sequence, your point of concentration will be to remember the order and integrity of each of the postures. If you are more familiar, you will focus on bandhas, breath, drishti and vinyasas, allowing your body to move automatically through the sequence.
Want to learn mora about Ashtanga?
Throughout the year we offer yoga teaching trainings that will help you improve your ashgtanga practice and learn how to teach this beautiful form of yoga to others. Click the button below to find out more information.