| What is Ashtanga Yoga? | | | | breath |
| Ashtanga Yoga is a dynamic sequence of asanas | | | | - Pratyahara or sense withdrawl |
| (postures) integrating breath, bandhas (internal locks) | | | | - Dharana or concentration |
| and dristi (eye gazing points). Done correctly the body | | | | - Dhyana or contemplation |
| is stretched and strengthened, the breath becomes | | | | - Samadhi or enlightenment. |
| steady and calm and the mind becomes still. There are | | | | What is "Asana"? |
| six sequences in all, though the first sequence is | | | | In Ashtanga Yoga asana refers to the postures. The |
| generally challenging enough for most people. | | | | asana should be steady and light. The breath is the |
| The first sequence (Primary Series) is also known as | | | | key, and will indicate with either a steady breath, or an |
| "yoga chikitsa" and is designed to cleanse the body by | | | | erratic one, or not at all, as in holding the breath. In the |
| stretching and strengthening the large muscle groups | | | | last two cases, the body is not comfortable in the |
| and massaging the internal organs. | | | | position, and the mind will not be steady either. |
| What are the "8 Limbs of Yoga"? | | | | Each asana is linked to the next with a sequence of |
| Patanjali was an ancient sage in India. The eight limbs | | | | movements, and each movement is connected to the |
| of yoga refer to his yoga sutras where he lays out in | | | | breath, either an inhalation or an exhalation. You cannot |
| detail the steps towards a still and free mind. They are; | | | | have one without the other. |
| - Yamas or ethical disciplines (non violence, truth, non | | | | What is the goal of Ashtanga Yoga? |
| stealing, chastity, non greediness) | | | | There are many different types of yogas, and most |
| - Niyamas or moral disciplines (cleanliness, contentment, | | | | of them don't rely on asana at all. All of them ultimately |
| self discipline, self study, surrender to God) | | | | have one goal - to still the mind so as to find our |
| - Asana or postures (the "exercises" most people | | | | common connection with the Divine and to know the |
| associate with the term "yoga") | | | | ultimate truth - Reality as it is, not as we choose to |
| - Pranyama or control of prana (life force) via the | | | | see it. |