They may have witnessed pretzel-like postures, or perhaps they’ve heard about grueling, six-day-a-week practice or trips to South India for crowded 4 a.m. classes. Yes, Ashtanga yoga is an intense practice, and it tends to attract people who are somewhat…driven, to say the least. So the next time I saw him, I asked, “Why so much emphasis on the body? Why don’t we teach the other seven limbs of Ashtanga yoga?” He replied, “Asana is door to discovering other limbs of yoga, as outlined in the yoga sutras. In other words, the physical postures are the convenient entryway into the path of yoga.” While developing a healthy physical body can encourage this process, it is entirely possible to clear the subtle channels through other means. There are plenty of enlightened masters in India and Tibet who have never in their lives done a sun salutation. I’ve also seen fantastic feats performed at Cirque du Soleil. A beautiful body has nothing to do with spiritual enlightenment. In Sanskrit, Ashtanga means “eight limbs,” and asana is just one of those limbs. Asana, or “posture,” at least from the yoga sutra point of view, means the posture of meditation. Popularization of yoga in the West has expanded this term to include all the physical poses found in yoga studios these days. But essentially, yoga is about learning to meditate by preparing the system and then guiding the mind to stillness. Ready to go for it? Ashtanga yoga is one of the best ways I know to help you develop a routine of self-discipline and eventually your own daily yoga and meditation practice. If you’ve been wondering about Ashtanga yoga, find an experienced teacher and give it a try. Intrigued? Find out what the biggest fitness trends of summer are, and learn about how yoga transformed this couple’s relationship.
